《Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix》


 Chapter 1: Rebirth

    <h4>Chapter 1: Rebirth</h4>


    At first, he felt warm and a bit wet, and then slowly, he woke up?? it felt like he had just had the longest dream of his entire life. When he opened his eyes, everything was still dark, though.


    "What happened?? where am I?"


    Memories of the dream began to flow in his mind. In hisst moments, his mind reyed the scenes of his life, a series of choices and regrets. He saw himself as a young boy, full of dreams and ambition to be a pro boxer, but he listened to others who advised him differently. He ended up trapped in a corporate job, losing touch with his true passion.


    The memory that haunted him the most was when money went missing from hispany''s ount. Suddenly, he was med for the theft, and everything fell apart. His job vanished, friends turned their backs, and even his family doubted him. With nowhere to go, he found himself in a dark alley, trying to protect a homeless woman from an attacker.


    In those final moments, he felt the weight of his mediocre existence and the remorse that came with it. He wished he had followed his dreams and not settled for a life of conformity. The pain of betrayal and istion tore at his heart. But amidst the darkness, he also saw flickers ofpassion and courage within himself.


    "Oh yeah?? I died?? I died, didn''t I?"


    The memories were kind of foggy, but he could tell that he truly lived a full life like that; the regret he felt, the regret that he was feeling, they couldn''t be just parts of a dream. He also saw himself bleeding a lot?? the chances of survival were none.


    "At least I didn''t betray myself, that was the important part, and that is the only thing that I will never regret, not like I will have the chance to do so."


    He decided to wait for his judgment; he could only imagine that he was about to enter the afterlife?? it was the only exnation as to why he was still?? thinking? He definitely wasn''t alive. Come to think of it, he felt warm and wet; do souls feel that?


    Despite the uncertainty thaty ahead, he found sce in the realization that he hadn''t betrayed himself in the end. Lying there, he reflected on the choices he had made throughout his lifetime. While he acknowledged the mediocrity that had marked his existence and the remorse that had tinged his heart, he also foundfort in the knowledge that he had remained true to his core principles.


    "I guess my biased opinion doesn''t matter if I am good or evil. Anyway, the waiting line must be pretty long."


    Before long, he could see the light ahead?? it seemed that the line was moving without him walking on it. That was convenient?? it was time to know if life was truly fair in the beyond. Eventually, the light engulfed and blinded him for a moment, and then a voice echoing in his mind woke him up.


    (The Human Path was unlocked)


    (You obtained the skill of Language.)


    "Hah?"


    He wondered if there was something wrong with him?? the voice seemed pretty mechanical; it was almost like he was in an airport. Maybe they used that kind of system as well.


    Regardless, the light eventually vanished, and then he found himself seeing the massive head of a granny. The woman had more gray hair than ck, so it was urate to call her granny. The woman studied him for a while, and while he wanted to look back, he couldn''t. His head and body felt strangely stiff. Now that he thought about it, he could feel himself being grabbed by the big hands of the giant granny.


    "??ßB?^??={}\???."


    The giant granny said something, but he didn''t understand a single thing. Maybe she said that he didn''t have enough meat on him; the giants that he knew had an interest in eating humans, even though they couldn''t digest them. Still, unlike them, the granny didn''t show any disturbing smiles?? she looked as serious as an ice block.


    Before long, he was moved to some bed and then noticed his surroundings. Everything was made of wood and seemed a bit archaic. He didn''t want to think of that?? It seemed too naive, but he was starting to think that he wasn''t going to be judged. After blinking a few times, he began to think that he truly wouldn''t when he saw something else.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 01


    Current Path: Human (Lv 01)


    Health: 10/10


    Mana: 10/10


    Stamina: 10/10


    Strength: 01


    Dexterity: 01


    Intelligence: 01


    Vitality: 01


    Wisdom: 01


    Endurance: 01


    Luck: 01


    Main Skills:


    [Language Lv 01]


    [Slot 2]


    [Slot 3]


    [Slot 4]


    [Slot 5]


    Support Skills:


    [Slot 1]


    [Slot 2]


    [Slot 3]


    [Slot 4]


    [Slot 5]


    "A game-like interface?? What the hell is going on? Also, who is Rainendall? I can''t be called that?? I will call myself Rain. Wet and cold. It doesn''t suit me at all."


    Rain found that hard to believe, but it seemed that he had been reincarnated. Was that his prize for trying to help a woman that no one wanted to help because she was a homeless person? Either way, that was too convenient to be true. Reincarnation while retaining memories? Too convenient?? there must be some trick in that situation.


    While Rain was thinking about that, he suddenly felt the touch of someone nearby; before long, his body was rolled, and then he saw another big woman. One that was a lot younger than the granny.


    Her radiant features were a symphony of elegance and allure. With her lustrous red hair cascading over her shoulders, framing a face adorned with sparkling blue eyes and a perfectly sculpted nose, she embodied the epitome of grace and charm. Her smile was like nothing he had seen before.


    Rain found himself in awe as he gazed upon his own tiny hands. They were diminutive, innocent, and filled with the innocence of infancy. His chubby fingers grasped at the air, exploring the world around him with a sense of wonder.


    "It seems that it is true?? I have been Reincarnated," Rain thought. "This woman must be my mother, and while she gave me a terrible name to pronounce, she is quite the babe?? thinking that objectively makes my karma points go down?"


    Either way, Rain''s new mother soon fell asleep, and the granny left the room. Truth be told, Rain didn''t know how to feel about her, the memories of his past life and the fact that his family didn''t believe him in the end, even though they never had any reason to doubt him in the first ce?? it was a difficult spot to be in.


    The dimly lit medieval chamber emanated an air of antiquity, adorned with flickering candles casting dancing shadows on the weathered stone walls. Time-worn tapestries hung haphazardly around, depicting scenes of valor and ancient battles.


    Rustic wooden furniture, worn by years of use, stood stoically amidst the room, while a sturdy oak table bore the weight of leather-bound tomes and quill pens. The lingering scent of aged parchment and musty books mingled with the subtle aroma of beeswax, evoking a nostalgic atmosphere of an old era.


    "Either way?? on my second life, I will remain true to my dreams and goals, and no one will make me deviate from my real path," Rain thought while swearing on his heart.

 Chapter 2: Running away

    <h4>Chapter 2: Running away</h4>


    Although reincarnation while retaining memories sure was a wonderful thing since Rain won''t have to start his mind from scratch, he was more interested in the game interface. He had never been much to y games, but he could recognize a game screen¡­ at the very least.


    At the times when he was too hurt to do anything after the matches, he would pick a game or a book to read, so he could tell what was going on. It was still weird, though.


    Human Path (Lv 01 - 0/100): The most bnced path. All of your parameters will increase by one point upon level-up.


    Language (Lv 01 - 0/100): You gained the ability to learn and understand spoken and writtennguages more easily.


    "I can''t understand howe this is a skill, but I guess in a situation like this, everything can be, and it has a reason to be," Rain thought. "I can''t speak, but I should be able to improve this skill and level it up by understanding words¡­ this might take a while, though."


    Rain had no idea how to level up the human path. In theory, he would have to hunt monsters or do quests to level up himself and a ss; he assumed that the path was like a ss. Regardless, that was out of the question.


    Rain tried to kill time by checking his system, but there was nothing else to do. After checking the descriptions of everything, he learned what the parameters could do. They were simple, after all.


    Strength: Measures the user''s physical strength and raw power. It affects the damage output of physical attacks and the user''s ability to perform tasks that require strength.


    Dexterity: Reflects the user''s agility, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills. It affects actions that require precision, uracy, and swift movements.


    Intelligence: Represents the user''s mental ability, problem-solving abilities, and knowledge. It affects the user''s ability to learn and understandplex concepts and perform tasks that require intellectual prowess.


    Vitality: Reflects the user''s resilience and endurance to withstand physical stress and recover from injuries or ailments. Ten more points of HP per level.


    Wisdom: Reflects the user''s insight, intuition, and spiritual connection. It affects the user''s ability to make wise decisions, perceives hidden information, and resist certain magical or mental influences. Ten more points of MP per level.


    Endurance: This represents the user''s overall stamina and resistance to fatigue. It determines how long the character can engage in physical activities without bing exhausted. Ten more points of SP per level.


    Luck: Represents the user''s fortune or chance. It affects the likelihood of favorable oues, critical hits, and random events.


    The real interesting stuff was the active and support skills. In the active ones, Rain could equip the skills of the current path, while in the support ones, he could equip the skills of other paths. He could only level up the equipped skills; while it was a limitation, it was also an interesting thing to know¡­ it means that there were other paths avable to him.


    A few hourster, the woman woke up, and despite the fact that she had just given birth, she looked full of life and energy. Rain had some cousins that gave birth before, and they looked exhausted after the ordeal.


    In any case, the woman began to say a bunch of things, but Rain only understood his name when she also shortened his name and called him Rain as well. At least he won''t have to go around and tell everyone that.


    Language (Lv 01 - 2/100): You gained the ability to learn and understand spoken and writtennguages more easily.


    "Just as I thought¡­ I will have to hear and understand the words to make the skill level up; this will be one hell of a guessing game," Rain thought.


    At least it will be fun since Rain will see his progression clearly. In any case, while reincarnating and keeping his memories had its perks, it also had its demerits. Rain had no idea how he should interact with his mother in the future, and things only got weird when she prepared to breastfeed him. He tried to fall asleep to make things less weird, but he failed.


    On the other hand, it seemed that such a thing worked well for him since he managed to be awake to hear a loud impact in the distance¡­ It seemed like the sound of a bomb. Rain''s mother looked startled as well, so that didn''t seem like a good sign¡­ she was nervous but not exactly surprised.


    "It seems that I was born at a difficult moment¡­" Rain though.


    Before long, the granny that helped with the birth showed up, and she also looked tense as well. While she was saying a bunch of things, she began to pack a bunch of things in a big bag.


    "Hey, making a newborn baby and a woman that just gave birth travel isn''t a good idea," Rain thought.


    Despite that, Rain saw his mother getting up as well and changing her clothes. Things were starting to look like noise outside, and Rain could hear some shouts and the sound of animals grunting. Amidst the confusion, he tried to pick a few words that the granny said, and weirdly enough, when he made a fair guess that was correct, his mind confirmed that it was correct¡­ he wondered if that was the power of the system.


    Either way, he only picked the words war, evacuation, and travel since he imagined that it was a situation like that; he chose the most appropriate words. In any case, before long, Rain''s mother picked him up again and then took him outside with the granny. Rain didn''t even have time to see his house properly, but he saw a carriage with two horses outside. It seemed that he was born into a fairly well-off family¡­ Speaking of family, he wondered where his new father was supposed to be. Interacting with a new father will be even more difficult¡­


    As Rain looked around, he noticed arge number of people rushing across the streets in a hurry, each carrying their belongings. They navigated through the bustling scene with a sense of urgency, hurrying from one side of the street to the other.


    In the distance, massive creatures soared through the sky, capturing Rain''s attention. These majestic beings breathed out fierce mes, creating a spectacle of fire and light. With an overwhelming realization, Rain confirmed that they were indeed dragons, their enormous forms and fiery breath leaving no room for doubt. The sight of these awe-inspiring creatures filled Rain with a mix of astonishment and excitement.


    "I really picked the wrong time in the lottery to be born, huh," Rain thought. "Anyway, to be born in another world with my memories and with a system, as suspected, things are way too convenient and needed to be bnced out¡­ a pack of dragons does the trick more than a little bit."


    After they entered the carriage, the granny began to drive it. Still, through the window of the cabin, Rain was able to see the dragons flying¡­ There were a lot of people nearby, but it seemed that something outside of the city was bothering them¡­


    Speaking of the city, Rain didn''t pay attention to it at all; dragons were way cooler than whatever was the architecture of the ce.

 Chapter 3: New home

    <h4>Chapter 3: New home</h4>


    Although Rain wanted to see more of the dragons, they soon disappeared in the distance when they crossed the gates of the city. The ce had some twenty meters tall walls, so it couldn''t be helped.


    Before they could move away from the walls of the city, the carriage stopped, and then Rain and his mother left the carriage. A man wearing a full te of silver armor that looked like a guard showed him and approached. He kissed Rain''s mother''s forehead and then smiled while looking at Rain as well.


    "I guess this dude is my new father," Rain thought. "Wait, no! Nooooooooo!"


    The armored dude smiled and then kissed Rain''s forehead as well¡­ Rain felt like dying again, thanks to it.


    "Ugh, give me a break, dude; I am older than you," Rain thought, and then his father frowned.


    He said a few things more, but Rain didn''t understand a single thing. It was truly inconvenient not to be able to understandnguage. In any case, it seemed that as a guard, Rain''s father had to stay behind until the end of the evacuation. So, they parted ways again.


    A massive caravan was leaving the city, and despite the fact that dragons were behind, there were no soldiers or guards to protect them. Rain wondered if that world, only the dragons, was a problem¡­


    In any case, Rain had the chance to hear a lot of people talking, so he also had the chance to learn some more words¡­ unfortunately, he started to feel pretty tired before he could make much more progress. He didn''t know if it was due to the movement of the carriage or the fact that he learned some more words. Either way, he soon fell asleep.


    When Rain woke up, it was already night. It seemed that he was going to have a crazy sleeping pattern for a while. In any case, he was in his mother''s arms, and she was resting against a backpack inside a tent.


    As Rain looked beyond his tent, he noticed a gathering of makeshift shelters and tents in the distance. It was a refugee camp, a ce where people who had fled their homes looking for shelter and safety.


    The camp was filled with families and individuals who had left everything behind, their belongings packed into small bags and carts. Despite the difficult circumstances, they hade together, to endure there the situation. Rain could see people sharing meals, children ying, and adults engaging in conversation. It was a reminder of the challenges faced by those disced from their homes and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.


    "It must be the middle of the night¡­" Rain thought. "Reincarnation while retaining memories sure is useful, but is also quite restless when I can only eat, sleep, and poop all day and every day."


    In the end, Rain, his mother, and the granny stay in a refugee camp in the middle of some massive inds for a week. Some people left the ce, and some people arrived from all directions¡­ every day was a busy day for everyone. Even Rain was trying to understand thenguage.


    "It seems that we are in a war against monsters and dragons and other species of people," Rain thought. "That would exin while I have the human path¡­ there must be a monster path, dragon path, and so on."


    In any case, Rain was almost leveling up hisnguage skill, so he worked extra hard that day. Thanks to it, he managed to see what happens when he levels up a skill.


    (The skill Language leveled up.)


    (The Human Path received ten points of experience.)


    "Hmm? Is that it?" Rain thought.


    Rain was pretty disappointed. It wasn''t like he was expecting something crazy to happen, but he only gained a bit of experience for his path, and it wasn''t even for himself¡­


    "Well, it is helping me kill time, so it is fine," Rain thought.


    Later that day, Rain saw his father again. It seemed that they had been waiting for him to move again¡­ while Rain wasn''t trying to be that gloomy, he considered that his new father had kicked the bucket. That should be pretty easy to happen in a world where dragons existed.


    After that day, Rain finally had the chance to see what his father looked like. He didn''t have the chance before since most of his face was covered in the helmet. He possessed a strong and athletic build, standing tall and exuding confidence. His short, tousled light brown hair adds a touch of casual charm to his overall demeanor. Rain''s father''s piercing blue eyes reflect determination and resilience, showcasing his unwaveringmitment to his duties.


    Even his father was quite the looker. Maybe Rain was blessed with some crazy genes. Regardless, both of them seemed to be in the middle of their twenties, so Rain wondered if he would ever get used to calling them father and mother.


    In any case, they traveled in the carriage for another week, and at that point in time, Rain felt weird when the world wasn''t shaking. Still, after that week, they reached another city. One where it seemed that he would stay there for quite a while¡­

 Chapter 4: Tough life

    <h4>Chapter 4: Tough life</h4>


    Rain could see a medieval city that effortlessly blends the old with the new. Its fortified walls stand tall, adorned with intricate stone carvings that whisper tales of old eras. The streets beneath were paved with polished cobblestones, leading the way through a maze of buildings constructed with sturdy bricks and adorned with captivating architectural details.


    The rooftops showed a harmonious patchwork of red and gray tiles, with plumes of smoke gracefully rising from the chimneys. Amidst the bustling scene, a magnificent cathedral graces the skyline, its soaring spires reaching for the heavens while stained ss windows reveal vibrant colors of storytelling. As Rain looked through the city, a palpable sense of history permeated the air, evoking a profound appreciation for the enduring legacy of those who once walked these streets.


    Not many refugees were heading to that city, so Rain assumed that his parents had some rtives there. Their city probably had been destroyed by monsters by now, so they couldn''t return and had to start over somewhere else.


    "Things are moving way too fast; I thought that in this kind of situation, I was supposed to leave a peaceful life in the country and be overpowered for apparently no reason," Rain thought. "I guess things won''t be like that."


    After crossing through some streets, the carriage stopped in front of arge house. It was more appropriate to call it a mansion¡­ the entire ce was surrounded by some metal bars, and there was a huge garden between the gate and the house.


    Rain''s father took a deep breath, and then his mother showed aplicated expression. Rain could tell that some drama was iing when his father patted his head and smiled.


    Usually, in that kind of house, some guards would be protecting the entrance, but there was no one there. Some of them showed up alongside a middle-aged man that had a long gray mustache and a middle-aged woman.


    The serious middle-aged man had a stern countenance with a strong jawline and furrowed brows. His closely-cropped salt-and-pepper hair gave him a distinguished look, and his steely eyes exuded determination and focus. His posture was upright, reflecting a disciplined nature. He had a solid build, suggesting strength and resilience. His overall appearance conveys a no-nonsense demeanor.


    The serious middle-aged man showed himself in a meticulously tailored doublet made from rich, dark fabrics. The design was simple yet refined, reflecting his preference for functionality over extravagance. The colors were clear. He also wore polished leather boots and carried himself with aposed and authoritative presence, showing his status.


    His wife had an expressionless face, with a monotone gaze that rarely betrays emotion. Her shoulder-length brown hair was neatly kept, framing her features in a in yet elegant manner. Her eyes had a distant quality as if constantly lost in thought. She had a slender figure with an air of stoicism in her posture. Her appearance exuded an aura of calm and reserve.


    His wife, too, wore noble attire, but her choice of clothing remains understated. She wears a flowing gown in a neutral hue with minimal embellishments. The fabric drapes elegantly around her figure, entuating her gracefulness. She essorizes with delicate jewelry, choosing simplicity over opulence. Her hair is swept back in a no-fuss style, adding to her deadpan appearance. Despite the noble clothes, her expression remains unchanged, maintaining her characteristic serious andposed demeanor.


    Rain''s father went to talk with those two, and after just ten seconds, he was pped by the middle-aged man. Rain''s eyes weren''t good enough to see them from afar, but he had a feeling that they were pretty simr¡­ the same hair tone, the same facial shape. That was probably Rain''s grandfather and grandmother.


    "I guess they are quite the figures¡­ interesting," Rain thought.


    "Rain, they are grandpa and grandma," Rain''s mother said.


    He already knew that, but he had yet to hear the name of his parents. In any case, if Rain felt a bit more familiar with his parents, he probably would greet his grandparents with a burp. It was weird thinking of him like that... he wasn''t that close to them, but he couldn''t think of many reasons as to why a father should p their son after they just escaped a war.


    In any case, Rain''s grandpa told one of the guards to guide his father and family to somewhere else. While Rain wasn''t expecting much from such rigid people, he was quite surprised by the fact that they didn''t even try to see their grandson¡­ they either had a bunch of them already or didn''t consider Rain''s mother and his part of the family for some reason.


    "This is turning into some kind of weird drama¡­ please, no more," Rain thought.


    After not so long, they arrived at a nearby house. It was smaller than the first one, but it was a lot better than most of the others in the city. Rain''s mother and father began to unpack their things, and Rain realized that the first granny wasn''t around anymore¡­ he wondered if she stayed behind the mansion for one reason or the other.


    "Dragons, familiar drama, wars¡­ what a new beginning, huh," Rain thought.


    It seemed that even in his second life, Rain was going to experience going from zero to one hundred really fast. Things were escting really quickly¡­


    From that day onward, Rain didn''t experience many drastic changes. In the morning, his father would leave the house and return at night at dinner time. The first granny woulde to talk now and then, and it seemed that she was working for Rain''s grandparents.


    "I guess my new father is also working for his parents since he returns fully armored," Rain thought. "It is annoying since now that things have calmed down, I can''t hear a lot of people talking and always get sleepy before dinner and then wake up in the next morning¡­ Sleeping twelve hours a day sure is tough."


    Rain was used to the life of a corporate ve and sleeping only six hours a day and without having time for vacation or a day offs; thanks to it, he felt a bit troubled with his new life. Still, soon things began to change for the better.

 Chapter 5: Progress

    <h4>Chapter 5: Progress</h4>


    Around the time Rain was three months old, he made hisnguage skill reach level four, and his path leveled up. The reason for that was quite interesting.


    (The Language Skill has leveled up.)


    (The Human Path obtained 40 experience points.)


    (The Human Path leveled up.)


    (All Parameters plus 01.)


    (You obtained 10 experience points.)


    "I get it now. Every time a skill levels up, the path gains an amount of experience that is equal to the level of the skill multiplied by ten," Rain thought. "Whenever a path levels up, I gain experience that is equal to the level of the path multiplied by ten. I guess I can level up myself even as a toddler."


    Speaking of progress, Rain finally knew the names of his parents, grandparents, and the other granny. They were Roan, Leiah, Roswall, Melody, and Moira. Aside from Moira, they were from the Lonard family.


    "Why does everyone have normal names, and I don''t?" Rain wondered.


    In any case, Rain''s grandparents never came to visit. Still, he only realized that because he was in desperate need of hearing people talking, it was the only time he could make thenguage skill level up, after all.


    Fortunately, Rain''s mother began to take him outside just to take some sunbathes now and then. It didn''t seem like she had many acquaintances there, so it was rare for her to talk with anyone. Rain still could hear people talking, though.


    "I guess that is one of the reasons she didn''t leave the house until now," Rain thought.


    Although she didn''t have many acquaintances, Rain''s mother was pretty, and she was a social butterfly; it didn''t take long for her to make some friends. Rain''s father also brought some soldiers home to introduce his family to them. At least during those times, he didn''t act like a fool and made faces in order to make Rainugh. It never worked, but he was persistent.


    Rain''s vocabry began to improve by leaps and bounds after that. He learned that he lived in a city called Tristan, and which was one of the closest to the capital of the human kingdom of Romera. While Rain was interested in the history of that ce and country, people talked mostly about the wars.


    Speaking of wars, Rain learned that humans had been at war against the dragon people and the magic people for a while. It stopped ten years ago, but it was back again. Rain''s father worked as a guard in a town close to the border, and his father pped him because he had a son with a lowborn woman.


    "What is the point of worrying about that? She is gorgeous¡­ objectively speaking," Rain thought and then sighed. "I feel weird calling my mother gorgeous, but it is better than calling her a babe or a hottie. One of the demerits of having memories of my past life."


    Medieval society had been built around a strict social hierarchy, with nobility and the upper ss holding significant power, wealth, and influence. Marrying someone from a lower social ss was seen as a threat to the established order and the privileges associated with noble birth. It wouldn''t increase the status of the same family.


    Marriages were often strategic alliances aimed at preserving and consolidating wealth,nd, and inheritance within a family. Marrying someone from a lower social ss could potentially mean a loss of wealth, status or the dilution of family assets.


    Either way, Rain couldn''t me people for thinking like that since they lived in a medieval society. In any case, Rain learned a lot in one month, and thanks to it, hisnguage reached level 17, his path reached level five, and he leveled up.


    (The human path reached level five.)


    (All Parameters increased by one.)


    (You learned the skill of Body Motor Skills.)


    (You received 40 experience points.)


    (You leveled up and obtained five status points.)


    Human Path


    Level 1: Language - You gained the ability to learn and understand spoken and writtennguages more easily.


    Level 5: Body Motor Skills - Improved coordination and control over bodily movements.


    "This is a skill, huh¡­ interesting. I guess leveling this up will be easier thannguage," Rain thought.


    It was a small difference, but Rain could feel that he could move his body better. Leiah almost fainted when she saw him getting up and sitting on the bed. Kids of his age shouldn''t be that strong-willed to get up without being taught.


    "If everyone in this world has this system, then this skill is the type that helps toddlers crawl with more ease¡­" Rain thought. "Considering that the skills are this basic in the human path, it would make sense."


    Rain''s bed was quite high, and even with his parameters, he didn''t think that he was strong enough to climb down. Fortunately, while he was thinking about that, Rain''s mother began to let him sit on the ground.


    "Don''t move from the living room, okay, Rain?" Leiah asked. "I will keep an eye on you, but I also work."


    Rain didn''t see his mother working until now. He thought that her job was to try to make him fall asleep all the time since that was what she tried¡­ he had to pretend that it was working. In any case, Rain saw her making copies of books. That required a lot of focus since she couldn''t mess up a single word, so Rain decided to crawl in circles and see the Body''s Motor Skills getting experience.


    "... Now I feel worried," Leiah said while watching Rain crawl in circles.

 Chapter 6: It is like Earth

    <h4>Chapter 6: It is like Earth</h4>


    In the end, while it was a bit tiring since it consumed ten points of stamina per second, Rain could get one point of experience for his Body Motor Skills. He never thought that crawling could be that tiring, but the reason must be his weak body. Once some parameters increase, some tough activities will consume less stamina and, eventually, no stamina.


    "I have some free points, but I guess I will save them for when I truly need them¡­ leveling upnguage will start to get hard, so I should focus on using Body Motor Skills as much as possible," Rain thought.


    Rain''s father also looked surprised and confused when he saw his son crawling in circles and decided to y with him. He had a rubber ball and tossed it to Rain.


    "I am not a dog¡­" Rain thought.


    If that were three months ago, Rain would have thrown the ball out of the house, but he couldn''t do that anymore. His father deserved some respect¡­ he didn''t have a good rtionship with his parents since he was the youngest son, and he married a lowborn woman. Still, he didn''t hesitate in bowing his head for the sake of his family to get a new job from them. He didn''tin a lot, but it was clear that he didn''t receive good treatment from his parents¡­ he deserved some mad respect.


    "I guess that I will humor him for a bit," Rain thought while throwing back the ball at his father.


    His father worked every day more than twenty hours per day. Roan didn''t have much time to spend with his son, so he really enjoyed spending much time with him. Unfortunately for him, it couldn''tst more than one hour. After dinner, Rain''s worst enemy always appeared and stood victorious in all of their battles¡­ So far, Rain has lost 135 times against sleepiness post-dinner, and he won zero times. To enjoy a second life, he couldn''t let that happen forever.


    Around the time Rain had be six months old, he saw his parents preparing for some sort of event. They brought new clothes to everyone, the kind that rich people in that world would wear to parties.


    "It seems that we are going somewhere soon¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain thought that his father would be disowned, so he wouldn''t have to participate in fancy stuff. However, they received an invitation to some party, and soon he realized what it was.


    "My oldest brother''s son is turning five this week, and he is quite remarkable, so he invited the whole family to the party," Roan exined while they were having dinner. "It seems that he wants to boast to everyone, even the rtives that live far away."


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Leiah asked. "I would do the same for Rain."


    "Yes, it is¡­ but this kind of events always bugged me the wrong way," Roan said and then sighed. "People say things and act all mighty, tell jokes that aren''t actually jokes just to feel superior to each other¡­ in my family, we only see each other as rivals. Me and my brothers, whatever we do, attain or conquer, we show each other in order to make the others feel jealous and inferior."


    "I see¡­ so it is like Earth," Rain thought.


    "Well, we just have to endure this and then stay there for a while and in silence," Leiah said.


    "They won''t make that easy for us¡­" Roan said and then sighed. "I am sorry, but we lost almost everything that we had, and they will make sure to make us remember that Several times during the party."


    "Definitely like Earth¡­ just ignoring the bullies isn''t enough; you have to show that you don''t care about them at all," Rain thought.


    "It is fine. We can start over as much time as we need," Leiah smiled. "We have each other, and Rain is with us as well."


    "You are right," Roan smiled.


    "Ugh¡­ get a room," Rain thought. "One that ispletely soundproof."


    Several dayster, Rain and his parents went to the party. The event was taking ce in a house as big as his grandparents, but in the garden that was also massive¡­ a bunch of people were there, close to two hundred in fact.


    The tables wereden with an abundant variety of dishes that stimted the senses. There were tters of sulent roasted meats, tender and juicy, seasoned with fragrant herbs and spices. Bowls of fresh, crisp sds burst with vibrant greens and colorful vegetables, enticing guests to savor their refreshing vors.


    An assortment of artisanal bread and rolls, still warm from the oven, are neatly arranged in baskets, ready to be enjoyed alongside an assortment of creamy cheeses and savory spreads. Fragrant soups and stews simmer gently inrge pots, wafting theirforting aromas through the air.


    "I wish I had enough teeth to eat all this," Rain thought while his mouth was watering.


    Weirdly enough, Roan was kind of forced to leave his wife and son because his brothers were together as well¡­ he had three of them, and they were all simr to him, tall, muscr, and annoyingly good-looking. It seems that all of them got the good genes of the family. Apparently, his overly serious grandfather and the deadpan grandmother had enough genes to spare.


    In another part of the garden, Rain saw a group of women wearing silk dresses talking with each other while letting out some serious annoyingughs. There were some kids in front of them, and they were all younger than five.


    "I guess the birthday kid is the oldest of my cousins," Rain thought.

 Chapter 7: Path thing

    <h4>Chapter 7: Path thing</h4>


    While Leiah tried to keep a low profile and not get close to anyone. Some people still came to greet her. She greeted them back with an awkward smile¡­ Rain wondered if she didn''t know how to interact with nobles or if there was another reason for that.


    "They seem like good people¡­ not all the family may be made of assholes," Rain thought.


    Rain still needed to learn more about the world and the things close to him, so he couldn''t tell if his guess was right or not.


    In any case, it looked like Roan and Leiah were counting the minutes to leave the ce, but the partysted for a while. Eventually, a boy that looked like a mini version of the oldest of Roan''s brothers stepped forward and then raised his arms to his sky. Everything went silent for some reason until. Eventually, he suddenly created a Fireball and shot it into the sky.


    Before long, the fireball exploded and then became a bunch of fireworks. People around began to apud the kid.


    "Now I understand why he is remarkable¡­ I wouldn''t teach a five-year-old kid how to use magic, even if you paid me," Rain thought. "Still¡­ magic, huh."


    Rain''s grandparents showed up around that time, and as if they had equipped them that day, they hugged the boy and then smiled proudly.


    "Wow, amazing¡­ they actually have working muscles on their faces," Rain thought.


    Rain didn''t think about that for too long¡­ the spell left a bigger impression on him after all. He wondered how a five-year-old boy could learn magic like that¡­ he probably wasted some time in a conjuration, but that was just a minor detail. The really important thing was the fact that a five years old boy could use a spell that had the power of a grenade.


    "Teaching that out of nowhere to a kid of that age should be hard¡­ way too hard," Rain thought. "As expected, the answer lies in the system."


    That would exin the magic, and that also would exin why dragons still existed in that world. Anyone with half a brain would conclude that they needed to be hunted down to extermination. Still, if they had a simr system and different bonuses, then their potential was practically endless, even more so if they could live for longer.


    While Rain was thinking about all that, the party came to an end, and then his family left the ce as fast as the wind. They avoided some problems because Roan made himself the focus of his brother''s nonsense.


    "Either way, maybe I should try harder and see if I can learn magic faster than that kid¡­ being able to use Fireball at five will greatly increase my chances of protecting my skin in this world," Rain thought. "Even though I think that it is much cooler to fight using my own body. It will work to cover my bases."


    From the next day onward, Rain began to focus more seriously on the things that he could do to get experience. Crawling and learning thenguage of the world. Thanks to that, while his basic vocabry was almostplete, he still managed to learn a lot of the moreplex words faster. It took more effort, but leveling hisnguage was more efficient since he couldn''t recover his stamina faster.


    Thanks to his hard work, Rain was able to stand by himself when he was seven months old. His face turned red thanks to the effort, but he felt satisfied with the result, but that wasn''t the only thing that changed.


    (The human path reached level ten)


    (All Parameters increased by one.)


    (You learned the skill of Running.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    (Physical Path - Unlocked due to the development of running and improved physical fitness. This path focuses on enhancing overall physical attributes, strength, endurance, and body conditioning.)


    "What the¡­" Rain thought in surprise. "A new path this soon?"


    (Physical Path - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 02 per level.


    Level 1: Basic Conditioning - Increases maximum stamina by 10 per level.)


    "This will make my body stronger¡­ Still, nowes a difficult question, should I change the path now or do itter?" Rain thought.


    Rain didn''t know if he could learn magic following the human path alone, but it was clear that he wouldn''t learn magic in a path called the Physical path. Things were starting to look interesting as of now.


    "I can still equip the skills of the human path in the support skills section, but it will be more efficient to keep them until I get the next skill of the physical path," Rain thought. "That path should get experience even if only the skills are equipped¡­ I need to confirm that."


    While it wasn''t much, spending the extra stamina made Rain gain some experience in Basic Conditioning. It only happened when his stamina was almost empty, so he had to push himself. It was hard to do that when he couldn''t even run with his unsteady legs.


    It took a few days, but eventually, the skill leveled up, and the path gained experience as well. That was good; it would be troublesome if only a single path could get experience while skills of other paths could be equipped.


    "The human path lets us use basic human skills that we need, huh," Rain thought. "If my guess is right, a new path will be unlocked at level twenty, and it will be connected to the skills of levels fifteen and twenty¡­ maybe one of those new paths will let me use magic."


    Rain knew that his father worked as a guard, but he also could be a swordsman or something simr. While his mother was probably something of a worker. Her writing skills seemed top-notch, and she never made mistakes. She also could write really fast.


    "She is probably some kind of educator¡­ not a teacher, but almost there," Rain thought. "Anyway, this path thing is a lot more fun than I thought."

 Chapter 8: More conflict

    <h4>Chapter 8: More conflict</h4>


    When Leiah saw Rain standing for the first time, she spent the day making a ruckus¡­ to the point that she took him to where Roan was working to show him standing by himself. For people who had kids for the first time to see that was quite exciting, but Rain felt troubled since he felt like he was being congratted for knowing the multiplication table.


    In any case, it took a few more months of Rain to be able to stand and walk by himself. He couldn''t just have a strong body, the body had to be developed well enough to let him move without wobbling around. Still, it was fine, he had numerous ways to get experience.


    "In a world where people can get stronger like this by learning new things, how do the authorities keep order?" Rain suddenly wondered.


    The authorities would implement a structured education system to guide individuals in their learning journey. They would establish standards and regtions to ensure that knowledge acquisition is bnced, ethical, and responsible. This helps prevent misuse or abuse of newfound powers.


    Authorities might require individuals to obtain licenses or certifications in specific areas of expertise or skills. This ensures that individuals arepetent and responsible in utilizing their acquired abilities, minimizing the risk of harm to themselves or others.


    Authorities might implement monitoring and surveince systems to detect any potential misuse or threats posed by individuals with enhanced abilities. This could include advanced technologies, specialized personnel, or even awork of informants to gather intelligence on any illegal or dangerous activities.


    It seemed that the most obvious answer was to keep weapons and knowledge only in the hands of a few or make the guards and people like them even stronger. Leveling up was easy now, but it shouldn''t be easy forever. Also, if everyone have the same opportunities, they will have to sacrifice a few things to make good use of them and to stand above others in some fields. In that regard, those who are born in rich families can spend many more years trying to get stronger, while others will have to start working from an early age.


    Nevertheless, those questions didn''t matter that much. What did matter was how Rain could make most of the whole thing?


    "Learning the easiest skills to level up and then making those paths level up until I am strong and old enough to choose a specific path should be the best option," Rain thought. "I can''t train all day, so I should find the perfect bnce."


    While Rain learned the Running skill a lot earlier, he was only able to use it well around he one and half years old. His progress slowed down considerably in thest few months for some reason. Even though he worked hard daily¡­ it was probably because the activities that he could do weren''t that demanding anymore.


    (The human path reached level fifteen)


    (All Parameters increased by one.)


    (You learned the skill of Mathematics.)


    "Of all things¡­" Rain thought when he saw that notification. "I already know how to do math¡­ I still remember the periodic table, you know."


    Rain already knew that, but the human path truly only granted him very basic skills¡­ they were all necessary, but they were too basic. At least he already confirmed that the next paths had more useful skills. Physical Conditioning was starting to make a real difference on his body.


    When Rain couldn''t hear people talking and he was too tired to walk around, he did some math in his head. It was a pretty easy trick to do in order to fall asleep fast. At the same time, the skill leveled up like crazy when he thought of some difficult mathematical equations and tried to solve them in his head.


    ?v/?t + (v ? ?)v = -1/¦Ñ ?p + ¦Í?2v ? ? v = 0 where v is the velocity vector, t is time, p is pressure, ¦Ñ is density, ¦Í is the kinematic viscosity, and ? represents the gradient and Lacian operators.


    ?V/?t + 1/2 ¦Ò2S2?2V/?S2 + rS?V/?S - rV = 0 where V represents the price of the option, t is time, S is the underlying asset price, ¦Ò is the vtility, and r is the risk-free interest rate.


    "What a way to kill time¡­ if on Earth, people could be stronger by doing math, everyone would have a big brain," Rain thought. "I wonder what will be the next path that will be unlocked¡­ I can''t tell, considering this first skill. In any case, it seems that mathematical equations became a group of emoticons at some point."


    While Rain was thinking of such things and other ways to get stronger faster, his father showed up at home a bit earlier than usual. He had a particrly difficult expression on his face¡­ It seemed that he had some bad news.


    "What happened?" Leiah asked.


    "Another conflict is fast approaching¡­ the magic people are moving a lot closer to the border," Roan replied. "It seems that father is going to be themander of the expedition to stop them, and we will go with him. I don''t know for how long this willst."


    "It can''t be helped¡­ I suppose we should be lucky that nothing happened in eighteen months," Leiah said while showing a difficult expression.


    "Yes, but you are pregnant again, aren''t you" Roan asked. "It isn''t the best of times for me to leave and join a long war."

 Chapter 9: Magic people

    <h4>Chapter 9: Magic people</h4>


    Rain was surprised to hear that, Leiah not so much¡­ she tried to hide that, apparently, since she also heard the rumors of a battle approaching.


    "I know that you have been feeling a bit under the weather; there is no point in hiding," Roan said and then covered his face with his hands. "This is a situation that I caused, so I am the one that should feel troubled over this."


    Roan felt troubled because leaving his pregnant wife alone when she had to work and look after a kid who was only one and a half years old was a recipe for disaster. Rain never caused any problems, but even so¡­ all the other factors made his father feel worried.


    "Everything will be alright. Just focus on returning in one piece, all right?" Leiah said and then hugged Roan from behind. "We will be waiting for you just fine. Everything will be the same as usual."


    From what Rain heard, the border with the magic people country was two weeks away while using a horse or any kind of mount. The trip going back and forth would be a month¡­ from what Rain heard as well, those conflictsst for at least a month. In the best-case scenario, two months away was a lot of time.


    "If everyone had a luck parameter, I guess my current level is pretty low," Rain thought. "Father''s also should be low and nowhere near the top¡­ anyway, I don''t feel that close to him, but it would be a pity if he were to die. Gaining a sibling and losing a parent will be tough."


    Unfortunately, there was nothing that Rain could do in that situation aside from waiting for the best oue. As the days passed, Rain recalled that going to war and leaving a pregnant wife behind was a death g. Giving the name to the child was an almost surefire way to guarantee their own death as well. In any case, one weekter, a bunch of people began to leave the city. Men, women, boys, and girls over fifteen¡­


    "I am going now. Watch the house while I am away, okay, rainy?" Roan said while messing with Rain''s hair.


    "Yes, Father," Rain replied.


    "When did I teach you to be so formal?" Roan said and then furrowed his eyebrows. "Anyway, I will try to return as soon as possible and in one piece. About the name of the child¡­"


    "I will decide when the timees again. No need to worry about that," Leiah said and then hugged Roan.


    Rain had to thank his mother for his weird name¡­ maybe it was normal in some parts of the world. In any case, it seemed that they avoided the final death g. Still, a lot could happen¡­


    Since she was pregnant and she also had to work, Leiah stopped taking walks outside with Rain. The number of chances of him learning new words decreased¡­ he was also nning to hear some things about the battle, but it was too soon for that.


    Still, they heard a few things in the next few days; if it was true or not, they couldn''t say. They learned that the magic people had enlisted powerful individuals to lead their charge against the impending threat. Worries and doubts filled the air as rumors spread about the capabilities and prowess of these newly arrived leaders. Apparently, their strongest warriors tend to be a lot stronger than humans¡­


    The magic people possess unique traits derived from their diverse tribal origins, granting them inherent advantages that set them apart from humans. These magical beings, hailing from various tribes scattered across thend, embody a rich tapestry of abilities that contribute to their overall strength.


    Each tribe has its own distinctive characteristics, bestowed upon them by ancient forces of nature, mystical creatures, their origin, or the essence of powerful elements. These traits manifest in their physical attributes, mental capacities, and magical aptitude.


    Rain didn''t know if it was a good idea, but since he didn''t know how to read yet and they didn''t have those kinds of books at home, he decided to ask his mother about them, soon he confirmed that it wasn''t a good idea since she looked pretty worried.


    The Shapeshifters: Users of transformation magic, the Shapeshifters can assume the forms of various animals, adapting to any situation or environment. They possess heightened senses, agility, and the ability tomunicate with creatures of the wild, making them adept scouts and skilled hunters.


    The mekeepers: Gathering the power from and of eternal fire, they lived near volcanoes for some reason. The mekeepers have an affinity for mes and heat. They can manipte fire, conjuring zing infernos or controlling it to their will. Their mastery over fire grants them exceptional offensive capabilities, making them fearsome warriors and skilled pyromancers.


    The Blood Mages: Harnessing the power of their life force, the Blood Mages can manipte blood and life energy. They can heal wounds, drain the life force from others, or create blood-based attacks. Their mastery over life and death makes them formidable healers and fearsomebatants.


    Rain only had to hear those examples to understand why and howe humans were losing the war. The magic people were basically born with cheating skills. They probably had to pay the price for that, but it didn''t change the fact that they had broken skills.

 Chapter 10: Apprentice Path Unlocked

    <h4>Chapter 10: Apprentice Path Unlocked</h4>


    After a couple of weeks, rumors about battles began to spread around the city. Still, Leiah left to gather them when Rain was sleeping¡­ which left him with little to no chance of hearing what was happening.


    "She is probably worried that the mood and possibly bad news will affect me¡­ I suppose it can''t be helped," Rain thought.


    With fewer worries, Rain had the chance to focus more on his daily grind. Two months after his father''s departure, Rain confirmed some things.


    (The human path reached level twenty.)


    (All Parameters increased by one.)


    (You learned the skill of Appraisal.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    (Apprentice Path - Unlocked due to the proficiency in mathematics and critical thinking. This path centers around practical skill development, hands-on learning, and mentorship.)


    (The Apprentice Path: Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 02 per level up.


    Level 1: Basic Training - Provides foundational knowledge and skills necessary for the chosen craft or profession, granting a 5% bonus to rted tasks per level.)


    "I guess this path is supposed to help people learn their crafts and develop their basic skills," Rain thought. "In any case, let''s see what Appraisal can do."


    (Appraisal - Ability to assess and evaluate items, revealing basic information about their nature and properties.)


    Rain tried to use Appraisal on a bunch of things, and it worked, but it didn''t seem that useful at low levels.


    Chair: it is a chair.


    Table: it is a table.


    Door: it is a door.


    "No shit, Sherlock¡­" Rain thought and then sighed.


    After using the skill in several things, Rain got some experience, but he began to feel a headache thanks to it. Moreover, when he tried to use it on his mother¡­


    Name: Leiah


    Level: ???? (????)


    Current Path: ????


    "I guess I should have known¡­ the level of the skill has some demerits, and some people can counter it for some reason, probably because they have skills that can do that," Rain thought. "Still, if everyone can learn this, why didn''t my parents ever realize my unnatural growth?"


    Rain couldn''t exin that. In any case, he had a new skill to level up, and it was granting him some experience and bonuses in other parameters.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 07 (230/700)


    Current Path: Human (Lv 20 - 310/2000)


    Health: 220/220


    Mana: 200/200


    Stamina: 280/280


    Strength: 17


    Dexterity: 15


    Intelligence: 15


    Vitality: 17


    Wisdom: 15


    Endurance: 17


    Luck: 15


    Free Points: 30


    Main Skills:


    [Language Lv 38]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 20]


    [Running Lv 08]


    [Mathematics Lv 09)


    [Appraisal Lv 01]


    Support Skills:


    [Basic Conditioning Lv 06]


    [Basic Training 01]


    [Slot 3]


    [Slot 4]


    [Slot 5]


    "I honestly can''t tell if my growth is fast or not¡­ either way, I feel way less bored than I was supposed to at this age," Rain thought.


    Although Rain was focused on the grinding, at some point, he had a hard time doing that¡­ in the blink of an eye, six months passed, and then he noticed that the belly of his mother had be quite big. The new baby was supposed to be born in one or two months, and Roan wasn''t around. Rain also didn''t hear much about the war, but the atmosphere in the city wasn''t good.


    "Speaking of which, I am two years old now, but who cares?" Rain thought. "Maybe my mother already decided the name of the kid, and thanks to that, Roan''s death g was definitive."


    Just when Rain thought about that, things got noisy outside, and then rumors that the war had ended began to spread¡­ that had been rtively fast. Or maybe not¡­ during that time, they didn''t hear a single thing about Roan, even though Rain knew that letters were a thing in that world.


    The next few weeks passed very slowly¡­ perhaps thest six months passed faster than that. When rumors about a massive army approaching the city began to spread, the tension began to increase¡­ the soldiers and others that left for the war finally returned. Still, a gloomy atmosphere also took over when the news about the deaths of some people began to spread.


    Leiah crossed her hands and closed her eyes; it seemed that praying was a thing in that world too. Come to think of it, and Rain recalled seeing a cathedral when they arrived in the city.


    A couple of hourster, Roan actually arrived at the house¡­ without one leg and with his face filled with scars. Rain was left speechless while Leiah quickly moved and hugged him.


    "... Isn''t this kind of bad?" Rain wondered. "His family treated him that bad before, and without a leg¡­ he can''t work as a soldier or guard."


    "I am home¡­" Roan said and then sighed in relief. "It has been a while, Rain. You grew a lot while I was away. Don''t worry about this; I will fix my leg in a couple of months. I just need enough money to pay a high-ranked Healer."


    Lost limbs could actually be restored¡­ Rain was left speechless again. That world was more than just crazy; it was bat-shit insane. Still, while they didn''t have a difficult life, Roan worked hard for that. It seemed that his parents didn''t want to help him recover his leg¡­ using that to teach a lesson to their son seemed beyond unreasonable.


    "I guess I will never get along with them," Rain thought and wondered if he could learn healing magic fast enough to help his father.


    At first, Rain thought that he wouldn''t get along with his new parents no matter how much time passed¡­ but he couldn''t not recognize hard-working people.

 Chapter 11: Little sister

    <h4>Chapter 11: Little sister</h4>


    Since he couldn''t work as a guard anymore, Roan stayed at home a lot more than before, but he still kept working polishing armor and weapons day and night.


    Rain felt bad thanks to that¡­ he couldn''t do much to help, and he was living a good life. Despite that, Roan managed to recover his other leg after saving enough money for two months. He had bags under his eyes, but he waspletely recovered when it was about time for Leiah to give birth again.


    On the day that Leiah gave birth again, an undeniable tension hung in the air, palpable and heavy with anticipation. The atmosphere crackled with a mixture of excitement, concern, and nervous energy that coursed through the hearts of Rain and Roan.


    In the hours leading up to the blessed event, the surroundings seemed to hold their breath, as if nature itself recognized the significance of the moment. Not many people gathered around, but they were tense enough to make up for dozens of people.


    And as the moment finally arrived, as the cries of a newborn echoed through the halls, the tension gave way to a surge of relief, joy, and tears of happiness. The collective breath that had been held in anticipation was released in a wave of tion, enveloping the room and washing over every heart. Just like with Rain, Moira helped Leiah with the birth, and she seemed happier since it was a crying girl instead of a silent boy.


    "I guess women are like that," Rain thought while shrugging.


    Roan''s closest friends came to congratte Roan on his second kid. It was a little chubby girl. Roan was smiling from ear to ear, saying she was the world''s cutest thing.


    While Rain never had siblings, he could understand a doting father for his first daughter. Roan also looked like the type who would spoil his daughter rotten if Leiah let him.


    Rain didn''t feel much about that; he was just d that he got a healthy little sibling. He could understand the feeling; as a man, most guys would want to be the best friend of their kids instead of just bing a figure of authority. A best friend and a hero as well¡­ that is why it ismon for some people to get straightened out when they have kids.


    While Leiah was recovering from the birth, Roan stayed at home to help, but after one month, he resumed his work as a guard in the city.


    "I guess he doesn''t have much choice¡­ it probably pays more, and he doesn''t want to be seen by his children as a weakling," Rain thought.


    Rain thought that another reason for that was the fact that his little sister, Danarea, cried all the time. It was an easy job for his parents, but his little sister wasn''t making things easier for them. Roan and Leiah had bags under their eyes most of the time since they couldn''t sleep that well at night.


    "Also, why Danarea¡­ just call her Dana!" Rain protested in his mind. "It seems that Mother wants us to be bullied because of our names¡­"


    Thanks to that, Leiah''s working hours disappeared, and she could only sleep when Dana allowed her. The hierarchy in the house was slowly taking shape. Weirdly enough, Dana didn''t cause much of a fuss when Roan had her in his arms.


    "I suppose she feels safe with father¡­" Rain though. "Regardless, I have more freedom now!"


    Leiah had to take care of Dana, and when she didn''t have to, she was too tired to do anything. Since Rain didn''t cause any problems around the house, she felt rxed enough to take some naps when Dana allowed. Thanks to it, Rain was able to leave the house by himself.


    "Not like there is much to do here¡­" Rain said while looking around.


    The house was a small but cozy stone house, emanating an undeniable charm. Its humble exterior, crafted from weathered gray stones, harmonized with the naturalndscape as if it had emerged from the very earth itself.


    The house, though unassuming in size, exuded a warmth andfort that weed all who crossed its threshold. A quaint wooden door, weathered with age and adorned with a simple brass knocker, invited visitors to step inside and discover the charm within.


    Despite that, Rain could run around and train the skills that consumed stamina. That was a lot better just moving around the house. Rain was also almost two and a half years old, so his body could move well already.


    "I dunno if boxing is a thing in this world, but I should make my body get used to training and basic movements of boxing," Rain thought. "In a world where dragons exist, and magic people can use crazy magic, just punching possible enemies away isn''t the best of options, but I can always learn how to use a weaponter. For now, let''s focus on unarmedbat."


    While the house wasn''t that big, running around it was enough to cover fifty meters. Rain felt really good starting with his roadwork in another world. While it was tiring and exhausting, it sure cleared the mind and made him feel better and aplished. On the first day, he did fortyps, and on the second day, he did forty-five¡­ that sense of progress was simply amazing.

 Chapter 12: Artisan Path

    <h4>Chapter 12: Artisan Path</h4>


    Six more months passed in the blink of an eye; Rain became three years old, and peace reigned over at his home since Dana only cried when she was hungry or when she pooped instead of all damn time for no reason. Around the same time, Rain made another breakthrough.


    (The human path reached level thirty.)


    (All Parameters increased by one.)


    (You learned the skill of Writing.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    (Student Path - Unlocked due to the proficiency innguage, reading, and writing. This path emphasizes learning, knowledge acquisition, and academic pursuits.)


    (Student Path: + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.


    Level 1: Language Proficiency - Enhances the user''s ability tomunicate effectively andprehend variousnguages, granting a 5% bonus tonguage-rted tasks per level.)


    "As expected, this is taking too long, and I am missing something¡­ at this rate, I will never learn magic before I am five," Rain thought.


    While Rain unlocked other paths, he didn''t have many chances to level them up since they were limited. It made sense, the human path was the easiest to level up, and the other ones from the second tier onward would be more difficult, perhaps up to five times. In any case, it was clear that he needed to think what was happening.


    "I suppose old families would pass down the methods to get stronger faster and keep a secret from others," Rain thought. "Father was the youngest, so he didn''t learn the secrets, or perhaps he doesn''t want to raise me the way he was raised."


    In any case, at level twenty-five, Rain learned the skill of Reading, and since his mother was working on copying them again, he had the chance to learn how to read. He was leveling up that skill pretty fast as well, but it helped when he read books with things that he didn''t know.


    "What I don''t know¡­ huh," Rain thought when he suddenly had a sh of inspiration.


    Although it had some difficult words, Rain decided to read some difficult books that talked about Herbalism. Soon, he confirmed that he did the right thing.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 100 experience points.)


    "As expected, there is a trick to gain more experience¡­ I just need to learn things that are far above my level," Rain thought. "It is like trying to face and defeat a boss that is much stronger than you. It is difficult, but the rewards are much better."


    Rain wondered if there were other tricks to progress faster. Learning practical skills for a mentor should work, but Rain couldn''t ask someone to teach him anything. The school was a thing in that world, but only rich kids could go¡­ only increasing the gap between the rich and the poor.


    Rain made another breakthrough when he decided to improve his physical training. He wasn''t sick of his roadwork, but he decided to do other things since he was barely getting tired after running for two hours. When he began to do some shadowboxing, he soon learned another thing.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (The Physical path received 100 points of experience.)


    (Until the skill is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Physical Path of one hundred percent.)


    (Physical Path received 100 experience points.)


    "Great, things are starting to get interesting," Rain smiled.


    Although Rain wanted to test a bunch of techniques, they didn''t grant the same results¡­ it seemed that boxing techniques from Earth weren''t part of the system, but some concepts probably were.


    Over the next few months, Rain decided to study the system further and check for more tricks that he could use to gain extra experience. He wished that he could focus on a single path, but he needed more information before deciding on that.


    Aside from reading difficult books and shadowboxing, Rain learned that he could get more experience by training his bnce, using a broom like a spear, and even meditating. All of those were skills from paths that he hadn''t unlocked yet. So, he began to make a lot of progress.


    Although it took him six months to get to thest ten levels in the human path, Rain got ten more in the next month! The Physical Path also reached level ten, but he didn''t unlock a new path on it. The options would be too numerous if that were the case, after all.


    (The human path reached level forty.)


    (All Parameters increased by one.)


    (You learned the skill of Labor.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    (Artisan Path - Unlocked due to the mastery of artisan skills and craftsmanship. This path focuses on various artisan trades such as cksmithing, woodworking, or pottery.)


    (Artisan Path - Dexterity + 04, Luck + 02 per level up.


    Level 1: Foundational Techniques - Develops foundational skills and techniques in the chosen artisanal craft, enhancing proficiency by 5% per level.)


    (The Physical Path reached level ten.)


    (You learned the skill of Agile Movement.)


    (Agile Movement - Increases movement speed by 5% per level and provides a 20% chance to dodge iing attacks.)


    "I should equip Agile Movement. Foundation Techniques won''t be useful now¡­ not like I can make anything in my current situation," Rain thought. "Regardless, with my daily training, Agile Movement will be easier to use. Hopefully, I will unlock another path at level twenty of the physical path."


    That didn''t happen, but something better happened¡­ Rain suddenly learned how to control his mana!

 Chapter 13: Older brother’s duty

    <h4>Chapter 13: Older brother''s duty</h4>


    That happened purely by chance. After learning that he could get a ton of experience by doing that, Rain began to meditate between training sessions and before going to bed since that truly helped him get sleepy.


    While Rain did some meditation in his previous life, meditating now was something that he could feel a lot more in that world. He could feel the energy and almost the environment around him as if he had something like another eye that only opened when his two others were closed. Or maybe it was only his other instincts working at full throttle. Either way, he could perceive his surroundings while he was meditating, as if he was feeling waves slowly passing through him.


    In one of those meditation lessons, Rain felt better than usual, as if he was overflowing with power. Then his focus ended when Leiah suddenly entered the room while frowning.


    (An unknown skill gained experience.)


    (An unknown path gained experience.)


    "I thought that I sensed something¡­ what are you doing, Rain?" Leiah asked while looking around.


    "Nothing," Rain replied.


    Leiah scratched her head and then left. The timing was too suspicious, and Leiah never came to check on Rain when he was just calmingly meditating. She sensed that Rain was also feeling powerful, and that was probably mana.


    "It seems that Mom has some magic senses even though she works as a scriber," Rain thought while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I probably activated some kind of basic magic, and she sensed it."


    In the end, Rain decided to do that again at night when everyone was sleeping. He tried to focus, and then when he felt like that again, he calmly opened his eyes and kept his focus. Thanks to that, he could see a small blue aura enveloping his body. Before long, his mana began to drop¡­ it was truly some sort of spell.


    "My parameters are the same, so it isn''t a support spell¡­ it must be a defensive one," Rain thought. "Anyway, this system is weird. I was supposed to be able to see the skills once I learn them, but I can''t¡­ maybe it is because they need some requirements or just forcing the use isn''t enough."


    Rain had to study the subject more, but it was a fine progress on the path of magic.


    From that day onward, Rain tried to use mana in other ways, but it was quite difficult¡­ he pulled it off at first because the ability was simple, but the next steps weren''t like that. He was also spending mana without experience, so he couldn''t just do it willy-nilly.


    While Rain was doing that, he was performing his morning road work as well. Thanks to it, he was lost in thought and didn''t realize that his father was approaching. That was unusual¡­ Rain froze on the spot since he kept his training a secret from his parents.


    "Hey, I didn''t think that you liked to run that much, Rain," Roan said. "I hated training when I was a kid, but I guess you have the energy to spare."


    "... Wee back, Dad," Rain said while forcing a smile.


    "Come to think of it, you are at the age where you should interact more with other kids," Roan scratched his chin. "The kids of my friends tend to y together; you don''t know them since we live in a different area, but¡­."


    Roan gave the idea, but he was hesitating now. Probably because Rain wasn''t a highborn, but he wasn''t amoner either. Roan probably thought that he wouldn''t fit in since his son was too quiet. He felt even more troubled since that was a situation that he caused.


    As for Rain, he couldn''t care less about interacting with other kids. ying with them was a waste of time when he could keep focusing on unlocking new paths and getting stronger.


    Still, despite all his progress. Rain didn''t feel like he was much stronger than a kid that was supposed to be ten or something. Sure, he was three years old, but even so¡­ it felt like an ordinary human from Earth would have the same parameters as a human at level fifty of the human path.


    "I guess starting with ten points in HP really makes me understand that I am only fifty times tougher than a newborn baby. This system is quite methodic," Rain thought.


    "You always look lost in thought," Roan showed a worried expression. "Anyway, I am thankful that you never make a fuss and make things easier for me and your mum. You can tell me when you decide to y with other kids."


    That will never happen, but Rain was thankful for those words. Now that he had been discovered, Rain didn''t have to be so stealthy with his training. Still, that doesn''t mean that he doesn''t look odd for a kid of his age.


    Around that time, even though Rain didn''t have to hide his training, he didn''t have the chance to do much more since Dana began to crawl. Leiah had to work, so he kept his little sister busy, making sure that she wouldn''t go anywhere dangerous.


    "Don''t pull my cheek¡­ bad, Dana," Rain said when he blocked her path when Dana was about to leave the house.


    Dana was around eight months old already, and she was still a bit chubby, but she was cute, like a doll. While she was mischievous like that, Rain didn''t mind that much looking after her. The job of the older siblings is to look after the younger ones, after all.

 Chapter 14: Alchemy

    <h4>Chapter 14: Alchemy</h4>


    "... I wonder when mom will have to copy a magic book, do those exist here?" Rain wondered one day when he was thinking about getting a new book to read and to improve his magic skills as well.


    Until now, that never happened¡­ Rain also never heard of things called magic books or scrolls or tomes. Maybe it was about time for him to check the stores in the city. Then again, he didn''t have money, and he couldn''t ask his parents for it since they had been raising him for over three years, giving him a pretty good life.


    "Maybe I should also pick a profession and try to make money out of it," Rain thought. "The sooner I start, the better I will beter on."


    Rain had to think seriously about that. Trying to master everything will be a waste of time¡­ being all rounded didn''t work in reality. It might be boring, but repetition and continuous learning on a single path was the key to sess. Regardless, Rain considered his options.


    People, mainly women, would spend hours at their spinning wheels, converting raw fibers, such as wool or x, into thread. This thread would then be woven into the fabric using a loom. The process required skill and precision to produce high-quality cloth for garments, linens, and household textiles.


    "I wound need some tools, so I guess this is a no," Rain thought.


    Tailors and seamstresses worked diligently with needle and thread, creating and altering garments. They would cut fabric, stitch pieces together, and add decorative elements. From simple repairs to intricate embroidery, they contributed to the creation of clothing tailored to individual needs.


    "It doesn''t require a lot of tools, mainly skills, but¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "I guess I need something that will work well with my n of bing strong."


    Embroidery, pot making, candle making¡­ they seemed like options, but they wouldn''t work well with his main goal. Things like metalworking, herbalism, and woodworking perhaps would work, but they would be too hard for a kid of his age. Few people in those fields would ept apprentices and products of someone that was at his age as well.


    "This is tough¡­" Rain thought. "It seems like copying Mom is my only option, even though it won''t make me stronger. I suppose making arrows is also a good way to make money in times of war. Still, I don''t think that without Iron Arrowheads, it will be useful against the magic people that can do all kinds of crazy shit."


    In any case, Leiah never ran out of work, and while making copies of books didn''t seem that profitable unless you were a bookstore owner, it was better than nothing.


    While Leiah was busy, Rain tried to do her job for a bit. Keeping an eye on the main book and writing the words in the same spot without making any mistakes sure was difficult, but it wasn''t impossible. Rain could do that with enough focus¡­ around five times slower than his mother, though.


    "Dexterity and experience should be the cause of it, and the skill level of writing," Rain thought. "Anyway, practicing a bit at a time until I can show Mom that I can do it on my own is the way to go."


    Leiah seemed a bit confused when she noticed that, apparently, she wasn''t in the parts that she was supposed to be. Still, since the handwriting was identical, she didn''t think much of it.


    Rain assumed that in a month, he should be able to write at least three times slower than her¡­ it was a weird way topare and make his goal, but it was the only way.


    Fortunately, Rain found another thing that he could do to make money that was even more profitable¡­ Leiah suddenly received the order to make some copies of an alchemy book, and when Rain went to read it, he found some forms for potions.


    "Even with the knowledge of the system, I guess we can change the form and create potions that don''t make part of the system," Rain thought while he was reading the titles of the chapters. "Hmm? Minor Spiritual Potion?"


    The title was interesting, but the contents made Rain even more curious¡­ It basically was the instructions on how to make the minor potions that restore one thousand points of mana. That seemed a lot, but it actually wasn''t. That was why it was called minor¡­ Regardless, the advanced versions seemed to need other products like water from magic fonts or branches of magic trees. Still, the minor only needed water, the mana, and the skill of the alchemist.


    "It seems simple, but the instructions are hard¡­ it is aplex technique. That must be why they wrote this instead of hiding the contents to avoid the form from being stolen and making people mass produce them," Rain thought.


    The first stage was to gather pure mana. The alchemist begins by entering a deep state of concentration, focusing their mind and tapping into their inner mana reserves. They draw upon their magical energy, channeling it to create a pure and potent form of mana. This requires immense control and mastery over their magical abilities.


    Rain knew how difficult it was. He tried hundreds of times to use Rasengan and Kamehameha. Still, it never worked¡­ not even a fart of mana escaped from his hands, but learning how to do that for the potions might make him control his mana better as well. It was worth the shot.

 Chapter 15: Just Rain

    <h4>Chapter 15: Just Rain</h4>


    Since Rain used the most basic spell by luck while meditating, he decided to try to improve his magic senses while he meditated as well¡­ while he was overflowing with mana, it should be easier to control it.


    As usual, he sat cross-legged and then began to focus on his spirit. His mind didn''t have to bepletely empty, but he couldn''t have intense thoughts about anything. Otherwise, the state would be broken.


    When Rain felt his body overflowing with mana, he tried to control it, but that only made the thin barrier around him disperse¡­


    "I guess I was too fast and too eager," Rain thought. "If things were convenient, I would find a book at home that would let me use basic magic at home¡­ maybe my old home had one."


    It was useless to think about that, so Rain resumed his focus. Once again, it didn''t take long for the aura to envelop him. He tried to control his mana this time, very slowly, almost in slow motion. Still, the barrier dispersed again.


    "Why? Porque? Por qual?" Rain thought and then sighed. "I guess I can''t control an active spell like this without canceling it. That or my control sucks¡­ maybe I should increase my wisdom and Intelligence."


    Rain needed one thousand mana points to be able to create the potion, after all. The downside was the fact that he could only recover one point per minute¡­ so he could only make one potion per day¡­ but that was a problem for the future.


    "Focus, clear your mind, and focus only on your spiritual energy," Rain thought. "The answer must be inside me or some sort of weird thing like that."


    Numerous times, that feeling of being overflowed with spiritual energy took over his body. Still, Rain didn''t do anything aside from that. Even clearing his mindpletely didn''t help¡­ Rain was pretty methodical; that was why he didn''t mind doing the same thing every day when it came to boxing. Still, he could only not mind for so long without obtaining results.


    Applying the same logic to magic perhaps wasn''t the best way to go¡­ in any case, Rain decided to do everything that he could. Even to use all of his free points into wisdom to increase his mana. In the end, he felt even more powerful than before when the aura enveloped him. It got thicker as well. Still¡­ he failed when he tried to control it.


    "The mana overflows through my whole body¡­ huh," Rain thought. "In that case¡­"


    Rain used the aura again, and this time, he stayed focused until he could feel his mana decreasing. He never did that for too long since he didn''t like the feeling of getting weaker spiritually. It was more exhausting than anything. It was like getting dizzy instantly¡­ and the recovery speed was even slower.


    When his mana was emptied, Rain felt like the worse he had been¡­ he never wanted to feel like that again. Still, once he began to meditate, he began to feel his spirit recovering. Naturally, he could recover one point of mana per second, but he could do that ten times faster while meditating.


    (An unknown skill gained experience.)


    (An unknown path gained experience.)


    All of a sudden, it became eleven times¡­ even without seeing it, he could level up Meditation before it could be a skill¡­ that was good to know.


    Still, that wasn''t important; what was important was that Rain felt his body being filled with mana. His body was the vessel, but he wasn''t like arge pot; his mana could only flow and stay in a path, and from that path, it would expand through the body and be emitted outside.


    "It feels like another cirction system¡­ but instead of blood, my mana flows through it," Rain thought when he opened his eyes.


    Instead of controlling the mana outside, Rain tried to control it inside by making it pulse¡­ he tried to make only the mana of some parts pulse until they began to leave his body through those parts. Eventually, Rain felt the mana leaving his hands in the shape of particles. It took a while, but he eventually learned that he had to give a goal for the mana before leaving his body, like taking the shape of a sphere flowing in one direction.


    (An unknown skill gained experience.)


    (An unknown path gained experience.)


    "I finally learned it¡­ now I just have to sharpen the feeling; this should be the next basic step," Rain thought.


    Still, Rain felt like he did something weird. He was nning to make money to buy books about magic, but he was trying to learn magic to make money¡­


    After practicing for one week, Rain finally made his mana take a shape that could be controlled perfectly and also could affect the physical ne. He hit the ground behind his house, and it caused a small crack after the impact that made the dust fly away.


    "Magic, huh¡­ I still feel like punching things is better," Rain thought.


    "Rain, where are you?" Leiah suddenly raised her voice.


    "I am here," Rein suddenly appeared in a hurry," What is wrong?"


    "Nothing is wrong. I just need to deliver some books since my boss wants them a bit earlier than usual," Leiah replied. "Can you keep an eye on Dana? You never did that before, but don''t mess with anything in the house, and don''t let Dana do the same."


    "Okay," Rein said and then grabbed Dana, who was clinging to Leiah''s leg.


    "Reiindall!" Dana said.


    "It is Rain, just Rain," Rain said.


    "Reiindall!" Dana said while pulling Rain''s cheeks.


    Rain thought that his mother wouldn''t take long to return, but she didn''t return that day¡­

 Chapter 16: New Paths

    <h4>Chapter 16: New Paths</h4>


    It was already dinner time when Rain realized that something was off. His father was also supposed to be home by now, so he could tell that something had happened¡­ It was only a matter of time until Dana started to cry because she was hungry, and then she would make Rain go deaf.


    Just when Rain thought that he should do something about it, the granny Moira showed up, she looked as serious as usual while looking at him, but she showed arge smile when Dana raised her arms toward her.


    "Why the difference in treatment?" Rain thought. "I guess I can''t fake a kid''s cuteness since I am always frowning."


    "... Your mother passed out, and she is resting at my house with your father," Moira suddenly said after she picked Dana. "It seems that you will have another sibling next year."


    "Again, what kind of pace is this?" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows. "I shouldn''t be asking this, but how often do they shag?"


    That kind of scene was too traumatic for kids. It was the only kind of pg 18 that kids didn''t want to imagine; it was when their parents were involved. In any case, those were some good news, and everyone only realized that now since Leiah worked too hard.


    "At least Dad isn''t going on another trip again¡­ fortunately, I didn''t say it out loud," Rain thought.


    In any case, Dana was only one year and two months old, so it seemed a bit too soon for another kid to show up. Then again, kids are idents that are bound to happen¡­


    Moira made their dinner and then stayed with them at night. Roan and Leiah only showed up in the next morning, and they sure looked happy. Those were some good news, but they seemed to forget that they were adding more work to their te.


    "I am helping too, but¡­" Rain thought. "I guess I will have a bunch of siblings here topensate for my previous life."


    Rain didn''t have siblings in his previous life, and that was why all the weight of the family fell on him. The weight of expectations made him forget his dream and follow a more stable path¡­ and things ended like that.


    "I guess when you die once, you can''t just forget that easily¡­" Rain thought. "I am trying to think seriously here¡­"


    Rain was having this amazing mental monologue, but Dana stopped him by pulling his cheeks. Leiah was taking a day off, so he had to keep his little sister entertained.


    "... Look," Rain said after he looked around and then fired a small bullet of mana toward the exit of the house.


    "Again! Again!" Dana said shouted.


    "Where can I turn your volume down?" Rain asked. "Holy¡­ your vocal chords are off the charts."


    In the end, Rain managed to keep Dana entertained by making her chase the small mana bullet. It couldn''tst long, and it only caused any damage as soon as it was created, so it was fine. That also worked as good training for him¡­ but using that dozens of times made him feel dizzy again.


    Still, Rain had to get used to it or keep increasing his mana like there was no tomorrow. The first magic that he learned could protect him, and that would help a lot considering how Rain was nning to fight in that world¡­ it has been over one year and a half since thest battle. Still, the human side lost another chunk of their territory¡­ things could happen again. The magic people could even prepare to attack that city.


    "This is way too hardcore¡­ wasn''t I supposed to fight slimes until I could be overpowered?" Rain thought.


    Rain chose the only package left, second life, but not so easy one. Regardless, that was fine. His previous life had been free of worries for quite a while and ended up like that. It was better to have some bumps along the way in order to feel more aplished when he reached them.


    Although Rain thought of that, the next few months passed in the blink of an eye. Thanks to his daily grind, he unlocked two more paths and reached level sixty on the human path.


    (Farmer Path - All parameters + 1)


    (Unlocked due to the understanding of agriculture and farming techniques. This path focuses on agricultural practices, crop cultivation, andnd management.)


    Level 1: Green Thumb - Enhances the farmer''s natural affinity for nts, improving crop yield by 5% per level.


    (Worker Path - All parameters + 1)


    (Unlocked due to the expertise inbor and practical work. This path emphasizes skills rted to construction, craftsmanship, or specialized trades.)


    Level 1: Physical Stamina - Develops physical endurance and stamina, enabling the worker to perform tasks for longer durations without fatigue.


    Physical Path


    Level 1: Basic Conditioning - Increases maximum stamina by 10 per level.


    Level 5: Enhanced Strength - Deals bonus damage with physical attacks, increasing overall damage output by 1% per level.


    Level 10: Agile Movement - Increases movement speed by 5% per level and provides a 20% chance to dodge iing attacks.


    Level 15: Endurance Training - Reduces stamina consumption by 1% per level and increases stamina regeneration rate by 1% per level.


    Level 20: Martial Arts - Unlocks powerfulbo attacks and special moves in hand-to-handbat, increasing damage dealt by 3% per level.


    The physical path also reached level twenty, but no ss was unlocked either. It seems that only in the human path could he unlock new paths every ten levels. If he doesn''t unlock a new one at level fifty¡­ then it would be costly and time-consuming for someone to unlock advanced paths.

 Chapter 17: Serious talk

    <h4>Chapter 17: Serious talk</h4>


    When Leiah went intobor again, things in the house weren''t that tense anymore. The third is the charm, or so they say. As such, she already had experience giving birth, and nothing major happened. A new member of the family arrived¡­ another girl. The male faction of the family finally had been outnumbered.


    In any case, while Dana had short curly red hair, the new girl had a bit more straight red-brown hair. A mix between Roan and Leiah. Just like before, Roan spent days celebrating.


    Regardless, the new girl was called Keinara¡­ at that point in time, Rain had given up on expecting his mother not to use difficult names. In any case, Keinara became Kei in Rain''s mind. Kei was born a bit thin, but she was bigger than Dana when she was born, so it was probably fine. By the way, Rain was four years old, and it seemed like no one cared about his age or birthday party, not even him. A new kid always showed up around the time, after all.


    In any case, at least Rain was living a fulfilling life, and he was making progress. While he couldn''t summon a Fireball, his mana bullets could pierce walls, and he was holding back since he focused on control and he didn''t add any spin to them.


    Rain was also able to create a minor Spiritual Potion. While he didn''t sell it, he tested it and confirmed its effectiveness. It took some time for him to produce and for mana to be part of the water. Still, it was fine since he could make the potion and drink himself and repeat the process for the experience. That was one of the reasons he reached level sixty in the human path that fast when it should take at least twelve years.


    "I heard that dungeons are a thing in this world, but dungeon breaks aren''t; monsters in the human territory are hard to find as well," Rain thought. "Adventurers don''t live their lives only for fighting. I guess I am a bit crazy for nning to do that."


    Recently, Rain thought that it would be a good idea to learn some healing magic and start training harshly with his body. The more he trains, the tougher he will get. The more he uses healing magic to recover, the better it will be¡­ two birds, one stone. Still, he didn''t see a book with that kind of ability yet.


    "Healing potions are easier to obtain, and their effects are almost instantaneous, but I guess an alchemist boxer would be a weirdbination," Rain thought and then sighed.


    "Let''s y horse, Reiinn," Dana said.


    It seemed that Dana could sense when her brother was having those monologues and had the intention to stop them. As usual, she tried to convince him by pulling his cheeks. Leiah was a bit busy looking after Kei, so Dana was lonely.


    "Okay¡­" Rain said, and then he took Dana outside, and then she rode on his back while he mimicked a horse around the house.


    That was as much embarrassing as it was good training for his back, arms, and legs. Ordinary training was starting to be less efficient, so having some weight on him was useful.


    "Hey, it seems that you two are doing something funny," Roan suddenly said.


    "Papa!" Dana jumped from Rain''s back and made him fall before she dashed toward her father.


    "I guess I am just a convenient toy for my little sister¡­" Rain thought while he was facing the ground.


    "Hey, don''t knock down your big brother," Roan said after he picked Dana. "Sorry, Rain. We should be looking after you as well, but sometimes it feels like you are the most responsible of the house."


    "For obvious reasons," Rain thought while he was getting up and taking the dust from his clothes.


    "By the way, did you forget about what I said before?" Roan asked. "You can y with the kids of my friends; they sure like to y war. The wooden swords might hurt, but it is fun. Daddy wasn''t big enough to win against my brothers, but others were easy pickings."


    It was pretty embarrassing to call himself Daddy, but Roan wasn''t the time to mind the small stuff. He was fine living that kind of life.


    "I am fine," Rain replied.


    "I don''t get it, you don''t want to y with other kids, but you are fine with your sisters," Roan said while frowning. "I was the inverse, I couldn''t stand my brothers, but everyone else was fine."


    That probably isn''t something you should say in front of your children¡­ Roan still had to get a bit more mature when ites to raising children.


    "By the way, Grandma and Grandpa mighte soon to talk with you, so try to behave, okay?" Roan asked. "I don''t know why I am saying this; you always behave."


    "... Why?" Rain asked while having a hard time not furrowing his eyebrows.


    "Why should you behave, or why are your grandparentsing?" Roan asked. "Well, they are serious to a fault, and they are curious about your growth. Apparently, someone told them that you are quite studious and likes to run around the house to exercise."


    It was rare to imagine Roan or Leiah saying that they knew that boasting about their kids was useless. Besides, Rain didn''t like that since his grandparents never showed up at the birth of his little sisters.

 Chapter 18: Taking one for the team

    <h4>Chapter 18: Taking one for the team</h4>


    From what he knew, Rain had ten other cousins. He was the eldest son of their youngest son, so his grandparents had no reason to be curious about him. They worried too much about pedigree and all that kind of nonsense, but maybe they assumed that being 75%moner wasn''t so bad. It was a bit toote to think like that, though.


    In any case, they showed up in the middle of the afternoon of the next day with Roan. It seemed that they let him leave work earlier for the visit. Still, they arrived just in time to see Rain mimicking a horse while Dana was giggling and slightly pping on his back to move faster. That definitely hadn''t been an excellent first impression.


    "Not that I care, but I suppose I need to behave a bit like Dad said since they are his employer and they are also his parents. They helped him when he asked for help, although not in the most optimal way," Rain thought while he put Dana on the ground and told her to behave.


    Rain''s grandparents were supposed to see him giving an order to Dana, who seemed to be a bit too willful, and she immediately obeyed; it was hard for that to happen. Even more so considering that another child gave the order.


    "Hello, Lord Roswall and Lady Melody," Leiah showed up at the door with Kei in her arms. "Thank you for visiting us. This is Rain, Danarea, and Keinara."


    Leiah was trying to keep her smile, but it was clear that it wasn''t working that much since she was also sweating a bit. It was a pity since Kei was sleeping, and her cries probably would make things awkward.


    "Today, we came to talk about Rain. Your daughters wille at another time," Roswall said.


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ another time. While he didn''t care about that, his time came after four years of waiting, and they were probably thinking that they would make them wait as well for many years.


    Rain heard from his parents that his grandparents were as rigid as brick, and they inherited them from their parents. It seemed a normal way for them to act, and Rain didn''t want to judge them for it, but it was annoying to be treated like that, like an issue that had to be addressed at specific points in time. Or in an interval of many years.


    "While your birth''s situation was abnormal among our family, we believe that the kids with our blood should receive the same treatment," Roswall added.


    "So, every kid in the family only sees their grandparents once every five years?" Rain thought. "I guess that the idea of grandparents spoiling their grandkids doesn''t exist in this world."


    "Soon, you will be of age to go to school, and while not many expect much from you, we are willing to support you on that endeavor," Roswall continued. "Your father told us that you can already read and write, so your mother must have had a lot of work teaching you that."


    Leiah looked to the side while showing a nervous look, she didn''t want to lie, but it would be even more unbelievable to say that Rain learned how to read and write by himself¡­ Leiah read some books for him, but it was hard to believe that it was enough.


    "Make the necessary arrangements for it," Roswall said, and then both of them eventually left.


    Rain was left speechless. It seemed that everyone in the family treated status and pedigree above everything. They didn''t even consider that Rain was thinking that he didn''t want to waste time at school again¡­ no way in hell he would waste a good part of more than ten years in such a ce.


    That being said, refusing would put his father in a bad spot. He didn''t need another rift between him and his parents. Rain wondered if, aside from his dad, every single person in the family was someone that was a status freak; they did everything to improve their status and fame and lived only for that.


    "Dad, all my cousins go to school?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, they do," Roan replied.


    "Even the girls?" Rain asked.


    "It is weird for you at your age to care about that, but yes, they do as well," Roan replied. "Until you are ten, all of you study basically the same things with a few exceptions, but once you be ten, more lessons that are mainly for boys and girls begin to appear. You can choose what you can study, but your grandparents will force you and the others to take some special courses, four of them. History, etiquette, Economy, and Military. If you show talent in any of those fields, they will dly offer you a good position in the family. While I am just a guard, you can be a knight and earn a lot more. You can also be a healer, a powerful wizard, a businessman, a teacher¡­ the options were numerous."


    Rain couldn''t care less about etiquette; he wondered how people in the human country assumed that they had time to waste with that considering that they had been losing territory to the magic people again and again in thest few years.


    Again, Rain didn''t want to waste time at school. Still, he didn''t want to make thingsplicated for his father and close some doors to his sisters. It was easy to imagine his grandparents saying something like: "As expected of someone withmoner''s blood, these children aren''t worth our time" if he does something that goes against them.


    "I guess it is time to take one for the team, huh," Rain thought and then sighed.

 Chapter 19: Military, Magic, History, and Etiquette

    <h4>Chapter 19: Military, Magic, History, and Etiquette</h4>


    "Rain, you don''t have to go to school if you don''t want to; I also felt like such a ce was a waste of time," Roan said when he noticed that Rain was more quiet than usual. "It is only a ce to turn kids into easy-to-control subjects¡­ I honestly thought that, and I ended up relying on my family in the end to survive, so you need to be smarter than me."


    It was easy to look down on school, but one had to be even smarter to survive without it. In that world, those who didn''t go to school ended up working as farmhands, workers of numerouspanies, and simr things. Adventurers as well, but it was a lot riskier since they could be hired as mercenaries in times of war as well.


    Regardless, Rain made his choice already, so he just had to wait for a while. While he waited for a couple of months, he asked his father more about how the school worked. All towns and cities had one, but they worked in the same manner. However, once they graduate from a number of courses, they have to head to the capital for a more specialized formation.


    As to how the school worked, there were some basic subjects like History, Etiquette, Economy, Military, Arts, Sciences, Politics, and Magic. Roan, for example, was able to be a knight after graduating in the Etiquette, Military, and History subjects. Those had numerous branches after the students passed a test, Military branches into Basic Combat Training and Archery.


    "Why would they need to teach kids around five years old how to use a bow? Are they really desperate for child soldiers?" Rain thought.


    Still, at least the system was interesting; once the kids graduated from the second level, they could choose many other courses in the same subject. They had different ways to measure the kids''petence in those fields, though. Naturally, in the Military, the body would be tested more, while in Economics, the mind would be tested.


    History:


    Course 1: "World''s History: Introduction and Overview"


    Students delve into the major events, cultural developments, and societal changes that shaped the ancient years.


    Course 2: "Ancient Civilizations: Rise and Fall"


    This course explores the civilizations that influenced medieval society, focusing on their contributions and decline.


    Course 3: "Kingdoms and Empires: Power and Conflict"


    It was quite methodical and curious¡­ Rain wanted to learn more about the world, and his father told him that such knowledge and information was in the hands of a few. Knowledge is power. It is even more powerful when only a handful of them have ess to it.


    Etiquette:


    Course 1: "Etiquette and Manners: Basics of Polite Behavior"


    Students learn the foundations of polite behavior, including greetings, introductions, bodynguage, and courteousmunication.


    Course 2: "Formal Dining and Banquet Etiquette"


    This course covers the intricacies of formal dining, including table settings, proper use of utensils, seating arrangements, and hosting skills.


    Course 3: "Communication Skills: Verbal and Nonverbal"


    Students develop effectivemunication skills, including verbal expression, active listening, nonverbal cues, and adaptingmunication styles.


    "What the hell are they teaching kids?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "This seems like a spy program for children or something.


    Military:


    Course 1: "Basic Combat Training: Fundamentals and Techniques"


    Learn the fundamental skills and techniques necessary forbat, including stance, footwork, striking, and defensive maneuvers.


    Through rigorous training exercises and drills, develop physical strength, agility, and discipline.


    Course 2: "Archery and Marksmanship: Precision and uracy"


    Master the art of archery and marksmanship, including proper posture, aiming techniques, and effective use of bows, crossbows, and other ranged weapons.


    Practice target shooting and enhance uracy through consistent training.


    Course 3: "Swordsmanship and Melee Combat: Close-quarters Skills"


    Acquire the skills of swordsmanship, focusing on techniques for different types of swords, parrying, thrusting, and striking.


    Explore close-quartersbat, including grappling, disarming, and defending against various melee weapons.


    "I have no idea how is this basic stuff¡­" Rain thought. "Is there any point in teaching this to kids? I suppose humans are weaker agaisnt magic people and dragons, so they have to do this."


    Magic:


    Course 1: "Basic Principles of Magic: Energy and Maniption"


    Gain a foundational understanding of magic, exploring the fundamental principles of energy maniption and spellcasting.


    Learn about mana, magical sources, and how to channel and control magical energies.


    Course 2: "Elemental Magic: Controlling and Harnessing Elements"


    Dive into the study of elemental magic, focusing on the maniption of natural elements such as fire, water, air, and earth.


    Discover spells and techniques to summon and control elemental forces.


    Course 3: "Divination and Prophecy: Insights and Future Sight"


    Explore the realm of divination, learning techniques to gain insights into the past, present, and future.


    Study various methods of divination, such as tarot cards, scrying, and interpreting signs and omens.


    "Maybe School will be more interesting than I imagined¡­ the fact that I will have to interact on a daily basis with brats is a downside, but I can''t have my cake and eat it too," Rain thought.


    Moreover, the tests could be done whenever the students wanted. Since the people of the human country wanted soldiers and talented individuals in numerous fields, they weren''t nning to slow them down. Still, it was rare for kids to graduate in less than five years since failing was pretty embarrassing. They would rather take their time studying and preparing.

 Chapter 20: Not one bit

    <h4>Chapter 20: Not one bit</h4>


    In the end, Rain had to wait for six months before going to school. He was one month away from bing five, so it seemed that it was fine ording to the adults that had adult bodies, unlike him.


    "I didn''t make much progress in the human path in thest few months, but the courses should help with that," Rain thought.


    "Rein, let''s y," Dana said while Rain was packing his things for school.


    "I can''t now; I am going to school; if you behave, we can y horseter," Rain exined while his little sister pulled his shirt.


    Dana had grown a lot, but she still looked a bit chubby and round, probably because she disliked using her own legs to move. She was almost three now, so it was time for her brother and father to stop spoiling her.


    At the same time, Kei was one year old, and she became a bit of a quiet child. She rarely makes a fuss, she sleeps a lot, and she doesn''t eat that much, either. Rain assumed that his youngest sister was going to be a quiet cute girl while Dana would be the cheerful and friendly one.


    Putting that aside, one didn''t have to bring many things to school. Only some extra set of clothes for physical activities and a notebook and quill for the theory lessons. Rain almost let out a sigh of relief when he learned that there was no such thing as a uniform.


    "Dad said that most of the course lessons end after just one month, and they repeat most of the things, so if I y my cards well, I can graduate from school before I turn six," Rain thought once he finished his backpack. "It is just lessons for kids; it will be a walk in the park."


    Dana was pulling Rain''s cheeks, but she stopped when he got up. At the same time, Leiah approached to check Rain''s clothes.


    "I don''t remember teaching you how to wear clothes by yourself, but good job," Leiah said while she was carrying the sleeping Kei."


    "Okay, untilter, Mom, Dana, Kai," Rain said. "You should behave."


    "Me too?" Leiah asked while furrowing her eyebrows.


    "Rain probably can find the school by himself, but I will take him there just in case, see you allter," Roan said.


    The men of the house left after waving their hands, and soon the mood while they crossed the streets. Rain could tell that his father had a few things to say.


    "I wish that I didn''t have to do this, but I have to give you some tips, Rain," Roan said. "Tips on how to act at school. Build your self-confidence and project an assertive and positive attitude while you are there. Stand tall, make eye contact, and have a rxed but assertive posture. Stay alert and be aware of their surroundings."


    Those were some weird tips. They seemed like tips to avoid bullying¡­ in any case, Rain was expecting that such a thing would happen. As if the actions of kids between the ages of five and ten would bother him. He died after being stabbed in the stomach, soon after being med for a crime he didn''tmit. He could take the meaningless words of brats that felt bothered that he hadmoner''s blood.


    The school wasn''t that far away from Rain''s house, only five minutes away. A group of wealthy noble children approached the grand entrance of the school with confidence and privilege. They were dressed in elegant and expensive clothing, showcasing their wealth and high social status. The boys wore fancy-tailored outfits with fancy patterns. In contrast, the girls wore beautiful gowns adorned with intricate details and jewelry.


    As they walked towards therge stone building, the noble children disyed an air of entitlement, carrying themselves with pride. The entrance doors opened wide, revealing the inside of the school.


    The school was a massive structure crafted from sturdy stones. Its imposing appearance exudes a sense of strength and endurance. The walls, made of thick and rough-hewn stones, showcase their ancient origins and bear the marks of time.


    As Rain approached the main entrance, arge arched doorway beckoned him inside. The windows, tall and narrow, allow sunlight to filter through, casting a warm glow on the worn stone floors within. The walls carry subtle traces of inscriptions and symbols from long ago, whispering stories of the countless students who have passed through these halls.


    The school was made up of several interconnected buildings, creating aplex maze of corridors and rooms. Stone paths meander through peaceful courtyards adorned with carefully tended gardens, providing quiet spaces for reflection and conversation. Towering spires, topped with pointed roofs, serve as distinctivendmarks, signifying the pursuit of knowledge within.


    "Have fun, Rain," Roan said when he noticed that it was time to go.


    Did you have fun here?" Rain asked.


    "Not one bit, but you can go and surpass your father in this aspect," Roan smirked, and then he messed with Rain''s hair before leaving.


    Once Roan left, Rain noticed that a lot more of the kids were looking at him while frowning. It seemed that they didn''t have the balls to do the same while his father was there. That only confirmed what he already knew.


    Regardless, Rain entered the building and then looked for the military section of the ce. The school was divided into eight sections, alongside history, the military section on the southern and left side of the school¡­ since he decided to be a good boy, his grandparents were paying ten gold coins a month for him to be there, Rain will have to endure History and Etiquette lessons¡­ At least he could go to the military and magic sses as well.

 Chapter 21: Training

    <h4>Chapter 21: Training</h4>


    The ssroom of the first military course was massive¡­ it probably could fit around one hundred kids, there were seven others around, but Rain didn''t have to check them.


    Although he arrived earlier, Rain wasn''t one of the first kids to enter. Although all of those on that course should be of his age, they still were sons of nobles, and they more or less knew each other since their parents went to the same events. They didn''t know Rain; it would take a while for them to realize his origins because Leiah made sure to buy him some fashionable clothes for a boy of his age.


    "Surprisingly enough, Mom knows that a kid that stands out in a bad way thanks to his clothes is also an easy target for bullying," Rain thought. At the same time, he sat in one of the chairs in the back of the room.


    The chairs were made of wood, and they also had a table for the kids to use and write. It seemed that not all the lessons of the military courses would be physical. Regardless, most of the kids were in the front, and soon, a man in his thirties, while wearing light brown armor and a sword on his waist, appeared. It seemed that only forty kids were the neers of the year that wanted to get involved somehow in military affairs.


    "My name is Leion, and I will be your Military instructor, change your clothes and be in the training camps in five minutes; those who arete will have ten fewer minutes to do the tests from now on," The man dered.


    The kids seemed surprised, but soon they began to move as soon as Leion left the room. That guy sure was direct¡­ in any case, Rain hurried with the change of clothes and quickly followed the instructor.


    Rain quickly found a massive training ground in the middle of the building. It probably had enough room to store hundreds of people training at the same time since it had four smaller grass fields that were fifty meters long and one hundred meters wide as well.


    The kids arrived in a hurry while wondering if they had been on time; it was hard to say based on the expressionless face of the instructor.


    "From today onwards, you will run around the training grounds for two hours before my lessons. I won''t oversee you all doing that, but I will know if you did or not," Leion dered. "If you fail for that for any reason, you will lose ten minutes for each failure. If you fail six times, you are done with my course. Start."


    Leion moved from the field, and then the kids began to run¡­ considering their origins, it was quite surprising that noble kids would be that quick to follow orders¡­ then again, most of their parents probably were guards, knights, or soldiers, so they received the instructions to follow the orders as quickly as possible and without hesitation.


    "I suppose before learning how to lead, you have to learn how to follow," Rain thought while he was running to the back of the group.


    The first lesson was supposed tost three hours, but they will run for one hour¡­ it was hard to imagine that they would have to clean themselves, so it seemed that Leion was nning to make them endure a lot of things.


    In any case, Rain was used to running, roadwork was part of his daily training routine, but he didn''t have timetely to run for two hours, so he felt a bit tired after two hours¡­ as for the other kids, they were breathing roughly while trying to keep walking since they couldn''t run anymore.


    "Maybe their parents, who work in the same field of vision, didn''t train or prepare them for this," Rain thought. "There is no better teacher than life, huh. Let me tell you something you already know. Life is tough, and it''s not always easy. No matter how strong you are, it can knock you down and keep you down if you allow that. Nobody can hit as hard as life can. But it''s not just about how hard life hits you; it''s about how you respond. You have the power to get back up and keep going. Don''t me others or make excuses for where you are right now. Don''t be a coward and give up. You have to be willing to take the hits and keep moving forward no matter what. Believe in yourself and your worth. Don''t let life''s challenges define you. Stand up, face the struggles, deal with it, and keep fighting for what you want. That''s how you can ovee the tough times and find your way to sess."


    I guess the soldiers around here know that."


    Rain wondered if Roan also followed the same principle since he never trained him or anything. Then again, he seemed like the type who would let his children grow naturally and freely.


    Regardless, Leion was already in the room waiting for everyone when they returned. Since they kind of took their time, they had to endure his cold gaze. Facing it directly was quite difficult.


    "After running for two hours, you all will have to return in five minutes; if you fail, you already know the punishment," Leion dered. "Now, you all will copy my movements."


    As he prepared to showcase a series of defensive maneuvers, he gracefully lowered his stance, ensuring a stable and bnced foundation. His left foot moved forward, creating a firm base, while his right hand closed into a tight fist, held close to his chest.


    With precise control, Leion executed a slow but powerful punch with his right hand, channeling his strength and technique into the strike. The controlled movement disyed the culmination of years of training and experience. After delivering the punch, he swiftly transitioned, positioning his left arm in a protective stance, guarding his left side against any potential attacks.


    Leion''s defensive posture mirrored his initial stance, exhibiting his ability to seamlessly flow from one defensive position to another. The fluidity of his movements showcased his mastery of defensive techniques and readiness to counter any iing threats.


    "Do what I just did and alternate between punching and defending with both of your arms," Leion dered. "You will do that for one hour, and you have to do it at least once every five seconds."

 Chapter 22: World’s history

    <h4>Chapter 22: World''s history</h4>


    That stance was too basic, and it was simr to the one that Rain saw when he faced an MMA fighter in a training session. It was basic and effective for newbies¡­ still, Rain was more used to the way of attacking and defending in a boxing style.


    Attacking and defending simultaneously in boxing requires abination of skill, strategy, and timing. It involves executing offensive maneuvers while maintaining defensive awareness to minimize the opponent''s counterattacks.


    Rain began by maintaining a bnced stance and staying light on your feet. Position yourself in a way that allows you to generate power in your punches while being able to quickly evade or block iing strikes.


    He also Incorporated defensive techniques such as slipping, bobbing, and weaving to evade his opponent''s attacks. These movements allowed him to create angles and openings for his own offensive strikes while simultaneously avoiding potential counters.


    Instead of solely focusing on defensive maneuvers, he looked for opportunities to counter his opponent''s attacks. When they attack, quickly identify the opening and deliver a well-timed counterpunch while simultaneously moving his head, upper body or stepping out of the line of attack. This allowed him to both defend against their strike andunch an offensive counter.


    While it seemed inefficient and not useful for his style, Rain did it seriously since it was something that he had to master as soon as possible in order to graduate faster.


    Still, Rain had a bit of a hard time after a while. The running took quite a bit of his stamina, and then punching and blocking in a way that he wasn''t used to also tired his upper body a lot as well.


    Once the lesson was over, Rain barely could raise his arms¡­ as expected, he still had a long way ahead of him¡­ maybe it had been a mistake to focus on increasing his Wisdom that much.


    "There is a ce where you can clean yourselves on the right side of the corridor; you all have fifteen minutes to do that before the next lesson if you are heading to another lesson," Leion said. "Until the next lesson."


    Rain wondered if the people of the school were expecting a bit too much from the kids of nobles, but maybe that was a good way for them to grow outside of their homes since they probably had been sheltered a bit too much.


    Rain hurried to the area that Leion mentioned and then saw arge shower room there. It seemed that it had been used recently, probably for the kids of other years. Either way, Rain was surprised to see that it worked just like showers from Earth.


    After five minutes, Rain finished cleaning himself and changed his clothes. The ce also had soaps and towels.


    "At least the monthly fee is being used well," Rain thought.


    Once he cleaned himself, Rain went to search for the ce where he would have his next lesson. The first lesson of history¡­ since it seemed that he knew where he was going, a lot of the other kids followed him. In the end, they quickly found an empty room where an old man with gray sses was waiting for them.


    "You may sit. No¡­ by order of arrival, you should sit on the first line of chairs from left to right," The old man said.


    Rain wanted to sit on the back again, but the teacher stopped him. It was a pain, but it was better not to do or say anything weird now. The kids didn''t make a fuss when they saw Rain in the front, the instructor didn''t seem that harsh, but they decided to behave.


    "Open your notebooks. I want you to take notes about my lesson and do some research by yourselves in the library if you feel the need to," The instructor said. "My name is Reminem, and I will be your History Instructor."


    "Reminem¡­ are you serious?" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    It seemed that Rain''s mother wasn''t the only one who had a weird naming sense. In any case, it seemed that Rain and the others didn''t have to look at the teacher; listening and taking notes was the only thing that they had to do.


    "The history of the world starts fifty thousand years ago; at that time, the world was divided into six realms," Reminem said as if he were starting to recount a story. "The world was split into the human continent, the dragon continent, the magic continent, the beasts continent, the demi-humans continent, and the sea folk realm."


    It seemed that Rain was going to learn a lot¡­ even though he had lived in that world for five years already, he had only heard about the magic people and the dragons, and he didn''t hear that they had their own continents before. As far as he could remember, they were neighbors sharing the same continent.


    In the ancient times of that world, there was a great mystery surrounding the origins of its species. The beings inhabiting the world, including dragons, magic people, beasts people, sea-folk, demi-humans, and humans, found themselves coexisting without the knowledge of each other''s existence.


    At the dawn of this world''s history, legends and myths circted among different species, each telling their own creation story. The dragon people believed they were born from the primordial energies of the elements, granting them immense power and majestic forms. The magic people believed they were descendants of celestial beings who bestowed upon them the ability to manipte the very fabric of reality.


    The beast people held a deep connection with the natural world, believing they were born from the spirits of the wilderness, embodying the strength and traits of various animals. The demi-humans, characterized by their unique physical features and abilities, considered themselves descendants of ancient gods, blending the essence of humans with other mythical beings.

 Chapter 23: Creepy

    <h4>Chapter 23: Creepy</h4>


    As for the sea folk, their origin is deeply intertwined with the vast oceans that surround the continents. Legends tell of ancient sea deities who ruled over the depths and held dominion over the creatures of the sea. It is said that the sea folk emerged from the magical union between mortal sailors and these powerful sea deities, resulting in a hybrid race capable of dwelling both beneath the waves and onnd.


    Humans, on the other hand, had their own stories of origin. They believed they were born from the earth itself, blessed with the gift of adaptability and resilience. Humans were known for their ingenuity, resourcefulness, and their ability to forge connections and form societies.


    However, as time passed, individuals from each species began to venture beyond their territories and encounter one another for the first time. These chance meetings sparked curiosity and intrigue as the various species realized that their world was muchrger and more diverse than they had previously believed.


    The history lesson had been pretty interesting, to the point that Rain decided to do some studying on his own, even though it seemed that they would study every single aspect of the history of the world until the current times.


    In any case, after two hours of sses, Rain had the chance to head home to have lunch. Some kids brought their own and had lunch with the other kids that they knew. Some others had their servants bring the food to the school since they only had one hour of break. Leiah asked Rain if he wanted that as well, but he decided that he didn''t want to increase her workload.


    "Rain! Rain! Let''s y!" Dana said and then hugged Rain when he showed up.


    "Only for a bit after lunch," Rain said while patting his little sister''s head.


    "Was it fun, Rain? The school," Leiah asked.


    "It was so-so," Rain replied.


    It was a bit different than he had expected, but it wasn''t half bad. Going there for a year or two won''t be a waste of time. The only downside is the fact that Rain will end up owing a few favors to his grandparents, and they definitely will ask him to pay them back with interest in the future. Still, he decided to follow that path for the sake of his little sisters.


    After lunch and ying with Dana for a while, Rain returned to the school to have two hours of Etiquette lessons¡­ Rain could already imagine himself dying of boredom.


    Rain frowned a bit since the ss suddenly had a lot more girls than before. It actually filled the whole room¡­ Rain knew that diplomats in the human country tend to be mainly women, but he still was surprised that girls truly wanted to learn that. Then again, it seemed more natural that girls would show more interest in that than boys.


    In this introductory course on etiquette and manners, students delve into the foundations of polite behavior. They learn essential skills and practices that contribute to cultivating a refined and respectful demeanor in various social settings. The course covers a range of topics designed to shape students'' understanding and application of etiquette principles.


    Students were taught the art of proper greetings, including handshakes, bows, or other culturally appropriate gestures. They learned how to introduce themselves and others with rity and confidence, considering factors such as hierarchy, age, and social contexts.


    The course explored the significance of nonverbalmunication and bodynguage in portraying respect and attentiveness. Students learn how to maintain appropriate eye contact, use open and weing postures, and control gestures to convey their intentions positively.


    Effectivemunication is a vital aspect of etiquette. Students develop skills in active listening, expressing gratitude, and using politenguage. They learn to be mindful of their tone and to speak respectfully, avoiding offensive or inappropriate remarks.


    "As expected, that was very boring¡­ in any case, it seems that in the afternoon, we only have one lesson for everyone," Rain thought when he saw the corridors of the school filled with kids. "I wanted to do some research about the system, but it is too noisy right now¡­"


    Rain decided to leave that for another day and spend the rest of the afternoon ying with Dana. Looking after two toddlers and working at the same time might make Rain''s mother age faster.


    Since Rain wasn''t talking about it, Leiah decided not to pry about the school. Still, Roan wasn''t that tactful even though he had studied etiquette for a few years and soon asked Rain how the school had been.


    "Not very impressive. The etiquette lesson had been pretty boring as well," Rain replied.


    "The etiquette instructor was an olddy called Mona?" Roan asked. "An ice-colddy that wears pointy sses?"


    "That is right, you have a good memory, Dad," Rain said. "Was she your first love or something?"


    "Hahaha, don''t even joke about it," Roanughed. "I pity the bastard that decided to take his chances with her. Anyway, you can probably tell that she is very stiff and loves stupid rules. So, try not to stand out, okay?"


    Rain nodded. He could tell that she was the type that would look down on him since he had amoner''s blood. He noticed her gaze a bunch of times that day, even though they just practiced simple greetings and smiles at each other.


    The next morning, Rain and the others had another lesson with Leion. Just as he told them, he didn''t show up until one hour before the lesson, and after, everyone ran for two hours.


    "You three, tell me your names," Leion asked when thest group of kids entered the ss. "You arrivedte today and started three minutes after the others. Until the end of this course, you will have penalties during the tests."


    The kids froze on the spot since everyone knew that, and they couldn''t ask for help from anyone¡­ while he didn''t show up, it seemed that Leion was watching the kids from the shadows¡­ that sure was creepy.

 Chapter 24: Magic lessons

    <h4>Chapter 24: Magic lessons</h4>


    In any case, instead of punching and guarding, the kids learned how to move their legs to avoid attacks. Footwork ys a crucial role in evading attacks and maintaining defensive positioning in variousbat situations, after all.


    When retreating, it''s important to maintain a bnced and stable stance while creating distance from your opponent. The next steps were very important to help with that: Bend his knees slightly and maintain a solid base to enhance stability and mobility. Take a small step backward with your lead foot, shifting your weight onto it. This allows you to maintain bnce while creating space between you and your opponent.


    As your lead foot moves backward, drag your rear foot smoothly, ensuring it stays in line with your lead foot. This helps maintain your stance and stability while retreating.


    As for when moving to the sides, they had to do some other things. nt their lead foot firmly and pivot on it, rotating your body to the side you intend to move. Slide their trailing foot in the direction they are moving, maintaining a consistent distance between their feet. This ensures a smooth and controlledteral movement.


    As they moved sideways, they had to focus on maintaining a bnced stance by slightly bending their knees and keeping their weight centered. This allows them to react quickly to iing attacks.


    As if Rain was paying for his past mistakes, he has etiquette lessons again in the morning, and then in the afternoon, he finally will have magic sses as well.


    "Only two times per week¡­ I guess it is because it is mentally taxing, and most kids can''t understand magic that well," Rain thought.


    "In this course, you will delve into the fundamental principles of magic,ying the groundwork for your journey as a skilled spellcaster," Erlin said. "You will explore the concept of energy maniption, discover the sources of magical power, and learn how to effectively channel and control these energies. Through abination of theory and practical exercises, you will develop a solid understanding of the basic principles that underpin the practice of magic."


    1.1 The Essence of Magic:


    Discover the essence of magic and its significance in different cultures and realms.


    Explore the belief systems and historical context surrounding magic throughout the ages.


    Understand the innate connection between magic and the natural world.


    1.2 Unveiling Mana:


    Define mana as the life force that permeates all things and fuels magical abilities.


    Explore the origins and sources of mana, such as ley lines, natural elements, and personal reserves.


    Learn about the diverse manifestations of mana in different magical traditions.


    1.3 Mana Sensing and Attunement:


    Develop the ability to sense the presence and flow of mana in your surroundings.


    Engage in guided exercises to attune yourself to the subtle energies and vibrations of mana.


    Cultivate awareness of your personal mana reserves and learn techniques to replenish and expand them.


    "... I guess I was naive expecting that I would learn groundbreaking things in magic lessons for five-year-old kids," Rain thought while checking his notes.


    The instructor was an old man that had a long white beard and also was wearing a dark robe. His name was Erlin, and if he had a pointy hat, he truly would look the part of a true wizard¡­ Regardless, aside from saying a bunch of theoretical things, he told everyone to meditate as much as possible to get used to the inferior energy inside them¡­ which was something that Rain already did before.


    The first week of school hadn''t been so bad. Rain learned some interesting things, but soon he realized that the lessons were moving painfully slow¡­ it couldn''t be helped. Around that age, it was normal on Earth to make kids spend an entire year focusing on improving their writing and reading skills, after all.


    "I suppose it can''t be helped; I should wait one month and see what happens," Rain thought. "I suppose I should check the library now that I have some free time."


    The military lesson of that day ended a bit earlier because that week, the kids had worked most of the muscles of their bodies, and Leion knew better than forcing five-year-old kids to overwork, so he told them to rest and rx until the next lesson. After cleaning themselves, the other kids looked for the next ss while Rain went to the library.


    The ce wasn''t guarded, but the kids had to write their names on a book alongside the time they entered and left. That was certainly bold since the kids could cause some problems there without proper guidance. It was another thing that the school decided to do in order to discipline them properly, to make them behave while they weren''t being watched, but the risks still were far too great. Books were expensive, after all.


    "Hmm, I see how it is¡­ the writing style in the books isn''t uniform, so I guess many students wrote them, and these are just copies," Rain thought while checking the covers and seeing that titles had been written in a pretty rough way. "Here it is¡­ world history."


    Rain found the book he had been looking for, but it was quite thick. He imagined that he would find a summary of the events in that kind of book and then find the details in others, but it seemed that he would be able to save time.


    "Let''s take some notes in order to save even more time and learn more from it," Rain thought.

 Chapter 25: World’s History

    <h4>Chapter 25: World''s History</h4>


    The Birth of Creation (Year 0) - In the dawn of time, the world was formed, a realm of untamed beauty and mystery. With it, the diverse species of humans, dragons, magic people, beasts, demi-humans, and sea folk came into existence, emerging from the birth of creation.


    Year 350: The Awakening of Magic - An extraordinary power begins to emerge among certain individuals. Magic, the essence of arcane energies, awakens within them, revealing theirtent potential. These individuals, known as magic people, embark on a journey of discovery, mastering the art of spell casting and harnessing the forces of the unseen.


    Year 1,000: The Great Dragon Wars - Tensions reach a breaking point as conflicts erupt between the dragons and the other species. Their powerful might and ancient wisdom make the dragons formidable adversaries. This devastating war ravages thends, leaving scars on the world and establishing the dragons as fearsome and powerful creatures.


    Year 2,200: The Founding of Kingdoms - As civilizations flourish, human societies begin to rise, forming their own kingdoms across the continents. Each kingdom, governed by a royal lineage, forges its unique path, shaping its culture,ws, and traditions. These human kingdoms be centers of power and influence, vying for dominance over vast territories.


    Year 5,900: The Age of Exploration - The spirit of adventure emerges in individuals from all species, propelling them to venture across the vast seas. Explorers discover newnds, encountering unfamiliar cultures and creatures. Trade routes are established, leading to the exchange of knowledge and resources and the creation of diverse traditions.


    Year 7,200: The Rise of Heroes - In times of turmoil and uncertainty, heroes emerge from the ranks of all species. These exceptional individuals exhibit unmatched skill, valor, and unwavering dedication to protecting their kin and preserving harmony. Legends are created around them, and they earn prestigious titles such as "Saint," "Hero," and "Dragon King," bing beacons of hope and inspiration.


    Year 10,800: The Great Cataclysm - The world is thrown into chaos as an unimaginable cataclysm rocks the realms. The exact cause remains shrouded in mystery, but the catastrophic event reshapes the continents, bringing them closer together. This sudden convergence forces the different species to interact more closely, leading to both cooperation and tensions among them.


    Year 12,100: The Council of Magi - Realizing the need for regtion and bnce, the magic people establish the Council of Magi. This governing body bes the custodian of magical knowledge, ensuring the responsible use of magic and maintaining harmony in the world. The council bes a central authority for magical practices and serves as an arbiter in disputes among the magic people''s numerous tribes.


    Year 15,000: The War of the Realms - Struggles for dominance and control over decreased resources ignite massive conflicts between the various species. The war spans several hundred years, engulfing the realms in violence and bloodshed. Countless lives are lost, and politicalndscapes are reshaped as the species fight for supremacy.


    Year 18,000: The Great Alliance - Faced with amon and formidable threat, representatives from different species forge a historic coalition known as the Great Alliance. Setting aside their differences, they unite their forces to repel the birth of massive beasts that wreak havoc in several areas of the world. This alliance fosters new bonds and createssting alliances, marking a turning point in the world''s history.


    Year 20,000: The Age of Enlightenment - A renaissance of knowledge dawns upon the realms. Philosophers, schrs, and visionaries from all species embark on a journey of intellectual and cultural advancements. New philosophies are born, scientific discoveries reshape understanding, and magical innovations push the boundaries of what is deemed possible.


    Year 25,000: The Ascension of the Lightning Emperor - Within the ranks of the demi-human species, a legendary warrior rises to prominence. Through unparalleledbat prowess and a noble spirit, he earns the title of the Lightning Emperor, bing a symbol of strength and unity among the demi-humans. However, this newfound power leads the demi-human people to wage wars against other species for many years, seeking dominance and acknowledgment.


    Year 30,000: The Dragon Rebellion - Dissatisfaction grows among a faction of dragons who rebel against the established order, resenting their subservient roles under the rule of the Lightning Emperor. This conflict engulfs the realms, causing upheaval and turmoil. A new dragon leader emerges, driven by a vision to establish a dragon kingdom and reshape the bnce of power. Eventually bing the first dragon god.


    Year 35,500: The Beast Uprising - Long oppressed by the dragons and treated as lesser beings, the beasts rise up against their oppressors, demanding equal rights and recognition. The struggle for beast rights bes a pivotal movement, sparking fierce debates and shes that challenge the existing social order. The beast uprising represents a significant chapter in the ongoing quest for equality and justice.


    Year 40,000: The Prophecy of the Saviors - A prophetic vision spreads among the realms, foretelling the arrival of individuals from each species who will unite to save the world from an ancient evil. This prophecy inspires hope and sets in motion a search for these chosen ones, who are believed to possess extraordinary abilities and destinies intertwined with the fate of all.


    Year 45,000: The Unification Wars - The realms be engulfed in a period of relentless wars as powerful leaders and ambitious kingdoms fight for dominance and control. Borders shift all the time, alliances form and dissolve, and the world experiences a turbulent era of conflict and strife. This relentless pursuit of power leaves scars on thend and breeds a yearning for a new era of peace.


    Year 50,000: The Era of Reconciliation - The toll of wars and conflicts weighs heavily on the hearts and minds of the various species. Exhausted and weary, theye together with a shared desire to forge a new era of peace and cooperation. Efforts are made to bridge divides, foster understanding, and rebuild trust among the different races. The world yearns for unity and a brighter future for all.


    Year 50,100 to 50,110: Recent Wars - Unfortunately, the world is not yet free from conflict. The magic people and dragon people, driven by simmering tensions,unch attacks against the humans and seize their territories. These recent wars cast a shadow over the aspirations for peace and threaten to unravel the fragile progress made toward unity. The future remains uncertain as the different species grapple with the challenges that lie ahead.

 Chapter 26: Military Course 1: Introduction to Basic Military Exercises

    <h4>Chapter 26: Military Course 1: Introduction to Basic Military Exercises</h4>


    "Quite interesting¡­" Rain thought. "The history of the world is quite fascinating, even though half of it seems like something straight from a fantasy book. In any case, it seems that I was born in the year 50.105¡­ but this is the human calendar, and those events are from their perspective."


    It took Rain three weeks to read the book, but at least he learned a lot more than he had expected. The library wasn''t a ce that wasn''t used often, so Rain had a lot of peace and quiet there, whereas the rest of the school was so noisy that it looked like the hell broke loose.


    "I guess I will read some magic instruction books next, but they don''t give many tips on how to cast some spells¡­ I guess they know that kids would do that here, and that would be disastrous," Rain thought.


    Before Rain could find another book to read. He realized that the teachers were basically repeating the same lessons that they already gave in the first week. It couldn''t be helped; most kids couldn''t learn all the things that they had been taught, considering that they ranged from several subjects.


    "I am pretty sure that I learned everything, but I should check my notes just in case to avoid problems," Rain thought. "I guess I need to get full marks on all tests to avoid problems on graduating on this level."


    Military Course 1: Introduction to Basic Military Exercises


    In the first lesson of military training, recruits are introduced to a series of basic exercises thaty the foundation for their physical fitness, discipline, and teamwork skills. These exercises are designed to develop their strength, endurance, coordination, and mental resilience.


    Physical Conditioning:


    ¡¤ Running: Recruits engage in regr running sessions to improve cardiovascr endurance and stamina. They start with shorter distances and gradually increase the intensity and duration of their runs over time.


    ¡¤ Calisthenics: Various bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, and burpees are incorporated to enhance overall strength, muscr endurance, and flexibility.


    Basic Combat Training:


    Physical Self-Defense: Recruits are introduced to basic self-defense techniques, focusing on hand-to-handbat and defensive maneuvers. They learn essential strikes, blocks, and grappling techniques to enhance their personal safety and build confidence.


    "The others are also pretty simple, so I guess it will be fine," Rain thought. "Still, I should talk with Dad first¡­ and see what he has to say about it."


    Rain returned home as usual and helped his mother look after his sisters, also like usual. Roan soon arrived, but Rain only talked with him after dinner about what he was thinking. Roan wasn''t surprised that his son wanted to graduate from the first years after just one month.


    "If you are confident, then go for it," Roan said. "There is nothing stopping you; saving time is always the best course of action, after all. Still, it might be a bit embarrassing if you fail. Some instructors might also try to do their best to make you fail since that might make people think that their lessons are too easy and that they aren''t doing their jobs properly."


    Their job was supposed to make kids learn better and faster, but if the instructors came from some noble houses again, it would make sense that they would think along those lines.


    "If you pass all of them, things won''t be easier, though," Roan said. "You will be the youngest kid in the next group, and that will make them feel like their hard work was a joke. They will try to pick on you."


    "I don''t mind; I just want to finish school as soon as possible and get some more of my free time back," Rain said.


    "That is my kid, alright," Roan said while messing with Rain''s hair. "Go get them, tiger."


    That was a bit of a weird thing to say to his son, but Rain nodded and then went to bed. He was truly looking forward to the years when he won''t feel crazy sleepy at eight in the evening.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    "Do you think that it is a good idea?" Leiah asked when Rain left. "Make him graduate from the first course that was supposed tost six months in just one? That and the fact that he hasmoner''s blood, it will make Rain the target of a lot of angry kids."


    "It is fine. He will be fine," Roan said. "You can tell that Rain is way more mature than the kids of his age; he won''t let that bother him. Besides, if he continues with this pace, the kids won''t have much time to mess with him."


    "He is certainly smart, but do you think that he can graduate in three or four years instead of five?" Leiah asked while frowning.


    "Heh, I would bet that he can graduate before turning six," Roan grinned. "That will make some idiots understand that there is no difference between noble andmoner''s blood."


    Leiah wondered why Roan was the one putting so much faith in their son, that was supposed to be her job since her husband already spoiled the girls too much.


    Still, now that she thought about it, she didn''t recall boys of Rain''s age being that dependable¡­ raising him was so easy that she had forgotten that it was the case. As Rain disyed exceptional abilities and promising potential, his mother couldn''t help but worry about the challenges he might encounter along his journey.


    While recognizing Rain''s talents and strengths, she understood that with great promisees great responsibility and, oftentimes, increased difficulties. She pondered the potential obstacles that could arise as Rain''s abilities drew attention and expectations from others. Would he face the burden of high expectations and the pressure to constantly excel? Would he encounter jealousy or rivalry from peers who might perceive his sess as a threat? Would he have to make sacrifices and endure hardships to pursue his dreams?


    She spent the entirety of the next day wondering about that, but in the end, he returned home saying that he passed all the tests.

 Chapter 27: Archery

    <h4>Chapter 27: Archery</h4>


    The instructors didn''t hold back, and they demanded perfect execution on the tests. The easiest one was the history test since Rain had one hour to answer ten questions, and he had memorized all of the events of the first few lessons.


    The others had been a bit more difficult since he had to copy the movements of Leion and Mona. Still, Rain had almostplete control over his body, so copying others had been easy.


    As for the magic test, Rain just had to enter that state of meditation where his mana overflowed. Still, he had to wait until the next week to join the second course of the same subjects, so Rain had some free time and decided to use it to confirm his progress in a month.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 22 (530/2200)


    Current Path: Human (Lv 65 - 310/4000)


    Health: 1350/1350


    Mana: 1550/1550


    Stamina: 1630/1630


    Strength: 127


    Dexterity: 66


    Intelligence: 90


    Vitality: 135


    Wisdom: 155


    Endurance: 135


    Luck: 72


    Free Points: 40


    Main Skills:


    [Language Lv 48]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 39]


    [Running Lv 38]


    [Reading Lv 22)


    [Writing Lv 16]


    Support Skills:


    [Basic Conditioning Lv 38]


    [Basic Training 22]


    [Language Proficiency Lv 26]


    [Agile Movement Lv 21]


    [Martial Arts Lv 26]


    (Physical Path Lv 40 - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 02 per level.


    (Student Path Lv 09 - + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.


    "I guess this is way more efficient; it is only natural since the instructors know what they are doing," Rain thought. "I didn''t expect that I would be able to level up the physical path by twenty levels in just one month of training just because I did a few things that I wasn''t used to."


    Rain made a mental note to add those exercises to his daily training routine¡­ all of them. It was better to keep all of his muscles sharp and well-trained. In any case, the next few days passed in the blink of an eye¡­ probably because Rain didn''t have to go to school. Still, as soon as he returned, he realized that he would have some interesting days ahead.


    Rain looked for his next ss in the military course and then passed a letter that Leion wrote for him to pass to the next instructor. The guy was another ever-so-serious soldier-looking guy, so he studied Rain for a short while.


    "You are Roan''s son, right?" The instructor asked. "I didn''t think that he had time to train you. Then again, if you are here, you passed the other tests as well, and I can see him teaching anyone etiquette."


    The new instructor seemed to be a chatterbox, at least. A lot less creepy than Leion¡­ even though in that line of work, some creepy probably wouldn''tst long. Regardless, before heading to the training grounds, the instructor introduced Rain to the other kids.


    Although they didn''t show much reaction, Rain could tell by their eyes they weren''t looking forward to bing his friend.


    The instructor headed to the training grounds while the kids went somewhere else. Rain decided to follow the kids and see what he had to do. He imagined that the second course also had some tasks to do before and after the lesson.


    Rain''s guess was correct. They headed to a room that was used to store a bunch of things like training gear. The kids took a bunch of things from there, some targets, short bows and quivers filled with arrows. No one said anything to Rain, so he just grabbed some quivers as well.


    "Follow the same exercises as everyone," The instructor said. "After that, just watch their practice and listen to what I say."


    Rain felt like he had some problems with authority figures aside from his father and mother. It was getting all that thing or do what I say and don''t ask anything. Regardless, the kids did some warm-up by using the same exercises that Rain learned in the past month. After that, they began to stretch their bodies, and then they organized the targets.


    "Today, you all will practice free shots; you know the rules; if you miss the target, you have toplete ap around the training grounds," The instructor said.


    Anything that had the word free was supposed to be fun, but the kids sure didn''t look like they hit the jackpot. It seemed that they didn''t have to hit the bull''s eye, but the target at any spot, and their uracy wasn''t that great, even at twenty meters away from the targets.


    Rain paid attention to the posture of the other kids and studied it. A shooting stance with a short bow involved abination of stability, bnce, and proper alignment to ensure uracy and maximize the power of each shot. Rain divided the whole thing into ten easy steps¡­ or rtively easy steps.


    Rain had to stand with his feet shoulder-width apart, parallel to the target. Distributing his weight evenly between both feet, maintaining a solid and stable base.


    Position his body perpendicr to the target, with his shoulders squared. This helps to align his body properly and maintain bnce throughout the shot.


    Hold the short bow with his non-dominant hand, extending his arm straight in front of him. His grip should be firm but rxed, allowing for control and flexibility.


    ce an arrow on the bowstring, ensuring it rests securely against the arrow rest or the side of the bow.


    With his dominant hand, grasp the bowstring near the arrow nock, using three fingers, index, middle, and ring, to create a consistent anchor point.


    Bring the bow up to shoulder level, keeping his elbow pointed out to the side, and his wrist rxed. This position allows for a smooth draw and release.


    Align his body and aim at the target, focusing his gaze on the specific point you wish to hit. Visualize the trajectory of the arrow and anticipate the shot.


    Begin drawing the bowstring back with his dominant hand, using his back muscles to engage and generate power. Maintain a straight line from his drawing hand to his anchor point near the corner of your mouth or the side of his face.


    As Rain reaches his anchor point, hold his position for a brief moment to ensure consistency and stability. This allows him to aim urately and control the release of the arrow.


    With a steady and controlled motion, release the bowstring, allowing it to propel the arrow toward the target. Keep his bow hand steady and follow through with your release, maintaining your form until the arrow hits the target.

 Chapter 28: Magic

    <h4>Chapter 28: Magic</h4>


    Rain watched the training while imagining himself doing the same thing over and over again. Nothing like repetition to endure that he will learn things through. In any case, after two hours of practice, the kids had to take back all of the gear back to the warehouse.


    After that, Rain would have etiquette lessons, and much to his satisfaction, the five etiquette lessons decreased to four, and the magic lessons increased by one. Rain wasn''t showing much interest in the history lessons either; only when it gave him more details would be useful, so he focused his attention on the second course of the magic sses. The next teacher was also an old man that looked like a magic geezer.


    "Today, we delve into the fascinating realm of elemental magic, where we will learn how to harness and manipte the power of the natural forces around us," The instructor said. "Now, you may be wondering, what exactly is elemental magic? Well, it''s the practice of working with the fundamental elements that make up our world. These elements are believed to be the building blocks of existence and hold immense power and symbolism. Some of these elements include fire, water, air, and earth."


    The lesson started really interesting, but the instructor spent two hours just saying a lot of nothing¡­ no spells were being taught. He only mentioned a bunch of philosophical and ethical stuff regarding magic. In that sense, Rain was like the other kids since he wasn''t interested in that.


    "So, what exactly are elements? In simple terms, elements are the basic substances that make up the physical universe. We often categorize them into four primary elements: fire, water, air, and earth. Each element has its own unique qualities, characteristics, and associations that shape our understanding of the world and our magical practices," The instructor said. "Let''s start with fire. Fire represents the raw power of transformation, passion, and energy. It is associated with warmth, illumination, and the spark of creation. Fire can be both destructive and purifying, capable of burning away the old to make way for the new. It symbolizes our inner desires, motivation, and the force that drives us forward."


    Even in the second lesson, nothing really useful was taught aside from the fact that the nature of the casters can affect which kind of spells they are suited to use.


    "Just as each of us possesses a unique set of characteristics and traits, our individual personalities can shape our connection to specific elements and influence our magical abilities," Rain thought while checking his notes. "The elements are not merely abstract forces; they embody different qualities and energies that resonate with specific aspects of our being. Just as fire can be fierce and passionate, water can be calm and intuitive, air can be intellectual andmunicative, and earth can be stable and nurturing, our own personalities align with these elemental attributes to varying degrees."


    That was really interesting, but it was also quite limiting¡­ still, it made sense. It would be weird if someone could use all of the elements without any drawbacks. Rain wasn''t that interested in in elemental magic; he wanted to learn it and see if he could apply it to the fighting style that he had envisioned.


    In the end, Rain only learned something truly useful in the fourth lesson¡­ he wondered how his oldest cousin managed to learn Fireball like that; he probably skipped a few semesters as well.


    "To effectively manipte elemental energy, we must first establish a deep connection with the element we wish to work with. This connection goes beyond mere knowledge and understanding; it requires an attunement of our energy and harmonization of our intentions with the elemental essence," The instructor said. "Through focused meditation, visualization, and practice, we can begin to cultivate this connection, allowing us to sense and draw upon the elemental energies that surround us. By aligning our thoughts, emotions, and intentions with the qualities of the element, we create a resonant field that enables us to shape and direct its energy to our will."


    It was essential to approach elemental energy maniption with respect and caution, for the forces we work with are potent and can be both creative and destructive. Just as fire can provide warmth and illumination, it can also consume and destroy. Water can bring healing and renewal, but it can also drown and overwhelm. Air can inspire and uplift, yet it can also scatter and cause chaos. Earth can offer stability and nourishment, but it can also bury and confine.


    Once attuned and connected, the practitioner learns to project and direct the elemental energy toward a specific intention or oue. This can be done through focused visualization, gestures, or spokenmands. For example, a practitioner working with fire may visualize mes bursting forth from their hands, or a water maniptor may visualize a powerful surge of water directed towards a target.


    "Those two methods seem really interesting and easy to understand, but I wonder if they are the only ways," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I guess I shouldn''t think too much about it until I learn the basics."


    Rain assumed that he had a better affinity with water, wind, and earth. The instructor said that some people can use all four elements well, but their personalities had to be quite well-rounded. Rain wasn''t like that; while he had a passion for martial arts, mainly boxing, he didn''t think that it was that intense¡­ he was calm and serene like water despite what happened to him; he also could be calm like the wind and determined like earth. Still, he also could drown in his own worries sometimes, create storms with his impulsivity, and bury the past without any hesitation.


    "... Well, let''s start visualizing water while using my mana," Rain thought.


    Weirdly enough, the image of a water ball in his head appeared quite easily. Also, weirdly enough, Rain felt his mana being used. When he felt that, something fell on his table and drenched his notebook.

 Chapter 29: [Bonus chapter] Deserving each other

    <h4>Chapter 29: [Bonus chapter] Deserving each other</h4>


    Rain thought that someone was pranking him until he saw something in front of him.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 200 experience points.)


    Everyone heard the sound of the water ball falling, and they looked at Rain; the instructor also was ready to give him a lecture since everyone should be quiet while doing the image training until he confirmed that something weird and unexpected had happened.


    "There are vestiges of mana here¡­ what did you do?"


    "I just tried to visualize a waterball¡­ while focusing on my mana," Rain hesitated since he wasn''t supposed to have done the second part.


    "Do it again,"


    Rain didn''t like to focus when everyone was looking at him, but he had to follow the instructions. In the end, it didn''t take long for a water ball to appear in front of him. This time, it stayed floating since he kept his focus until the air around grew cold, and he realized that the old man had frozen the waterball.


    "It seems that you have descent control over your mana. However, don''t use it again. Practical exercises are only to happen in the training grounds."


    "Yes sir," Rain replied.


    Although Rain wanted to check if he could do the same with the other elements right now, that could wait. Image training also improves his elemental powers, after all. In any case, he learned something that he was supposed to learn far ahead, and he was satisfied with that progress.


    As soon as he returned home, Rain decided to focus on his room. While he called his room, he also shared with Dana and Kei. So, he had a hard time focusing while Dana was pulling his cheeks. Still, he managed to create a small wind sphere that spread a gentle breeze around the house when it was canceled.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 200 experience points.)


    "... That definitely was magic," Leiah suddenly approached and said while looking around. "Was it you, Rain?"


    "Yes, I learned it today," Rain replied and then closed his eyes to focus again and create a waterfall. "I need to train this in order to be able to do it without closing my eyes."


    "Wow¡­ I thought that it would take a few more years for you to learn that," Leiah said. "Amazing, Rain! Amazing!"


    Rain felt like sighing since his mother raised him and began to spin him around¡­ it was thought to be five years old. In any case, it seemed that such a thing was worth a celebration since his cousin did something when he was around Rain''s age.


    "Me too! Me too!" Dana said.


    Roan also looked surprised when he heard of that, and Rain demonstrated his magic. It seemed that magic wasn''t one of his best subjects, and he only learned a few spells after he turned eight. Regardless, while Rain liked to celebrate his victories in the ring before, he felt that his parents were praising him a bit too much. He should be able to outlearn some kids when he had twenty-five years of mental age ahead of them.


    Regardless, Rain confirmed that he could create earth pretty fast as well, but the fire was truly his weakness. He had a hard time visualizing mes that he could control¡­ it was fine, though. He expected as much.


    "ording to Dad, if things hadn''t changed, calling forth the four elements are the requirements to pass the test of the second course of magic," Rain thought. "I guess I will just improve my image training during the lessons now and focus on the other courses."


    Rain thought that he would have the chance to focus on that, but all of a sudden, his grandparents paid a visit again. It seemed that his parents were as surprised as him¡­ so Rain could only assume that they had received reports about their kids at the school.


    "It seems that worrying endlessly about reputation has its perks," Rain thought.


    "Sorry, Ipletely forgot about that¡­ my parents are kind of control freaks," Roan said and then sighed while whispering. "They always know what we are up to."


    "We heard what had happened, and we came to check by ourselves," Roswall said. "Since you didn''t tell us beforehand."


    "Then, how did youe to know?" Roan asked. "Passing the message would only create more problems and spread rumors, and Rain doesn''t like that kind of thing. He probably already has enough problems at it is at school.


    "Actually, no. The school had been pretty chill so far since the kids can only re," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain had no idea what his grandparents wanted of him. He passed the first course in one month, more than ten days ago, and they should have heard of that if they truly received reports. In any case, they asked him to show his skills. It was hard to get a good read of them.


    "You didn''t teach him magic?" Melody asked.


    "Magic is my weakest area, and I didn''t have time for that," Roan shrugged. "Leiah doesn''t know magic either, so this is only thanks to his efforts alone."


    "It seems that your ipetence wasn''t passed down," Melody said.


    "I guess so," Roan shrugged again.


    It seemed that Roan was getting more rxed as ofte around his grandparents. Either way, Rain could understand that his grandparents were borderline unbearable. One could only stand it so much without going crazy for so long.


    "If you keep showing promise, we will look for a particr instructor to help you develop your magic," Roswall said while he studied Rain. "Keep up the hard work in order not to bring shame to our family''s name."


    Just like that, they left¡­ Those two truly deserved each other.

 Chapter 30: Deal

    <h4>Chapter 30: Deal</h4>


    On the training grounds, when the kids were practicing their elemental magic, Rain saw that a bunch of them could do the same as him since they had been practicing for one month already. Still, none of them could use the four elements.


    Some of the kids looked nervous and scared when they had to use the elements that they weren''t particrly aligned with. The wind was the scariest one for them since it could cut and was also hard to control.


    Weirdly enough, fire was easy for them¡­ it didn''t make sense. Or it made sense since the kids were too stupid to learn its danger.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 200 experience points.)


    "Using the four elements is making me obtain experience insanely fast," Rain thought. "Maybe I can reach the level one hundred in the human path before I turn ten. I should be able to unlock a final path at level one hundred¡­ but will that be the only change?"


    In any case, Rain had an easy time summoning the elements in the shape of spheres but doing any more than that was difficult. Since the shape was easier, changing it would require a lot more training. Right now, couldn''t even make a single dart out of the projectiles.


    "Mana is also a problem since I can only train for so long. Meditating and image training help with that, but I guess I truly need a mage ss for that," Rain thought.


    At least the training was keeping in entertained. The magic lessons passed in the blink of an eye. However, Rain was having a bit of a hard time with archery. Hitting the targets wasn''t that hard, but hitting the bull''s eye was too difficult for him. Even though his dexterity was his lowest parameter¡­


    "I guess I should take more notes and train the artisan path more as well," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "No, I should slow down a bit and develop those skills naturally¡­ training with bows won''t be something that I will do often, so I should make the most out of it."


    The etiquette and history lessons were the same as always, just paying attention in ss was enough for Rain to learn everything about it. Still, he wondered who the hell had so much free time in their hands to think of so many numerous ways to drink tea¡­ In any case, Rain ended up spending two months on that course¡­ maybe he could make up for the lost time, but he also gained some things out of it.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 70: Alchemist Path - Unlocked due to the proficiency in alchemy and potion-making. This path focuses on the study of mystical substances, concocting potions, and experimenting with magical properties.


    The Alchemist Path: Level 1: Basic Potion Brewing - Learns the foundational techniques of potion brewing, allowing the alchemist to create simple healing and elemental potions.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Physical Path Lv 50: Battlemaster. The Battlemaster path is a culmination of physical prowess and tactical mastery,bining advancedbat skills with strategic thinking. This ss represents a pinnacle of martial expertise and grants ess to unique abilities and techniques.


    Level 1: Health Bonus - Gains the ability to increase your health by ten points per level.


    "Just as I had expected¡­ the new paths unlock other paths at level fifty and one hundred," Rain nodded to himself in satisfaction and then equipped the Health Bonus skill. "The path also grants nine points per level, three in strength, endurance, and vitality¡­ not equipping this one seems like a waste¡­ but I also need to check what will happen once I reach the human path at level one hundred. I tried to read some books about it, but they didn''t mention it."


    In any case, once Rain unlocked those paths, he decided to take the tests of the second course, and once again, he passed on the first try. Since he had a few more days off, he decided that it was time to teach Dana a few things; she was already smart enough to draw some weird copies of his face on paper, which shouldn''t take long. However, on the first day off¡­ Roswall and Melody showed up.


    "We confirmed that your first sess wasn''t a fluke," Roswall suddenly said. "To help with your development, we decided that you will join your cousins and be raised at our home."


    Rain looked at his father, and he looked speechless. Leiah also seemed a bit surprised and worried¡­ It looked like it wasn''t something that he coulde and go during Saturday mornings, and that was a problem.


    "I am thankful for the invitation, but I don''t think that such a thing will be necessary," Rain dered. "I will learn everything I can at school without any extra help. Also, I was nning to help Dana start learning how to read and write. That would make things difficult for that. However, I take thatpletely refusing this wouldn''t be wise, so I would like topromise in the matter."


    "How exactly?" Roswall asked.


    "I am willing to receive lessons on your estate on the sixth and seventh day mornings," Rain dered. "Until the day I graduate from school. If I fail to graduate the school in the next one and half years, then I will follow your orders."

 Chapter 31: Utter disgust

    <h4>Chapter 31: Utter disgust</h4>


    Everyone sensed a strange tension lingering in the air. His grandparents showed expressions grave and contemtive. Rain''s father, standing nervously, could barely meet his parents'' piercing gazes.


    Rain''s grandparents were renowned for their knowledge and wisdom. Still, they were also known for their strong-willed nature and intolerance for dissenting opinions. Their reputation often preceded them, and they didn''t take kindly to those who dared to challenge their beliefs or question their authority.


    Rain''s father, aware of this trait, was on edge, knowing the potential consequences of any disagreement or sh of ideas that might arise during this discussion. He understood the weight of their expectations and the pressure to conform to their standards. It was as if the very foundation of their family dynamic was built upon a delicate bnce, easily disrupted by any form of defiance.


    Still, despite the tension, Roswall and Melody were studying Rain as if they were truly considering his proposal. That was a first. Usually, it was their way or the highway. After a short while of silence, they made their choice.


    "Very well, we willpromise as well," Roswall said. "It seems that despite things, your father and mother raised you to make sense when you exin what you want. Something that he was never able to do before."


    "I am still learning," Roan shrugged. "Father, Mother. While I am thankful for showing interest in Rain despite the¡­ situation, I would like you all not to try to write his fate in a stone of some sort. I am also surprised that my kid is this capable, so I don''t want to limit his options."


    "We will keep that in mind, and we will be waiting for you," Roswall dered.


    Rain wasn''t sure if he was thankful for that trouble¡­ as soon as he arrived in that world, he lost his first home thanks to dragons, he almost lost his father thanks to a war, and now he was almost losing his freedom thanks to his grandparents.


    "I suppose nothinges for free," Rain thought. "I am making a lot of progress at school, so I might as well continue to make the most out of it while entertaining them."


    "I raised you well, Rain," Roan said while nodding to himself. "To think that you have the balls to go against my parents and even have the brain to convince them."


    "He has the beauty too. He inherited from me, naturally," Leiah said while messing with Rain''s cheeks.


    "Now I know who Dana is copying," Rain thought.


    Putting aside the opinions of his parents, Rain was still bothered by his grandparents. They weren''t exactly bad people, but they ignored everyone in their family that was useless for their reputation¡­ Rain wondered if they were too old to change or if he should waste his time trying to change them.


    Just like the first time he went to school, Leiah made a fuss to buy some new clothes for Rain to head to his grandparent''s house. Roan exined that they wouldn''t be taught like they were at school; instead of that, some people that worked for their families would teach them tricks to improve their talents. That was why his oldest cousin was able to use Fireball when he was only five. Regardless, buying new clothes was unnecessary, but Leiah did it anyway.


    The mansion was close to the house, so Rain went alone. This time, he found some guards at the entrance of the ce, but it seemed that they recognized him and opened the ce without wasting time.


    In the garden, Rain felt like he was at an elementary school¡­ There were too many kids there. Around fifty¡­ It seemed that everyone in the family reproduced like rabbits. Regardless, maybe the sons of Roan''s cousins were also there.


    "I guess I will copy Mom and stay in the corner," Rain thought. "Where is the adventure? Damnit. I want to hunt monsters."


    That was a bit difficult, given his age. Regardless, the kids were around five and ten, but Rain didn''t see the kid with the fireball. It made sense that he should be old enough to study in the capital.


    His cousins gathered together in a small group and nced at him with curious eyes before quickly averting their gazes. Whispers passed between them, their hushed conversations creating a sense of secrecy and exclusion.


    Rain could feel their eyes lingering on him, their staresden with a mixture of intrigue, spection, and something else he couldn''t quite decipher. It was as if they were silently exchanging unspoken words, sharing thoughts and opinions about his arrival.


    Whispers continued to circte, growing more pronounced as Rain approached. The words were carefully chosen, spoken in hushed tones that seemed to carry both curiosity and caution. Their murmurs seemed to be about him, and it became apparent that he was the subject of their discussions.


    "I can take this much," Rain thought.


    Since Rain arrived at the exact time, he didn''t have to wait for long. Some people came from the mansion and then began to call all the kids for names. It seemed that they worked in the house; even though they were supposed to be their instructors, they were also servants of the family.


    For some odd reason, the kids were split equally into groups of five exactly¡­ Rain already knew that he would study magic, but he didn''t expect that only so few kids would show interest in it. At the same time, they were all girls who looked at him as if he was a flying cockroach.

 Chapter 32: Fighting Style

    <h4>Chapter 32: Fighting Style</h4>


    Rain decided to ignore those eyes, and it helped that soon the lessons started. The instructor asked the kids to show their skills a bit and soon she gave Rain some tips. He didn''t expect to be treated like the others, but it seemed that they thought that dismissing talent and skill would be foolish.


    In any case, the instructor told Rain to experiment with his water magic a bit. Trying to control in different ways instead of just trying to make it float and shoot at something. Thanks to that, he soon got some interesting things. Like controlling the same spell for a while longer...


    That wasn''t something that Rain knew, so he was surprised when he did that, and it worked pretty soon. He needed ten points of mana to cast a single water ball, but to make it cast and float around him for a minute, he needed two times more. It wasn''t half bad. Moreover¡­


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 200 experience points.)


    "Since you have good control and their power seems high enough, you should focus on improving the control to be able to use it freely in any kind of situation," The redhead said. "Your focus from now on should be to at least summon ten of those spheres with all elements and then make them spin around you."


    The instructor seemed to not mind that Rain wasn''t like the other kids and hadmoner''s blood. Maybe she was like that as well. Regardless, what she said was really the best option for him¡­ once he improves his control, he will be able to do whatever he wants with his magic afterward.


    After not so long, Rain was forced to sit down and then meditate while he worked on summoning more water balls. However, soon enough, some more servants showed up, and then they brought potions for the kids. They were all minor ones, but it was enough to make them recover their stamina and manapletely.


    "Being part of a family this rich has its perks as well¡­ Still, I will have to repay the favor someday, and it will be better if I don''t leave the way in their hands," Rain thought.


    Some of the children engaged in lively sparring sessions, their wooden weapons shing and their movements swift and precise. They practiced various martial arts techniques, learning the art of defense and attack. The sound of footsteps, grunts of exertion, and the asional cheer echoed throughout the training area.


    Nearby, a group of youngsters focused their attention on archery, their small hands carefully nocking arrows and drawing back their bows. With focused eyes and steady breaths, they aimed at targets set at varying distances. Their arrows flew through the air, finding their marks with remarkable uracy. The repeated twangs of bowstrings provided a rhythmic soundtrack to their practice.


    A cluster of children gathered around another magical instructor, their minds open to the mysteries of the arcane. They channeled their inner energies, learning to manipte and shape the magical forces around them. Sparks danced in their palms, wisps of ethereal energy swirled around them, and bursts of colorful light erupted from their fingertips.


    In the end, that weekend had been pretty productive and made Rain realize that he saw some of his cousins at school, but he didn''t realize who they were. Regardless, it seemed that aside from school lessons, they also trained in the mansion of their grandparents three hours per day during the school days and during the whole day and part of the night on the weekends.


    "They are trying hard to raise those kids to be prominent figures¡­ I guess I can understand why my grandparents are like that," Rain thought. "They basically didn''t have a childhood."


    Still, that didn''t mean that Rain had to forgive how they treated his little sisters as if they were air. Rain felt that a rtionship between members of the same family didn''t have to be like others where there were always people seeking to gain something from the other¡­


    "I guess going there will be beneficial to me. The school is also helping my growth quite a bit," Rain thought while he was having dinner alongside his family. "However, I don''t feel like there is much sense of urgency in my life¡­ I am training to cover my foundations, and that is working well, but I need more than just that. I need at least one weapon for self-defense."


    It wasn''t a weird time for Rain toe to that realization¡­ he didn''t know if the eyes of the kids at him messed with his senses or something, but he felt that there was something off in the air at times in that house.


    Rain wondered if he was just overworking himself and the exhaustion was making him feel like that¡­ the house had plenty of guards, and the instructors always acted like usual, so the ce wasn''t dangerous for them.


    "Either way, I need a weapon¡­ something that I can use to defend myself," Rain thought that night while he was walking around the house. "I can use Fireball now, even though it isn''t perfect. Wind de that cuts through stone and Ice Darts that can pierce even walls. Still, it isn''t enough."


    Rain needed a simple attack while he developed his abilities further, something that could be improved but also something that could be useful right at the moment. Since all the kids could use fire magic, Rain assumed that most people had countermeasures against it. He recalled that he was using raw mana before, but it was hard to use it that offensively¡­ it would take time before it became a real weapon.


    "Considering the fighting style I have in mind, I guess I should focus on earth magic," Rain thought. "Using that as much as possible definitely will make me better with it while using other means as well."

 Chapter 33: Honorable work

    <h4>Chapter 33: Honorable work</h4>


    Rain embarked on a rigorous training regimen to enhance his mastery over earth magic. Each day, he immersed himself in various exercises and techniques, pushing the boundaries of his abilities and deepening his connection with the elemental forces of the earth.


    As the sun gently casts its warm glow in the early morning, Rain finds a serene spot in nature, surrounded by the earth''s raw energy. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to attune himself to the rhythm of the earth. With focused intent, he visualized roots extending from his feet, delving deep into the soil, intertwining with the earth''s essence. This grounding exercise allowed him to establish a strong foundation and establish a harmonious bond with the earth element.


    Next, Rain engaged in tactile exercises, his hands immersed in soft soil or coarse sand. He practiced manipting the earth particles, molding them with precision and control. He would sculpt intricate formations, testing his dexterity and finesse in shaping the earth to his will. Through this hands-on approach, Rain honed his ability to sense the subtle vibrations and energies inherent in the earth, understanding its nuances and harnessing its power.


    As it turned out, not only did Rain begin to make a lot of progress faster with earth magic, but he also began to be able to mold it faster than before. Firing Earth Darts was quite fun. He could fire one per second, and it was faster than an arrow.


    "I guess this is a good start," Rain thought.


    After two weeks, Rain was finally able to reach his next goal, which was to create ten earth orbs around him and make them spin around him automatically. The others were halfway¡­ it seemed like a waste to only train the others now, so Rain made sure to change things a bit. Instead of just making them spin around him in a line, Rain began to make them spin around him in five lines. Forming five rings, they float around him diagonally and horizontally.


    "I thought that doing this with fire would be the best option since it would burn the enemies, but the earth orbs can hit the target over and over again until the minute passes," Rain thought and then smirked, " this is quite fun."


    After another seventh day of training with his cousins, Rain returned home. While it was only noon, he saw his father walking toward home with another guy. It was one of his brothers.


    Rain''s uncle cut a striking figure as he stood tall and broad-shouldered, his presencemanding attention. His sharp, piercing eyes, framed by a thick brow, held a glint of intensity, hinting at a mind always in motion. With a closely cropped beard that entuated his strong jawline and a head of brown-streaked hair, he exuded an air of wisdom and experience.


    Rain''s keen eyes noticed a peculiar interaction between his uncle and father on this particr day. Their hushed voices carried a mixture of concern and urgency as they conversed. His uncle''s gestures were animated, punctuating his words with conviction, while his father, though visibly uneasy, listened intently.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a strange tension in the air as if some hidden secret or shared traumay between the two men. His uncle''s gaze asionally darted around as if he was wary of being overheard. His words were chosen carefully, carefully crafting his arguments to persuade Rain''s father of a shared injustice or wrongdoing that had befallen them both.


    "If I am right, he is the third son¡­ he is talking with Dad quite freely," Rain thought. "I imagined that he didn''t get along with either of them."


    Rain was a bit curious to hear their conversation, but he didn''t have much time to pry, he soon arrived home, and those two split up as well. Rain''s uncle seemed a bit angry and disappointed since he left while throwing his hands to the sky and then shaking his head.


    "Did something happen?" Rain asked since he approached and saw his father looking at his brother going away.


    "... No, nothing important," Roan said and then messed with Rain''s hair as usual. "It is rare for me to have a half of a day off like this, so let''s go home and enjoy the seventh day."


    "It is indeed rare. Why are you home earlier?" Rain asked. "Were you fired?"


    "Don''t joke about that, Leo is the captain of the guards in the wall now, and he decided to give me half days off on the seventh day now," Roan exined.


    The uncle was called Leo¡­ he seemed unsatisfied, so Rain assumed that his father won''t enjoy that for long. In any case, Rain had a lot of time that day since Dana would always leave him alone when Roan was at home, and she would bother him instead. Since he didn''t want to study either, so Rain just helped Kei walk while holding her hands.


    "Rain, can you fill the bathtub and help Dana clean herself before dinner?" Leiah asked.


    "I am on it," Rain replied.


    In any case, Rain finally reached a point in life where he finally could be of some use at home. With his magic, his mother had a lot less work on her hands. Rain used all the chores to train the control of his magic. To sweep the dust from the ground, to dry the clothes, to light the fire, to fill the bathtub¡­ Rain heard that some nobles hired people that could do that much, but he didn''t want to get that kind of job, even though he truly believed that all kinds of work were honorable.

 Chapter 34: Visit at night

    <h4>Chapter 34: Visit at night</h4>


    "Hehehe, there is no point in hiding from me, little dust," Rain said while grinning. "No dust allowed at home. Go away."


    Leiah watched her son using magic to clean just a bit of dust off from the back of the door¡­ so luxurious. Using just a piece of cloth to clean it was better, but Rain used his magic for everything. That was fine since he wanted to help, but Leiah was starting to worry since Rain showed some weird eyes while making sure that everything waspletely clean.


    "I suppose special kids have some sort of¡­ traits that can''t be helped," Leiah thought. "Rain doesn''t like to do things that most kids do, so he finds joy in weird situations like this."


    A few days ago, Rain learned that aside from creating the elements with his mana, he can also control them in the atmosphere. It was a lot harder, though. Still, he began to practice that by using his magic to move particles of dust in the air. Thanks to that, he was reaching another level of his earth magic. Aside from just creating and firing the earth darts, he also could make them spin to guarantee some extra piercing power.


    "I already added this to my daily training routine, but I guess I need to add something else," Rain thought while checking one dart that he created. "Something like this should be easy to deal with and copy by the people of this world¡­ I need to add my knowledge from Earth to surprise enemies here when it bes necessary."


    Rain wondered if he should copy the mechanics of bullets in that world that had hollow points.


    Hollow point bullets are projectiles with a hollowed-out or concave tip, creating a cavity in the front of the bullet. This design feature allows the bullet to expand upon impact, increasing its diameter and creating arger wound channel. The expansion urs due to the hydraulic pressure exerted on the hollow point upon striking a target.


    The primary purpose of hollow point bullets is to optimize stopping power and terminal ballistics, especially in self-defense orw enforcement scenarios. When a hollow point bullet hits its target, the cavity fills with tissue and fluid, causing the bullet to expand and transfer its energy more effectively. This expansion results in greater tissue damage, increasing the likelihood of incapacitating the target and minimizing the risk of overpration.


    Applying principles of aerodynamics to shape magic projectiles for optimal flight characteristics. We can improve the uracy, stability, and range by reducing air resistance and optimizing the projectile''s design.


    Utilizing advanced materials or alloys with specific properties to enhance the performance of magic projectiles. For example, incorporating lightweight but durable materials could increase their range, velocity, and overall effectiveness.


    "I guess I still have some options," Rain thought.


    Rain could add those modifications little by little. It would be easier if he could train by focusing only on that, but it wasn''t possible since he had to go to school and he had to graduate in less than eighteen months.


    Although he took his time improving his earth dart, it didn''t take long for Rain to obtain some results. As an experiment, he fired one Earth dart upward, and then only after ten seconds, it fell on the ground. It crossed at least five hundred meters before starting to fall¡­


    "When magic can be this powerful, is there a point in fighting up close?" Rain wondered. "I was nning to mix magic with my boxing skills, but I am not sure if that is actually efficient anymore¡­ I never saw the people in this world fighting at close range, so I don''t have any references. I know that I am stronger, even with this body, than I was on Earth, but¡­"


    Rain was thinking about that while he was having dinner with his family. He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts since another school week was starting tomorrow, and he had to go to bed earlier.


    "Hmm?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows when he felt something weird in the air, a cold breeze crossing the house and then quickly dissipating.


    Rain resumed his meal since he thought that he had just imagined things, but then someone knocked on the door of the house.


    "Who could it be at this hour?" Roan asked. "Everyone knows that it is dinner time."


    Roan sighed and then headed to the door, and then Rain felt a shiver. When his father was about to turn the knob, Rain fired a st of wind that pushed Roan to the side, making him collide against the door. In the next moment, a halberd crossed the door and pierced the ce where Roan was supposed to be.

 Chapter 35: Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 35: Invasion</h4>


    Leiah stood frozen in disbelief as a massive halberd crashed through the sturdy door of her house. The loud noise filled the air, and she couldn''t believe her eyes. The de of the halberd, shining in the light, had narrowly missed her husband,ing dangerously close to taking his life.


    Fear gripped Leiah''s heart as she realized the severity of the situation. Who was responsible for this destructive act? Why had they targeted her home with such a powerful weapon? Questions raced through her mind, but the answers remained elusive.


    Standing before her, a figure dressed in armor wielded the formidable halberd. Leiah couldn''tprehend the motives behind this assault. Still, she was determined to protect her loved ones from any further harm. The sight of her husband''s near escape fueled her with a mix of fear and resolve.


    As if he was the wind, Roan jumped to the side to grab his sword, but the attacker swung his halberd again and destroyed the wall while the de approached him to split in half. However¡­ Rain fired an earth bullet toward the attacker.


    Rain''s projectile hit the halberd and stopped the attack. A loud metallic impact echoed in the area and made the enemy flinch.


    "Well done, Rain!" Roan said and then dashed toward, and in one swift motion, he cut the enemy''s throat.


    Blood began to gush from the wound, and Rain covered Dana''s eyes¡­ he didn''t know for certain what was happening, but it wasn''t good. Still, all of a sudden, all hell broke loose.


    In the darkness of the night, a symphony of chaos unfolded, apanied by a cacophony of haunting sounds that pierced the air. The piercing screams of terrified souls echoed through the night, their cries a chilling testament to the horrors that unfolded.


    Amidst the chaos, the tolling of bells reverberated through the city, their somber chimes carrying a sense of urgency and despair. Each toll seemed to echo through the very depths of one''s being, a haunting reminder of the grim reality that surrounded them.


    In the distance, the sh of metal rang out, the sh of swords and the ng of armor colliding in a deadly dance. The metallic symphony created an eerie melody, amplifying the sense of danger and imminent peril that permeated the night.


    "We are being attacked¡­ if the enemies have already reached this far, then they have already infiltrated the city and are assassinating some people," Roan checked the surroundings and then the enemy body. "He is a mercenary¡­ we are going to leave, and we have to travel light. Leiah, look after the girls. Rain¡­ I guess you can cover me with your magic until I find my friends."


    The girls didn''t know what was going on, but they knew that it wasn''t a good thing since the atmosphere got so oppressive. Leiah put Kei in her arms and then grabbed Dana''s hand and moved toward the door alongside Rain.


    "Keep your eyes and ears open, we don''t know where they cane from, but mercenaries aren''t our only enemies," Roan said.


    As Rain stared at the lifeless body before him, a whirlwind of emotions surged through his being. Confusion, sadness, and a deep sense of reflection enveloped him as he grappled with the harsh reality of violence and its aftermath.


    The sight of the wounds on the once vibrant body stirred a mixture of feelings within Rain. He couldn''t help but wonder why humans would harm one another when they were already engaged in a battle againstmon enemies. It perplexed him to witness fellow humans turning against each other at such times.


    Still, he didn''t have time to think about that for long. Roan began to lead the group to one of the main streets, and then they saw people running around while screaming while others mounting on horses began to stab and sh everyone on their paths.


    As Rain walked through the city streets with his family, a distinct smell wafted through the air, tainting each breath he took. The acrid scent of smoke invaded his nostrils, signaling that something was amiss. His eyes widened as he looked around, only to witness a thick veil of gray engulfing the once-vibrant city.


    The smoke curled and twisted, weaving its way through the streets, shrouding buildings and obscuring the once-familiarndmarks. It cast an eerie ambiance, creating an unsettling atmosphere of uncertainty and danger. Rain felt a tightness in his chest, a growing sense of unease as he realized the gravity of the situation.


    Roan knew that he shouldn''t let those riders roam around freely, but he didn''t have time to face every single one of them while his family was behind him. So, he silently approached the main streets and looked at both sides. When he confirmed that no one wasing in their direction, Roan signaled for the others to follow him. However, a massive fireball crossed the sky before they could cross it.


    As the fiery sphere hurtled through the air, a mesmerizing disy of destructive power unfolded. Aze with intense heat, the ball of mes descended from above in a graceful arc, casting an ominous glow upon its surroundings. Its searing intensity painted the night sky with an eerie illumination, capturing the attention of anyone who dared to witness its destructive descent.


    With a loud noise, the Fireball crashed into the rooftop of a nearby house, unleashing a cataclysmic force upon impact. The force of the collision sent shards of wood splintering in all directions as if the very structure of the building recoiled in fear. The explosion of energy rippled through the air, shattering the tranquility of the night and setting the stage for chaos.


    A billowing plume of thick ck smoke billowed forth, rising to the heavens in a spiraling dance of destruction. The crackling and popping of burning timbers filled the air, punctuating the destruction with a symphony of fiery chaos. Embers scattered like stars, carried by the force of the impact, leaving a trail of flickering remnants in their wake.


    Roan moved and protected his family from the smoke and debris, but Rain used wind magic to protect them with a shield.

 Chapter 36: The results of killing

    <h4>Chapter 36: The results of killing</h4>


    "Good job, Rain," Roan said while looking around and seeing morerge Fireballs crossing the sky. "This is no bandit attack¡­ this is a night raid prepared by the enemies. We need to leave the city with my¡­ brothers¡­ and parents."


    As Roan stood there, his face filled with a mix of confusion and bit of curiosity. Something had clicked in his mind, and he couldn''t help but feel perplexed by it, that had just dawned on him. His eyes widened, trying to make sense of the newfound understanding that escaped him for so long.


    Rain realized what he was thinking, his father slowing down when he mentioned his brothers helped him with that. The fact that Leo talked with him like that a few weeks ago, the fact that he became captain of the guards of the city and that he gave some people the day off in the seventh day afternoons¡­ it was all too suspiciously clear.


    "This can wait. Let''s go," Roan dered.


    The group tried to escape through the dark alleys of the city, but the sound of horses and battles increased around them. They had barely crossed a few blocks when they suddenly found themselves surrounded by two riders in front and behind them.


    Roan clicked his tongue in annoyance and tried to use Fireball on both of them, but the riders used some magic tool to block the attack with water balls. The riders dashed at the same time after that.


    Time seemed to slow down as Roan''s mind raced, trying to process the imminent danger. His thoughts became a chaotic whirlwind, desperately searching for a n, a way to protect his family from the impending threat. Every instinct within him screamed to run, to flee from the approaching danger, but he knew deep down that escape was not an option.


    The weight of responsibility pressed heavily upon Roan''s shoulders as he realized that the safety of his loved ones now rested in his hands. His muscles tensed, ready to spring into action, but his mind struggled to find rity amidst the panic. Fear gnawed at his confidence, threatening to paralyze him.


    Amidst his hesitation, Roan suddenly saw the riders trembling, groaning, and slowing down before falling from the horses. He didn''t even see Rain attacking them and making two supersonic darts hit their stomachs. Still, they soon got up.


    "Their armor stopped the attack¡­" Rain muttered. "I have to think of an anti-shielding strategy."


    Roan realized what had happened and charged toward the closest enemy. A single step made him cross twenty meters, and he targeted the neck of one of the assants. The enemy raised his sword to block the attack. Still, Roan swiftly killed him by beheading the enemy and cutting the enemy''s de without making a single sound.


    The other enemy tried to attack Rain and the others, but three earth orbs fired at his head and stopped the bastard. Their impacts made some scary noises echo around the area, and Roan soon confirmed that the second enemy was dead.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 200 experience points.)


    "Let''s go; the more we wait, the more we will have to fight," Roan dered.


    In the aftermath of the chaotic fight, Rain found himself grappling with an unsettling realization. He had taken a life to protect his own, to safeguard the lives of those he cared about. Yet, contrary to what he had expected, he felt an eerie absence of remorse or guilt. His mind raced, trying to make sense of this sensation that seemed to envelop him.


    One possibility that whispered in his thoughts was the overwhelming instinct for self-preservation that had guided his actions. In the heat of the moment, his focus had shifted entirely to survival, to ensuring his family''s safety. Perhaps it was this all-consuming concern that had clouded his emotions, leaving little room for introspection or remorse.


    Another notion flickered in Rain''s mind, one that was intertwined with the knowledge of his own mortality. He had already tasted the bitter embrace of death once before, and the memory lingered as a haunting reminder of the fragility of life. Perhaps, in some subconscious corner of his being, he harbored a fear of experiencing that same fate again, fueling a cold resolve within him.


    Yet, amidst these thoughts and reflections, Rain couldn''t shake a tinge of unease. He questioned the absence of a visceral reaction, wondering if it was a defense mechanism or a sign of something deeper within himself. Was it a symptom of desensitization to violence, a coping mechanism born out of the harsh realities he had witnessed and endured? Or was there a part of him that had hardened, shielding his emotions to prevent the weight of his actions from overwhelming him?


    The group found some more enemies blocking their path, but Rain was able to snipe them with earth orbs and by hitting them in the head. They only fell on the ground, and the smoke prevented their allies from realizing what had happened, so they used the confusion to move ahead.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 200 experience points.)


    "It seems that killing is also a way to get experience¡­ I shouldn''t worry about this right now, but I should take note of it; this kind of thing reveals a lot about the nature of this world," Rain thought.

 Chapter 37: Betrayal

    <h4>Chapter 37: Betrayal</h4>


    Roan''s heart pounded in his chest as he approached the once-familiar neighborhood, now marred by destruction and despair. The sight before him struck him with a wave of impatience and a tinge of despair. The houses of his friends, once vibrant and full of life, now stood as mere shells of their former selves. The air carried a heavy scent of smoke and death, an eerie reminder of the violence that had visited this ce.


    His footsteps quickened, his urgency pushing him forward, even as his mind grappled with the grim reality that unfolded before him. Each step he took brought him closer to the wreckage, and the weight of the devastation bore down upon him. The sight of partially copsed roofs and shattered windows served as painful reminders of the lives that had been disrupted, if not lost entirely.


    As Roan approached his childhood home, his heart sank at the sight that unfolded before his eyes. mes danced wildly, devouring everything in their path, engulfing the once-beloved house in a chaotic inferno. The crackling of burning timber filled the air intermingled with the agonizing cries of the fire''s destructive fury.


    A knot formed in Roan''s stomach, a mixture of fear and disbelief tightening its grip. His steps faltered, his legs threatening to give way beneath him as he absorbed the devastating scene. The flickering orange glow illuminated the surrounding darkness, casting eerie shadows that danced upon the charred remains of what was once a ce of warmth and safety.


    Smoke flew upwards, obscuring his vision and stinging his eyes, its acrid scent assaulting his senses. It mingled with the scent of burning wood. It filled his nostrils, choking him with a reminder of the devastation that had befallen his parents'' house. Each breath was a struggle, a painful inhtion of despair.


    "Shit¡­ we need to¡­" Roan said after he recovered, but then he stopped when he saw some shadows in another dark alley, one of them waving at him to approach. "It is Hugo¡­ it seems that he came to check on our parents as well. He must have a contingency n in a situation like this."


    Hugo was the eldest brother; they wouldn''t get along in normal situations, but they had other things to consider right now.


    Rain and his family began to cross the street and approach the dark alley, but soon some riders showed up and blocked their sides again. Roan stopped in the middle of the street since it would be even harder to fight in the dark alley; he didn''t know if his brother was injured either, so that would only make things more difficult.


    "Rain, can you stop both of them by targeting the horse''s legs?" Roan asked while the riders were dashing.


    "Yes, once they are around twenty meters away," Rain replied.


    "Do it, then," Roan dered.


    Rain pointed both hands toward the enemies, and they waited for the spells toe¡­ they never expected that someone that small would actually control the ground beneath them to impale the horse''s legs.


    The animals shouted in pain, and then the riders began to fall. Roan dashed toward the one in front of him and split him in half even before he couldnd, but the other jumped from the horse and then spun in the air while approaching Rain. He pointed his hands toward the enemy to kill him, but much to Rain''s surprise, a de of energy crossed the sky and split the enemy in half.


    Rain looked behind and saw that the attack had been fired from the dark alley. His uncle seemed to cover for him, even though that wasn''t necessary.


    Rain couldn''t help but be taken aback by the astonishing abilities of the humans around him. It went far beyond what he had initially anticipated, leaving him in a state of both amazement and unease. What he witnessed surpassed his wildest imagination, not just in terms of magic but in every aspect of their being.


    He couldn''t help but be astounded by the sheer physical prowess of humans, he didn''t think that one could be that stronger without. They possessed incredible strength, effortlessly leaping great distances and disying unmatched agility. Their bodies seemed perfectly attuned, capable of performing extraordinary feats. Whether it was the nimble acrobatics of a skilled warrior or the sheer power behind a devastating blow, Rain couldn''t help but be in awe of their physical abilities.


    When they arrived in the dark alley, the smell of blood was really intense. Hugo had a deep wound on the side of his body. At the same time, he wasn''t alone; Roswall and Melody were lying on the ground, unconscious.


    "They were poisoned¡­ when they fell ill, I went to check on them, but I was stabbed by one of the servants," Hugo exined. "Leo is probably the one behind this."


    Roan and Rain expected as much, but instead of that, they had to worry about how to leave the city under those conditions with one wounded soldier and two unconscious people. Leiah couldn''t fight, and the girls were too small. They were already doing enough not to make a fuss in the middle of the chaos and reveal their positions.


    "He must have some sort of agreement with the magic people; we can''t fight here; we need to regroup outside of the city," Hugo dered.


    "What about Lorence and your children?" Roan asked.


    "My girls are with him, and he lives on the eastern side of the city; he has the best chances of escaping," Hugo replied. "He is a soldier; we are soldiers. However, our parents represent the shield of the West; we can''t let them fall here."

 Chapter 38: [Bonus chapter] Running for it

    <h4>Chapter 38: [Bonus chapter] Running for it</h4>


    Hugo convinced Roan to leave; he had a point, after all. It was impossible to regroup in chaos. Their brother had nned things for a while and was not alone¡­


    As the group continued their journey, they couldn''t help but notice the distant bursts of magic lighting up the sky. Gigantic Fireballs, multiple lightning bolts, and ice spears raining upon the walls¡­ The powerful spells soared through the air, leaving trails of brilliance in their wake. With each explosive impact, the ground quivered beneath their feet, a constant reminder of the overwhelming might being unleashed.


    The sight of these colossal spells being hurled into the distance filled the group with a mix of awe and urgency. They could sense the raw power emanating from those distant sts, and it ignited a yearning within them to hasten their pace. The urgency grew as they realized the significance of what was unfolding before their eyes.


    "You are fairly good at earth magic despite being a brat," Hugo said while looking at Rain and then gave him a potion. "Use this. Take small sips at a time. It is a spiritual potion of the highest rank. I received this from my parents to give to my son, but you will help us with this. Create an earth tform to carry everyone with it. We will dash ahead, and your pace won''t help."


    Rain nodded and created the earth tform. After his grandparents were put on it, Rain, his mother, and his sisters jumped on it. A lot of mana was being used, but a single sip of the potion restored his mana.


    "Let''s go; we don''t have time to stop; we will rush ahead and cut everything in our path," Hugo dered.


    "Understood," Roan nodded.


    The two brothers dashed ahead to the east side of the city, and Rain made the earth tform follow them. Even while carrying heavy swords, they still could easily run at sixty kilometers per hour.


    Soon, the group arrived on the main road, and they saw a bunch of riders and armored soldiers hunting and cutting down anyone that had weapons in their hands. When they saw Hugo and Roan, they raised their weapons and swung them at those two, but before they could finish their swings, those two were already behind, and soon the enemies began to gush blood from their throats.


    Hugo clicked his tongue when he saw a bunch of riders blocking their path and readied himself to use his secret technique. Still, then some earth orbs flew at supersonic speeds and hit the heads of the horses. The animals soon fell to the ground, leaving the riders semi-unprotected. Once again, they were defeated swiftly by the two brothers.


    The group rushed forward, their footsteps pounding the ground as they desperately raced towards the exit. They were filled with a mix of fear and determination, their hearts pounding in their chests. The thought of escape fueled their every step, urging them to move faster, to leave the danger behind.


    But their hopes were shattered as a barrage of blood spears came hurtling towards them. Panic swept through their ranks as they realized the blood mages had cunningly blocked their path, trapping them within their deadly assault. The air was filled with a sense of impending doom as the sharp, crimson-tipped projectiles closed in.


    In the face of this dire situation, Rain sprang into action. Drawing upon his mastery of earth magic, he swiftly summoned a series of protective shields around his father, uncle, and the rest of his family. These solid barriers emerged from the ground like towering walls of protection, shielding them from the onught of blood spears.


    The protection didn''t take long before they began to crack, but soon they found the enemies ahead. It was a group of suspicious-looking people. The blood mages stood before the group, dressed in long, dark robes that flowed around them like a river of shadows. Their attire was stained with patches of deep red as if soaked in the essence of blood itself.


    The mages'' robes hung loosely, concealing much of their figures and giving them an air of mystery and danger. The fabric moved with a sinister grace as if dancing to an unseen rhythm, adding to the eerie atmosphere that surrounded them.


    Intricate designs adorned their robes, woven with threads of crimson and ck, symbolizing their allegiance to the dark arts. The patterns seemed to writhe and twist, like serpents coiled in anticipation of striking.


    Their hoods were pulled low, casting their faces into deep shadows. Only glimpses of their pale, cold skin and piercing eyes were visible, reflecting the malevolent power they possessed. The faint light revealed twisted expressions filled with malice and a hunger for control.


    With determination etched on his face, Rain focused his energy, infusing the shields with his will. They became not just a means of defense but also weapons of retaliation. Empowered by his resolve, hemanded the shields to surge forward, crashing into the blood mages with a forceful impact.


    The shields, now transformed into formidable walls of crushing might, plowed through the ranks of their assants. The ground trembled beneath the weight of their assault as the blood mages'' defenses crumbled before the unstoppable force. The sound of shattering shields and cries of defeat filled the air, momentarily disrupting the chaos of battle.

 Chapter 39: Sharing experience

    <h4>Chapter 39: Sharing experience</h4>


    Thanks to the chaos created by the attack and the fact that Roan and Hugo led the charge while killing the remaining enemies, a lot of people that were hiding and thinking of ways to leave the city joined them. Those two recognized some soldiers that worked with them and decided to change their ns a bit; instead of just escaping, they nned to secure the East gate.


    "Follow our lead and crush all the enemies!" Hugo shouted.


    Hugo and Roan split to the sides once they saw the gates ahead. The other soldiers joined them and soon dashed to deal with the enemies around. The blood mages in the area had been dealt with, but there were plenty of mercenaries ahead.


    Rain slowed down the tform since some enemies might be waiting to ambush them and waited until his father and uncle approached the gates from the sides. However, soon Rain felt a shiver, but he didn''t notice anything weird around¡­ until he looked behind and saw a massive fireball taking over the street and flying toward them and the gate.


    "Oh fuck¡­" Rain said while drinking the whole potion and creating a tornado of water and wind behind them.


    The sh between a swirling water tornado and a massive fireball unleashed an earth-shattering explosion. The impact was like a collision of titans, sending shockwaves through the air and reverberations through the ground.


    When the water tornado and the fireball collided, the impact was cataclysmic. An explosion erupted, releasing an intense burst of light and energy. The explosion illuminated the surroundings with a dazzling brilliance, momentarily transforming the night into day.


    The sheer force of the explosion sent shockwaves crashing through the air, shaking the earth beneath their feet. It was a powerful roar, like the simultaneous sh of a thousand thunderstorms, as if nature itself had unleashed its wrath upon the world.


    The explosion almost reached Rain and the others, but he stopped that by turning the earth tform into an earth sphere. The st still pushed them away for several dozens of meters, but before they could collide against the gate, Rain stopped the sphere. Rain made itnd on the ground and made the whole thing fall apart.


    "Ah¡­ my head," Rain said while a massive headache was bothering him. "Is everything all right?"


    "Yes, thanks to you, Rain," Leiah said while hugging Dana and Kei tightly.


    Rain felt that he needed a break for many days after that, but he couldn''t drop his guard now. His father and uncle and some other soldiers arrived and checked on them, but soon they sighed in relief when they confirmed that everything was right.


    "We have secured the perimeter; spread the word that the East gate is open, and bring your friends and family," Hugo dered. "... I guess Lorence didn''t leave. He is a cautious one¡­ usually, he would use the sewers, but he should know that Leo is aware of that exit as well."


    People began to leave the city by crossing the gate. Still, it didn''t take long for some enemies to show up while riding horses. This time, they came a bit more prepared; they had staves that had colorful crystals on them.


    "Shit, this isn''t going to end¡­" Hugo muttered.


    "Rain, do that thing that you have been training on us," Roan said. "It canst for a minute, right? That will be more than enough."


    Hugo''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at his brother with a mixture of confusion and concern. At first, he thought that Roan had gone mad, behaving in a way that seemed irrational and unpredictable. However, his doubts quickly turned into astonishment as he witnessed something extraordinary.


    Orbs made of earth materialized around him, spinning and swirling with remarkable speed. They moved with an uncanny precision, darting through the air as if guided by an invisible force.


    Hugo''s perception of his brother''s child shifted dramatically at that moment. He realized that Rain possessed a hidden talent, a unique connection to the elements. It was a power that surpassed anything Hugo had ever witnessed before; not even his son was that good. The sight of those earth orbs, their swift and precise motions, shattered any doubts he had.


    "We can use those staves as well; rather, we will need to escape and keep this gate open," Roan dered. "Let''s go."


    "Ugh, all right," Hugo said after he shook his head.


    Faster than the wind, those two brothers dashed toward the enemy''s lines. The others didn''t know what to do since they didn''t receive orders, so they decided to guard the gate and watch.


    The enemies used the staves to fire a bunch of fireballs at them, but their speed and power seemed really mediocre. Regardless, the fireballs were easily stopped by the earth orbs orbiting around them. Once they confirmed that their defense was secured, Roan and Hugo didn''t hesitate in charging faster and cutting down the enemies with their horses.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 100 experience points.)


    "Even while just offering support, I can still gain experience, huh," Rain thought.

 Chapter 40: Anger

    <h4>Chapter 40: Anger</h4>


    The mercenaries didn''tst that long; thanks to it, Rain''s eyes widened as he saw the stark difference between his father and uncle, who had been trained from a young age, and the ordinary mercenaries whocked such extensive preparation. It was like a lightbulb moment for him, realizing that the gap in skill and experience was immense.


    He had always known that his father and uncle were formidable fighters, but it wasn''t until this moment, in the midst of chaos and danger, that Rain truly grasped the extent of their abilities. The mercenaries, while brave, seemed amateurish inparison. Their movementscked finesse and precision, their attackscked the calcted efficiency that his father and uncle possessed.


    Rain''s mind raced as he processed this newfound understanding. Heprehended that his father and uncle had dedicated their lives tobat, tirelessly refining their techniques and honing their reflexes. Their training had propelled them to a level far beyond that of the average fighter.


    "I suppose I was naive imagining that I would get super strong physically with just a few years of training and nobat experience," Rain thought.


    "Rain, use this," Roan said while passing three staves toward his son. "They react to your mana and they consume themselves to fire magic without any need of focus or incantion. "We usually don''t let kids use this since it will hinder their growth, but we don''t have time to worry about that."


    The staves were of varying lengths, some reaching up to the wielder''s shoulder while others were morepact, fittingfortably in one hand. They were crafted to provide bnce and maneuverability, allowing the wielder to precisely channel their magical energy.


    At the core of each staff, nestled within a specially designed socket, were three mesmerizing crystals: one red, one blue, and one green. These crystals emitted a gentle radiance, casting a soft glow upon the surrounding area. Their vibrant hues captivated the eye, sparkling with an inner energy that hinted at their mystical properties.


    "We need to¡­ look for Lorence, and then we can leave the city; others can watch the retreat for us," Hugo said while groaning in pain, showing a pale face.


    "Your wound is opening the more you fight," Roan said and then wondered what he should do. "We aren''t good at healing magic, and Rain is too young to learn that."


    "Leo probably targeted them first," Hugo shook his head. "It is a waste of time to look for them now."


    Rain witnessed a disturbing pattern emerge. The enemies, cunning and strategic, seemed to possess knowledge of their targets, carefully selecting their victims to maximize their impact and disrupt the bnce of power.


    Among their primary targets were the houses that held individuals who could pose a significant threat to their cause. Houses like Roan''s family, captains, and healers, were marked for destruction, their very existence seen as a hindrance to the enemy''s ambitions.


    Roan''s family, with their noble lineage and unwavering loyalty, represented a beacon of resistance against the encroaching darkness. Their influence and connections could rally allies, inspire hope, and potentially turn the tide of battle. The enemies sought to extinguish that light, to strike fear into the hearts of those who dared to oppose them.


    "We need to split our forces in three," Roan dered. "One group will defend the gate, the other will defend the people that will escape, and we will look for Lorence and your daughters."


    "That seems to be our only option," Hugo said and then nodded.


    "Rain¡­ watch your mother and sisters for me, all right?" Roan said. "I am asking a lot of you, but I am sure that you will do well."


    "Okay," Rain said.


    Rain didn''t like the idea of leaving his father in the city when something able to fire such a massive fireball was out there, but he didn''t have much of a choice. Roan was a guard and a soldier; he had to fight and protect those that he could now that his family was in rtive safety.


    The group split in three; Rain, his mother, and his sisters crossed the gates only to see some dark fields ahead. The dark area, devoid of the warm glow of civilization, seemed to exist in perpetual twilight. Shadows clung to every surface, whispering secrets that danced on the edge of perception. The air grew thick with an enigmatic stillness, broken only by the faint rustling of unseen creatures and the distant howl of the wind.


    The absence of light painted a canvas of ambiguity, where shapes melted into darkness and distances became elusive. The few sources of illumination, feeble torches or dimnterns, flickered with an almost desperate defiance, barely piercing the pervasive gloom. The group took shelter in a small grove ahead¡­ it seemed that the enemies didn''t bring that many to the attack¡­ or they couldn''t without making themselves too easy to spot.


    "Mama, where is Papa?" Dana asked. "I am hungry."


    "He went to look for some friends; he will be back soon," Leiah said while caressing Dana''s mind.


    A mix of emotions surged within Rain, overwhelming and conflicting. Grief washed over him like a tidal wave, mourning the loss of a ce he had once called home. Anger simmered beneath the surface, fueling his determination to confront the forces responsible for reducing his city to ashes. He felt a deep sense of injustice, questioning why the mes of war had to devour the tranquility and peace he valued.


    In his chest, a knot of helplessness tightened. The weight of discement pressed down upon him, reminding him of the countless lives uprooted by the merciless tide of conflict. The sense of loss and discement cut deep, leaving him feeling adrift in a world of death and destruction.


    "Pieces of shit¡­" Rain thought.

 Chapter 41 Ambition

    41 Ambition


    The smoke thickened, engulfing the city in a swirling haze of darkness. The fire raged, its fierce glow casting an eerie light upon the crumbling buildings and echoing streets. The sounds of battle echoed through the air, an ominous symphony of shes and shouts that seemed to reverberate in Rain''s very soul.


    Deep within his being, a surge of anger welled up, mingling with a sense of helplessness and frustration. It gnawed at him, a potent mix of emotions that threatened to consume his thoughts. Seeing his sisters, wide-eyed and frightened, lose their homes to the merciless mes only fueled his wrath.


    Rain''s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white as his mind raced to make sense of the chaos around him. The sight of his sisters, their innocent eyes filled with tears, ignited a fire within him. Determination sparked in his gaze as he vowed to shield them from further harm.


    While keeping an eye on the surroundings, Rain did some tests with the magic staves and confirmed how they worked. They consumed a bit of his mana to activate spells that had been engraved on them. The crystals probably were cores of some special beasts; that was why the process was so easy. At the same time, the quality of the magic depended on the mana of the user. Any person could use magic with them, but their potency would decrease or Increase¡­ although the staves also made the cost decrease by ny percent.


    "I am not getting any experience; this confirms what Dad said," Rain thought. "Still, that should change things a bit when I defeat my foes."


    A couple of hours passed, and Dana and Kei fell asleep in the meantime. It seemed that the exhaustion finally won the battle against the fear. During that time, Rain didn''t see anyone crossing the gate, but he heard the sound of battles.


    "Where are we going from here?" Rain wondered.


    "Uncle said that my grandparents are the shield of the East; they probably are the highest rank family in the city, and if they lose that and thanks to one of their children as well¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    Things weren''t looking good. Rain''s grandparents, once rulers of their territory and the city they called home, now found themselves burdened with the weight of loss and the anguish of seeing their domain ravaged by the mes of war. The consequences of losing their territory went beyond mere physical possessions; it struck at the core of their identity and legacy.


    The ruling powers may choose to exile them from their former domain, banishing them from thends they once governed. This would strip them of their power and privileges, forcing them to start anew in unfamiliar surroundings.


    The authorities might seize their remaining assets and wealth as a form of punishment. This could include their properties,nds, and any valuable possessions they still possess.


    The loss of their territory could result in a significant blow to their reputation and standing in political circles. They may face public humiliation and be stripped of any official titles or positions they hold.


    Suppose their actions or decisions are deemed negligent or responsible for the loss of their territory. In that case, they may face legal charges and be subject to a trial. The severity of the charges and potential penalties would vary based on the specific circumstances and legal systems in ce. Ultimately, death might also be one of them¡­


    Rain wasn''t a fan of his grandparents, but he didn''t think that they should be punished for all that mess. Still, there wasn''t much that they could do to help them¡­ taking over the city would take a while.


    While Rain was thinking about that, he suddenly saw a bunch of people crossing the gate. Some of them were on horses, and it took a while for Rain to recognize his father and uncles, a bunch of kids were with them as well, so it seemed that they achieved their goal, but the smell of blood was strong.


    "The enemies are securing their forces and the city, but soon they will send pursuers; we need to get as much distance from them as possible," Roan dered.


    "You are hurt," Leiah said while looking at the arm of Roan that waspletely drenched in blood.


    "They are just scratches," Roan said. "Some more potions for you, Rain. We will have to give you the job of transporting the wounded."


    The downside of the staves was the fact that they were rather limiting¡­ they could only be used in a single way: firing magic at the enemies. So, Rain couldn''t use them in that aspect.


    Rain wondered what happened to the kids that usually would be at the house of his grandparents¡­ only half of them were around. Leo probably wasn''t crazy enough to do harm to his own children. Still, it was hard to imagine what a man that abandoned their family and their country would do.


    Leo probably wanted to be more than just the captain of the guards of the city, and that was why he did what he did¡­ his brothers couldn''t help but wonder if they would let him turn into what he had be if they were also part of the problem. After all, they all grew up believing that status was everything.

 Chapter 42 Royal Guard

    42 Royal Guard


    As the morning dawned, the group looked utterly worn out. They hadn''t slept a wink, their bodies and minds drained from the relentless march through the night. Fatigue painted their faces, evident in the heavy bags under their eyes and the drooping of their shoulders.


    Every step they took seemed like an arduous task, their energy depleted and their movements sluggish. They dragged their feet, their legs heavy and protesting with each stride. The exhaustion weighed them down, sapping their strength and leaving them feeling sluggish and slow.


    The worry etched on their faces was palpable, a constant reminder of the dangers that lurked in every shadow. Their brows furrowed with concern, their eyes scanning the surroundings with weary vignce. The fear of an ambush or attack kept them on high alert, their nerves frayed, and their senses heightened.


    "We need to take a breath here," Roan suddenly said after he looked around. "Everyone is exhausted, and we need to tend our wounds."


    Hugo nodded and then looked around as well. He saw a beautiful area painted in shades of brown and green. It was a refreshing sight amidst the chaos they had left behind. The ground beneath their feet was covered in different hues of brown. At the same time, patches of lush green vegetation sprouted all around.


    Tall trees reached towards the sky, their branches adorned with leaves in various shades of green. The gentle rustling of the leaves filled the air, creating a soothing melody that eased their weary minds. Above them, the sky was overcast with rain clouds, hinting at the possibility of a not much-needed downpour.


    "The rain will erase our trails¡­ I suppose we dealt a huge blow on the enemies, and they also can be busy hunting the survivors and fortifying their defenses," Hugo said and then pointed to a group of trees in the distance. "We will take shelter there."


    Rain wondered what would happen¡­ his grandparents were still unconscious, but they didn''t seem in danger; they were tough than they looked. In terms of war, after capturing the city, the enemies would have several strategic options avable to them.


    The enemies could fortify the captured city, reinforcing its defenses and establishing strongholds to protect their positions. They might construct barricades, dig trenches, and set up defensive structures such as walls and watchtowers. This would make it difficult for the opposing forces to retake the city without a significant and costly offensive.


    With control over the city, the enemies could establish it as a strategic base or aunching point for further military operations. They might use it as a logistical hub to coordinate troop movements, supply lines, and reinforcements. From there, they could n and execute offensive maneuvers, targeting key objectives or weakening the opposing forces by cutting off their supply routes.


    The enemies may take advantage of their control over the city''s poption to recruit new soldiers or conscript individuals into their ranks. They could enforce mandatory military service or implement a selective draft to bolster their forces. Additionally, they might employ propaganda and ideological maniption to shape the beliefs and loyalties of the captured poption, ensuring theirpliance and support in the ongoing conflict.


    Rain thought about that while he was making water for everyone and using the mana that he had left to help clean the wounds of those who fought. While that helped, a troublesome downpour began to affect the area, and that prevented them from moving further.


    "I sent word to the capital once I realized what is going on with their mounts; they should find us within today," Hugo said once he was patched up. "We need to recover our city; we will be doomed if we don''t do that. Our entire family will be gone. The are plenty of people in the realm that will celebrate our fall, even if they lose a huge chunk of the realm with it."


    "... We are aware of it; what can we do?" Roan asked. "Our forces are scattered if they manage to survive. Who would lend us a hand in times like this?"


    Hugo couldn''t answer that. Showing weakness at a moment like that was also dangerous. Suppose the world spreads that their parents are also unconscious and their kids are asking for help. In that case, others within the country might make their moves to crush the family as soon as possible.


    "Our only option is to join those in the capital that wille after receiving your message," Lorence said. "Either they wille to fight alongside us or to take us back to the capital; that is no longer our decision to make."


    As if the enemies knew that their true targets would be dealt with even if they didn''t send pursuers, nothing happened during that day. Still, the downpour only stopped when night began to fall. The roads became difficult to cross, but they decided that it was time to move on. Before long, they were forced to stop.


    A sight unfolded before them, a grand and imposing disy of military might. From the distant capital of Romera, a vast army emerged, marching steadily in the direction of the group. The ground trembled beneath the weight of their synchronized footsteps, echoing a resolute determination.


    The army stretched as far as the eye could see, a sea of soldiers adorned in gleaming armor, their banners fluttering proudly in the wind. The rhythmic nking of weapons and the beat of drums reverberated through the air, instilling a sense of awe and trepidation.


    At the forefront of the army, a contingent of cavalry rode with precision and grace, their horses adorned in ornate armor. The thunderous hooves struck the ground in unison, a resounding symphony of power and discipline. Behind them, phnxes of heavily armed infantry advanced in tight formation, their shields forming an imprable wall of defense.

 Chapter 43 Until Later

    43 Until Later


    With skilled hands and a sense of urgency, the soldiers assessed the injuries, applying bandages and makeshift splints to broken limbs. They moved swiftly and efficiently, guided by their training and the instinct to save lives. The wounded were carefully lifted onto stretchers and carried to the waiting wagons with utmost care.


    The wagons, sturdy and dependable, stood ready nearby. They were quickly transformed into makeshift ambnces, their interiors lined with soft bedding and medical supplies. The soldiers gently ced the injured survivors on the wagons, ensuring theirfort and stability for the journey ahead.


    A sense of purpose and determination filled the air as soldiers worked in unison, their actions driven by a sharedmitment to provide aid and relief. Some soldiers ran back and forth, retrieving water and food to sustain the injured, their expressions mirroring a deep sense of empathy and care.


    "I have seen you in better conditions, Lord Hugo," A man wearing a full te silver armor that also covered most of his face dered. "The kingdom''s army won''t move at night, so you have the chance to tell us what happened for quite a while."


    Hugo and his brothers found themselves in a peculiar predicament as they encountered themanding officer of the army that hade to their aid. Though they were grateful for the assistance, the weight of their recent experiences made it difficult for them to engage in conversation with the officer.


    An air of tension hung between them, fueled by the stark contrast of their roles. Hugo and his brothers were once leaders themselves,manding respect and loyalty from their own troops. Now, they stood before a higher-ranking officer, someone they were expected to defer to and follow.


    The struggle to reconcile their past positions of authority with their current circumstances created a palpable unease. It was a delicate bnce between acknowledging the officer''s authority and asserting their own knowledge and experience. Their pride and independence shed with the necessity of cooperation in this new alliance.


    After much hesitation, Hugo, Lorence, and Roan exined what happened¡­ their brother betrayed their family and the kingdom. That resulted in the deaths of thousands of those who were loyal to their family, even some of the kids of the family weren''t spared of the bloodshed.


    "How troubling," Themander said. "I''d daresay that Leo annihted your forces and didn''t chase you, knowing that you would be useless without your soldiers. I don''t see any point in letting you alle with us when you don''t have any use."


    "Don''t joke around, Revan," Hugo said. "We know Tristan like the back of our hands. We will recover and dispose of the bad blood that stained our honor. Leo has some of the inhabitants under his control, but they will fight with us if they know that we are there to rescue them."


    "Civilians won''t be of much use in a fight," Revan said.


    Aside from sentimentalism, those three also presented other reasons why they should go as well. They showcased their experience in guerri warfare, highlighting their ability to adapt to unpredictable situations, exploit enemy weaknesses, and engage in unconventional warfare. They emphasized that their specialized skills would be crucial in a challenging urban environment.


    They demonstrated theirprehensive understanding of the enemy''s tactics, strengths, and vulnerabilities. They presented strategies to exploit these weaknesses and turn them into advantages during the battle.


    They emphasized the symbolic significance of reiming their hometown, portraying it as a rallying point for morale and a symbol of resistance against the enemy. They also highlighted the strategic advantages it would offer in terms of logistics,munication, and control over resources.


    "... I suppose you make a point," Revan said. "Our King will want a demonstration if your family still is what it was in the past. You will have to show your loyalty andpetence if you want to reim your honor."


    Rain didn''t like those words¡­ he could tell that his father and uncle had a lot of weight on their shoulders, and they might have to do a lot to repair the damage that Leo caused, even at the risk of their own lives.


    Those three nodded and then prepared for the journey the next day. The few soldiers that were with them decided to follow them and try to reim Tristan no matter the cost.


    "I suppose in times like this, after making sure that their families are well and alive, soldiers will think of their honor next," Rain thought.


    "Sorry for burdening you all further, but we will be heading to recover Tristan," Roan said after he approached his family. "You will wellst night, Roan. Just as expected, your future is bright like no other."


    That was a serious death g¡­ Roan wished that he could go with his father. Still, that would make him aughing stock to the royal army if he needed the help of a five-year-old boy.


    "Look after your mother and sisters while I am away, all right?" Roan said and then messed with Rain''s hair. "This will be a cinch."


    "We will be waiting for you, and this time, return in one piece," Leiah said.


    "Of course, untilter," Roan said and then smiled.

 Chapter 44 Capital

    44 Capital


    The survivors of Tristan began to head to the capital of the kingdom the next morning while being escorted by twenty royal soldiers. The royal soldiers tasked with escorting the survivors to the capital carried themselves with utmost seriousness and professionalism. Their behavior reflected the gravity of the situation and the importance of their duty.


    The soldiers maintained a constant state of alertness, scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger or potential threats. They were acutely aware of the risks and maintained a vignt stance to ensure the safety of the survivors under their care.


    Their actions were characterized by a disciplined approach, adhering to protocols and following orders with precision. They moved in a cohesive formation and coordinated their movements and interactions, demonstrating their rigorous training andmitment to their roles.


    "They sure look something else," Rain said.


    "They are the most famous soldiers of the realm; while they don''t have high ranks, only a selected few are chosen to join their ranks," Leiah exined. "They are picked after graduating from school in the capital; women are part of their ranks too."


    Typically, there is an age requirement for joining the royal soldiers. Candidates must be of a minimum age and within a specified age range, as determined by the governing authorities. In addition, they must be citizens orwful residents of the kingdom or region in which the royal soldiers serve.


    A basic level of education is often required to join the royal soldiers. Candidates should havepleted a certain level of formal education. Specialized training programs are also provided to recruits to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge required for their roles.


    Prospective soldiers are subjected toprehensive background checks to ensure their suitability for the role. This may include verifying their personal history, criminal records, and any associations or affiliations that may pose a risk to national security or the integrity of the organization.


    "The army that we saw had ten thousand soldiers; did they use all of them?" Rain asked.


    "Thest time I heard, they had twenty thousand stationed in the capital," Leiah exined.


    Splitting the royal army was deemed a strategic decision, recognizing the need to allocate resources effectively. However, entrusting only half of their forces to reim an important region of their country poses potential risks, even with the capable royal soldiers leading the charge.


    While the royal soldiers are renowned for their skill, discipline, and loyalty, engaging in a significant operation with only half of their strength poses challenges. The task of retaking a crucial territory requires not only manpower but also logistical support, intelligence gathering, and tactical coordination. These aspects be more demanding when the forces avable are limited.


    By deploying only a portion of their army, there is a heightened vulnerability in terms of numbers and the potential for being overwhelmed by opposing forces. The risk of casualties and exhaustion increases as the burden of the mission falls on a smaller group.


    "We will arrive at the capital soon, but we shouldn''t make ourselves toofortable," Leiah said. "We will just wait for your father and leave."


    Rain heard the reason for that. A clear division among the people was palpable in the bustling capital, separating them into distinct sses: the nobles and themoners. Themoners, in particr, were subjected to stringent regtions and societal expectations dictated by a set of norms that governed their behavior and demanded a certain level of reverence.


    For themoners, it was imperative to adhere to strict codes of conduct, which underscored their obligation to show deference and respect to the noble ss. Every aspect of their behavior was closely monitored and scrutinized, creating a pervasive atmosphere of restraint and caution.


    "I guess it is a ce that I don''t want to overstay my pseudo wee," Rain thought while looking at his sleeping sisters. "People always find a reason to try to feel better than others for no apparent reason. It is fine if you feel superior in a healthy way by achieving something that others didn''t, but that shouldn''t be enough reason to diminish others forever."


    As the group traversed the countryside, their weary feet carried them through two humble viges nestled amidst rolling hills and fertile fields. The midday sun cast its warm glow upon the rustic houses and bustling streets, lending a sense of tranquility to the surroundings. Vigers went about their daily chores, exchanging greetings and engaging in lively conversations, oblivious to the weight of the world beyond their idyllic haven.


    With each step, the group neared the horizon, where the towering silhouette of the capital city gradually emerged. The city''s grandeur was a stark contrast to the simplicity of the viges they had passed through. Its mighty walls, adorned with gs of the kingdom, stood as guardians of a realm steeped in history and tradition.


    As the sun descended towards the western horizon, hues of orange and pink painted the sky, casting a vibrant canvas against which the capital city came into sharper focus. The silhouette grewrger, revealing the intricate architecture of pces, temples, and spires that graced its skyline.


    The city exuded an air of sophistication and opulence, a testament to the seat of power and the center of governance. From afar, the sprawling cityscape appeared like a mosaic of buildings.

 Chapter 45 [Bonus chapter] A Way to Make Money

    45 [Bonus chapter] A Way to Make Money


    The capital of the kingdom of Romera was a sight to behold. The city appeared quite fresh and new, with buildings that seemed to have been recently constructed. The streets were clean and well-maintained, devoid of any dirt or dust. As the group made their way through the city gates, they were greeted by a mix of people, some walking with confidence and others with a sense of weariness.


    The buildings in the capital were impressive, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail. Whether it was the majestic pces or the humble houses, each structure stood proudly, radiating a sense of grandeur. The streets were paved with smooth stones, offering a pleasant walking experience as the group strolled through the city.


    As they explored further, they noticed a stark contrast among the people of the capital. Some individuals walked with their heads held high, exuding an air of self-assurance. These were the nobles, adorned in elegant attire and carrying themselves with a sense of entitlement. They seemed tomand respect and attention wherever they went.


    However, amidst the noble elite, there were also those who appeared downtrodden and weary. These were themoners, working tirelessly to make a living. Their faces bore the marks of hardship, and their gazes were often cast downward. They moved with a sense of humility, navigating the streets with a blend of determination and resignation.


    "It seems that I lived a fairly ignorant life until now¡­ the kingdom isn''t as good as I imagined it would be," Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    The townspeople stared at the group with raised eyebrows, whispering to each other and pointing in their direction. Some of them seemed to be judging the group based on their humble clothing and rugged appearance. It felt as though the townspeople considered themselves superior, looking down on those who didn''t fit their expectations of refinement and wealth.


    Amidst the disapproving stares, a few kind-hearted individuals offered friendly smiles and nods, recognizing the diversity and value that outsiders could bring to theirmunity. However, these acts of eptance were overshadowed by the overall atmosphere of scrutiny and judgment.


    The group felt the weight of the townspeople''s gazes, aware that they were being judged solely based on their outward appearance. It was a reminder that appearances and social status held great significance in this town, and those who didn''t meet the expected standards were met with skepticism and even disdain.


    "I truly won''t enjoy the ce¡­ and I was supposed to stay here for some years after graduating at Tristan," Rain thought.


    Rein thought that they would be left at a cheap ce, but it seemed that arge inn was reserved for them. At the same time, some healers showed up to look after his grandparents.


    "It has been almost two days already, and they are still unconscious," Rain thought. "We are feeding them a little and giving them water, but this isn''t good enough."


    Prolonged unconsciousness can lead to permanent brain damage. The brain requires a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly, after all. When someone is unconscious, their Prolonged unconsciousness can have profound emotional and psychological effects on the 10:19


    individual and their people close to them. It can lead to feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and brain may not be receiving sufficient oxygen and blood flow, which can result in irreversible damage to brain cells.


    If someone is unconscious for an extended period, they may also experience respiratory problems. Their breathing may be shallow, irregr, or even stoppletely, requiring immediate medical intervention such as artificial venttion to ensure adequate oxygenation.


    Prolonged unconsciousness can have profound emotional and psychological effects on the individual and their people close to them. It can lead to feelings of helplessness, anxiety, and depression among family members who are anxiously waiting for their loved ones to regain consciousness.


    Since none of their sons were around, Hugo''s wife was the one who was informed about their condition. It seemed that she was living in the capital with their eldest son and looking after him. She showed up all of a sudden and immediately headed to Roswall and Melody''s room alongside her son and daughters.


    In the end, she spoke with Lorence''s wife about their condition, and the word began to spread. The poison had been dealt with. However, it would take some time to leave their bodies, and it was also a poison created to debilitate one''s health instead of kill it¡­ so, they will be out of the picture for a while.


    "This isn''t good," Rain thought.


    Noble families are often esteemed for their lineage, wealth, and influence. Suppose the head of a noble family is unable to maintain order and uphold the family''s reputation. In that case, it can lead to a decline in their standing within society. Other noble families and the general public may perceive them as weak or incapable of fulfilling their duties.


    Noble families often y a significant role in the politicalndscape. Suppose the head of a noble family fails to make wise decisions or effectively navigate political dynamics. In that case, it can result in a loss of political power and influence. Other noble families may seize the opportunity to gain an advantage. In contrast, the struggling family may find themselves marginalized or excluded from important decision-making processes.


    Also, a noble family thatcks strong leadership and the ability to maintain order may be vulnerable to external threats. Rival noble families, opportunistic individuals, or factions within society may exploit their weaknesses, potentially leading to challenges to theirnd, assets, or political influence.


    Some people showed up at night and brought food to the inn and to everyone there. However, at the same time, some people, like Lorence''s wife and their kids, left alongside Hugo''s wife. It seemed that they were close enough but not gentle enough to help the others there.


    "I suppose that even if those three are closer now since they are fighting for the same cause, it doesn''t extend to their wives," Rain thought.


    In any case, Rain didn''t like how the people who were helping them were showing weird smiles. At first nce, they seemed pretty warm smiles, but he could tell that they were just an opportunistic bunch since his family was receiving more than others. Even if they weren''t exactly nobles.


    "I don''t like this¡­ I need a way to make money here, just in case," Rain thought.

 Chapter 46 Working hard

    46 Working hard


    Rain spent the first night thinking about what he could do in the capital to make money while being wary of problems. He didn''t have much time to think since he was exhausted, but he had some ideas.


    Rain can showcase his magical talents in public spaces, such as parks or marketces, by performing captivating magic shows. By demonstrating his skills in illusions, elemental maniption, or other magical feats, he can attract a crowd and collect donations or charge a fee for his performances.


    The downside of this was the fact that he would draw too much attention; he couldn''t do that until things with the Lonard family were pretty much decided¡­ still, he had to be prepared for all possible oues.


    Rain can also offer his magical services to the public, catering to specific needs or requests. Still, that kind of work isn''t usually something that he could do for a few days. People who work like that usually are servants, and he would have to be one for a while.


    Not relying on his magical skills was also an option, but getting more jobs looking like a normal brat would be difficult. Rain could pursue a career as a scribe, specializing in writing and transcribing documents. This could include copying books, preparing legal documents, or assisting in administrative tasks for nobles or religious institutions.


    "Mom, what do you think about our current situation?" Rain asked when they were having breakfast the next day.


    "... It is a bit troublesome, but everything will be all right," Leiah replied.


    "Even though some people left leaving grandfather and grandmother behind?" Rain asked.


    "Well, they can''t move that much while they are unconscious, and the journey has been tiresome for all of us," Leiah said while looking away. "You shouldn''t worry too much about this kind of stuff."


    these troubled times.


    "I know that they treated us harshly, but please look after them," Rain said. "I will go outside and find a way to earn some money."


    "You are too young to walk around the streets of the capital by yourself¡­ but I guess you aren''t the type to sit still and just wait," Leiah said and then sighed. "Just be careful, okay? I heard that kidnappers aremon here, and they tend to sell the kids around as ves in other cities."


    "Okay," Rain nodded.


    Although troubled by the disparity between his mother''s wishes and the grim reality they faced, Rain understood deep down that he had to be strong, focused, and resilient. He knew that his actions were driven by a profound love for his family and a determination to protect them at all costs.


    In any case, to think that people would act like criminals in the capital¡­ despite his mother''s worries, Rain didn''t think that it wouldn''t be so bad to meet these scum. He would have the chance to dispose of them and get their money as well.


    "I can sell the magic staves, but I guess I will leave that as ast resort," Rain thought.


    Rain walked the bustling streets of the capital, his eyes scanning the surroundings in search of potential job opportunities. The city teemed with life, with merchants hawking their wares, artisans showcasing their crafts, and a myriad of people going about their daily routines.


    As he moved through the crowded streets, Rain''s gaze settled on various signs and storefronts, each holding the promise of employment. He observed a cksmith''s workshop, the rhythmic ng of hammers resonating in the air, tempting him with the allure of hard work and craftsmanship. Nearby, a bustling inn caught his attention, with patronsughing and enjoying meals, suggesting the possibility of working as a server or a helper in the busy establishment.


    His eyes wandered further, catching sight of a notice board adorned with various job postings. Rain approached, reading the listings that ranged from messenger services toborers needed for construction projects. Each piece of parchment represented an opportunity, a chance to earn a living in this grand city.


    After walking for a while, Rain found a cksmith having a hard time dealing with his furnace. The cksmith stood tall and sturdy, his muscr frame hinting at years of hardbor. His weathered face bore the marks of countless hours spent amidst the heat and mes of the forge. His hands, rough and calloused, told the story of a lifetime of shaping and molding metal.


    His hair, thick and unkempt, cascaded around his face, partially hidden beneath a soot-stained leather cap. A thick beard covered his jawline, speckled with flecks of ash and metal filings. His deep-set eyes, glinting with a fiery determination, surveyed his workshop with a sense of annoyance.


    "Excuse me, mister, do you want a hand to keep your furnace going today?" Rain asked.


    "Go away. I don''t have time to deal with brats," The cksmith said.


    "I can use fire magic to make the furnace reach its true potential," Rain said and then pointed his hands at the furnace and made the mes dance a lot more strongly than before."


    The cksmith showed a look of surprise while looking at Rain, but soon he entered in his business mode. He had weapons to forge, and time was of the essence, so he hired Rain.

 Chapter 47 Blacksmith work

    Chapter 47 cksmith work


    In the end, Rain made one silver coin out of working the entire day in the furnace. He hated every moment of it, though. As expected, fire and he didn''t agree together. That wasn''t surprising, so Rain endured that since there were other benefits.


    Thanks to that, at least Rain learned that the world had more than just copper, silver, and gold coins. He saw people buying a bunch of things from the cksmith using fucking tinum coins¡­ and there were diamond coins too¡­ It seemed that he was in another world.


    Rain could buy three meals for his entire family with one silver coin. It wasn''t bad, but he needed more. In any case, Rain passed the money to his mother to use half of it to pay the people that gave them food until now and the other half for breakfast and lunch the next day.


    "You are red and have a bit of fever; where did you earn this money?" Leiah asked.


    "At the cksmith shop¡­ I probably won''t work there for a while, so don''t worry," Rain said and then sighed before going to bed since he was exhausted.


    On the next day, Rain walked the streets of the busy city; he sought out different jobs to earn a living. One day, he found work at an inn, doing tasks like carrying water, washing dishes, and serving customers. He moved swiftly among the crowded tables, making sure everyone had what they needed and wearing a friendly smile.


    Another time, Rain took on a job at a library. He spent his days cleaning, dusting shelves, and organizing books. He carefully handled the ancient manuscripts, gently wiping away the dust and returning them to their proper ces. The library became a tranquil and orderly space under his diligent care.


    Rain also tried his hand at aundry. He washed clothes in a big tub, scrubbing away stains and dirt. He hung the garments out to dry, making sure they were clean and fresh for their owners to wear.


    Through these simple tasks, Rain worked hard and adapted to various roles. Whether it was serving guests, tidying up a library, or washing clothes, he embraced each job with determination and a desire to make money faster. While he wasn''t doing that, at least he was keeping a low profile. At a times like these, he just had to be patient and notin since things could always get worse. In fact, most of the time Rain was thinking about that and it was quite tiresome.


    During those days, Rain waited for his grandparents to wake up and for him to hear news about his father. Neither of those happened¡­ in just one week, a lot of refugees left the inn, and Rain heard that some people had left the capital as well. The ce was quite annoying when you had low status, after all.


    "I guess I should pay a visit to the cksmith again; he should have realized by now that using my magic is a lot more useful than using special wood to increase the heat of the furnace," Rain thought. "Unless he epts to pay two silver coins, working there will only exhaust me too much."


    Rain headed to the cksmith shop, and he realized that a lot fewer people were paying attention to him. Before, he could see and hear people looking at him and whispering, but that changed. Now they didn''t care in one way or the other.


    "Mister, do you need help today as well?" Rain asked when he arrived at the cksmith shop.


    "You are finally here! Why didn''t youe before?" The cksmith asked. "I have been waiting; I should have paid you in advance then."


    "Other ces paid more money for my services, mister," Rain said. "Still, I am interested in cksmithing, but I can''t feed my mother and sisters with my interests alone. So, I am willing to work for you for a while if you pay me two silver coins per day."


    "That is even more we pay apprentices!" The rugged cksmith protested.


    challenge when he took on the task of working at the furnace. The intense heat and physical demands of the job pushed him to his limits. Sweat poured down his forehead "I don''t think that apprentices can help your furnace that much," Rain added.


    "... All right, I will pay you to work for me for a week; if you work well, you can keeping," The rugged cksmith said.


    "Much obliged," Rain said while bowing.


    Although the furnace was hell, at least Rain was gaining some extra money, and that wasn''t the only thing that was happening.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 300 experience points.)


    "Working on jobs that require a lot from me will give me a lot more experience, so I should take advantage of this ce," Rain thought. "Even though this is really tough."


    Despite Rain''s high stamina and well-trained body, he found himself facing a unique challenge when he took on the task of working at the furnace. The intense heat and physical demands of the job pushed him to his limits. Sweat poured down his forehead as he shoveled magic into the zing fire, feeding its insatiable hunger.


    The furnace seemed like an unforgiving beast, roaring with intensity and radiating waves of scorching heat. The searing temperature made it difficult for Rain to breathe, and his body longed for relief. But he pressed on, determined to ovee this trial.


    Despite the hardships, Rain realized that working at the furnace provided him with valuable experiences and elerated his growth on the human path. It tested his endurance, honed his physical strength, and taught him the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. Each day, he felt himself getting stronger, both physically and mentally, as he confronted the relentless heat and pushed himself beyond his limits.


    Just when Rain finally managed to get a good source of ie and solve one problem, his grandfather woke up, and things didn''t look good.

 Chapter 48 Reasons and Farewell

    Chapter 48 Reasons and Farewell


    Each day, the burden upon Leiah''s shoulders seemed to grow heavier, and yet she bore it with a strength that astonished everyone who crossed her path. Her love for her husband and family were the driving forces behind her unyielding dedication. As she tended to their ailments, she often found herself contemting the preciousness of life and the fragility of health.


    In the depths of the night, when the vige slumbered, Leiah would sit by her husband''s parents'' bedside, softly humming soothing melodies that seemed to weave a sense of tranquility into the air. Day and night, Leiah tirelessly watched over them, monitoring their frail breaths and administering whatever remedies she could find. Her face etched with concern, Leiah meticulously tended to their every need. She carefully adjusted their pillows, ensuring they were positioned for maximumfort. She fed them spoonfuls of nourishing broths and whispered words of encouragement, hoping that her presence alone would provide some measure of sce.


    Leiah''s unwavering faith in the power of love was not just a blind hope; it was a profound belief that she held in the very core of her being. She had witnessed love''s transformative abilities before, as it had mended broken hearts, bridged divides, and brought light to the darkest corners of the world. And now, with her family''s lives hanging in the bnce, she held on to that belief with unshakable resolve... it was a bit cringe, but it was romantic as well... Rain felt his skin crawling while thinking of that, though.


    "Rain, your grandfather woke up and wants to talk with you," Leiah said when Rain returned after another exhausting day at work.


    Rain''s eyes widened as he took in the sight of his grandparents, their once robust figures reduced to mere skin and bones. The effects of the poison were evident, and it was hard to ignore the stark transformation they had undergone. Although Rain had never been particrly close to his grandparents, their strict and rigid nature often putting a strain on their rtionship, he couldn''t help but feel a surge of anger rise within him.


    A mixture of emotions swirled within Rain''s chest as he gazed upon their frail forms. On the one hand, there was a lingering resentment stemming from their overly rigid and traditional ways that had often shed with Rain''s family. But beneath that resentmenty a deep-rooted frustration, a sense of injustice that anyone should have to suffer in such a manner.


    As Rain stood there, his anger mingled with a tinge of guilt. Despite their differences, they were still his grandparents, and a part of him couldn''t help but wish things had been different between them. He pondered the unfairness of the situation, wondering why fate had dealt such a cruel hand to his family.


    "Sit down," Roswall said while looking at the ceiling. "I can tell that we won''t live for another week. Leo is no fool, and considering his allies, I can tell that we have been poisoned by some rare poison that humans can''t fight back with our current medicine and magic."


    Rain wished that he could say that it wasn''t the case, but he couldn''t. His grandfather was no fool either, and there was no point in trying to lie to him on his deathbed. It was better to be respectful and realistic.


    "Once they realized our deaths, those around us made their moves. They are already considering what they will do if our sons die as well," Roswall said while looking at his unconscious wife. "They should have received offers to join other noble families as part of them in one way or the other. As wives, concubines, and sons inw¡­, they are just waiting for the results at Tristan. We raised them well to survival in this politicalndscape."


    As he observed their feeble forms, he couldn''t shake off the awareness that his grandparents had lived their lives with a different worldview, one that shed with his own. But now, in this solemn moment, Rain couldn''t deny the strength of character it took to stay true to their beliefs, even when faced with imminent death.


    They respected their path and ancestors, and that was why they decided to follow in the same footsteps, to the point that they didn''t think that they didn''t do anything wrong. Despite their current situation, their family became one of the most important in the kingdom, and that speaks for itself.


    In their final moments, their weathered faces etched with pain, Rain found himself appreciating the resolve they had shown throughout their lives. Their steadfastness had be a part of their legacy, leaving an indelible mark on Rain''s understanding of determination and loyalty.


    Respect mingled with the frustration that had once characterized their rtionship. Rain understood that their convictions were born out of a lifetime of experiences shaped by their upbringing, culture, and personal beliefs. While he still believed that their worldview was wed and limited, he acknowledged the strength it took to hold onto those beliefs until the end.


    One didn''t have to ept their choices and lifestyle without thinking twice, but it was hard not respect them for it. Even now, when the end was unavoidable, Rain''s grandfather still didn''t change his mind about his life and choices. Not many people could do the same in his position.


    "I am grateful for you and your mother and sisters for looking after me; I want to depart alongside with my wife, she is getting worse faster, and I don''t want to leave her alone on the other side," Roswall said. "I am sure that my sons will recover our home and rebuild our family. However, if that weren''t to happen, you need to leave the capital and live your own lives. You will be a chess piece for others with your talent and blood. And you don''t look like you would enjoy that. Head West and keep a low profile; go live with the parents of your mother until you have the strength to protect those you love. Live strong, Rainendall."


    Roswall closed his eyes and never opened them again¡­

 Chapter 49 Information Control

    Chapter 49 Information Control


    Five days passed, and Rain''s grandparents sumbed to the relentless grip of illness, joining their ancestors in the realm beyond. It was a heartbreaking blow for Rain, for despite the difficult rtionship he had with them, they were still family. With their departure, Rain and his small family were left to face the harsh reality of loss once more.


    In the midst of their grief, Rain and his remaining kin mustered every ounce of strength to honor their grandparents'' memory. With their limited resources, they scraped together enough funds to give their beloved elders a proper farewell. The meager sum barely covered the essentials, but Rain was determined to pay his respects, even if it meant making sacrifices elsewhere.


    The somber procession to the burial grounds felt like a solemn march, the weight of their sorrow palpable in the air. However, the ordeal was far from over. The cloud of misfortune that shrouded Rain''s family had taken its toll on their standing in themunity. The once suspiciously warm interactions with neighbors and acquaintances turned cold, reced by a cautious distance. News of their misfortunes spread like wildfire, and no one wanted to risk associating themselves with a family seemingly cursed by tragedy.


    With heavy hearts, Rain, his mother, and his sisters found themselves uprooted from the familiar confines of the inn. The inn that had once weed them with open arms became tainted with the lingering whispers of hardship. Doors closed, opportunities dwindled, and their desperation grew with each rejection. They were left with no choice but to seek refuge elsewhere, away from the judging gazes and whispered judgments.


    The search for a new inn proved arduous, their journey through the streets a stark reminder of their newfound social stigma. Doors mmed shut, innkeepers turned them away, and the glimmers of hope grew dim. It seemed that no one wanted to risk getting entangled with Rain''s family, fearing the specter of misfortune might seep into their own lives.


    "Mom, you can use a bit of mana, right?" Rain asked. "Now that we don''t have the backing of the Lonard family''s head, we need to be careful here until Father returns. Use the magic staves if something happens while I am working. I think you also should start educating Dana and Kei in things like reading and writing. You never know when that will be useful."


    "Right¡­ sorry for making you carry this weight alone," Leiah said while showing a tired smile.


    "It is nothing, we just have to do our parts, and we don''t have to expose ourselves too much while I work outside alone," Rain said.


    Truth be told, Leiah was the one who had the hardest since she also had the memories of losing her home twice and seeing her husband going to war who knows how many times¡­ he also had to endure the girls asking for their Father. Rain wouldn''t be able to endure that¡­ the mes of the furnace seemed lukewarm ifpared to it.


    While Rain was working with Lotto, the rugged cksmith, he was learning a lot, and he was hoping that such knowledge would make him earn more money in the future. With every passing day, he absorbed the intricate details of the craft, honing his skills and expanding his understanding.


    He learned the art of sharpening weapons, carefully running the stone across the de, each stroke enhancing its keenness and edge. With diligent patience, he transformed dull and worn weapons into gleaming instruments of war.


    Polishing armor became another facet of his expertise. From leather to te, Rain dedicated himself to restoring the luster and shine of battle-worn protection. His hands glided over the surfaces, buffing away imperfections and revealing the underlying brilliance. With every stroke, he breathed new life into the armor, ensuring its durability and functionality on the battlefield.


    The heart of the cksmith''s realm was within the forge, a ce of heat and transformation. Rain delved deep into the process, learning the intricacies of manipting metal with fire and force. He witnessed the raw materials morphing under the intense heat, their malleability giving birth to new creations. From the rhythmic pounding of the hammer to the mesmerizing dance of the mes, he became one with the forge.


    But his education didn''t stop there. Rain eagerly absorbed the knowledge of appraising ores, learning to discern their quality and potential. He studied the subtle nuances of color, texture, andposition, understanding the significance of each element. With a trained eye, he could identify the worth and usability of different ores, making informed decisions in their acquisition and utilization. It was all theory, of course.


    "There are a lot of things to learn, but in times of war, military and medicine advance at leaps and bounds," Rain thought.


    Two weeks had passed since Rain hadst seen his Father, and it was around the time his grandparents passed away. Despite that, the next two weeks passed even faster, and the news about the war to recover Tristan wasn''t spreading at all.


    "This is odd," Rain thought. "I need to find an exnation and reason for this... without knowledge, we will only be controlled by others."


    There could be several reasons why people might not have heard much about the war. The authorities or those in power could be actively suppressing news and information about the war. They might control the rumors and limit the dissemination of any reports or updates to maintain control over the narrative and prevent panic or unrest among the general poption.


    The government or warring factions could be manipting the information avable to the public. They might disseminate propaganda or control the narrative to shape public opinion and maintain control over the dissemination of news rted to the war.


    People may be preupied with their daily lives or other pressing issues, leading to ack of attention or interest in the war. They might prioritize their immediate concerns over understanding or engaging with news from conflict zones. Either way, none of those were good¡­

 Chapter 50 The Fourth

    50 The Fourth


    Although something like that had happened before, Rain didn''t like the idea that his Father didn''t send a single piece of news in one month. Over the course of the next weeks, he tried to think of ways to contact him, but that didn''t work. At the same time, Rain could feel some people following him when he left the inn that they were using and keeping an eye on his mother and sisters.


    "It seems someone is nning to make a move regarding us soon¡­" Rain thought.


    Tristan was only two days away¡­ it wasn''t like before; Roan should have sent a letter or two by now. Unless he couldn''t¡­ someone was stopping him. At the same time, it was weird that none of those three asked for the conditions of their parents.


    In a few weeks, Rain will have enough money to buy a horse¡­ while riding one was too much for him, his mother probably could ride and then check things with Roan, but that was too dangerous¡­ it seemed that trouble and Rain would walk side by side now and forever.


    "Maybe we all should go together and meet him and then escape to somewhere else¡­ with my earth magic, I should be able to build a stone house anywhere, and little by little we can get or make the other things," Rain thought.


    Rain wanted to avoid the problems and the political upheaval after the war since they couldn''t do much without the Lonard family head. However, they still had some political value thanks to their name and blood.


    Rain could seek refuge in a neutral territory or a region that was not directly affected by the war. Finding a safe haven where political tensions are rtively low can provide him with a temporary respite from the turmoil.


    Rain and his family might choose to adopt a new identity and blend into a differentmunity. This could involve changing his name, appearance, and background to avoid being recognized or targeted by factions involved in the political upheaval.


    There might be undergroundworks or resistance movements that offer support and assistance to individuals seeking to escape political turmoil. Rain could try to establish contacts within theseworks to gain guidance and resources for a safe escape.


    If the political upheaval extends beyond national borders, Rain could consider seeking asylum in a foreign country. This would involve navigating immigration processes and demonstrating a well-founded fear of persecution or danger if he were to return to his home country.


    "All those options seemed troublesome¡­ I guess I will have to talk with Mother," Rain thought. "We need to prepare for all possible oues."


    After another day of hard work in the cksmith shop, Rain truly was looking forward to his bed. Still, he didn''t even have the chance to rx once he arrived at the inn since he noticed some troublesome things. The ce was filled with people, and a lot of them were looking at him with eyes of suspicion.


    When Rain arrived in their room, he decided to talk with his mother about the situation until he saw her unconscious on the ground while holding a letter.


    "Shit, shit! What now?" Rain thought while looking around and then saw Dana and Kei sleeping on the bed.


    Rain checked his mother, but he didn''t find any signs of wounds. It didn''t seem like she had been poisoned either, so he moved her to the bed and then decided to read the letter.


    My Dearest Family,


    I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to share some updates and thoughts with you in these difficult times. Firstly, I regret to inform you that I have received news of my parents'' passing. It saddens me deeply, and I know it must be hard for all of us to ept their loss.


    As the war continues, we face countless challenges and uncertainties. It is a trying period for everyone involved. I must admit that I do not know what the future holds, and the oue of this conflict is far from certain. It is a harsh reality that weighs heavily on my mind.


    In light of these circumstances, I suggest that you seek refuge with Leiah''s parents. Their home provides a safe haven, away from the dangers of the war. I understand the difficulties of being separated, but I believe it is the best course of action to ensure your safety.


    If fate allows, and I manage to survive this turmoil, I will make my way to join you there. Our reunion would be a moment of both joy and sadness as we mourn the losses we have endured and celebrate being together again.


    Please take care of yourselves and find sce in the support of Leiah''s family. Remember, we are bound by love and will remain connected, even in the face of adversity. Keep hope alive in your hearts, and remember that brighter days wille.


    You are always in my thoughts, and I pray for your well-being and safety. Stay strong, my dear family, and know that we will weather this storm together.


    With love,


    [Roan]


    "... He didn''t confident in his survival, but it doesn''t mean that it is set in stone," Rain thought. "Dad knows that we are in danger by staying here, so we should move. I want to rescue him even if by force if I have to, but I don''t think that he will run from the battlefield¡­ he knows that we can''t lose any morend, and he swore that he would fight to the death to defend the kingdom."


    Rain looked at his mother, and he could imagine what she felt when she read the letter¡­ Roan probably used some not ordinary methods to make the letter reach them after such a long time. It was a sign that he didn''t have many hopes, to begin with.


    Still, the problems were just starting¡­ Rain realized that his mother''s belly was bigger than he recalled¡­ she was pregnant yet again.

 Chapter 51 Escaping

    51 Escaping


    Rain''s face twisted into a mixture of disbelief and sadness as he stared at his mother''s growing belly. He couldn''t help but let out an exasperated sigh and rub his temples, his hand sliding down his face in a facepalm gesture.


    It seemed that no matter the circumstances or the chaos surrounding them, his mother had a knack for bing pregnant at the most inconvenient times. It was as if fate yed a cruel joke, adding anotheryer ofplexity to their already tumultuous lives. Rain couldn''t help but wonder why it always seemed to happen this way.


    While he loved his siblings dearly, the timing of this new addition to the family couldn''t have been worse. The war was raging on, their grandparents had passed away, and they were constantly on the move, seeking safety and stability. The thought of another child adding to their already challenging situation only added to Rain''s overwhelming sense of weight on his shoulders.


    "You have to return to us, Dad¡­ you have to," Rain thought. "This is too much for me to handle alone and Mom is already too burdened looking after those two... I suppose waiting for the situation to resolve itself isn''t good."


    Rain moved around the small room while making dinner, the scent of simmering stew filling the air. As he stirred the pot, his mind was elsewhere, deep in thought and contemtion. The weight of their circumstances pressed heavily upon him, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that staying in the capital any longer would only bring more challenges and uncertainty.


    His hands moved mechanically, chopping vegetables and adding spices to the pot. Still, his thoughts were consumed by the idea of leaving that very night. The capital had lost its allure, its once-promising opportunities tainted by the harsh realities they had faced. It no longer felt like a safe haven or a ce of refuge.


    As he ted the meal, Rain''s determination solidified. He couldn''t ignore the nagging voice in his mind urging him to take action, to find a new path for his family away from the capital''s turmoil. The risks were high, the road uncertain, but he couldn''t bear the thought of staying trapped in a ce that offered little hope.


    After not so long, the girls woke up, and the scent of the meal also woke up Leiah, but she didn''t look like she wanted to eat. It looked like she had given up on all hope.


    "Mom, it is too soon to give up," Rain dered while he was helping Dana eat her dinner. "I will take us from the city, and once I find a ce safe enough for all of you, I will look for Dad. Knowing how stubborn he is, he will only ept once the troops begin to retreat, but I will be sure to keep him alive."


    Leiah sat at the edge of her bed, a mix of emotions swirling within her. Her gaze drifted to the closed door, beyond which Rain was taking care of his sisters and shouldering responsibilities that no child his age should have to bear. The weight of the world seemed to rest upon his young shoulders, and it troubled her deeply.


    A sigh escaped Leiah''s lips as she grappled with conflicting feelings. On the one hand, she was immensely proud of Rain for his maturity, strength, and unwavering dedication to their family. He had be their rock, their pir of support in these tumultuous times. But on the other hand, a twinge of sadness tugged at her heart.


    She couldn''t shake the feeling that Rain''s potential was being stifled, that their circumstances were holding him back from fully realizing his dreams and aspirations. Leiah yearned for her son to experience the carefree joys of childhood, to have the opportunity to explore and grow without the burden of constant worry and responsibility.


    "... We should leave tonight, right?" Leiah asked after she pped her cheeks a bit. "I suppose I can at least keep myposure in order not to burden you further. You must have taken after your grandparents a lot to be this responsible and reliable at your age."


    "I also got my good looks from my mother and impatience from my father," Rain shrugged. "Let''s fill our bellies as much as we can since the trip mightst for a while, and we can''t take many breaks."


    The room was filled with a mix of anticipation and unease, as they all knew that the midnight hour marked a significant turning point. The decision had been made - they would leave the capital under the cover of darkness, seeking a new path, a new beginning.


    The atmosphere grew quieter as they savored thest bites of their meal. Each member of the family was lost in their own thoughts, contemting the unknown journey thaty ahead. Leiah nced at Rain, his face etched with determination, and a sense of pride welled up within her. Despite the uncertainties, he remained resolute, ready to lead them to a better future.


    Leiah stood by the window, her gaze fixed on the streets below. She carefully observed the passersby, assessing the situation outside their room. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for any signs of trouble. To her relief, everything seemed calm and undisturbed. The bustling city carried on with its usual rhythm, oblivious to the imminent departure of their small family.


    Satisfied that it was safe to proceed, Leiah turned to her children and nodded, a silent signal that the time hade. Rain, with his innate mastery over earth magic, created a sturdy tform beneath their feet. The ground beneath them rumbled as an earthy ledge rose, forming a stable surface to carry them on their journey.


    With a mix of excitement and trepidation, the family stepped onto the earth''s tform. It held firm, responding to Rain''smand, carrying them aloft. They floated above the city streets, their view expanding as they soared into the night.

 Chapter 52 Journey

    52 Journey


    Rain didn''t try to move that fast since he knew that it would scare his sisters; he also didn''t wanted to make a lot of noise. At the same time, using mana slowly was more efficient for some reason.


    Despite that, Rain tried to fly as high as possible in order to make it impossible for them to be noticed by the people below. Some guards and people that enjoyed the night in the capital were still awake and walking around, so all the caution was necessary.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 300 experience points.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 80: Healer Path - Unlocked due to the development of healing skills and knowledge of herbal remedies. This path centers around the art of healing, medical knowledge, and providing aid to others.


    Level 1: Basic First Aid - Provides knowledge and training in basic first aid techniques, allowing the healer to administer immediate care for minor injuries and ailments and restore health.


    It seemed a weird moment for such a thing to happen, but Rain was thankful for it since he got three points in intelligence and six in wisdom. Since he imagined that such a thing might happen and they would have to escape the capital like that, he made some minor potions when he worked on ces without using his mana. Still, he only had three of them, and his mana was being quickly used. So, all the little extra mana was wee.


    "If I learn how to make medicine, I bet I can make a lot of money with the healer path, but I suppose people will be cautious of letting six years old kids take care of their diseases and wounds."


    In any case, fortunately enough, they reached the other side of the capital after ten minutes, and Rain only had to use one potion. Still, he decided to use another just to be safe and gain distance from the capital.


    Once theynded nearby, Rain began to carry the sleeping Dana on his back while Kei was in her mother''s arm. Without wasting time, they began to cross the dark road ahead.


    The darkness seemed to swallow their surroundings, and they could only rely on the faint glow of the moon to guide their way. Rain led the way, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.


    They walked cautiously, their footsteps barely audible on the worn-out path. The night air felt cool against their skin, and the asional breeze whispered through the trees, adding to the eerie atmosphere. They stayed close together, forming a protective circle as they moved forward.


    The road stretched ahead, disappearing into the unknown. It seemed to take them farther away from the city''s hustle and bustle toward a more secluded and uncertain future. Every step brought a mix of anticipation and worry, but they pressed on, driven by the hope for a better life. Still, things were too ominous to walk silently.


    "Mom, tell me about your homnd," Rain said.


    "I don''t think that it is the best of times, though¡­" Leiah twitched her head slightly. "Still¡­ it is a pretty unremarkable ce."


    Leiah reminisced about her family and the serene ce she called home. It was a quiet countryside adorned with vast stretches of green fields and dotted with humble farmhouses. Life there was simple but fulfilling, with the rhythm of nature dictating the pace of each day.


    As she shared her memories, Leiah''s eyes lit up with nostalgia. She spoke of endless afternoons spent ying by the tranquil river, its gentle current soothing their youthful spirits. Theughter of children echoed through the air as they sshed in the cool waters, their worries washed away by the simple joy of being alive.


    Leiah painted a vivid picture of thendscape, describing the rolling hills that embraced their vige like protective arms. The fields stretched far and wide, kissed by the golden rays of the sun, inviting her family to work thend with their hands. They toiled alongside their neighbors, nting seeds and nurturing crops that would eventually grace their tables.


    "It seemed like the perfect ce for a new and calmer start," Rain thought.


    Rain''s mind wandered as he listened to Leiah''s vivid recollections of her family and the peaceful countryside she called home. In his heart, he felt a growing conviction that it would be the perfect ce to raise his sisters and their newest sibling.


    The thought of a ce filled with vast farms and a slower, simpler way of life appealed to Rain. He envisioned his sisters running freely through the fields, theirughter mingling with the songs of birds. It was a ce where they could experience the beauty of nature, where their young minds could be nurtured by the tranquility that surrounded them.


    Money, Rain thought, was not his primary concern. He had seen enough of the world''s hardships and the destructive power of war. Instead, his focus shifted toward providing his family with a safe haven. In this ce, they could grow and flourish, shielded from the chaos of the outside world¡­ for as long as possible.


    Throughout the night, Rain used the earth tform whenever possible to make them gain speed and also to rest their legs. While they didn''t have much with them, it was still tiresome to travel like that. Rain was tired thanks to that day of work, and his mother was pregnant for two months. Those were some other factors that made him weary of their fatigue.


    Still, they managed to keep going until morning. They decided to take a short break until the girls woke up behind some trees five hundred meters away from the road. Despite that, Leiah quickly fell asleep, and Rain was forced to keep his eyes wide open by stopping his eyelids from closing. He had to endure that until his mother woke up.

 Chapter 53 Borrowing forever

    53 Borrowing forever


    The days passed by smoothly as the group ventured through the countryside. Their journey remained rtively uneventful, with the asional encounter of fellow travelers crossing their path. Rain and his family, dressed in humble attire, blended seamlessly into thendscape, appearing like any other group of peasants on the move.


    Travelers woulde and go, their paths converging with Rain''s group for a fleeting moment before continuing on their own way. Some exchanged brief nods or polite greetings, while others walked past without sparing a second nce. It was somewhat frustrating to be dismissed as mere peasants. Still, at the same time, it provided them with the perfect disguise¡ªan inconspicuous cloak that shielded their true identities.


    Rain understood the necessity of maintaining a low profile. In a world filled with uncertainty and potential dangers, anonymity became their greatest ally. By appearing like any othermon folk, they avoided drawing unnecessary attention and kept their intentions hidden from prying eyes.


    ording to Leiah, her hometown was ten days away from the capital and five days away from the border. It seemed that the human territory wasn''t thatrge¡­ since they were the weakest species, they tended to lose their territories often.


    "I should have studied the story more deeply instead of just waiting for the instructors, now, I am not bound by anyone else''s rules, but I lost a golden chance to obtain a lot of knowledge," Rain thought.


    On the fifth day of their arduous journey, Rain and his family stumbled upon a quaint vige nestled amidst the rolling hills. Leiah, taking the lead as their guide, wore a calm and determined expression on her face. The vige seemed like an unexpected discovery, prompting Rain to wonder why she had intentionally led them here.


    As they entered the vige, a sense of tranquility enveloped them. The narrow streets were lined with cozy cottages, their windows adorned with colorful flowers. The air carried theforting scent of freshly baked bread and the distant sound ofughter. It was a stark contrast to the tumultuous world they had left behind.


    Rain nced at Leiah, his curiosity piqued by her choice to bring them to this particr vige. Her eyes, filled with a mixture of nostalgia and determination, hinted at a deeper reason behind their arrival. He couldn''t help but question her intentions, silently contemting the significance of this ce.


    Leiah looked around as if she was looking for someone, but it didn''t seem like she had recognized anyone. She probably had some acquaintances there, but Rain wondered if leaving their trails at such a ce was a good idea.


    "Mom, do you really think that it is a good idea to make ourselves known here?" Rain asked.


    "It is fine; this ce doesn''t have many guards, we will only find farms ahead, and the dangers are minimal. On this side, we share borders with the demi-humans, and they are mostly peaceful."


    Leiah''s past as the daughter of a merchant came to light as Rain delved deeper into their conversation. She revealed that this vige held significant memories for her, having apanied her father on numerous trading expeditions in her youth. It was a ce she had grown fond of, where she had formed connections with the locals and forged friendships.


    Leiah''s intention in bringing them to this vige was not only to seek sce and stability but also to reunite with people from her past. She had hoped to find familiar faces, thepanions she had sharedughter and stories with during her previous visits. However, much to her disappointment, she discovered that the individuals she sought had long since moved on, leaving the vige behind.


    While it was a pity, Leiah epted that as a sign that perhaps she should really keep a low profile until they reached her parent''s house. Still, before they left the vige, they heard a few rumors.


    The vigers gathered in small groups, exchanged stories, and shared thetest news. The war, it seemed, was a topic that held both fascination and concern for them.


    Whispers spread about the prowess of the enemy forces and how they had managed to withstand the onught of the royal army. There were murmurs of surprise and even admiration for the enemy''s resilience. Some vigers spected on the reasons behind the royal army''s inability to inflict significant damage, questioning the strategies employed or the strength of their forces.


    Rumors mingled with facts, creating a tapestry of uncertainty and doubt. Some dismissed the royal army''s efforts as futile, while others held onto hope, believing that a turning point would soone. The war''s impact rippled through the vige, casting shadows of anxiety and apprehension upon its inhabitants.


    "This certainly didn''t help us in improving our mood," Rain thought. "Also, more problems lie ahead."


    As Rain contemted the path ahead, a surge of concern washed over him. The idea of leaving his mother and sisters behind while embarking on a journey to find his father seemed fraught with risks. His family''s safety and well-being weighed heavily on his mind, tugging at his heart with every thought. His father wouldn''t approve of that¡­ Roan didn''t have to teach much to Rain, but one thing that he insisted on was the knighthood code.


    Knights are expected to disy bravery and valor in the face of adversity. They are called to protect the weak, defend the innocent, and face danger without faltering. Rain wasn''t a knight, but he was a man and the son of a knight¡­ that became a guard, but he was a knight at some point.


    Knights are bound by a strong sense of honor and integrity. They are expected to uphold their word, be truthful, and act with honesty and fairness in all their dealings. Knights are expected to be loyal to their lord,rades, and chosen cause. They must demonstrate unwavering loyalty andmitment to those they serve and the ideals they uphold.


    Knights are the enforcers of justice and are expected to act with righteousness. They are to protect the innocent, punish wrongdoers, and ensure fairness in all matters. Knights are to be courteous and respectful in their interactions with others. They are expected to show kindness, generosity, and good manners towards all, especially those of lower social standing.


    Knights are to exhibit qualities of nobility in their actions and behavior. This includes acting with grace, humility, and dignity, as well as showingpassion and empathy towards others. Knights are dedicated to serving others, whether it be their lord, theirmunity, or the greater good. They are expected to be selfless and ce the needs of others above their own.


    As usual, it was a bunch of stiff rules.

 Chapter 54 Back home

    54 Back home


    Rain and his family continued their journey through the countryside, passing by vast stretches of fertilend and picturesque farms. Thendscape seemed to stretch endlessly, with rolling hills and expansive fields as far as the eye could see. They traveled along dusty roads, asionally crossing paths with other travelers. Still, for the most part, they were surrounded by the serene beauty of nature.


    As they ventured further into the countryside, the frequency of viges dwindled. Instead, they encountered more and more farms, each with its own distinct charm. The air was filled with the scent of freshly plowed soil and the sounds of chirping birds. The simplicity and tranquility of rural life embraced them, offering a respite from the tumultuous events they had left behind in the capital.


    With each passing day, Rain felt a growing sense of peace and contentment in the countryside. The vast open spaces, the slower pace of life, and the closeness to nature provided a healing balm for their weary souls. They found sce in the simplicity of their surroundings and the genuine warmth of the people they encountered along the way.


    The only problem that they faced was the fact that Dana and Kei kept asking for Roan¡­ it was really heartbreaking when Rain heard them calling for their papa so often. Even Kei, who was quite quiet, missed Roan a lot.


    "Papa will join uster, don''t worry," Leiah said.


    At the end of those five days, they finally saw a small vige ahead, and it seemed that they were walking right toward it. Rain looked at his mother, and she showed a look of nostalgia. It seemed that she was back at her first home.


    "Mom, I think we should find your parents and theny low for a while," Rain said. "Talking with your acquaintances will make some rumors spread, even if the people of the vige are your friends."


    "Yes, I suppose so¡­ let''s hide our faces and then head to my parent''s home," Leiah said, and then the group used some pieces of cloth as hoods to hide their faces.


    The vige was known for its agricultural prosperity, and it was evident in the scenes that unfolded before their eyes. Teams of horses, led by hardworking farmers, skillfully transported heavy loads of golden grains from the fields to the nearby storage areas. The horses, their muscles glistening with sweat, moved in unison as if guided by an invisible conductor. It was a symphony ofbor, a testament to the vige''s reliance on agriculture.


    Rain and his family stood by the side, captivated by the sight. They watched the farmers meticulously unload the grains, carefully stacking them inrge, sturdy storage structures. The rhythmic movements of the farmers, the ttering of wagon wheels, and the gentle rustling of grain filled the air, creating a sense of purpose and productivity.


    The vige was a charming sight, nestled amidst the peaceful countryside. It had a simple yet prosperous atmosphere, with neat streets winding between cozy houses. The buildings were made of sturdy materials like wood and stone, showcasing a rustic charm. Colorful flowers adorned windowsills, adding a touch of vibrancy to the scene.


    At the heart of the vige was a lively square bustling with activity. Locals went about their daily routines, engaging in conversations and going about their chores. A majestic oak tree stood tall in the center, providing shade and a gathering spot for the vigers.


    The vige thrived on its self-sufficiency, with various trades and crafts contributing to its livelihood. There were cksmiths skillfully shaping metal, weavers crafting textiles, and potters molding y into beautiful pottery. The air was often filled with the delightful aroma of freshly baked bread from the vige bakery, tempting passersby with itsforting scent.


    Fields of lush greenery surrounded the vige, where farmers diligently cultivated crops. Golden wheat swayed in the gentle breeze while rows of vegetables thrived under the nurturing sun. Animals grazed in nearby meadows, adding to the vige''s livelihood. Sheep peacefully grazed, their wooly coats glistening, and cowszily chewed on the grass.


    Rain and his family made their way towards the secondrgest house in the vige, guided by Leiah''s familiarity with the area. The house stood prominently, a two-story structure with a sturdy timber frame and walls made of sun-bleached stone. Its roof was covered with y tiles, providing protection from the elements.


    The house exuded an air of prosperity, its well-maintained exterior showcasing the wealth of its upants. Flowering vines adorned the walls, adding a touch of natural beauty. The front yard was neatlyndscaped, with carefully trimmed bushes and a path leading to the grand entrance.


    Surrounding the house, there were several warehouses, each marked with the names of different merchants and traders. These warehouses served as storage spaces for goods waiting to be sold or transported. Stacks of crates and barrels could be seen, containing variousmodities such as grains, textiles, and other valuable items.


    Leiah took a deep breath while looking at the ce; it looked like she had some issues with her family as well. Rain recalled that she didn''t talk much about them, after all.


    Entering the house, they were greeted by a spacious foyer adorned with tasteful decorations and fine furnishings. The interior reflected the wealth and taste of its inhabitants, with intricately carved wooden furniture, elegant tapestries adorning the walls, and polished floors that gleamed under the soft glow of oilmps.


    Leiah''s father, being responsible for managing the storage and distribution of goods, had an office within the house. It was a room filled with shelves, ledgers, and maps where he meticulously recorded and tracked the flow of goods. His desk was cluttered with documents and quills, a testament to his dedication and attention to detail.


    When they approached the room, Leiah hesitated in knocking at the door again. Still, soon he heard some footstepsing from the side, and then she looked to the side and saw a middle-aged woman carrying some papers with her. She looked a lot like Leiah¡­

 Chapter 55 Bad News

    55 Bad News


    Leiah''s mother had a gentle and kind presence that radiated warmth andpassion. She possessed a serene beauty that was entuated by her soft features and warm brown eyes. Her hair, streaked with strands of silver, fell gracefully around her shoulders, a testament to the passage of time and the wisdom she had gained.


    She dressed in simple yet elegant clothing, favoring earthy tones thatplemented her nurturing nature. A long, flowing skirt and a loose-fitting blouse adorned her slender frame, allowing freedom of movement as she went about her daily tasks. Over her attire, she often wore a shawl or wrap, adding an extrayer offort and protection against the elements.


    "Can we help you? Are you a refugee of the war?" Leiah''s mother asked.


    Leiah began to tremble a little, but soon she revealed her face and showed an expression with a few tears. Her mother dropped her papers due to the surprise and then covered her mouth before dashing and hugging her daughter.


    "Leiah! You are back!" Leiah''s mother said. "I am so d!"


    In that heartfelt moment, the air seemed to hold a mixture of joy, relief, and the bittersweet recognition of the passage of time. They held each other, their tears mingling, and whispered words of love and gratitude for their reunion.


    Themotion and emotion in the house caught the attention of Leiah''s father, who hurriedly made his way from his office. His footsteps quickened, and when he left the room, his eyes widened with surprise and delight. Seeing his wife and daughter locked in a heartfelt embrace, he couldn''t help but smile, his own eyes moist with unshed tears.


    Without a word, he joined the embrace,pleting the circle of their reunion. The room filled with a mixture ofughter and happy tears as the family held each other, cherishing the precious moment of being together again.


    At that moment, time seemed to stand still, and the worries and challenges of the outside world faded into insignificance. The love and connection between them were palpable, strengthening their resolve to weather any storm thaty ahead.


    As they held each other, their embrace spoke of the unbreakable bond that family shares, a bond that transcends distance and time. They knew that, in the embrace of their loved ones, they had found a sanctuary, a ce where they could find sce and support no matter what challenges they faced.


    "We need to head to another ce, I am expecting some people, and we can''t let them know that you returned," Leiah''s father said. "Go to the guest room for the time being; I will wrap things up quickly here."


    Leiah''s father, a tall and sturdy man, stepped into the ce with a confident stride. His presencemanded attention, and his warm smile immediately put those around him at ease. His face, weathered by years of hard work and experience, bore the marks Dressed in practical attire befitting a man of business, he wore a well-worn but neatly pressed shirt and trousers. His hands, strong and calloused from years ofbor, spoke of his dedication andmitment to his work.


    It seemed that his other grandfather was pretty smart, too, or maybe quick to recover from his emotions. Either way, both of the grandparents smiled warmly while looking at their grandchildren; it was the first time that they had seen them, after all. Leiah never mentioned having brothers or sisters, so perhaps they were the first.


    Once they were in the guest room, Leiah told his mother what happened. It seemed that Luana and Meiro had heard a few things thanks to their profession. They knew a lot of merchants, so gathering intel for them was easy, even though the war was weeks away.


    "We have some friends that are delivering supplies in the war, and they pass some messages to us, and we pass to others; we have been watching things from afar¡­ and we know that you and your family had escaped," Luana said while looking at Rain, Dana who was sleeping using her brother''s shoulders as a pillow and Kei who was on her mother''s arms sleeping as well. "The trip was tough on you all, but it seems that little Rain here is a tough nut to crack."


    Little Rain¡­ that made him feel like rolling his eyes so many times, but he decided to avoid that since he could worry about his prideter.


    "We told our friends to help your husband if they could, but it is hard¡­ he is always fighting in the frontlines. Our friends can barely approach them," Luana said. "I can tell that he is avoiding contact because he wants to take responsibility for the incident and doesn''t want to have the chance to escape if he fails. He is nning to solve the problem or go down with it in order to spare you all of future repercussions."


    As Rain thought About his father''s approach to the war, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease. While he understood his father''s determination and his desire to protect their family and reim their homnd, he couldn''t help but question the recklessness of his methods.


    In Rain''s mind, there was a nagging concern that his father''s approachcked consideration for the potential consequences and the impact it could have on their family. The idea of going all out, risking everything, and potentially sacrificing himself to solve the problem seemed overly egoistic.


    While Rain admired his father''s bravery and unwavering determination, he couldn''t help but question whether there might be alternative paths to achieve their goals. He pondered the idea of finding a solution that would not only secure their family''s safety but also create a more sustainable andsting peace.


    In his heart, Rain knew that protecting his family meant more than just winning a war. It meant considering their emotional well-being, their future, and the legacy they would leave behind. He believed in finding a solution that would ensure their safety withoutpromising their integrity or sacrificing unnecessary lives.

 Chapter 56 Only one way

    Chapter 56 Only one way


    Through his grandmother''s insights, Rain discovered that the enemies recognized the strategic advantage of controlling Tristan. Its capture would not only grant them a strong position from which tounch further attacks but also disrupt the supply lines and weaken human resistance in the region.


    Rain realized that understanding the enemy''s focus on Tristan was crucial for formting effective counterstrategies. He came to appreciate the value of having awork of merchants who could gather valuable intelligence from various sources. The merchants'' ability to travel across different regions allowed them to observe and report on enemy movements, troop deployments, and other vital information.


    Thiswork of merchants became a valuable asset in acquiring timely and urate intelligence about the enemy''s ns and actions. It provided a broader perspective and helped Rain and his family to make informed decisions regarding their own strategies and movements.


    Before long, Leiro joined them and then checked things again; he didn''t think that he was truly seeing his daughter and grandkids. He didn''t say that, but it was clear that he wished that he could have helped them sooner, but moving to the capital was tough, and it was too risky for everyone.


    "Luana should have updated you about everything by now; you did welling here with four kids," Meiro said. "Leave the rest to us, we will bring your husband here, and then we will think of something to avoid problems after the war."


    "I didn''t do even half of the work, Rain here is very talented; if it weren''t for him, we still would be at the capital," Leiah said while messing with Rain''s hair and making him wonder why everyone liked to do that. "He can use magic, and he is very level-headed; he wants to bring back his father as well, with his magic; that should be possible."


    "... We will need to do some tests for that, but that can wait," Meiro said while studying his weird quiet grandson. "Just rest until night, and then we will move you all to our house while no one is aware of it."


    Rain acknowledged the importance of rest after the arduous journey and the weight of their recent experiences. He understood the value of taking a moment to recharge his own physical and mental strength, as well as that of his family. However, alongside the need for rest, another pressing matter weighed heavily on his mind: the rescue of his father, Roan.


    Rain realized that time was of the essence. The longer Roan remained in the war, the greater the risk to his safety and well-being. Moreover, the journey back to the area would undoubtedly be a lengthy one, fraught with its own set of challenges and uncertainties. This knowledgepelled Rain to act swiftly and decisively.


    When night came, the group moved toward the house that Leiah grew up in. It was on the back of themerce association of the vige and the warehouses. There was nothing on that side of the vige, only an endless sea of crop fields in the darkness of the night. They could live calmly for certain and beyond the prying eyes of possible enemies.


    Leiah''s parents reveled in the joy of spending time with their granddaughters, Dana and Kei. Their yfulughter filled the air as the little girls giggled and delighted in the attention from their grandparents. Leiah''s parents had always longed for a son, and while Rain was a loving and caring brother, his reserved nature sometimes made it challenging for them to connect on a deeper level. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, at this moment, the worries and concerns of the outside world seemed to fade away. Leiah''s parents embraced the opportunity to engage with their granddaughters, showering them with affection and yfulness. They eagerly joined in their games, creating fond memories and cherished moments together.


    "Even if Mom and those two stay hidden, then it will be fine to leave them here¡­ but to find Dad as soon as possible, I will need some potions," Rain thought while he was having dinner. "Without them, I can only run as fast as the body of a six-year-old body allows me to."


    Rain wanted to n more, but as soon as he sat on the bed, he immediately fell asleep¡­ his exhaustion had reached a whole new level. Rain only woke up the next day with the smell of fresh bread in his nostrils. When he got up, he saw his mother and sisters on another bed, still sleeping.


    Rain left the room and found his grandparents eating already. It seemed that they knew that their guests would need a few more hours of rest before they got hungry.


    "Join us, Rain," Meiro said. "The bread is fresh, and the milk still is warm."


    "Thank you," Rain said.


    Rain sat at the breakfast table with his grandparents, a sense of calm and familiarity enveloping the room. The morning sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow upon the scene.


    His grandparents, with gentle smiles etched on their faces, engaged in light conversation, their voices filled with affection and care. They shared stories from their past, recounting fond memories and imparting wisdom acquired over the years. Rain listened attentively, cherishing these moments of connection and the opportunity to learn from their experiences.


    The table was adorned with a modest spread of home-cooked delicacies. Crispy bacon, scrambled eggs, and steaming bowls of porridge graced the table, a testament to his grandmother''s culinary skills. The tes were adorned with vibrant fruits and preserves, adding a burst of color to the scene.


    "Your mother said that you are good with magic. Was she boasting a bit too much, or is that true?" Meiro asked.


    "There is only one way to find out," Rain replied while he was eating.


    "That air of confidence, you sure look like your father," Luana said while showing a gentle smile.


    That was a praise if anything, but considering that Rain knew his father more than them, perhaps not so much. He was too honest in front of him, after all.

 Chapter 57 Helping out

    Chapter 57 Helping out


    After eating breakfast, Rain left the house with his grandfather. He still was covering his face, all in order to avoid rumors spreading around. Even though he wasn''t known in the area, they could imagine that the rich would have eyes and ears everywhere.


    Rain stepped out into the fields alongside his grandfather, ready to lend a hand with his magical abilities. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of freshly tilled earth and the promise of a productive day ahead. Rows of crops stretched out before them, their vibrant green leaves swaying gently in the breeze.


    As they walked, Rain observed the challenges his grandfather faced¡ªa patch of withering nts here, an infestation of pests there. His grandfather, a seasoned farmer with weathered hands and a determined spirit shared his concerns and sought solutions to ensure a bountiful harvest.


    Rain spotted a swarm of insects devouring tender leaves in another corner of the field. He concentrated his efforts, summoning a gust of wind to scatter the pests, effectively deterring their destructive march. The natural harmony of the ecosystem was restored, allowing the crops to thrive.


    Rain and his grandfather continued their journey through the fields, encountering various challenges along the way. Each time, Rain utilized his magic to address the issues at hand, supporting his grandfather''s efforts and working in harmony with nature.


    Rain channeled his magic into the earth beneath him with a focused gaze. The ground responded, trembling slightly as his power coursed through it. Slowly, the soil began to shift and stir, forming gentle mounds in perfect alignment with the plow lines.


    As Rain moved forward, the earth beneath him yielded effortlessly, parting ways to make room for the sturdy wooden plow he guided. With each step, the soil turned over, exposing its rich, darkyers to the rejuvenating touch of the sunlight. The rhythmic sound of the plow cutting through the earth filled the air, a symphony of progress and toil.


    asionally, Rain encountered obstacles in his path¡ªrocks and stones that impeded the smooth plowing process. With a subtle motion of his hand, he called upon his earth magic once again. The rocks, once firmly embedded in the ground, were lifted into the air, their weight no match for Rain''smand over the earth. He guided them away from the furrowed rows with precision and finesse, clearing the way for the crops to thrive.


    "You are truly skilled for your age," Mero said, clearly pleased. "However, I don''t think you should leave your mother and sisters now. It is too dangerous."


    "... I helped Father escape on the night we were attacked, I can fight just fine," Rain dered.


    "I don''t doubt that, but we don''t have many mages; out of one hundred people, one truly reaches the power to call themselves mage, and out of that fraction, one out of ten truly is able to use their skills forbat," Meiro said. "Do you know what that means?"


    "Thatbat mages are rare¡­ and they stand out," Rain said.


    "Aye, so¡­ you will be the target of many," Meiro nodded.


    It made logical sense that if he were to reveal his magical abilities on the battlefield, he would surely stand out, attracting unwanted attention and putting himself and others at risk. The chaos and violence of war provided little opportunity for a covert rescue mission.


    As he weighed the options, Rain couldn''t shake the realization that the notion of swooping in at the perfect moment and escaping with his father seemed more like a scene from a heroic tale than a feasible n in the grim reality of warfare. The battlefield was a ce of indiscriminate violence, with dangers lurking at every corner. To navigate such a treacherous environment, undetected was nothing short of impossible.


    Rain understood that the practical path forward required careful consideration and strategic thinking. It was crucial to approach his father''s rescue with a rational mindset, acknowledging theplexities and risks involved. Perhaps there were alternative methods to aid his father without directly exposing his magical abilities orpromising the safety of others.


    "The journey will be long, and the war might end even before we reach the area; the best n of action is to believe that your father will survive and that our allies will help him," Meiro said.


    "I can''t trust the life of my father in the hands of people I never met," Rain said while shaking his head.


    "You going there will only put him more at risk since he won''t be able to focus on his own survival," Meiro added. "At the same time, you showed your skills to some people already; they will connect the dots. At the same time, now that you, your mother, and sisters disappeared from the capital, they will be waiting for them near the battlefield while focusing their eyes on your father since you all can be useful bargain chips for a lot of people."


    Rain listened intently to his grandfather''s words, acknowledging the validity of his point. Waiting for his father''s return was undoubtedly the safer course of action, as it minimized the risks involved and ensured the family''s well-being. His grandfather''s advice resonated with wisdom and experience, urging caution and patience.


    Yet, despite the rationality of his grandfather''s perspective, Rain found it difficult to fully ept the idea of passive waiting. The longing to rescue his father burned within him, fueling a restless energy that yearned for action. The notion of sitting idle while his father faced the perils of war felt like a bitter pill to swallow.


    The desire to take matters into his own hands, to actively contribute to his father''s safety, shed with the practicality of the situation. He understood the risks, the chaos of the battlefield, and the importance of timing and strategy. Yet, the restless spirit within him craved a more active role, a chance to make a difference.


    "At the same time, we lost people recently thanks to the attacks of some beasts. We might need the help of someone with your skills to defend the area," Meiro said.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 58 Considering the future

    58 Considering the future


    At first, Rain couldn''t help but question the truth behind his grandfather''s ims of monster attacks in the area. It seemed far-fetched and oundish to believe that such creatures could exist in their peaceful countryside. He wondered if his grandfather was merely trying to keep him from leaving. It seemed like a cheap way to do that by targeting other people that he cherished.


    However, his skepticism quickly faded as he encountered farmers who bore the visible scars of recent battles. Limbs were missing, wounds were fresh, and the pain etched on their faces told a tale of hardship and struggle. These were not fabricated stories or figments of imagination. The evidence was too real and too raw to ignore.


    The realization hit Rain with a jolt. The monsters his grandfather spoke of were not mere myths but a harsh reality that lurked in the shadows during times of war. As soldiers were deployed and resources were redirected, these creatures took advantage of the chaos, emerging from the depths of thend to wreak havoc on unsuspecting viges and farms.


    As Rain witnessed the ongoing duration of the war, he couldn''t shake off the growing concern for the safety of his family. The prolonged conflict had not only affected the human realm but also stirred the beasts that hungered for human flesh. He knew that as the war dragged on, these creatures would be bolder and more desperate, venturing closer to human settlements in search of sustenance. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The thought of these monstrous beasts encroaching upon his peaceful vige and posing a direct threat to his loved ones sent shivers down Rain''s spine. He couldn''t bear the idea of his family falling victim to their ravenous appetites. His determination to protect them grew stronger with each passing day.


    "We should deal with them as soon as possible, and then I will look for my father," Rain dered.


    "You are as stubborn as both of your parents," Meiro said and then sighed. "I will send a message to one of my friends and make them tell your father that you will soon look for him. That should make him try harder to survive."


    Rain wasn''t certain of that, but he knew that Roan would eventually assume that. That was a problem and was as well a solution¡­ Roan was determined to return home, but the idea that his son might being for him might give him some extra boost.


    In any case, since Rain used too much mana, he ended up returning with his grandfather instead of looking for the beasts. Thanks to that, he found his mother helping his grandmother a bit while Dana was trying to get attention from both of them.


    "It seems that you went to take a look around," Leiah said while Dana dashed to bother Rain instead. "Don''t push him too hard, Father. Rain neverins, but it doesn''t mean that he can''t get tired."


    "I won''t give him work unless he wants to," Meiro said. "At the same time, a man has to receive the right rewards for his hard work. We don''t have mages here, so I am sure you can make money easily around."


    Meiro passed Rain two silver coins. That wasn''t half bad, considering that he just worked for half a day. Helping the area and earning some money would kill two birds with one stone.


    By utilizing his abilities to manipte and control the earth, Rain could assist in various agricultural tasks. He could effortlessly plow the fields, removing rocks and obstacles that hindered the nting process. With a wave of his hand, he could create neat rows for sowing seeds, ensuring optimal spacing and distribution. His precise control over the elements allowed him to regte moisture levels in the soil, promoting healthy crop growth.


    As Rain demonstrated his remarkable capabilities to the vigers, they would undoubtedly wee him with open arms. They would appreciate the significant time and effort saved through his magical assistance, enabling them to focus on other essential aspects of farming. Rain''s presence would bring a newfound efficiency to the fields, maximizing yields and potentially increasing profits for the farmers.


    In return for his valuable contributions, Rain could negotiate a fairpensation for his services. The vigers, recognizing the benefits he brought to their livelihoods, would be more than willing to offer him financial support. This ie would not only provide him with the means to support his family but also contribute to the overall prosperity of themunity.


    There was a risk, though. Unless his grandfather controls the flow of information, it will be known that a kid mage is in the area, one with remarkable skills¡­ It was only a matter of time before that became a problem. Or maybe it won''t since the royalty will have their hands busy with the war and its aftermath.


    After ying with Dana for the rest of the day, Rain decided to meditate and recover his mana faster. He was also nning to do some mental training after gathering information on the beasts in the area¡­ a single good hit in the head might finish the job, but he never knows.


    "I guess it is also time to consider the future," Rain thought. "Just attacking from a distance isn''t enough against some enemies¡­ people in this world can run at insane speeds, after all."


    With the n he had in mind, Rain would need a few more years to develop his body, but it seems that he will have to adjust as he goes on. Adjusting and improving his skills were going to walk side by side, after all.


    The next day, Meiro took Rain with him to talk with the few farmers that also worked as a guard in the area. They thought that Meiro had gone insane when he said that Rain would help them hunt the beasts, but soon they shut up when they saw him firing an earth dart that flew to the side while emitting a high-pitching sound.


    \

 Chapter 59 Reasons for concern

    59 Reasons for concern


    Rain eagerly delved into learning about the creatures that posed a threat to the vige. While referred to as beasts, it became apparent that these creatures were more akin to massive and untamed animals rather than mythical monsters. By gathering information from the vigers and exploring the outskirts of the vige, Rain gradually pieced together a picture of their behavior and characteristics.


    The primary adversaries were the armored beetles, formidable creatures known for their size and strength. These beetles boasted a sturdy exoskeleton that acted as natural armor, providing them with significant protection against conventional attacks. Their size alone made them a formidable force, capable of causing considerable damage if left unchecked.


    Rain discovered that the armored beetles typically roamed in packs, exhibiting a level of coordination that suggested a rudimentary social structure. They were known to be territorial, fiercely defending their hunting grounds or nesting areas. It seemed that the disturbances caused by the ongoing war had disrupted their natural habitats, driving them to encroach upon the vige and its surroundingnds.


    "Howe the war in the opposite direction made them march toward here?" Rain asked.


    "Word about the war should have reached the demi-humans, and they probably decided to clean up their backyard; some monsters might have escaped through the mountains that separate ournds," Meiro replied.


    Rain stood on a hilltop, his gaze fixed upon the towering mountains in the distance. The jagged peaks seemed to mark the boundary between the human realm and the vast expanse of the demi-human territory. It was a visual reminder of the stark division that separated their worlds, where one side belonged to the familiarforts of human civilization, and the other harbored the untamed wilderness of the demi-human realm.


    The mountains stood as formidable sentinels, their sheer cliffs and rugged slopes acting as a natural barrier. Beyond their imposing presence, Rain knew that a different world awaited¡ªone inhabited by beings of other races and mythical creatures. It was and of untamed beauty and uncharted dangers, where thews of nature reigned supreme.


    As Rain observed the distant mountains, his mind filled with wonder and apprehension. He knew that the monsters, with their ferocity and primal instincts, emerged from the depths of those very peaks. They were a constant threat to the peace and security of the human territories, a reminder that the divide between their realms was more than just physical.


    "There are no viges or fields between this area and the mountains?" Rain asked. "They are more than fifty kilometers away from us."


    "There have been some talks about expanding the farms, but what we produce now is more than enough to feed the entire realm," Meiro exined. "Besides, we would need more guards and soldiers, and the royalty and nobility had other worries to consider in thest ten years."


    "The war¡­ what a mess," Rain thought after a long sigh.


    The beasts had been cunning in their attacks, striking only under the cover of darkness and targeting different areas of the vige each time. Their elusive nature made tracking them down a daunting task for Rain and the vigers. Each night brought with it a sense of uncertainty and fear as themunity remained on high alert, never knowing when or where the next attack would ur.


    The creatures seemed to possess an innate understanding of the vige''syout, exploiting its vulnerabilities and disappearing into the shadows before anyone could fully react. Their movements were swift and stealthy, leaving behind a trail of destruction and frightened vigers in their wake.


    Rain realized that if they were to stand a chance against these nocturnal adversaries, they would need to devise a method to predict their movements and anticipate their next strike. It required meticulous observation, gathering information from eyewitness ounts, and studying the patterns and behavior of the beasts. Or, they had to look for them, probably close to the mountains.


    Rain and his grandfather talked with those that saw the beasts, but they didn''t learn much¡­ without a clear n, convincing others to join them will be difficult. In the end, Rain decided to stay alert at night and then move to attack the beasts once they showed up.


    "What am I doing with my life¡­ letting a boy of your age stay on guard at night," Meiron said after a long sigh once Rain told him of his n. "You aren''t nning to chase them to their base, are you?"


    Rain''s gaze shifted from the distant mountains where the monsters resided, his mind filled with a mixture of determination and frustration. Deep down, he knew that embarking on a solo mission to confront the creatures at night would be a reckless endeavor. As much as he longed to bring an end to the menace once and for all, he had to face the reality of his own limitations.


    His mana, though considerable, was not inexhaustible. The demands of a prolonged battle against the beasts would drain his energy rapidly, leaving him vulnerable and defenseless. It was a dangerous gamble that could jeopardize not only his own safety but also the lives of his family and fellow vigers who relied on him.


    Rain knew that he had to temper his impulsive urge to rush into the darkness. Instead, he needed to devise a more strategic approach, one that took into ount his limited resources and leveraged the strength of themunity as a whole. He understood that true victoryy in unity and careful nning, not in impetuous acts fueled by emotions. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Meiro exined to the vigers that they should go home a bit earlier since that night was going to be a cloudy one, and that was usually the night the monsters would show up. The guards would do just as usual, but instead of engaging when they saw the beasts, they would wait until Rain reached them¡­ it goes without saying that many of them didn''t like the idea of waiting for a six-year-old kid to fight.

 Chapter 60 Limitations

    60 Limitations


    Rain stood atop the roof of his grandparent''s house, the night enveloping him in its cloak of darkness. His keen eyes scanned the surroundings, and his senses heightened as he kept a vignt watch over the vige. The moon hung high in the sky behind many thick clouds, casting a dim glow upon thendscape below.


    He listened intently to the sounds of the night, the chirping of crickets, the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. His gaze darted from one shadow to another, searching for any signs of movement or danger. The air was thick with anticipation, and his heart beat steadily in his chest.


    Rain''s mind was sharp; he knew that the beasts, though cunning and elusive, would reveal their presence through subtle clues¡ªa rustle in the underbrush, a faint growl carried by the wind. He remained alert, ready to spring into action at a moment''s notice.


    As midnight approached, Rain felt a shift in the atmosphere, a heaviness that hung in the air. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, alerting him to the impending danger. His gaze swept the horizon, searching for any signs of disturbance.


    Then, in the distance, a flickering light caught his attention. A solitary torch, its me dancing in the darkness, pierced through the night like a beacon. Without hesitation, Rain tapped into his magic, summoning an earth tform beneath his feet.


    Swiftly, he ascended into the air, soaring toward the source of the light. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. The wind whistled in his ears as he propelled himself forward, propelled by a sense of urgency and the need to protect his vige.


    The ground below blurred as Rain raced through the night sky, his eyes fixed on the distant torch. He could sense the threat lurking beneath its glow, the imminent danger that awaited. His mind raced with thoughts of strategy and preparedness, his determination unyielding.


    His heart quickened with a mix of apprehension and determination as he recognized the unmistakable forms of armored beetles. These were no ordinary insects but formidable creatures with hardened exoskeletons and menacing pincers. Their presence signaled danger, a threat to the livelihood and safety of the vige.


    Rain''s instincts kicked in, and he knew that he couldn''t stand idly by. The guards, overwhelmed by the sheer number of beetles, had taken a step back, unsure of how to handle the growing onught. It was up to Rain to step in to defend the fields and their precious resources.


    Determined to protect the vige, Rain tapped into his earth magic and conjured sharp earth darts. The darts spun rapidly as Rain hurled them toward the approaching beasts. He aimed for their heads, hoping to find a weak spot in their armor. However, the darts collided with the beetles'' tough carapaces, causing only a momentary flinch.


    Undeterred, Rain adjusted his strategy. He focused on targeting the beasts'' vulnerable areas, such as their joints and underbellies. With quick and precise movements, heunched his attacks, exploiting any opening he could find. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The impact of the earth darts against the beasts'' armored bodies echoed through the air, creating a metallic ng. Although the beasts were momentarily disrupted, their defenses held strong. Rain realized that a direct assault on their carapaces was ineffective.


    Rain gazed intently at the menacing monsters as they locked their gaze upon him. With their dark, unyielding eyes, the beasts seemed unfazed by his presence. Determined to find a weakness, Rain focused his attention on their eyes, aiming his attacks with precision.


    He summoned a barrage of earth projectiles,unching them toward the beasts'' vulnerable eyes. However, his hopes were quickly shattered as the creatures swiftly reacted, using their sharp pincers to block the iing assault. The earth projectiles collided with their formidable defenses, causing only a momentary disruption.


    The beasts'' pincers, sturdy and resilient, acted as imprable shields, thwarting Rain''s attempts to incapacitate them. Their reaction time was impressive, a testament to their instinctual defense mechanisms. Rain realized that he needed toe up with a new n if he wanted to ovee these annoying opponents.


    "I can''t kill all of them with my current mana, but¡­" Rain thought and then clicked his tongue. "I suppose this is the current limit of my abilities."


    Rain took a moment topose himself, his mind racing with possibilities. Realizing the limitations of his previous approach, he made a decisive choice. Drawing upon every ounce of his mana, he focused his power on the ground beneath the approaching monsters.


    With a surge of energy, Rain caused the earth to churn and buckle, creating deep pits that quickly engulfed the unsuspecting creatures. As their massive paws sank into the soft soil, they found themselves trapped, their movements severely restricted.


    Sensing their impending doom, the monsters let out blood-curdling screams of agony, their piercing cries filling the night air. The weight of the earth immobilized them, leaving them vulnerable to Rain''s next move.


    Rain unleashed his strength without hesitation, channeling his mana into the ground. The earth responded to hismand, exerting an incredible pressure on the trapped monsters. With a bone-crushing force, the hardened earthpressed around their limbs, causing unbearable pain.


    The monsters writhed in anguish, their struggles futile against the unyielding grip of the earth. Each movement intensified their torment, further driving them to the brink of despair. The once fearsome creatures now found themselves at the mercy of Rain''s merciless assault.


    The cacophony of their agonized cries echoed throughout the surrounding area, causing their fellow beasts to recoil in fear. Sensing the impending danger, the remaining monsters, driven by their primal instincts, turned tail and fled, desperate to escape the fate that awaited theirpanions. Rain clicked his tongue while watching that. The work was far from over.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 600 experience points.)

 Chapter 61 Search

    61 Search


    Other guards from different areas of the vige hurried to the scene, drawn by themotion and the resounding cries of the defeated monsters. They cautiously approached the lifeless bodies, their weapons at the ready, but were met with a surprising sight.


    The guards, who had been battling the beasts for days, examined the fallen creatures with a mix of astonishment and disbelief. None of them had managed to kill a single beast, yet Rain had single-handedly dispatched fifteen of them.


    As they carefully inspected the bodies, they marveled at the precision and skill evident in Rain''s handiwork. Despite his triumph, Rain couldn''t shake the fact that more than thirty of the armored beetles had managed to escape his clutches. The knowledge weighed heavily on his mind, a constant reminder of the ongoing threat they posed to the vige and its inhabitants.


    "It seems that you seeded in chasing away the beasts," Meiro said after he approached. "I honestly thought that you wouldn''t pull off. My apologies."


    "I was nning to kill them all, but now I will have to wait for the next attack¡­" Rain said and then sighed. "Are those things edible?"


    "Aren''t you a growing and hungry kid?" Meiro asked. "It should be¡­ the weirder the beast, the tastier they be. I will ask the butcher to do this favor for us. You can rest now knowing that you did a job well done, and everyone will thank you tomorrow."


    Rather than thanks, Rain wanted coins. Still, some gratitude will help him find work faster, so it was fine. After returning home, Rain saw his mother awake and waiting for him, he gave her the report of what happened, and she sighed in relief.


    "What am I going to do with you?" Leiah said and then sighed. "I knew that boys always seek adventure, but you are worrying me too much with all this¡­ I was hoping for another boy, but I guess a girl will give me more peace of mind."


    Only until she bes old enough to find boyfriends, once that happens, Leiah probably will change her mind, but Rain didn''t say that. It was better to spare his mother of worries¡­ even though the father was probably the one who would worry more in that kind of scenario.


    Rain joined his grandfather in the fields the next day, ready to assist in theborious task of tending to the crops. As they worked side by side, the presence of gratitude filled the air. Vigers, their faces etched with appreciation, approached Rain to express their thanks.


    Despite Rain''s desire to remain anonymous, his efforts had not gone unnoticed. The word had spread like wildfire throughout the vige, and the people recognized him as the one who had valiantly defended them against the beasts. They understood the significance of his contribution, not only in protecting their lives but also in preserving their livelihoods.


    One by one, the vigers approached Rain, their eyes filled with gratitude and respect. They thanked him for his courageous acts, acknowledging that his assistance in the fields went beyond his duty as a defender. They recognized that his willingness to put in hard work and lend a hand spoke volumes about his character and dedication to theirmunity.


    "The carapaces of the beasts can sell for a good amount if we look for people that use them like cksmiths and alchemists. Do you want to take our time looking for the best buyers?" Meiro asked when they finished working that day. "You can get at least fifty silver coins for them."


    "That is fine. I can wait," Rain replied. "By the way, Grandpa¡­ no, it is nothing."


    Rain wanted to ask if kids go to school in that area, but then he saw some kids just a couple of years older than him helping their parents with their work. There was no need for them to go to school when they were going to inherit their family business, just like things a long time ago on Earth were and rarely are nowadays.


    As Rain worked in the fields, he couldn''t help but worry about his sisters'' education. With no schools avable, he felt troubled about how they would learn and grow without formal education. The vige they now resided in didn''t have a proper school system, and resources were scarce.


    Rain pondered over the limitations they faced and the challenges thaty ahead. He knew that education yed a vital role in shaping their future. Still, with the current circumstances, it seemed like an uphill battle. He longed for his sisters to have the same opportunities he once had, to broaden their horizons and pursue their dreams. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Despite the obstacles, Rain refused to give up on their education. He understood that learning wasn''t limited to ssrooms and textbooks. He saw the vige as a rich source of knowledge and wisdom, with its diversemunity and older generations who had lived through various experiences.


    After finishing his work in the fields for the day, Rain set out to find any traces of the monsters that had attacked the vige. He walked through the outskirts, carefully observing the ground for any signs. He hoped to find footprints or any indication of their presence.


    As he walked, he scanned the area, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Rain examined the soil, grass, and nts for any disturbances that could hint at the monsters'' passing. However, his search turned up empty-handed. There were no obvious tracks or clues to follow.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel frustrated. He had hoped to uncover some evidence that would help him understand the monsters'' behavior and protect his family and the vige. But it seemed that they had left no trace behind, even in the area where he faced them. Giving up on that was impossible, but it sure was troublesome when he had other things in his mind like his Father''s whereabouts. Once again, he was reminded that his life won''t be easy in that world.

 Chapter 62 Power Up

    62 Power Up


    "I need to get rid of them quickly and then look for Father¡­ I guess I should tell Grandpa to buy some spiritual potions to increase my movement speed," Rain thought while looking around. "Perhaps I also should focus on leveling up the skills that increase my movement speed¡­ even though they will consume my stamina faster."


    Night after night, Rain stood on guard duty, watching over the vige with a vignt gaze. He knew the monsters could strike again at any moment, despite their recent absence. It seemed strange that they would simply give up after their initial attack.


    The passing days brought both relief and frustration. On the one hand, the absence of the monsters provided a temporary respite, allowing the vigers to breathe a little easier. But on the other hand, Rain couldn''t help but feel uneasy. He knew that their absence could be a sign of something more ominous brewing in the shadows.


    While his duty to protect the vige kept him upied, Rain''s thoughts often wandered to his father. He wanted to search for him, to reunite with his family, but he couldn''t ignore the imminent threat that lingered in the vige. It was a difficult decision to make, choosing between his personal desires and the safety of those around him.


    In the end, Meiro told Rain that he could get the potions in one week. He just had to wait for one week, and then he will hunt the monsters on their base, and then he will look for his father. Still, Rain almost had a heart attack when he heard that each minor spiritual potion costs five silver coins.


    "I guess thews of supply and demand are even more obvious here," Rain thought.


    The production of potions may be limited in the region due to various factors such as scarcity of specific ingredients,ck of skilled potion-makers, or limited ess to resources required for their creation. This scarcity leads to a lower supply of potions avable in the market, driving up their prices.


    Potions, especially those with potent healing or magical properties, are in high demand. The need for healing potions increases significantly in a war-torn or dangerous region where injuries and ailments aremon. The demand outpaces the avable supply, causing prices to rise.


    Potions are delicate substances that require proper transportation and storage to maintain their efficacy. Specialized containers, protective measures, and careful handling increase the logistical costs involved, which are ultimately passed on to the consumers. It was only natural that such a thing would happen, but being at the end of the exchange was tiresome. Rain considered studying alchemy more to make potions without using his own mana for it.


    "It makes sense¡­ I wish that I could afford to produce and sell them as well, but helping the farms will be better in the long run," Rain thought.


    After one week, another cloudy night arrived, and Rain raised his guard. The others that were on the guard duty seemed more tense as well. It was a pity that the potions would only arrive on the next day. Otherwise, Rain would chase the beasts until all of them were exterminated.


    The atmosphere seemed to change, growing heavier and more tense with each passing hour. The vigers noticed the subtle shift, their instincts sharpening as they braced themselves for what mighte.


    Whispers spread through the vige and carried on hushed voices as people shared their apprehensions. Eyes darted nervously towards the outskirts, searching for any sign of movement or disturbance. The bustling sounds of everyday life grew quieter, reced by a cautious silence that hung in the air.


    Always vignt, Rain took up his position on guard duty once again, determined to protect his newfound home and its people. His senses were heightened, attuned to the slightest disturbance in the surroundings. He watched the horizon, scanning for any unusual movement or glimpse of the approaching monsters.


    "I didn''t have the power to protect those two cities, but things have to change now¡­" Rain thought while showing a cold glint in his eyes. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As Rain scanned the horizon, his eyes widened as he spotted the flickering glow of multiple torches in the distance. His heart sank as he realized the grim truth: the monsters were not acting blindly or randomly. They were attacking different areas of the vige simultaneously, showing a level of coordination and strategy that belied their primal nature.


    A mix of frustration and admiration swirled within Rain. He had underestimated the creatures, assuming them to be mindless beasts driven solely by their instinct to feed. But now, faced with this orchestrated assault, he could no longer deny their cunning.


    With a surge of determination, Rain knew he had to act swiftly to protect the vige and its inhabitants. As the chaos unfolded, Rain''s instincts guided him, leading him to the areas where the attacks were most severe.


    Rain arrived in the first area and then saw the guards engaging with the beasts. They tried to stab them by using spears, but the monsters were quick enough to block the attacks with their pincers.


    Just when the monsters were about to cut off the arms of some guards, Rainnded from the sky and then smashed two of the monsters. Floating above him were massive earth fists, ready to strike down the fallen monsters. The sight left everyone speechless.


    Whispers spread through the crowd, filled with awe and wonder. The once-unassuming Rain had tapped into a hidden power, using earth magic to summon these powerful constructs. It was a remarkable disy of strength and control that surpassed all expectations.


    With focused determination, Rain guided the floating earth fists toward the defeated monsters. With precise movements, the fists descended upon the creatures, delivering crushing blows that shattered their armored bodies. The vigers watched in amazement as Rain''s power effortlessly defeated the once-formidable foes. The nning and training he did in thest few weeks finally paid off and in full.

 Chapter 63 Holding back

    63 Holding back


    Rain reflected on his decision to fight using the massive earth fists. It wasn''t merely an awe-inspiring disy of power; it was a strategic move to make his mana usage more efficient.


    With each swing of the earth''s fists, Rain had observed how his mana was being channeled and utilized more effectively. By employingrger constructs and striking with precision, he could maximize the impact of his magic while minimizing the drain on his reserves.


    In previous battles, Rain had noticed that his spells consumed a significant amount of mana, leaving him exhausted and vulnerable. But with the floating earth fists, he found a way to concentrate his magic into focused and devastating attacks. This allowed him to conserve his energy and endure longer in the heat of battle.


    After smashing five armored beetles like that, Rain jumped in one of the fists and then flew toward the next area. He crossed five hundred meters almost in the blink of an eye and then began to ughter the next groups of beasts. When he finished that, his fists began to fall apart.


    "Forty seconds using ten percent of my mana. I guess it isn''t half bad," Rain thought.


    As the battle raged on, Rain unleashed his fury upon the monsters, smashing them with his powerful earth fists. With each strike, he crushed their armored bodies and sent them sprawling to the ground, lifeless.


    His control over the earth''s magic was unparalleled, allowing him to manipte the very ground beneath him. The massive fists, now his trustedpanions, served not only as weapons but also as a means to soar through the air, defying gravity.


    Rain''s movements were swift and precise, his every action calcted to neutralize the threat before him. He weaved through the chaos, pummeling the monsters with unstoppable force. With each swing of his fists, the earth quaked, and the monsters were no match for his relentless assault.


    The vigers watched in awe as Rain single-handedly defeated the entire horde, halting their advance with his overwhelming strength. The ground trembled beneath their feet as he moved with grace and power, his earth fists obliterating anything in their path.


    The sight of Rain soaring through the air, his fists pounding down upon the monsters, instilled a sense of hope and reassurance in the hearts of the vigers. They marveled at his prowess and newfound abilities, grateful for his unwavering determination to protect them.


    When thest of the enemies fell, Rain looked around, trying to find more threats. He lost the count of how many he faced, but considering that he still had half of his mana, he didn''t think that the battle was over, but it was.


    "I waited so much for this that I guess I let the blood rush to my head," Rain thought.


    After spending a week thinking and nning, Rain came up with a n to deal with the persistent enemies. He wanted to put a stop to their reign of terror without giving them a chance to escape, and that had been the result.


    Once the number of enemies had been counted, Rain confirmed that a lot more that had escaped came to attack the vige again¡­ it was hard to say if they used all of their numbers, but they certainly tried hard.


    "I guess this time you didn''t care much about making money with their carapaces," Meiro said once he approached.


    "It was better to solve the problem once and for all," Rain said. "Anyway, I am tired, so I am going to sleep."


    "Good night, leave the rest to us," Meiro said. "Your potions should arrive tomorrow at noon."


    As Rain climbed into his room, he noticed his mother still awake, sitting by the flickering candle. She looked relieved to see him and let out a sigh of relief. They exchanged a few words about the night''s events, and he reassured her that everything was taken care of.


    His mother''s tired face softened with gratitude as she patted his shoulder, expressing how proud she was of his bravery and resourcefulness. She emphasized the importance of getting some rest after a long and eventful night.


    Feeling the weariness settle into his bones, Rainy down and closed his eyes. Sleep slowly engulfed him, providing a temporary escape from the worries and responsibilities that burdened him. His mother remained by his side for a while, watching over him with a sense of peace and protection.


    Rain awoke from his slumber, feeling a sense of anticipation as he bounded out of bed. He eagerly made his way to the living room, expecting to see the potions he had been waiting for. However, to his surprise, he found his mother and grandparents gathered there, their expressions grave and serious.


    The atmosphere in the room felt heavy, and Rain''s excitement quickly turned to concern. His heart sank as he realized that something was amiss. He could see the worry etched on their faces, their eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and uncertainty.


    His mother approached him, her voice trembling slightly as she delivered the news. The royal army had been forced to retreat after the enemy deployed two enved dragons, overpowering their forces. The aftermath of the battle had left the area in chaos, and there were no signs of Rain''s father or his uncles.


    Rain felt a lump form in his throat, a wave of anxiety crashing over him. The realization that his father and uncles were missing hit him hard, and he struggled to process the weight of the situation. Questions raced through his mind, but his voice seemed to fail him as he looked at his mother, searching for answers.


    The news arrived alongside the potions; the merchant brought it with him since he was Meiro''s friend¡­ no one confirmed where Roan, Hugo, and Lorence were or their state. Still, they were keeping an eye on the royal army just in case.


    Rain''s heart ached with the desire to immediately set out in search of his father. The uncertainty of his father''s whereabouts gnawed at him, fueling his restlessness. Every fiber of his being yearned to take action, to embark on a journey to find his missing father and bring him back home.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 64: Endless worries

    However, as much as he longed to venture out, Rain understood the importance of patience and gathering vital information. He knew that hastily rushing into the unknown could jeopardize not only his own safety but also hinder the search for his father.


    The thought of missing out on crucial intelligence was frustrating, to say the least. The waiting game tested his resolve, as each passing day felt like an eternity. The urge to take matters into his own hands, to defy the constraints of time, tugged at him relentlessly.


    In the end, Rain was forced to wait since his mother seemed like she was losing life force with every passing moment. She was the one who was the most worried, and she was pregnant too¡­ Rain couldn''t make her worry even move by setting out without any clues.


    "It can''t be helped¡­ I just have to endure this," Rain thought while trying to convince himself of the choice he made.


    The weeks began to pass by really slowly while they waited for the news. Rain had to work harder in order not to be a burden and to make him an important part of the vige. That way, the chances of them doing things that will put him, his mother, his sisters, and his grandparents are risk would decrease exponentially.


    "Still¡­ to think that the magic people would have enved dragons under their control," Rain thought. "They must have some tribes that are pretty good at that¡­ dragons should be the strongest life forms around here."


    Despite the weight of worry that rested upon Rain''s shoulders, the situation only fueled his curiosity further. The absence of his father and the uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts intensified his thirst for knowledge and understanding. Determined to uncover any clues that might lead him closer to his father, Rain made a decision to delve into the world of magic people.


    "How are you holding up?" Meiro asked while he and Rain were plowing some fields.


    "... I am fine. I am more worried about Mom and the girls," Rain replied after a short pause. "Dad is a tough nut to crack; he can survive a dragon or two."


    Rain really meant that, but he was worried about some troublesome possibilities about his father''s whereabouts. Hugo and Lorence were pretty famous, but Roan was kind of the ck sheep of the family. Without the backing of his brothers, he might have ended up being executed by the kingdom.


    Aside from that, perhaps his father had been captured by the enemy forces and taken as a prisoner of war. The thought of his father enduring captivity, fighting against impossible odds, sent a surge of determination through Rain''s veins.


    Another possibility lingered in his mind: his father could have chosen to go deep into enemy territory on a daring mission that required stealth and sacrifice. It was a dangerous gamble, but Rain knew his father''s unwavering dedication to protecting theirnd and their family.


    Yet, there was a darker possibility that haunted Rain''s thoughts. The reality that his father might have fallen in battle, sacrificing his life for the greater good, weighed heavily upon his heart. The grief threatened to engulf him, but Rain forced himself to stay strong, clinging to the hope that his father might still be alive.


    "The first and the third option¡­ they seemed more likely," Rain thought while biting his lips in exasperation. "The second option doesn''t make much sense¡­ treating the execution like a possibility isn''t something that I will ept; even if the whole capital has to fall, I will prevent that."


    As time passed by, the worry over Roan''s disappearance grew heavier on Rain''s shoulders. Weeks turned into months, and still, there was no news about his father. The uncertainty weighed on him, and he couldn''t help but wonder what might have happened to Roan.


    Rain noticed a change in his younger sisters, Dana and Kei, during this time. They became less inclined to ask about their father, sensing the sadness it brought to their mother, Leiah. They were trying to protect her from further heartache, and Rain understood their intentions.


    Yet, the absence of information frustrated him. He yearned for answers, desperate to know his father''s fate. But as days turned into nights and months ticked by, the mystery deepened, leaving Rain grasping at straws for any sign or clue.


    Before long, Leiah''s stomach became big enough that it was only a matter of days before the birth of Rain''s new sibling, and he feared for the worst since Leiah didn''t seem full of life like usual, and that had been the norm in thest few months.


    "What am I going to do?" Rain wondered. "I brought some potions to use in case of emergency, but will they be enough?"


    They weren''t alone, Rain''s grandparents were there, but after the birth, it will be hard to keep their presence hidden in the vige. The realm was still busy with the war and the aftermath, and there were no signs of anyone looking for them, but all caution was necessary.


    "Don''t worry, Rain," Meiro said. "The midwife of the vige has healing magic that will help your mom and her new child. Everything will be all right."


    Rain wrestled with conflicting emotions as he grappled with the prolonged absence of his father. While he tried to maintain faith and hope, he couldn''t shake the nagging concern that a birth in a time of deep sorrow and uncertainty might not bode well. Countless viewings of Star Wars had ingrained in his mind the notion that a mother''s emotional state could impact the well-being of a child and hers.


    Rain reakiSx that he has to do something about that, it was obvious, but the real best thing that he could do he didn''t know if it was possible yet, so he just had to endure it alongside her and hope that he will have the chance to do the best thing.

 Chapter 65: No news

    As the long-awaited day arrived, Rain''s heart raced with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. The birth of his newest sibling loomed before them, a pivotal moment that held the power to bring both joy and apprehension. The weight of uncertainty hung in the air, but Rain''s love for his family pushed him to remain steadfast in his hope.


    Hours turned into minutes, and minutes stretched into an eternity as Rain waited anxiously outside the room where Leiah was giving birth. The air was thick with tension, and the sound of his own racing heartbeat drowned out the surrounding noise. Every passing second felt like an eternity, each moment pregnant with the weight of possibility.


    And then, finally, the cries of a newborn filled the air. A wave of relief washed over Rain, lifting the heavy burden from his shoulders. The realization that his mother had safely delivered their newest family member enveloped him with an indescribable sense of joy. It was as if a weight had been lifted, and a renewed hope blossomed within his heart.


    Entering the room, Rain''s eyes showed his mother, exhausted but wearing a smile of pure bliss. Leiah''s strength and resilience shone through, a testament to her unwavering love and dedication to their family. At that moment, Rain felt a surge of gratitude for his mother''s resilience and the safe arrival of their newest bundle of joy.


    A sense of serenity settled over Rain as he gazed upon the tiny, fragile form of his newborn sibling. The weight of the past months seemed to dissipate, reced by a renewed sense of purpose and an overwhelming love. It was a moment of pure connection, a reminder of the unbreakable bond that held their family together.


    "Her name is Gina," Leiah said.


    It was another girl¡­ that wasn''t bad, but Rain was hoping that he would have a little brother that would look up to him as well. Still, what were the chances of him getting three little sisters? They were twelve percent."


    "G got it," Rain said.


    Rain''s grandparents were both happy and concerned about Leiah''s naming choices for her children. They loved seeing her joy and creativity, but at times, they found the names a bit puzzling. Rain was used to that, so he quickly solved the issue by giving her a pet name that suited her.


    Leiah had a knack for selecting unusual and imaginative names that held personal significance to her. While her desire to bestow unique names on her children was admirable, it sometimes left Rain''s grandparents feeling a bit perplexed.


    They often found themselves engaged in light-hearted debates about the names, with Leiah standing firmly by her choices and Rain''s grandparents suggesting more traditional options. They wanted names that honored their family heritage while also embracing Leiah''s individuality.


    Despite their differences in opinion, Rain''s grandparents cherished the special bond they shared with their daughter and grandchildren. They understood that Leiah''s naming sense was a reflection of her deep love for her children and her desire to celebrate their individuality.


    G, the newest addition to the family, was known for her constant crying. Whether in her mother''s arms or elsewhere, she would let out loud cries that filled the air. However, Rain noticed something interesting - G cried less when he was around.


    When Rain held G, she seemed to findfort in his presence. His gentle touch and calm demeanor had a soothing effect on her. It was as if she could sense the love and care he had for her, even at such a young age.


    Observing G, Rain couldn''t help but notice the mix of her parents'' features. She had her mother''s fiery red hair, but her eyes were a soft shade of brown. It was a uniquebination that made her stand out from her siblings.


    While G''s crying initially caused concern, Rain couldn''t help but feel an affectionate anticipation for the future. He knew that as she grew, her lively personality and mischievous nature would bring both joy and challenges to their household.


    In any case, the new addition to the family brought joy to the family; Dana and Kei also didn''t feel any jealousy toward their little sister, which was getting more attention; in fact, they were behaving more.


    In the afternoons, Rain dedicated his time to teaching his younger siblings, Dana and Kei, how to read and write. It became a daily ritual that brought them together and fostered a sense of learning and growth within the family.


    Using simple materials like pencils and paper, Rain patiently guided Dana and Kei through the basics of literacy. He taught them the alphabet, letter sounds, and how to form words and sentences. With each passing day, their knowledge expanded, and their confidence grew.


    Rain''s approach was gentle and encouraging, making learning a fun and engaging experience for his siblings. He used colorful illustrations and interactive activities to keep their interest alive. He celebrated their progress, praising their efforts and providing gentle corrections when needed.


    Things started to get back to normal. Still, Rain didn''t feel like his mother and the others had assumed that Roan had died. Things were too quiet¡­ There was no news about him. No one was executed, their deaths weren''t confined, and no one asked for their ransom. It felt like Roan and his brothers had just vanished.


    It is a possibility that Rain couldn''t help but consider deep within his thoughts. The prolonged absence of his father, Roan, and his uncles left a lingering sense of unease in his heart. As days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, theck of any news or information about their whereabouts weighed heavily on his mind.


    Rain couldn''t help but specte on the reasons behind the silence. In order to avoid futureplications, it seemed usible that the kingdom might have taken covert actions against Roan and his brothers. Their disappearance could be a calcted move to erase any potential threats or conflicts that may arise in the future.

 Chapter 66: Swordsman Path

    Such tactics were not unheard of in the realm of politics and power. The kingdom, in its quest for stability and control, could have resorted to silent and ndestine measures to neutralize any potential opposition. This would involve removing individuals who held influential positions or were deemed a threat to the established order.


    "I guess that it is another possibility¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows. "Where are you, Dad¡­ you are losing the chance of seeing your daughters growing up¡­"


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (An unknown path received experience.)


    (Until the path is unlocked, you will gain bonus experience in the Human Path of two hundred percent.)


    (Human Path received 300 experience points.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 90: Swordsman Path - Unlocked due to the mastery of swordsmanship skills. This path emphasizes the art of swordbat, dueling techniques, and mastering different sword styles.


    Level 1: Swordsmanship - You can learn faster the fundamentals of sword handling techniques, including proper grip, stance, and basic attacks. Increases the power of sword attacks by one point per level.


    Alongside Swordsmanship, Rain also learned Leadership, an ability to inspire and lead others, coordinate efforts, and make sound decisions in challenging situations. He wasn''t going to either of them for now. However, he was considering buying a sword to train a bit and gain experience¡­ even though he still wanted to fight using his body only.


    Before long, Rain became seven years old, and his human path reached level ny. He was nning to work hard and make it reach level one hundred in one year, and he assumed that it was possible since he was getting a lot of experience in that path when he was using the skills of other paths when he didn''t unlock them yet.


    "Now that I think about it, this is a good way to get experience even on skills and paths that aren''t equipped," Rain thought. "I need to investigate this further."


    With the rtive calm that settled over the past few months, Rain found himself with pockets of spare time amidst his daily responsibilities. While his work in the fields and teaching his sisters upied a significant portion of his days, he realized the importance of using his remaining hours wisely. He understood that preparation and self-improvement were crucial, especially in uncertain times.


    During these moments of respite, Rain focused his efforts on training. He sought to hone his skills, both physically and mentally, in order to be prepared for whatever challengesy ahead. He knew that when the time came to take action and confront the unknown, he needed to be capable and ready.


    Rain dedicated himself to physical exercises, pushing his body to its limits. He engaged in rigorous training regimens, such as running, strength-building exercises, and endurance drills. Each day, he pushed himself further, determined to build his stamina and physical prowess.


    In addition to physical training, Rain delved into his magical abilities'' depths. He practiced his control over earth magic, refining his techniques and improving his repertoire of magic.


    "Since I got the skill, I didn''t have the chance to level up Health Bonus¡­ while I get hurt a bit during training, it isn''t enough," Rain thought. "I either have to cause some self-harm, or I should try even harder to get hurt during training. The second option is a bit dangerous since I am still growing¡­"


    To avoid problems, Rain needed to be able to heal his wounds, and while he had been trying to find healing herbs and learn magic that could help with that, he didn''t obtain any results. Still, he had to keep trying since that way, he would be able to level up his healing skills, the healer path, the alchemist path, and increase his health while he was at it.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 30 (1530/3000)


    Current Path: Human (Lv 90 - 3310/9000)


    Health: 1660/1660


    Mana: 2080/2080


    Stamina: 2130/2130


    Strength: 177


    Dexterity: 93


    Intelligence: 120


    Vitality: 185


    Wisdom: 188


    Endurance: 185


    Luck: 97


    Free Points: 80


    Main Skills:


    [Language Lv 58]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 49]


    [Running Lv 48]


    [Reading Lv 32)


    [Writing Lv 36]


    Support Skills:


    [Level 1: Health Bonus Lv 01]


    [Basic Training 32]


    [Language Proficiency Lv 36]


    [Agile Movement Lv 31]


    [Martial Arts Lv 36]


    While checking his status, Rain wanted to think that he had grown a lot, but he didn''t feel that confident despite it. Maybe it was hisck ofbat experience in that world¡­ Still, it was hard to find challenges in such an area. He couldn''tin since it meant that his mother and sisters were safe.


    In the end, Rain asked his grandfather to ask for a book about herbs and a book about healing magic. The basics could be found in books essible to the public, but even so, each one of them would cost one gold coin.


    "I was starting to like the money piling up, but it can''t be helped; this is an important investment," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain got the book after waiting for a month to get both books, but at least it seemed that they would be more useful than Rain thought since he learned a lot already on the first day.


    Healing magic involves harnessing and channeling magical energy to facilitate the body''s natural healing processes. It taps into the inherent life force or mana present in the world and directs it toward the target of healing.


    Practitioners of healing magic learn to manipte magical energy, shaping it into healing spells or abilities. This energy can be infused with specific intentions to elerate the healing process, alleviate pain, or restore vitality.


    The caster focuses their thoughts and intentions on the desired oue, directing the healing energy toward the affected area or individual. They may use specific hand gestures, incantations, or visualizations to enhance the effectiveness of their magic.


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (The Student''s path received 100 points of experience.)


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (The Alchemist''s Path received 100 points of experience.)


    (An Unknown skill leveled up.)


    (The Healer''s path received 100 points of experience.)

 Chapter 67: Studying

    Medicine, on the other hand, relies on the application of scientific knowledge, natural remedies, and medical techniques to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses or injuries. It epasses a range of practices, including herbal medicine, pharmacology, magic, surgery, and therapeutic interventions.


    Medical practitioners employ various diagnostic methods, such as physical examinations, magical examinations, medical tests, and patient history analysis, to identify the underlying causes of ailments or injuries.


    Based on the diagnosis, appropriate treatment ns are devised. This may involve administering medications, performing surgical procedures, rmending lifestyle changes, or utilizing other therapeutic interventions.


    "It seems that I can use my intention to control my mana to use healing magic and even medicine; I guess it isn''t different from the process of using elemental magic," Rain thought. "Should I try immediately, or should I learn everything first by theory?"


    If those three sses keep leveling up while he studies, then Rain will increase his wisdom and Intelligence, that will make him control his mana better when the timees.


    Rain dedicated himself to learning the contents of the books diligently, spending several weeks immersed in studying and memorizing the information they contained. The vige, unfortunately,cked a dedicated healer. Still, asionally a visiting healer woulde by to check on the health of the vigers.


    This arrangement seemed unusual, especially considering that they had a midwife to assist with childbirth and rted matters.


    Undeterred by the absence of a healer in the vige, Rain took it upon himself to acquire knowledge and skills in healing. He saw the importance of being prepared to tend to the health needs of themunity, especially in situations where immediate medical attention was required.


    As he delved deeper into the books, he learned about various ailments, their symptoms, and the corresponding treatment methods.


    Learning that was absolutely necessary since Roan lost one of his limbs but eventually recovered it thanks to magic. Rain wasn''t nning to lose one as well, but one never knows.


    In any case, Rain stopped his magic training to improve his control over the elements to focus on learning healing magic. Naturally, he used himself as a test subject since it would be easier to use the mana inside him to heal his wounds.


    Rain spent a couple of minutes punching a tree far away from the vige, and when his fists were bleeding, he decided to apply everything that he learned.


    Rain concentrated his focus on the wounds in his fists, using his mana to initiate the healing process. However, his initial attempts were met with frustration as he struggled to find the right bnce and control over his mana flow. The healing would start too fast or too slow, leading to imperfect results.


    But Rain was determined, and he refused to let his failures discourage him. With each attempt, he learned from his mistakes and adjusted his technique. He visualized his mana flowing through his hands, gently closing the wounds at a pace that aligned with his abilities. It was a delicate bnce, requiring both precision and patience.


    As he gradually refined his control, Rain felt a subtle shift within his hands. A tingling sensation spread across the wounded areas, apanied by a soothing warmth. He could sense his mana weaving its way through the damaged tissues, repairing and rejuvenating them.


    With every passing moment, the wounds in his fists began to close, the jagged edges gradually smoothing out. Rain experienced a mix of relief and awe as he witnessed his own healing abilities in action. The physical difort diminished, reced by a growing sense offort and well-being.


    The process was not instantaneous but rather a gradual transformation. As the wounds closed, Rain felt a sense of harmony and alignment within his body and spirit. It was a deep connection to his innate healing powers, a realization of his own potential to mend and restore.


    "It seems that it will take some time; maybe it is because of the level of the skill, or because of the level of the path, or because my intelligence is low for someone trying to learn healing magic," Rain thought.


    As Rain dedicated himself to his healing practice day after day, his skills and abilities began to grow at an elerated pace. The repetitive nature of his training allowed him to fine-tune his techniques and deepen his understanding of the healing arts.


    The skill known as Health Bonus, which enhanced his health, experienced rapid advancement. Rain''s consistent efforts and focused concentration led to a significant increase in its level.


    Simultaneously, Rain''s chosen path as a healer steadily progressed, reaching level five. This milestone represented a notable achievement in his journey. As his proficiency in healing continued to evolve, he unlocked a new skill called Healing Touch.


    Healing Touch Lv 08 - You developed the ability to channel healing energy through touch, elerating the natural healing process of wounds and alleviating pain. It restores one point of health per second at the cost of the same amount of mana per second. The level of the skill multiplies the health restored.


    "The skill came at level eight¡­ because I have been using it before it was unlocked," Rain thought while rubbing his chin. "That means that a bunch of other skills will alsoe at high levels once they are unlocked."


    Rain''s early acquisition of the Healing Touch skill at level eight would undoubtedly be a significant asset on his path as a healer. It would amplify his healing capabilities, allowing him to make a more profound impact on the lives of those he encountered.


    Still, the excitement that Rain felt began to die down. As some weird rumors began to spread around¡­ about his father and the fact that he had joined the enemies. As the rumors about Rain''s father began to spread across the realm, a cloud of uncertainty and concern settled over him. At first, he had been hopeful that his father would return.


    Still, now, these unsettling whispers cast doubt on his father''s actions and loyalties. The excitement he once felt from learning healing magic and training diligently began to wane, reced by a sense of unease and distress.

 Chapter 68: Prisoner

    The news of his father allegedly joining the enemies'' side weighed heavily on Rain''s heart. He couldn''t believe that his brave and noble father, who had always been a steadfast protector of the kingdom, could betray their people and align with their adversaries.


    Yet, the rumors were persistent, and they found their way into every corner of the realm, casting a shadow of doubt on his father''s character.


    He found it difficult to concentrate during his healing practice, as his mind kept drifting to thoughts of his father''s whereabouts and the rumors about his alleged betrayal. The uncertainty gnawed at him, leaving him restless and sleepless at night.


    "Grandpa, do the magic people have the power to control humans as well?" Rain asked on the morning of the next day after he heard the news.


    "Their abilities are hard to exin, and they make sure to keep most of them hidden from others," Meiro exined.


    "Still, if they can control dragons¡­" Rain said while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "It is possible, but no one can confirm and deny it¡­ so his reputation will plumber until the facts be less obscure," Meiro exined.


    Rain couldn''t stand the thought of someone purposefully tarnishing his father''s reputation by spreading false rumors. The idea that there might be individuals seeking to undermine his father''s honor fueled his determination to uncover the truth and defend his family''s name.


    Meiro began to investigate the matters further to reveal the truth. It took a while, but they eventually learned a few things. His investigation led him to discover that the rumors seemed to have originated from distant regions, far beyond the reach of his vige. Back to Tristan¡­


    Rain''s heart sank as he learned that his father and his uncles were indeed fighting against their former allies on the ind of Tristan. The revtion brought forth a mix of conflicting emotions within him. On the one hand, he couldn''t bear the thought of them being pitted against each other in the chaos of war.


    On the other hand, he felt a growing sense of urgency to take action and reunite his fractured family.


    Rain knew he had to find a way to support his family. He pondered on the best course of action, knowing that a direct confrontation on the battlefield was not a viable option for him. Even while he honed his healing skills and studied the art of magic, he still was just a single person¡­ he had to be smarter than the enemies.


    Rain''s heart was heavy with worry as he contemted the risks and implications of his impending mission. The recent birth of his baby sister, G, weighed heavily on his mind. She was still so young, just a few months old, and her presence brought joy and hope to their family. But the dangers that lurked on the battlefield threatened to overshadow the fragile peace they had found.


    As Rain considered the rumors circting about his father''s allegiance, a pang of concern gripped his chest. The unsettling whispers had already started to erode his family''s reputation, casting a shadow over their name. The longer he waited, the more the rumors could fester and spread, tarnishing their honor and causing further distress to his mother.


    But the thought of leaving his newborn sister and his mother behind weighed heavily on Rain''s conscience. He couldn''t shake the worry that his absence, coupled with the uncertainty of his father''s situation, would ce an immense burden on his family. The conflicting emotions tore at his heart, creating a tempest within his mind.


    "Rain, you should just go; we will be fine," Leiah suddenly said while Rain was eating his dinner in silence while showing an absent-minded expression. "We will be fine. While I worry about you, I worry more that we are starting to be a burden for you."


    Leiah sat down with Rain, her voice gentle yet filled with conviction. She exined to him the grim reality they faced - that in the midst of the turmoil surrounding his father and uncles, no one would step forward to clear their names. The circumstances wereplex and politically charged, leaving their reputation tarnished and vulnerable to further damage.


    With a somber expression, Leiah stressed the importance of Rain''s intervention. Though he was still a child, his remarkable skills and abilities had garnered the respect of those who knew him. In this dark hour, his unique position and capabilities could make a difference.


    He possessed the potential to be a beacon of truth and hope, standing up for his family''s honor and seeking justice amidst the chaos.


    Leiah spoke with a mixture of concern and confidence, conveying her belief in Rain''s strength and resilience. She reminded him that sometimes it falls upon the shoulders of the young and determined to bring about change and set things right. It was a heavy burden for one so young, but she had faith in his abilities and the righteousness of their cause.


    As Rain listened to his mother''s words, a fire ignited within him. He understood the weight of the responsibility that rested upon his shoulders. It was not just about clearing his family''s name; it was about preserving their dignity and ensuring that the truth prevailed over baseless rumors and falsehoods.


    "All right¡­ I will bring back Dad in one way or the other," Rain dered.


    Rain had anticipated the need for provisions on his journey to clear his father''s name. Among the supplies he gathered were spiritual potions, carefully collected and stored over the months of his training and preparation. These potions held the essence of spiritual energy. They had the potential to provide him with much-needed support and healing in times of hardship.


    Rain understood the value of these potions, recognizing their potency and the benefits they could offer. However, he was also mindful of their limited supply. Knowing that he couldn''t rely solely on these potions throughout his entire journey, he carefully rationed them, reserving their use for critical moments or unforeseen challenges that required an extra boost.

 Chapter 69: No changes

    His decision to conserve the spiritual potions was driven by the uncertainty of whaty ahead. The path to clear his father''s name was fraught with dangers and obstacles, both physical and emotional. Rain knew that he needed to be prepared for any eventuality, and using up all his resources early on would leave him vulnerable in the face of the unknown.


    Instead, Rain adopted a strategic approach, utilizing the spiritual potions sparingly when circumstances demanded their assistance the most. He saw them as a lifeline, a valuable asset that could help him ovee particrly difficult trials or provide respite when his energy was depleted.


    As Rain finished his meal, a resolute fire burned in his eyes. The time for waiting hade to an end. With each item carefully packed into his bag, he silently conveyed his determination to embark on his long-awaited journey. His family watched him in a mixture of awe, concern, and pride, sensing the weight of his purpose.


    In the quiet of the night, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation. Rain''s decision to leave at this hour reflected his unwavering resolve, his determination no longer able to be contained within the familiar confines of home. It was as if his patience, honed over the passing year, had burst forth like a dam releasing its pent-up energy.


    As Rain shouldered his bag, he turned to face his family, his gaze filled with determination and a touch of sadness. They saw in his eyes the weight of his responsibility but also the indomitable spirit that fueled his quest. They knew that this was a journey Rain needed to undertake for his own sake and for the sake of his family''s name.


    Words were unnecessary at that moment. The silent exchange between Rain and his loved ones conveyed a multitude of emotions ¡ª love, pride, concern, and unspoken support. They had all been witnesses to Rain''s growth, his training, and his unwavering dedication.


    Now, it was time for him to step beyond the threshold of their home and into the unknown, guided by his determination and the knowledge he had acquired.


    In the middle of the night, Rain set forth on his journey. He didn''t waste time and began to sprint like the wind¡­ everyone saw Rain''s daily training, but they didn''t expect that he had grown that much.


    Rain traversed the fields of wheat with cautious steps, his path lit only by the soft glow of the moon above. In the dim light, Rain''s mind was focused on the task at hand, his thoughts a mix of determination and uncertainty. He knew that his mission was fraught with risks, but he couldn''t let fear deter him.


    The rumors about his father and uncles were spreading like wildfire, and he felt a growing urgency to intervene and clear their names.


    The night air was cool, and Rain pulled his cloak closer around him, the fabric offering somefort against the chill. With each step, he considered his next move carefully, aware that he couldn''t be reckless. His training and skills were respected, but he couldn''t underestimate the dangers thaty ahead.


    "... I should stop to rest until nighttime again," Rain thought while he was watching the sunrise. "I pushed myself too hard."


    As the sun began to rise, Rain felt utterly exhausted. His body felt heavy, and his mind was foggy from all the running and using his magic during the night. He tried to change up his movements to lessen the strain, but it only helped a little. Still, he managed to cover a distance that would normally take two days of travel.


    At dawn, Rain spotted a tall tree and decided to rest there. He climbed up and found a spot hidden among the leaves to lie down. Despite feeling unsure about falling, he was too tired to care. Sleep soon washed over him.


    In his dreams, thoughts of his family and the troubling rumors consumed him. Despite feeling ufortable, Rain''s determination to reach his father and brothers remained strong. He was determined to clear their names and find the truth, no matter what obstacles he faced. That determination was his driving force as he braced himself for the challenges ahead.


    "Wow, what the hell¡­ was I that tired?" Rain thought when he woke up and saw the sun setting already. "I need to fill my belly a little and then move on."


    After a much-needed rest, Rain felt his energy levels replenished, but his stomach grumbled with hunger. However, he knew that indulging in a hearty meal might slow him down on his journey. It was a frustrating predicament. Rain had anticipated such hardships while traveling, but it didn''t make dealing with hunger any less annoying.


    In the past, Rain had experienced strict diets before boxing matches, but back then, his body was fully developed. Now, as he was still growing, he understood that such hard diets could hinder his natural growth. His mind might be sharp and focused, but his young body needed proper nourishment to thrive.


    "All right, almost there¡­ hehe, I could get used to this," Rain thought while smirking.


    After three arduous days of travel, Rain could finally see the capital looming in the distance. His pace had been remarkable, but the journey had taken a toll on him, leaving him utterly exhausted. Yet, despite his weariness, a sense of aplishment washed over him like never before.


    Enduring those hardships and persevering through the challenges had filled him with excitement and a profound sense of achievement.


    As he gazed upon the familiar city, Rain couldn''t help but notice that not much had changed in thest year. The capital seemed to remain unchanged as if the enemies were in no hurry tounch an attack. This observation puzzled him, and he wondered why their apparent hesitation could be.


    "I suppose they lost  a lot already and are waiting for their golden chance toe... the humans of this world are surprisinglyid back," Rain thought.

 Chapter 70: Strengths and Weaknesses

    "I should stop now¡­" Rain thought when he realized that he had just one more hour of sunlight. "I should be able to find Tristan City the next night, and I will have to watch it for a while to find traces of Dad. Geez, dude. Don''t cause too much trouble for your seven years old son¡­ while I have thirty years'' worth of memories, I can''t do much with them yet in a world of magic people and dragons."


    Rain made a calcted decision to move further north, strategically positioning himself where he could still keep the capital within his sight while ensuring he remained hidden from potential lookouts. Choosing a path without established roads, he aimed to leave no trails behind, minimizing any signs of his passage.


    His earth magic skills came in handy as he tried to erase any traces of his journey, but he couldn''t help but feel a lingering sense of unease.


    Aware that there might be skilled trackers or experts who could see through his attempts to cover his tracks, Rain remained cautious. He moved with utmost care, being mindful of each step he took, and took care not to leave any obvious signs of his presence.


    His determination to reach his destination and find his father was stronger than ever, but he understood the risks he faced by venturing into unknown territory.


    "There are more guards on the walls than I remember¡­" Rain thought when he woke up and looked toward the capital. "I guess that they aren''t lowering their guard after losing one side of their territory."


    Under the cover of night, Rain cautiously moved forward, taking advantage of the darkness to continue his journey. With some time to spare, his mind began to wander, contemting the uncertainties thaty ahead. The thought of rescuing his father was a powerful motivator. Still, it also brought forth a slew of questions about the future.


    As he trudged through the shadows, Rain pondered what would happen once he found Roan. His father''s life would undoubtedly be changed forever, and the consequences of his actions during the war might catch up with him. The risk of recognition weighed heavily on Rain''s mind, knowing that if his father''s identity was exposed, it could lead to serious repercussions for both of them.


    The reality of his family''s current situation wasn''t lost on Rain either. They had faced significant losses, and those who remained had dispersed to other families to maintain their status and possessions. Coming back as the son of a once-respected captain might not be well-received, especially by those who saw him as a threat or an inconvenience.


    "If we heard of Dad, the others heard of him as well¡­ and if he suddenly disappears, they will find it odd and investigate," Rain thought. "Nothing but trouble in all directions, huh?"


    Rain''s life felt like an unending series of challenges, one after another. He understood that anything truly valuable came with difficulty, but saving his family from disintegration proved to be the toughest test he had faced in both of his lives. Despite the hardships, he believed it was all worth it, especially for the sake of his three little sisters.


    Having experienced enough of life''s hardships, Rain was willing to endure whatever came his way. He could shoulder the burden if needed, but he couldn''t bear the thought of his three young sisters growing up without both of their parents. They deserved a chance at a stable and loving family, even if it meant he had to go through trials and tribtions to make it happen.


    With a sense of responsibility beyond his years, Rain was determined to see his family reunited and whole again. He knew he had the strength and determination to face any ordeal, but he couldn''t help but feel protective of his younger sisters. They deserved a childhood free from strife, and he was willing to go to great lengths to ensure their well-being.


    As the afternoon sun began to descend, Rain spotted battalions of tired soldiers approaching from the direction of Tristan. Observing their marching speed and posture, he deduced that they had been through a grueling journey. These were not the royal guards but rather regr soldiers, indicating that the kingdom was making use of all avable forces to prevent the enemy from advancing further.


    Watching from a distance, Rain couldn''t help but feel a mix of emotions. On the one hand, he was relieved that the kingdom was actively resisting the enemy''s advances, which might have prevented the situation from getting worse. On the other hand, he worried about his father and uncles, who might be caught in the middle of the ongoing conflict.


    "It seems that you are hiding a lot of things, Grandpa," Rain thought. "I suppose you didn''t want to burden me with those pieces of information since my only goal is to rescue Dad."


    As the darkness of night embraced thend, Rain picked up his pace and moved swiftly toward the territory of his hometown. However, his haste was short-lived as he spotted a convoy of wagons heading in the same direction. They were loaded with supplies from the capital, a sign that the kingdom was determined not to let the enemy hold the territory easily.


    Realizing that he couldn''t afford to be seen by the soldiers guarding the convoy, Rain slowed down and concealed himself behind a cluster of trees. He carefully observed the situation, making sure to stay out of sight.


    The convoy moved steadily, its presence a testament to the resilience and determination of the kingdom''s forces. It was clear that they were not willing to give up their territory without a fight, even in the face of adversity. The soldiers guarding the wagons looked alert, their eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger.


    "I thought since we lost a bunch of terrain in thest few years, humans were hopelessly weak, but it seems that they can make up for it in some other aspects," Rain thought.

 Chapter 71: Hole

    In a world where humansck powerful magical abilities, they would face significant challenges when confronted with enemies from fantasy species that possess magical powers. However, humans have their own strengths and ingenuity that can help them hold their ground.


    Humans can undergo rigorous training in variousbat techniques, allowing them to be skilled warriors. Specialized training in martial arts, archery, swordsmanship, and other forms ofbat can give them an edge in battle.


    Humans can employ psychological tactics, such as misinformation, intimidation, and propaganda, to weaken the morale of magical adversaries. This could disrupt their focus and diminish their effectiveness in battle.


    As Rain approached therge human camp, he couldn''t help but feel a mix of anxiety and determination. He knew that rescuing his father would not be an easy task, especially with the intense activity going on in the area. The camp was bustling with people, even in the middle of the night, suggesting that they were preparing for something significant.


    Rain decided to keep his distance and hide behind some trees. He observed the camp carefully, trying to assess the situation and figure out the best approach. The camp seemed well-organized, with groups of people working together on different tasks. There were guards patrolling the perimeter, and the whole ce was teeming with life.


    As he watched from the shadows, Rain noticed that the camp''syout appeared strategic. It seemed to be a base for the ongoing conflict, likely supporting the efforts to reim the territory from the enemies that had taken over.


    "They should have at least ten thousand soldiers here¡­" Rain thought. "The enemies must be trying to grow their strength before they try another push to the capital. They should know that such a ce won''t fall for anything half-assed."


    As Rain circled the area around the city, he took extra precautions to avoid detection. He knew that both sides in the conflict could have scouts and spies patrolling the outskirts, and being discovered could jeopardize his entire mission. He moved quietly and stealthily, staying hidden among the trees and bushes, using his earth magic to muffle his footsteps and erase any traces of his presence.


    Flying above the city was an option, but Rain reasoned that the magic people might have their own aerial scouts, making it too risky to be spotted from the skies. Instead, he decided to stick to the ground, relying on his agility and careful movements to stay undetected.


    As he approached the opposite side of the city, Rain''s heart sank when he saw more armies camped behind it. The enemy''s presence was stronger than he had anticipated, and it seemed that they were determined to hold their ground. The situation made his rescue mission even more challenging.


    "This will be tough; what now?" Rain thought while looking around the area.


    As Rain continued his cautious reconnaissance around the city and its surroundings, he couldn''t find any immediate solutions to aid his mission. The situation felt daunting, and theck of useful resources left him feeling frustrated. It seemed that in this war-tornnd, there were no magical artifacts or tools that could provide him with an advantage.


    The idea of making old-school binocrs crossed his mind. It might not be as shy or magical as some other tools, but it could offer a simple yet effective way to gather intel from a distance. Rain knew that information was crucial, and having a way to observe his father''s situation without getting too close could prove invaluable.


    "For now, I should just hide and then observe," Rain thought. "Hiding in the trees won''t do it this time¡­ maybe I should dig a hole and remain inside during the day."


    As Rain considered his options and the limitations of his Earth magic, a bold idea struck him. What if he used his abilities to dig a tunnel toward the city? It could be a risky move, but it might also offer a chance to get closer to his father without alerting the enemy forces.


    With uncertainty in his mind, Rain hesitated for a moment. He knew that if he could think of this n, others might as well, including the enemy forces. They could be lying in wait, anticipating such tactics. But he also realized that sometimes, taking risks was necessary in dire situations.


    Gathering his resolve, Rain decided to give it a try. He began channeling his Earth magic, carefully manipting the ground beneath him to create a tunnel. He tried to make it as concealed as possible, keeping the entrance hidden from view. As he dug deeper into the earth, he remained cautious, listening for any signs of approaching danger.


    "Compressing all the dirt makes for good weights, huh?" Rain thought while checking a small sphere of dirt that weighed over twenty kilograms. "Law of conservation of mass can''t do a thing against magic. Suchs to be you,ws of physics. Anyway, this knowledge mighte in handy somehow..."


    Rain carefully observed his hideout, satisfied with how well he had concealed it. The entrance was covered with grass and earth, making it practically invisible to the naked eye. Even if someone stumbled upon the area, they would likely dismiss it as an ordinary part of thendscape.


    However, as he considered his options, doubts filled Rain''s mind. The idea of digging a tunnel all the way to the exit seemed unrealistic and time-consuming. Two kilometers was a significant distance, and with his current capabilities, it would take him several weeks toplete.


    Frowning, Rain weighed the pros and cons. On the one hand, the tunnel could provide him with a discreet way to reach his destination without being spotted. On the other hand, it would consume a considerable amount of time and energy that he might not have.


    "I have some free points, but¡­" Rain thought and then shook his head. "Hesitating is a waste of time, considering that I am to rescue Dad. No point in overthinking."

 Chapter 72: Forgotten routes

    Rain''s newfound intelligence proved to be a game-changer. With his mind now working at a higher capacity, he was able toe up with a more efficient n. The knowledge and skills he had acquired during his journey back home began to click into ce, allowing him to manipte his Earth magic with greater precision.


    Fueled by determination, Rain resumed his digging, now progressing at a much faster pace. He had learned from experience and adapted his technique to be more efficient. His Earth magic flowed through him more smoothly, responding to hismands with increased uracy.


    As he carved through the earth, Rain couldn''t help but wish for a spell or skill that could further enhance his control over Earth magic. But for now, he had to work with what he had. He reminded himself that every step he took, every challenge he faced, was an opportunity to grow and improve.


    As the first light of morning painted the sky, Rain paused his digging and settled into a state of meditation. It was crucial for him to rest his mind and body after the intense effort of the previous days. As he closed his eyes, he also focused on using his heightened senses to observe his surroundings.


    To his surprise, the movements in the area didn''t show any signs of imminent battle. Both sides appeared to be biding their time and consolidating their forces. The human encampment seemed to be preparing for an opportunity to strike. At the same time, the magic people''s side was primarily focused on strengthening their position.


    "I should have realized that, but there are no signs ofrge battles yet," Rain thought.


    While the magic people may have been winning the war so far, there are several reasons why they couldn''t keep going on the offensive indefinitely. Even the most powerful magical beings have limits to their mana and energy. Continuous offensive campaigns would drain their resources, making it difficult to sustain long-term attacks.


    The magic people, like any warriors, would eventually face exhaustion from prolonged battles. The physical and mental toll of constant fighting would decrease their effectiveness on the battlefield. The human side may receive reinforcements or allies from other kingdoms, bolstering their numbers and strength. A prolonged offensive could give the humans more time to gather support.


    "I guess I should rest now, for real this time," Rain thought when he realized that he was getting dizzy.


    As Rain''s exhaustion reached its limits, he realized that if he wanted to find his father and ensure a sessful rescue, he needed to improve his physical and mental condition. He knew he couldn''t continue at this pace for long, and it was crucial to be at his best for such a dangerous mission.


    He also understood the importance of countering the brainwashing that his father might have undergone. The fact that this ability existed indicated that it might not be perfect. Otherwise, the magic people would have already dominated the world by using it on arger scale. They could simply capture and brainwash influential individuals without anyone else noticing.


    Rain realized that he needed to arm himself with the knowledge to counter the brainwashing. He should learn about different techniques to break mental conditioning and understand the magical methods used for such purposes. Perhaps there were spells, skills, or items that could aid him in this endeavor.


    Additionally, he needed allies and resources. With the war going on, gathering information and assistance could be challenging. Still, it was necessary to have a supportwork if he wanted to seed. Perhaps not now, but his grandfather could help him with that after that.


    "Hmm¡­ wait a minute," Rain thought.


    After a restful sleep, Rain''s mind felt sharper and more focused. As he recalled the events from the night of the attack, he remembered his uncle mentioning the escape routes hidden under their houses. At the time, they decided against using them because of Leo''s knowledge. Still, now, it seemed like a viable option to explore.


    "There is only one way to find out¡­ if only I had learned more about earth magic at school¡­ not like I had much time to learn anyway," Rain thought.


    With newfound determination, Rain focused on using his earth magic to create small fissures in the area ahead. He carefully controlled his mana to make the energy create pathways through the ground, hoping to uncover any hidden escape routes. The process required patience and precision, but Rain was willing to put in the effort to save time and energy.


    As he concentrated, Rain''s experience working on the farms came in handy. The skills he had honed while plowing fields and creating paths for crops allowed him to split the paths with ease. The fissures spread in all directions, like awork of veins beneath the surface.


    After some time, Rain noticed something peculiar. A part of the left side of the fissures stopped cracking, suggesting that there was an obstruction in the way. It didn''t appear to be a simple boulder or debris; there was something more substantial blocking the path.


    Curiosity sparked within him, and he decided to investigate further. Carefully guiding his mana, Rain directed it to create more precise fissures, leading him closer to the obstruction. He was cautious not to cause any major disruptions or earthquakes, as that could draw unwanted attention.


    "I really don''t want to waste time here, but here Ie¡­" Rain thought.


    As Rain continued to dig, using the hidden fissures as a guide, he noticed that the earth seemed to yield more readily to his magic. It was as if the ground itself acknowledged his presence and cooperated with his efforts. The process that once feltborious and energy-draining became smoother and more efficient.


    The hidden pathways beneath the surface provided a sort of blueprint for Rain to follow, guiding his magic with precision and purpose. With each movement of his hands, the earth responded, making way for him to proceed with less resistance. It was a sensation of harmony between his magic and the natural world.

 Chapter 73: Sealed

    As he delved deeper, Rain became even more attuned to the flow of the earth''s energy. He felt a connection to thend, almost as if he were dancing with the very essence of the earth itself. It was a unique and awe-inspiring experience, unlike anything he had encountered before.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path has leveled up.


    As Rain approached the stone wall, he carefully inspected its surface, making sure not to disturb it too much. It was an ancient structure and surprisingly well-preserved despite its age. The craftsmanship indicated that it had been built by skilled hands, and its purpose as an escape route became evident to him.


    The idea that Leo might have nned to use these hidden passages for ambushes crossed Rain''s mind. It was a usible strategy, and if that were the case, he needed to proceed cautiously. He couldn''t risk alerting anyone on the other side or drawing attention to himself.


    With his heart pounding, Rain deliberated on the best course of action. If he wanted to proceed without raising suspicions, he would have to be meticulous in his approach. His earth magic might be efficient, but it could still cause disturbances if used carelessly.


    Rain decided to take a moment to assess the situation fully. He stepped back and found a concealed spot where he could rest and think. He needed to consider every angle and make a n before proceeding any further.


    "Let''s observe for a day and see if anyone ising and going through here," Rain thought.


    As Rain carefully continued his excavation, he couldn''t help but be impressed by the craftsmanship of the hidden escape route. The tunnel was well-constructed, and it had clearly been designed with secrecy and discretion in mind. It seemed that those who had built it were experts in their craft, leaving no trace of its existence on the other side.


    As the hours passed, Rain worked diligently, making sure to keep the noise to a minimum while still progressing steadily. He wanted to create a hole that would be difficult to detect, ensuring that his entry into the city would go unnoticed.


    His heightened senses remained on high alert, constantly scanning for any signs of movement or sound from both inside the tunnel and outside. He couldn''t afford to be caught off guard, especially if any scouts or spies were nearby.


    Rain''s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and calctions as he meticulously dug around the bricks of the wall. He was determined to make a hole that was seamless and undetectable. It was a tedious process, but he knew it was necessary to avoid any potential dangers.


    Despite his focus and determination, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling of urgency gnawing at him. He knew he had limited supplies and couldn''t afford to linger for too long. The longer he stayed in the area, the greater the risk of being discovered.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Rainpleted his task. He had managed to create a hole that blended almost wlessly with the rest of the wall. It would be nearly impossible to notice any disturbance in the bricks to an untrained eye.


    Satisfied with his work, Rain took a moment to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his brow. He felt a mix of relief and excitement, knowing that his escape route was ready. It was time to make his move.


    "Open, Sesame," Rain thought, and he used his magic to move the wall of bricks like it was a door.


    As Rain stepped through the hole he had carefully crafted, his earth magic allowed the brick wall to open up like a secret door, sliding silently to the side. He couldn''t help but feel a sense of gratitude for his diligent practice of earth magic. Without it, he wouldn''t have been able to create such a discreet entrance.


    Entering the tunnel, he was immediately enveloped by darkness. He closed the hidden door behind him, ensuring that no one would stumble upon his secret escape route. The darkness was almost suffocating, and Rain had to rely on his heightened senses to navigate through the narrow passageway.


    As he moved further into the tunnel, he noticed that it was dusty and covered in cobwebs. Theck of footprints and any signs of recent use confirmed that it had indeed been abandoned for years. The air was stale, and the faint scent of dampness hung in the air.


    "Maybe he isn''t nning to use the tunnels at all," Rain thought. "I can''t hear the sound of anything around, but I need to be cautious¡­ First, let''s check the exit."


    As Rain continued his journey through the dark and dusty tunnel, he resisted the urge to use his earth magic to levitate and conserve his precious mana. He knew that every ounce of magic he saved could make a difference in the days toe. So, with determination in his heart, he pressed forward on foot, navigating the darkness without creating any light to guide his way.


    Despite the darkness and the eerie silence, Rain moved with confidence, trusting his instincts and his sense of direction. He counted the steps in his mind, estimating the distance he had covered and the distance he had left to go. His body ached from the long journey, but he pushed on, motivated by the thought of rescuing his father.


    As he ventured deeper into the tunnel, the air grew colder, and the dampness seeped into his clothes. The dust clung to his skin, making him feel gritty and ufortable. But Rain paid no heed to his difort, his focus solely on reaching the tunnel''s exit.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking in the dark, Rain saw the end of the tunnel, But as he drew closer, he calmed down. The exit had been blocked by a massive pile of dirt and debris, sealing off any passage to the outside.

 Chapter 74: Infiltration

    "Courtesy of Uncle Leo, I guess," Rain thought. "This shouldn''t be small enough that a single earth magic can clean fast enough¡­ This also should have happened before the attack."


    The blocked exit at least confirmed that Rain could use the tunnel freely. At least until he finds the entrance. He didn''t know who that tunnel once belonged to, after all. It was better to be safe than sorry for a while longer.


    After not so long, Rain moved in the opposite direction, and after one hour, he reached the other side. He found a door leading to an area above, but it was sealed tight. Rain could also see some dust falling from the breaches of the door. He imagined that a building above had been knocked down. Probably a result of the invasion or someone who had a grudge against the Lonard family.


    "I guess they destroyed and left as if it was anything that was connected to the previous leaders of the city¡­ I can''t hear anything around, but I need to be careful," Rain thought.


    Without wasting time, Rain started to dig once again, this time upward to return to his hometown. It was gettingte, so Rain had to be careful not to make any noise. At the same time, that was a good thing since Rain won''t be seen emerging from the area.


    While it took a few hours, Rain considered himself lucky since the small hole that he made him see the night sky. He didn''t dig toward a pile of rubble, so that was definitely luck on his side. Rain stopped to listen to the sounds outside, and he could hear some metallic footsteps in the distance and some conversations, but nothing more. He wondered the reasons for that¡­


    "They must be the mercenaries and guards that serve Leo¡­ the magic people must be camping outside the city and guarding the walls," Rain thought.


    After not so long, Rain stopped to rest a bit while he listened to the sounds outside. It was close to midnight already, but there were no signs of the city getting quieter. It was only natural since they didn''t want to lose it¡­ in any case, Rain had to move and at least learn where he could find his father beforeing up with a n to rescue him.


    He probably won''t be alone, so a fight will probably happen, and he will have to knock down all the enemies instantly. He had made a lot of progress with his magic, but not to do something so brazen.


    "That will be hard, so I have toe up with some surefire method to seed by taking out the enemies by surprise¡­ Considering my skills, what can I do in that regard?" Rain thought while rubbing his chin.


    After thinking for a short while, Rain realized that he already had his answer. He had yed with it for the past few days. He grabbed one of those round small spheres of dirt, and, using his magic, he shot them in the distance.


    They were as fast as arrows and heavy as cannonballs, but their best range was only twenty meters of distance¡­ Rain will have to expose himself a bit if he wants to use them as weapons that won''t make much noise. At the same time, he will make a lot of enemies since those could kill anyone with a good hit in the head.


    "I guess this solves problem A, as for problem B¡­ how to bring back Dad, who is currently under some brainwashing magic," Rain thought. "I suppose a good hit in the head won''t be enough."


    Rain had no idea how magic that maniptes the mind works, but he could guess. First of all, they naturally should affect the brain of the target, altering their notions of reality and perhaps even memories. That kind of thing was really scary and disturbing.


    Still, people stopped at nothing to win wars and get what they wanted during conflicts, so it was no surprise that some tribes developed and became quite good at using that kind of thing.


    "I will have enough time to test all this once I recover him," Rain thought. "I suppose I need to wait until the next night and focus on recovering my strength and mana."


    The next day passed rather slowly. Rain tried to hear some conversations around, but he didn''t learn anything useful; he only heard nonsense. Resting underground was also quite difficult to do as well, so Rain woke up several times during the day. That didn''t help much with his exhaustion. It was better than nothing considering the situation, though.


    "It is time to move," Rain thought when things got a bit quieter outside.


    Rain had already finished opening the exit of the tunnel for him, so he just had to move it downward and then seal it again when he left. That happened in just ten seconds, and then he found himself in the middle of several piles of rubble. It seemed that the residences of one of his uncles became those, and thanks to that, he couldn''t see anyone around.


    Rain flew, using his magic to avoid making any noise, and then crossed the rubble and stopped in a dark alley nearby. After looking around, he confirmed that the city was a lot more empty than before. The night attack destroyed a lot of buildings, but a lot more people were killed in it as well. That exined the emptiness.


    "Hmmm?" Rain thought while he was checking the area ahead through the darkness of the alley.


    Rain saw peopleing and going like normal. While some of them looked a bit down in their spirits. It was only normal that most people would surrender to their enemies, but it seemed that they adapted too fast. Maybe Rain was wrong about that, but there were no signs of people nning to rebel against the enemies.


    Even if they couldn''t fight, they didn''t want to do anything else either against those that destroyed part of their hometown and killed their friends and acquaintances.

 Chapter 75: Lady Succubus

    "This is quite pathetic¡­ I get it that they don''t want to risk their families and lose more, but what is the point if you are surviving only to live a dog''s life?" Rain wondered.


    Rain saw the magic peopleing and going; when they passed near them, the humans made sure to lower their heads while the others made sure to keep their heads high, filled with pride. Rain couldn''t see much difference from some magic people to humans, but others were pretty different. He could see the blood mages walking around; they were a force that would be dangerous in longer battles.


    Aside from those, he saw two types of magic people in high numbers. They were the heat sorcerers and the quicksand executioners.


    The heat sorcerers were people that had an almost red skin since their bodies let them absorb heat quite easily and use it as well. The quicksand executioners didn''t look much different from humans. Still, it seemed that, for whatever reason, they tended to turn into sand and everything made of Earth that they touched. That is why they are always wearing gloves and covering their whole bodies.


    Rain had heard of them a few times, thanks to the rumors of the war. Theirbination was quite annoying since the quicksand executioners were good at earth magic and could repair the walls quite fast. The heat sorcerers be stronger during the day and stupidly powerful at noon since they can control heat almost freely.


    "I guess it makes sense that I am in the southern side of the city since I was in that direction¡­ I don''t know this area well, but I should be fine if I remain in the alleys," Rain thought.


    Everyone was busy, and most of the people were In their houses, so Rain was able to move without finding any problems. When there were no dark alleys around, Rain used his earth magic to jump from one building to the other and remained hidden there.


    At the top of the buildings, Rain had the chance to check things around, and the number of soldiers in the walls was small, but he saw several camps near them¡­ the enemies were just trying to bait the humans to attack.


    "While their magic skills give them an edge, it doesn''t mean that they can''t be smart¡­" Rain thought. "Anyway, I need to look for all those camps for Dad."


    Rain moved from rooftop to rooftop and checked the enemy''s camps near the walls of the city. He saw them mainly rxing or eating. At the same time, they weren''t expecting an attack from behind. Rain wondered if the enemies didn''t think that Rain''s father and uncles had passed the knowledge of the existence of the tunnels to others.


    It seemed stupid not to do that¡­ then again, it was hard to imagine that an army would be able to enter the city like that and defeat all the enemies. Even if they had three or four of those tunnels.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Healer''s Path received three hundred points of experience.


    "... I guess stealth is a skill in one of the paths as well," Rain thought.


    Rain watched the camps around and found no signs of humans there. He imagined that they would be used as cannon fodder during the battles. Still, it seemed that such a thing wasn''t happening, or it had already happened, and that was why he didn''t find humans there.


    After three hours, Rain began to feel troubled since he checked half of the camps of the city already, and there were no signs of his Dad and uncles. His main goal was to rescue his father, but freeing his uncles as well would also increase their chances of escaping since their fighting skills were top-notch.


    "Maybe I should return and try again tomorrow¡­" Rain thought and then sighed.


    Rain should have known that the mission wouldn''t be that easy. Still, when he was about to give up for the night, Rain saw some movements on the walls, and then he saw arge group of people leaving the area of the East gate. What caught Rain''s attention was the fact that the group was fully armored, and that was weird even for the humans in the city that were working for the enemies.


    Before long, Rain confirmed that the group was being led by a woman that walked with her eyes closed, and she was being escorted by five armored warriors that were hiding their bodies and faces thanks to their full te armor. However, Rain recognized the sword that one of them was carrying. It was his father''s.


    "Is that him?" Rain thought.


    Rain never saw his father using anything aside from a sword, he probably wore armor when he was on duty, but he preferred to fight without one since it would hinder his speed. Rain saw Roan fighting that night of the invasion, so he could tell that his speed and high offensive capability were his strengths. In any case, Rain followed the group until they entered arge mansion.


    Rain was able to see her from up close this time and confirmed once again that she didn''t look very different from humans, but she kept her eyes closed all the time. If she was the one who had brainwashed his father, then she used her eyes.


    "At least it looks like Dad didn''t leave his family to chase another woman," Rain thought.


    Rain observed the arrival of the mysterious woman, her long ck hair flowing like a shimmering waterfall. Her figure was captivating, with a slender waist and curves that caught the eye. Dressed in a sleek ck gown that entuated her allure, she exuded an air of elegance and confidence.


    Rain couldn''t help but be both intrigued and cautious. Her demeanor wasposed, giving away no hints of emotion or intention. He found himself drawn to her beauty, even though he knew better than to be deceived by appearances.


    In his mind, Rain yfully dubbed her "Lady Subus," a name that was both a yful jest and a reminder of the caution he needed to exercise. He wondered if her powers, if she had any, could indeed control men like the mythical creature she was humorously named after.

 Chapter 76: The Hard Way

    "I guess she needs to be close to them to control them, and she also ns to use them to defend the city¡­ this might be a bit hard," Rain thought.


    Rain thought of some methods to free his father. Killing the woman seemed the best option to end the brainwashing, but it might keep Roan in that state forever; there was a chance for that. Take down all of the brainwashed soldiers that made her guard, but it was dangerous since Rain didn''t know if his uncles were among them.


    The final option was to separate his father from the others without alerting them. Still, he didn''t know how he could do that exactly.


    "Nothing says that either of those options is a surefire way to solve the problem¡­ nothing but doubts on my path, huh," Rain thought and then sighed.


    The sun was about to rise, so Rain decided to return to the tunnel and wait until night to rescue his father. He needed some time to think of how to proceed afterward, after all. After sleeping for a couple of hours, Rain, with a refreshed mind, made his decision and then waited until night to move again.


    This time, he left as soon as it got dark and then headed toward the mansion where his father was. He arrived just in time to see the woman and the guards move toward the wall again.


    "It is time to learn a few things¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain followed the group while moving from rooftop to rooftop while using a bit of magic. The group followed the main street of the area, so plenty of people saw them, so Rain couldn''t do anything while he was there. In the next wall as well, it seemed that they were only guarding a single area with an elite group, but there were other groups around that would react fast if something were to happen.


    In that direction, they could see the human camp. It would have been helpful if Rain could rescue his father and head there, but he couldn''t since he couldn''t trust anyone there either.


    "It would have been great if the humans attacked the city tonight... I would have the perfect diversion," Rain thought.


    Unfortunately, the reality wasn''t that convenient, so nothing happened that night. Still, just like before, the group began to move one hour before sunrise and headed toward the mansion. Rain already knew the route that they were following, so he was waiting at the right ce.


    It was an area that had few people moving around since it was an area that had taverns and inns that had closed off since the city was taken.


    "... Now," Rain said while he was hidden in a dark alley.


    Despite the fact that Rain had gotten used to moving around stealthily, the woman still looked at the dark alley when he decided to make his move. Rain was lucky that she kept her eyes closed. Otherwise, he might have fallen for her brainwashing as well. Either way, it seemed that she sensed his mana when Rain used his magic to open holes in the ground and make them fall toward it.


    He immediately covered them on the ground up to their mouths and covered the woman''s eyes with an earth ring as well before pushing them to the dark alley. The guards immediately began to move, and with their high strength, cracks began to appear on the ground.


    "Sorry about this," Rain said and then hit their temples with an earth hammer and knocked them out.


    Rain only left the woman conscious since he needed to ask her a few things. At the same time, he took the helmets out of the guards and confirmed that his father was among them. He looked normal; Rain was expecting to see him in a far worse state¡­ covered in dirty, smelling, hungry, and bruised all over.


    The only wound that he had was the one Rain had caused just now. In any case, his uncles weren''t there, and while that was sad, Rain couldn''t afford to worry about them. He used half of his mana with just that, and he couldn''t waste time.


    "I want some answers from you, so I will grant you the chance to talk a bit," Rain said. "If you do anything aside from answering my question, I will snap your neck."


    The brainwashing woman was still trying to move her head and body despite Rain''s words. She wasn''t afraid of him since he had the voice of a kid. Trying to make his voice sound rougher would only make him sound more silly; that was why Rain didn''t try that. Still, he didn''t imagine that she was foolish enough to resist and ignore his warnings.


    She either had balls of steel, or she didn''t mind dying at all. Maybe Rain could have phrased that better.


    "How do you dispel the brainwashing?" Rain asked.


    The woman stopped struggling, and it seemed that she wanted to say something, but Rain didn''t like that sudden change of heart. Still, he didn''t have time to waste, so he made her move upward a bit. Still, she took a deep breath, and then she opened her mouth with all her might¡­ Before she could scream, Rain hit the temple with an earth hammer as well.


    The woman was knocked down instantly, and her face began to get swollen slowly but surely.


    "Fucking bitch¡­ I guess I will have to try this the hard way," Rain thought.


    Rain couldn''t kill her and the guards, but they will suffer quite a bit until someone finds them. Just to be safe, Rain made sure to bury them a bit deeper and hardened the earth around them.


    Rain left the dark alley while his father was covered in ayer of dirt that would hinder his movements. After that, he began to cross the city while making him levitate with his remaining mana before the sun could rise. When Rain and his unconscious father reached the tunnel, he felt like his head was about to explode. He had exhausted his mana already, and he forced himself to keep moving.

 Chapter 77: Possible solutions

    In the end, he meditated for a minute to gather enough mana to open and close the exit. Rain sighed in relief when that happened, but instead of stopping to rest due to theck of mana, he just grabbed the huge block of earth that kept his father sealed and began to carry it.


    "I Need to hurry," Rain thought. "I need to escape this area as soon as possible¡­"


    Rain could easily be found during the day carrying his father, but he didn''t have any other choice. He still had his potions left, so he could use them in case of emergency to escape. For now, the best solution to undo the brainwashing was to keep his father as far away as possible from the caster.


    "... It seems that the area around is clear," Rain thought while looking around when he reached the end of the tunnel.


    Rain made his father move from the tunnel while keeping him close to the ground but without leaving too many traces behind. Still, when he closed the entrance, he noticed something weird happening around. Rain heard the sound of a whistle nearby, but he was unable to find the source. When he looked behind, he saw a lot of people on the walls moving and looking in his direction. He had been found¡­


    "Shit, of course, their lookouts would find me when it is this bright," Rain said and then clicked his tongue in annoyance before grabbing the potions and drinking them.


    Rain jumped on the block of earth that kept his father sealed, and then he moved toward the grove south of his location. While he looked over his shoulder, he saw a fire tornado suddenly emerging from that side of the wall and then moving toward him at fearsome speeds. The heat mages were on the move, and their power was insane early in the morning.


    He couldn''t let that get any closer to him or his father.


    "It can''t be helped¡­" Rain thought and then drank another potion before he sped up.


    Rain didn''t know for how long the fire tornado could chase him, but he could tell that the enemies wouldn''t be able to control them from so far away. However, soon the fire tornado dispersed when Rain saw some movements on the humans'' side¡­ he didn''t know if they found him, but they decided to move once the magic people did the same,


    "Well then¡­e and get it, assholes," Rain thought.


    When he reached the grove, Rain felt that the ce had a weird aura in it, so he could tell that the enemy''s lookouts were around. Still, they didn''t make any attempts to attack him¡­ Rain made sure to keep his face hidden, but it was useless to hide his father''s since the people in the city would eventually find out who he was. The question was: would they connect the dots?


    He could only hope that they wouldn''t.


    "I should keep heading south for a while before heading East, just in case," Rain thought.


    After twenty minutes, Rain''s mana was finally empty, he still had two more potions, but he decided to use his physical strength for a while while carrying his father. Roan didn''t show any signs of waking up, so Rain was a bit worried that he hit him too hard. The enemies didn''t chase him, so it seemed that they were busy fighting the humans. He will be fine for a while, but not forever.


    "I guess I will keep going like this until Dad wakes up," Rain thought.


    In the end, Roan woke up at noon, and while Rain sighed in relief, he saw that his father''s eyes were unfocused. Roan began to try to move his whole body to free himself, and when Rain looked at him, Roan didn''t react at all.


    "I guess that this confirms that the spell isn''t something that was being fed overtime with that woman''s mana, and being far away from her weakened it," Rain thought. "I guess my only option now is to check if the mana of the spell will disperse after a while. Well, sorry about this, Dad."


    Without any other option, Rain hit Roan''s left cheek again, and that put him to sleep. At the same time, Rain healed his wounds to avoid leavingsting damage. Perhaps that wasn''t actually preventing that, but Roan was a tough guy.


    Healer''s path


    Level 1: Basic First Aid - Provides knowledge and training in basic first aid techniques, allowing the healer to administer immediate care for minor injuries and ailments.


    Level 5: Healing Touch - You developed the ability to channel healing energy through touch, elerating the natural healing process of wounds and alleviating pain. It restores one point of health per second at the cost of the same amount of mana per second. The level of the skill multiplies the effect.


    Level 10: Herbal Medicine - Gains expertise in identifying and utilizing medicinal herbs and nts for healing purposes, effectively creating natural remedies for various ailments. The higher the level, the more knowledge you will have.


    "I don''t have any skill to dispel poison, so it is only natural that I wouldn''t be able to dispel some brainwashing as well," Rain thought. "I won''t be able to find one in the country, and I can''t look for one in the big cities since Dad will recognize¡­ I guess I will have to keep leveling up the Healer''s Path and hope that I will get the skill eventually."


    Rain was more realistic than someone that was too hopeful, so he felt troubled considering the situation. Still, maybe he could do something about it, considering the knowledge that he had from Earth. He didn''t know much about a shady subject such as brainwashing, though.


    "I need to rest for a bit," Rain thought when he noticed that the area ahead was more arid than green. "We covered a lot of ground, so we should be fine."

 Chapter 78: Whipped

    Soon enough, Roan woke up and made a fuss again until Rain put him to sleep. Rain wondered for how long that would happen¡­ his father needed to eat and drink, and he probably won''t do that while he was in that state. While feeling like sighing, Rain ate some fruits that he had left and then went to sleep in the shade of a tree. It was hard to imagine that he would truly rest like that, though.


    "... What time is it?" Rain thought when he woke up in the middle of the night. "Time to move, I guess¡­ maybe if I shake the earth prison a bit, Dad''s brain will shake as well, and that will dispel the brainwashing."


    Rain was having some weird ideas because he just woke up. Such things weremon urrences since he was reborn, but such thought was left alone once his head began to work properly. Rain and his father moved toward home like that for the next two days.


    Their speed wasn''t great, but at least they didn''t find any problems along the way, aside from the fact that Roan didn''t eat or drink in almost three days. Things were starting to reach a dangerous level.


    "Shit¡­ what now?" Rain thought while biting his nails and seeing his father that was trying to free himself.


    Rain made his father drink stamina and mana potions while he was sleeping so he won''t die of thirst so soon, but those potions didn''t help with the brainwashing. Feeding his father like that was difficult as well. At that point in time, Rain didn''t think that he had the luxury of choosing his methods anymore. He had to try them all. Rain tried Minor Heal on his father''s head, but it didn''t work.


    He tried to find a strange source of mana in his body, but it didn''t work either. Rain also made his father spin and shake in the air, but that didn''t change a single thing.


    "Sorry, Dad¡­ but I guess you will have to suffer a bit," Rain said. "Hopefully, you won''t recall anything."


    Memory loss, also known as amnesia, is a condition characterized by partial or total loss of memories. It can be caused by various factors, and the severity and duration of memory loss can vary depending on the underlying cause.


    Retrograde Amnesia: This type of memory loss affects past memories. People with retrograde amnesia may forget events, experiences, or even their identity from a specific period of time before the onset of amnesia. In many cases, retrograde amnesia is temporary and memory can gradually return as the brain heals from the underlying cause. Recovery may be aided through therapy, support, and time.


    Psychological Trauma: Emotional or psychological trauma can trigger dissociative amnesia, where a person forgets certain traumatic events. Therapy and counseling can help individuals recover memories and process the underlying trauma.


    Stress and Anxiety: Temporary memory loss can be caused by stress and anxiety. Reducing stress levels through rxation techniques and therapy can improve memory recall.


    Rain decided to use all that as a basis to treat his father. He didn''t believe one hundred percent that such a thing would work, but the only thing that he could do now was to make his father endure some trauma that would be stronger than the brainwashing.


    In the end, Rain punched his father in the chin to make his brain spin a bit. He also made him spin in all directions. After a bunch of other things, he also made him stay upside down for a couple of hours. When Rain was about to give up and dash home to ask for help, he heard Roan groaning when he was waking up. That was a first¡­


    "Dad? Is that you?" Rain asked. "Or do I need to keep beating the crap out of you?"


    "That is a weird way to say good morning¡­" Roan said and groaned a bit more. "I am a failure as a father, warrior, and man since I had to be rescued by my seven years old son."


    Based on Roan''s words, Rain assumed that his father, while he was under the enemy''s control, could still see what his body was doing. That was really the worst kind of torture someone could have endured. Being inside their bodies and being unable to do a thing. Just thinking about it made Rain feel his blood turning cold.


    "I truly hope that you aren''t under that woman''s control right now. Otherwise, I will have to break all of your limbs," Rain said, and then he freed his father.


    "From what I can tell, her magic was too strong, but it got weaker over time," Roan said while shaking his head when he fell on his butt. "However, staying upside down for a while made the blood disperse the mana, I guess¡­ What a terrifying woman. A single look in her eyes and I was done."


    "Just in her eyes? Mom will want to hear more about this in detail," Rain said and then shrugged. "She will use this for the rest of your life that while you were being manipted by a hot girl, she was carrying and giving birth to your fourth kid."


    "I had the feeling that such a thing would happen¡­ I take it that she gave her a weird name as well?" Roan asked while showing a difficult smile. "Dana and Kei probably don''t even recall my face anymore¡­ and now the younger ones will see me as someone suspicious. I am truly a failure in all Aspects¡­ still, how can you tell at your age that the brainwasher was a hot girl."


    "I have eyes. Therefore, I can see," Rain shrugged.


    "I am worried about your future like this," Roan said and then sighed.


    Just like that, Rain rescued his father¡­


    The trip back home took ten days because they used some time to make Roan recover from the days without food and water. After that, they dashed toward home. Roan exined that the woman could feel the presence of those she controlled, so while the spell ended, she might have sent assassins since she knew where they were heading.


    Also, Roan exined that his brothers died on the day that he was captured. That had been thest day of the war, and he was only spared because he took a lot of enemies with him, and that woman decided to make him his bodyguard.

 Chapter 79: Running

    "Almost two years¡­ you did well in protecting everyone, Rain," Roan said after a long sigh. "I will try to make it up for you and everyone else, but I guess I will have to change my identity to avoid problems in the future. The war is at a stalemate, but the bnce will break in less than five years again. I don''t think that our country willst like this for long."


    "I suppose we don''t have many options left, huh," Rain said. "I am not surprised learning this... it actually feels like I just confirmed what I knew."


    "The enemies are ying the long game while the humans are only thinking about the present," Roan replied. "I can''t see them winning unless some big changes take ce now."


    The humans losing the war was worrisome¡­ If the capital falls, the whole kingdom falls, and so goes the peace of Rain''s family. He had to do something about that, but what could he do? He thought a lot during the trip back home, but nothing came to mind. He had to get stronger since, to rescue his father, he only could be stealthy¡­ his options were limited thanks to his power level.


    After several days and in the morning, Rain and Roan were able to see the vige where their family was living; Roan hesitated a bit from approaching. He felt truly ashamed since he worried everyone so much, and his duty was to protect them instead. Since that was the first thing that he said once he was back, that truly had been haunting him.


    "Trying to avoid the unavoidable is a waste of time," Rain said. "It is better to ept whatever happens and adapt to it."


    "I always knew that you would be smarter than me, but it is quite painful to receive such lessons from my seven years old son," Roan said and then sighed.


    While looking around, Rain confirmed that nothing changed in the vige while he was away. So, he felt relieved. His grandpa wasn''t working in the fields that morning, so it seemed that they would be able to surprise everyone at home. Once they arrived in front of the house, Roan took a deep breath to prepare himself mentally.


    Still, much to his surprise, Leiah suddenly opened the door and showed herself while carrying G. Her expression froze when she saw Roan and Rain; she found it hard to believe that they were actually back.


    "Hey¡­ sorry for the dy," Roan said while forcing a smile.


    It seemed pretty obvious that such a thing would happen, but Roan was caught off guard when Leiah began to cry uncontrobly and then rushed to hug him. She left Rain to look after G, who was still sleeping. Although that was an emotional meeting, Rain could only wonder if that would make him get more siblings. The way his parents liked to shag, he could only assume that.


    Before long, Roan was able to meet everyone in the house, and while he had a hard time not crying in front of his son, he let some tears fall when he confirmed that Dana and Kei didn''t forget him. That sure was surprising. Maybe it was because they hadn''t seen many people since their father disappeared.


    "Papa, faster!" Dana said while she was using Roan as a horse alongside Kei.


    "Okay, okay," Roan said while smiling.


    Roan never pretended to y horse for his kids, but he felt like he didn''t have any more reason to try to save his pride after being away for two years. When Luana and Meiro showed up, he bowed at them deeply. He said that he was sorry for not protecting their daughter for such a long time and making her deal with such hardships, but they didn''t mind that at all.


    Instead, they just asked for the details of what happened. After a long exnation, they showed some concerned expressions.


    "I see¡­ we are sorry for your brothers," Meiro said.


    "They died doing what they wanted, trying to take back our hometown, so they had no regrets," Roan said. "Honestly¡­ I fought with the same intentions. My parents died, we lost everything, and my family had to endure all this¡­ I felt that I had the duty to deal with all of the enemies in one way or the other."


    "Well, your family has always been stubborn about honor," Meiro said and then shrugged.


    "What about Leo?" Luana asked.


    "... He moved to the magic people''snd one year ago," Roan said and then sighed. "He will gain a position alongside his family on the upper echelon there for giving them such a foothold in our territory. That is what he wanted, and the people from the other country also think that leaving him in themand of Tristan city would be too risky."


    It made sense for the enemies to change the rulers of the cities they took. As long as they keep some of the heads alive, themon folk will feel the need to follow the rules as well. Rain was beginning to understand how politics worked in that world and felt a bit troubled since it was a pain in the ass. The kind of approach that nobles had when it came to politics was too different from his.


    In the first ce, those kinds of people weren''t true leaders since they never put theirs on the line. So, how could he trust them?


    "Well¡­ I can''t forget about what he did, but I don''t have to worry about him right now," Roan said. "I have to make up for the lost time, but I also have to find a job here once I change my appearance a bit."


    "We will do something about that. For now, just enjoy your return," Meiro said while smiling. "I have some work to do this afternoon, so I will leave now."


    "I also have to do some things," Luana said while grinning.

 Chapter 80: Thief Path

    Rain''s Spidey senses were tingling, so he decided to work with his grandfather and make some money instead of seeing his parents getting lovey-dovey. Still, Leiah made sure to give him a tight hug before he left.


    "Thank you, Rain," Leiah said. "We are very proud of you."


    "I am very proud of myself as well," Rain said in order not to let the situation get too emotional.


    Rain left with Meiro, and he worked in the fields until evening. During that time, he wondered if he should keep leveling up his Healer''s Path. He liked the parameters that were increasing, but he also wanted to check what would happen once he made the human path reach level one hundred, so he returned to the same method of improving as before.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 30 (2830/3000)


    Current Path: Human (Lv 93 - 3610/9000)


    Health: 1740/1740


    Mana: 2290/2290


    Stamina: 2380/2380


    Strength: 180


    Dexterity: 96


    Intelligence: 233


    Vitality: 188


    Wisdom: 221


    Endurance: 188


    Luck: 100


    Free Points: 00


    Main Skills:


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 59]


    [Running Lv 58]


    [Reading Lv 42)


    [Writing Lv 46]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 06]


    [Basic Training Lv 42]


    [Language Proficiency Lv 36]


    [Agile Movement Lv 31]


    [Martial Arts Lv 36]


    "It is time to resume my grinding and improve my health and healing skills," Rain thought.


    The next few months passed in the blink of an eye. To avoid suspicion, everyone decided to wait for a while before they made Roan show up; it might cause problems if the word about a powerful guard had arrived and began to work in the vige. Also, while it wasn''t his preference, he began to work as a guard for the vige at night while carrying a spear since fewer people would be able to see him.


    Roan also changed his appearance with some dye to help with that. Since he had more time than before, he began to work during the day, teaching the girls a bunch of things like reading, writing, and basic magic. Roan basically took Rain''s job.


    "Since I have more free time now, it is time to work harder and develop my strength," Rain thought while recalling the mission and the days that he was away from home. "The idea of working in the shadows and just doing stealthy work doesn''t sit well with me."


    Although Rain knew that magic was useful, it was quite limiting. He didn''t want to rely on fighting at his best for a short period of time either, so it was better to keep that as a trump card. Rain''s days started before sunrise, and he immediately would run around the vige with all his might.


    When he could barely move his legs, he would move to the tree that he punched and then would attack it with all his might. Still, upon his return and the fact that he was trying harder, he ended up knocking the tree after one week.


    "You are training hard. You are far more diligent than I was at your age," Roan said after he approached when the tree was knocked down. "Still, you shouldn''t knock down trees."


    "Sorry," Rain said while he was healing his fists and wondering if he should punch a rock now.


    "Is there any reason why you are training with only your body and without weapons?" Roan asked.


    "It just feels more natural that way," Rain replied. "If I need to fight someone with a weapon someday, then I will do this."


    Rain covering his arms on earth and then punching the air. His speed was quite good despite the weight, and the protection seemed good enough as well. Rain didn''t stop there. He made the earth move away from his arms and also made it take a bigger shape while floating around his arms. They couldpletely mimic the movements of his arms.


    "Hoh, this is quite a novel idea¡­ I never heard of someone fighting like that," Roan said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Still, it doesn''t seem like you have a lot of experience fighting using that. Let''s spar from now on every day at sunrise. That should give you some battle experience."


    "Fine by me," Rain said.


    From day onward, Rain and Roan sparred early in the morning. Thanks to that, Rain was able to see that his father was many levels above him. Even after several weeks, he was never able to make Roan break a sweat¡­ the difference in terms of parameters was that high.


    Maybe things would be different if Rain went with the intention of killing, but that wasn''t his goal; his goal was to get stronger and get fighting experience.


    Roan was able to block all of Rain''s attacks without moving from the spot and just by using enough strength to block them. Still, he didn''t feel bad about that. Rain knew that his father was strong enough to make the enemy decide to spare him and make him join their ranks.


    In any case, after two more months, Rain finally reached his next goal, and he had been waiting for that.


    (The Human Path reached the max level.)


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 100: Thief Path - Unlocked due to the culmination of various skills and the user''s inclination towards stealth and cunning. This path focuses on stealthy maneuvers, lock picking, subterfuge, and acquiring illicit skills. Dexterity + 04, Luck + 02


    Level 1: Pickpocketing - Gains the ability to discreetly steal items from pockets and bags without being detected.


    Level 5: Lockpicking - Develops the skill to unlock doors, safes, and containers without the use of a key.


    Level 10: Agility - Enhances physical agility and nimbleness, allowing the thief to move quickly and effortlessly.


    "Oh¡­ this path is already at level ten, so I gained a ton of points¡­" Rain thought and then smiled. "It seems that me working like that in Tristan City did this. In any case, it seems that nothing aside from the Thief Path was unlocked."

 Chapter 81: Only in the future

    In the end, Rain hoped that something like the High Human Path would be unlocked by reaching the max level in the human path. In any case, that would only make him more confused about which path to take next. For now, Rain wanted to develop his Battle Master Path and be stronger than his father so that he would keep that active most of the time.


    Meanwhile, he would keep using the Healer''s Path when he was working in the fields.


    During that short period of peace, things were changing a bit around the house as well, thanks to the growth of Rain''s little sisters. Dana was starting to ask to go with Rain and Roan out when they left the house. She was six years old already, so she had way too much energy, and dealing with that was a bit tiresome. She didn''t like to study either, so she was constantly asking toe with them.


    "Not today, Dana," Rain said. "I will have a day off in two days, so I will take you all to walk around the fields."


    "Not fair!" Dana protested.


    Rain sighed and then saw Kei reading a book in the corner of the room. She would be the quiet literary type of the family, it seemed. For a while, Rain assumed that she would be cold and distant, but that was a wrong assumption. Kei would constantly approach him and everyone else around to read books to her while she sat on theirps.


    She didn''t show many expressions, so everyone felt happy when she did that.


    As for the youngest of the three, G was still developing her personality, but it looked like she would be an indoor type as well. She liked to watch Leiah and Luana cooking, and she also liked to eat as well, so perhaps she would be interested in that area. Rain would be fine with whatever path his sisters chose.


    Still, he believed that training them to defend themselves was almostpletely necessary.


    "We are all two years apart from each other¡­ it was supposed to be around this time for a new sibling to arrive, but it seemed that my parents slowed down on the Rabbit path," Rain thought. "Why did you have to make me think of this?"


    "You seem lost in thought," Meiro said after he suddenly approached. "I have some good news. In thest few months, my friends didn''t detect any movementsing from the enemies in regard to your father."


    "That is good," Rain said. "I thought that the illusions woman was the type who would hold a grudge over this, but it seems that my guess is wrong."


    "About her¡­ it seems that she stayed in Tristan for three months and then returned back home," Meiro added. "It seems a bit toote for punishment, though. Not like losing a single brainwashed soldier would change the ns of the magic people."


    "I hope that she gets punished over it. I just don''t hope that they won''t send someone worse than her," Rain said while furrowing his eyebrows. "By the way, Grandpa. I am teaching Dana some earth magic, and since she wants to leave home more often, I was nning to take her with us to tend the fields."


    "I don''t mind that; I think that it would do her good¡­ but she is a bit harsh and impatient," Meiro said while scratching his cheeks. "It might take a while for her to take your job if it is what you want."


    "Only in the future," Rain said.


    Rain wanted to make his sisters an irreceable part of the vige since that would make it hard for people to turn them down if something happened, like some officers from the kingdom investigating things around the area. He also wanted to train more and find other ways to make money without using too much magic.


    "I suppose I can''t leave this area yet until I know that everyone will be safe¡­ this world is too interesting not to explore, though," Rain thought.


    Rain had been thinking about the war, and while not many things had happened until now, and he had time to find some solutions to it, he failed ating up with any kind of n. Things were too much on arge scale for Rain''s current powers, and there were countless people stronger than him¡­ he had toe up with more methods to get stronger.


    "I guess I have to learn techniques and spells that are advanced; that way, I will gain a shit ton of points when I unlock those paths," Rain thought. "The only problem is that I don''t know when or if I will unlock those paths."


    Rain spent the time before going to sleep thinking of those techniques. He focused on the ones that would help them the most. It would be helpful if he could hear some tips from others, but his father said that such things can''t be taught like that. They had toe naturally to him in order for them to be really effective.


    In the end, Rain asked his grandfather to buy a book for him that had the history of famous figures from the past. He imagined that such things would give him some inspiration.


    "Copy what I do," Rain said while he was touching the ground and made his mana open a path of thirty meters where the seeds would be nted and they would grow a bit far apart from the other lines. "Keep your focus because it will get harder the longer the line."


    Dana nodded and focused on the task ahead. While Rain was waiting for the book, he decided to help Dana learn how to do the fieldwork with magic. She had some aptitude for earth magic as well, so she managed to make the path emerge slowly, but after a while, it began to get not so straight.

 Chapter 82: Unwanted visit

    "Being careful is good, but you should know the limits of your skills," Rain said. "If you think that you can only make lines this long, just do that and restart from the end. If you insist, you will lose focus and get tired faster. Remember, we can''t mess up here since this is the lifeline of the vige."


    In the end, Dana began to pout; she was highlypetitive and impatient. Rather than doing things the right way and improving little by little, she wanted to do the same things as her brother. She saw him sparring with their father, and she found that cool. She wanted to mimic him, but Rain told her that it was too soon for her. She had to train her body more.


    Thanks to it, Dana, who was a bit on the chubby side, began to run around the house and do the same exercises that Rain did as much as she could. So, she got a bit thinner in thest few weeks.


    "I am older than you, so it is only obvious that I can do a few things better than you," Rain said while patting Dana''s head. "Unless you think that I am pathetic and you are much better than me."


    "It isn''t like that!" Dana protested.


    "In that case, work hard and focus on improving your earth magic, and you might be better than me since I am trying to learn a bunch of other things," Rain said.


    Rain was a bit worried that teaching his sister magic like that would make her chase trouble in the future, but it couldn''t be helped. It was also a tool to protect her if necessary.


    Level 1: Health Bonus - Gains the ability to increase your health by ten points per level.


    Level 5: Precision Strike: Execute precise and calcted strikes to target vulnerable points on your opponent''s body, inflicting critical damage.


    Level 10: Shield Bash: Utilize your shield as a weapon, delivering a powerful bash that stuns the enemy momentarily.


    Level 15: Agile Footwork: Improve your agility and footwork, allowing for quick evasive maneuvers to avoid iing attacks.


    Level 20: Counterstrike: Perfect your timing and defensive instincts, enabling you to counterattack swiftly after sessfully blocking or dodging an enemy strike.


    In the end, it took two weeks for the book to arrive, and during that time, Rain''s battle master path leveled up several times since he sparred with his father every single day. At the same time, he was starting to see the difference and the results of his daily training routine.


    On the morning that the book arrived, Rain changed his strategy against his father a bit. Instead of covering his whole hands and forearms with earth magic, he just covered the above. He immediately felt the difference in speed, his arms felt a lot lighter, and then he was able to punch more than before. While his punches lost some weight, Roan had a hard time blocking all of them.


    He began to take some steps backward. Then he tried to counterattack by hitting Rain''s shoulders with the side of his sword, but Rain waved to the side and avoided the hit. That made his father show an opening, and Rain stepped in and punched his father''s stomach, but Roan blocked with his hand.


    "Ow, my fingers¡­" Roan while groaning a little. "It seems that I have nothing left to teach you¡­ just kidding, can you heal my fingers, Rain?"


    "No problem," Rain said while smiling.


    "It seems that you already maxed the human path, and you are improving the Battle Master path, huh?" Roan asked. "That would exin your quick growth¡­ I am proud. I didn''t get that kind of strength until I was fifteen."


    "Well, I didn''t have to waste time learning etiquette and Politics," Rain said while healing his father''s hand.


    "You got it, I still can get stronger, but I guess all that held me back¡­ well, there is no point in thinking about that since I received a lot by learning those things," Roan said. "I also met your Mom because I had be a knight. By the way, Rain¡­"


    "Is it time for you to tell me about your love history?" Rain asked. "My teen romantic history can''t be this cute."


    "What are you talking about?" Roan furrowed his eyebrows. "I was just going to ask if you are fine living like this without interacting with other kids that much. Having good friends from an early age is a good thing. I met your mother when I was thirteen, and I am more than fine with that, but finding the love of your life at a younger age can be pretty good, you know?"


    Rain felt like sighing. What his father said would make sense if he didn''t have twenty-five more years of life experience in his mind. Interacting with kids because of that was boring. His little sisters were another matter because they were family. He will have to wait several more years before finding a woman because of that and she has to be older as well.


    No one will judge him since they don''t know his past, but his conscience would judge him more than anyone. Just while Rain was lost in touch, he realized his father was looking at the horizon and showing aplicated expression. When Rain looked in the same direction, he saw a fancy carriage approaching the vige.


    "Let''s go back home, Rain," Roan said. "I have a bad feeling about this."


    Rain believed that trying to hide was useless. His grandfather kept an eye on the movements in the middle of the country, but it was impossible for him and his friends to catch everything. Still, Rain and his father dashed toward home and observed the carriage from afar after they told Leiah and the girls to hide.


    However, the carriage still stopped right in front of the building where Meiro and Luana worked most of the time.

 Chapter 83: Suspicious

    Rain and Roan looked at each other¡­ it seemed that someone had found them, but it seemed that things weren''t that bad since a single carriage couldn''t carry that many guards. Much to his surprise, only a single boy left the vehicle, it was a boy that was a few years older than Rain, and he seemed familiar.


    "That is¡­ Hugo''s eldest son," Roan muttered in shock.


    In the end, thanks to Roan''s words, Rain recalled the kid. He went to his five-year-old birthday party. He was supposed to be thirteen now, so it made sense that Rain didn''t recognize him. Regardless, for him toe alone with only two guards driving the carriage¡­ something smells fishy. The trip to that area and back to the capital wouldn''t take less than three weeks, after all.


    In any case, Meiro and Luana went to talk with him.


    "Hello, I would like to meet your grandson. I have a proposal for him," The kid said.


    Meiro and Luana hesitated since they didn''t know what to do. Despite their caution, it seemed that they had been found out somehow, and lying now would onlyplicate things further. Rain wondered what led to that situation¡­ he could only assume that his own actions did that. The kid should have heard of him once or twice, and after Rain and his family left the capital, he used magic to do so.


    He did the same thing to rescue his father. The boy only showed up now because he didn''t know exactly where he went.


    "Staying hidden is a waste of time," Rain said. "I will meet him, Dad, and see what he wants. Since he didn''t ask for you, I think you should stay here."


    Roan showed aplicated expression and then nodded. He could imagine the reason why that kid came to see his son and wasn''t interested in him despite the fact that his father died fighting alongside Roan.


    From what Roan heard, that kid was born with a lot of talent, and thanks to it, in that situation, after the fall of the Lonard family, he was still adopted by another powerful family close to royalty.


    "Nice to meet you; my name is Branden Corsalis, former Branden Lonard," The kid said and then approached Rain when he left the building, and he also offered a handshake.


    "... My name is Rainendall," Rain said, epting the handshake.


    "There is no need to be so on guard; we are on the same side," Branden said. "First of all, I would like to apologize foring here like this and disrupting the peace of your family. I am aware that you and your parents had a hard time before the fall of Tristan, and now you live a better life, but I am in dire need of assistance, and I believe that you can help me and benefit from it."


    Rain was a bit surprised since the kid was awfully polite, and Rain couldn''t feel any ill intentionsing from him. Still, he didn''t drop his guard since Branden was someone who graduated from the school of Tristan while mastering all of the subjects taught there.


    He heard from his father that he was an unparalleled genius, even though he didn''t look like he had the body of someone who had been training physically recently.


    "This might take a while. Go look after the horses on the vige stable," Branden said after he looked at the guards.


    Much to Rain''s surprise, the guards nodded after hearing Branden, and they left without hesitation. It seemed that they believed that no one was insane enough to harm their master, or perhaps he could defend himself. Either way, if Rain was paying their sries, he probably would demand them to be more cautious.


    "First of all, let me exin how I found you," Branden said while stretching his body. "Grandpa once said that one of my cousins apparently had as much talent as me when ites to magic, and then after father said thest time that I saw him that one of his nephews helped him fight in the night of the invasion and that was why he escaped despite his injuries.


    He mentioned earth magic for a moment, and from that point on, I connected the dots after hearing that the illusion which had been found was almost buried to death in Tristan. At that moment, I realized that you escaped the capital using earth magic as well. I did some more digging and found that your father visited this area a lot when he was younger.


    Also, I made sure to erase the registers of his activities."


    Rain felt like facepalming; it made sense that people would find out about him like that since Roan fell in love with a woman in that area. Still, Branden was trying really hard to stay on Rain''s good side, and that only made him look more suspicious.


    "Although my name is different now, I still have the blood of my father and grandparents; I want to take back what they lost and preserve their legacy," Branden said. "With that in mind, I worked hard in thest three years to be more influential in the capital, but I don''t have many aplishments yet, so there is only so much that I can do."


    "And you think that I can help you with that?" Rain asked.


    "I do, you have talent, and I never heard anything bad about you," Branden replied. "I also heard that you worked in a bunch of ces in the capital, so you are hard-working and used the money to look after your family; you know what is important from a young age."


    Branden was also too young to tell others that they were young as well. Still, such a level of level-headedness for a brat was quite shocking. Rain thought that he grew up to be spoiled since everyone praised and fawned over him. He was either too humble or a master at acting.


    Then again, perhaps Rain was being a bit unfair, assuming that noble and rich families can only raise brats with pointy noses.

 Chapter 84: Decision

    "My future isn''t set in stone yet, but I believe that I might join the royalty in the future," Branded added. "That will limit my actions a bit, but it will also grant me some influence. Once that happens, I will onlyck the manpower to actively shape the future of the realm, manpower that I can trust. That is why I have been working to deal with that in thest few months."


    Branded wanted his own army, apparently, to be able to influence some battles in the future. At least considering his words. It was also entirely possible that he wanted his own army to take over the country one day or betray it as Leo did. Helping a coup was thest thing that Rain wanted in his resume, though. His life already had too much emotion as it was.


    He knew very well in societies like that, traitors tend to be exterminated down to thest one alongside their families.


    "Those words might sound weirding from me, who was always the center of the attention of the family, but I truly want to restore the legacy of our family, and people like you can help me with that," Branden said. "Some people might think less of you because you aren''t one hundred percent noble, but you can prove them wrong as you have been doing until now, but on a muchrger scale."


    While those were some nice words, but that only made Rain feel more suspicious. While he doesn''t remember hearing bad things about Branden either, nobles are particrly good at deception. Rain would rather trust those who put their lives on the frontlines instead of those who just sit back and send people to their deaths.


    "If you help me, I will do my best to make sure that your family won''t suffer like you did in thest few years since the fall of Tristan," Branden added. "I will also make sure that your father will be able to move more freely and be the knight of this region. If you wish, your sisters can also attend the school in the capital.


    I believe that those terms are the best for your family, but I don''t know what you want yet. Girls? Boys? Money? Land?"


    "Peace and freedom," Rain replied.


    "Those are some things that are hard to grasp and negotiate with," Branden said while furrowing his eyebrows. "Still, can you have peace and freedom if the magic people keep winning this war?"


    Branden had a point; Rain and his family will never have true peace as long as the war persists. It was time to make the magic people lose some as well¡­ still, Rain found it hard to believe that the kid in front of him would be able to change the tides of the battle. Unless he was a reincarnated person like him. Still, Rain had the feeling that it wasn''t the case.


    "I already have a decent unit under mymand of loyal people, and I am nning to use them soon to make the magic people lose some of their soldiers," Branden said. "Still, it is hard to find good enough mages for that kind of work that they are also well trained physically or haven''t been corrupted by the proposals of nobles. That is why I am trying to recruit you.


    Naturally, don''t have to work for me forever, just until we recover our hometown."


    Branden tried to convince Rain using other things as a bargain as well. Recover his status of his family as a noble. Make him the second inmand of Tristan once it is recovered, and even find influential partners for his sisters when the timees. That was somethingmon in such times; marrying, considering feelings alone, wasn''t somethingmon.


    Still, Rain wasn''t nning to decide that kind of thing for them. In the end, when noon arrived, Branden decided to return home.


    "You can think for as long as you want, but the war won''t wait for us," Branden said. "I give you my word that no one will bother you or your family here, so you don''t have to feelpelled to agree with the proposal. Still, you should know that the enemies will make sure to hunt down all of those who have noble blood if they take over the country."


    Branden entered his carriage and then left the vige. He had a point; while most of them are a pain in the ass, nobles are also the leaders of the country. They take up arms when war is approaching and lead themon folk. So, they will be a threat if they are left alone after the war.


    "Well¡­ that was unexpected," Meiro said.


    "... He didn''t seem like a bad kid, but¡­" Luana said while showing a difficult expression.


    "He makes me remember Hugo when he was younger," Roan said and then sighed. "Sorry about this, Rain¡­ I guess this is all my fault."


    "It was bound to happen," Rain said while shaking his head. "Well, I am going to read my book now; we can talk about thister."


    Everyone looked surprised after hearing what Rain said. He didn''t seem that worried, considering the situation¡­ Perhaps that was the right approach considering the situation. Still, they felt worried about him since another burden was being put on Rain''s shoulders.


    Considering his son''s talent, Roan imagined that Rain would be recruited by some groups to join them, but he thought that before Tristan fell. Lately, he had hoped that his son wouldn''t have to get involved in battles for the realm when so many people saw him as someone insignificant. He didn''t have to fight for those people.


    "I suppose I need to think of a new and faster method of transportation," Rain thought when he entered his room and opened the book that he just got. "I don''t trust the guy, so I will have to check things here pretty often."

 Chapter 85: Acknowledgement

    Rain didn''t believe that he had any other option in that situation. He had to ept the offer. The reasons for that were the fact that he would probably earn more, and if he made himself invaluable, then Branden would do his best to stay on his good side. At the same time, it was the best option for Rain to be more effective in the war and try to change its oue a bit.


    The downsides of that were the fact that Rain won''t see his family often and he won''t see his little sisters growing on a daily basis. That is why he had to think of a better way to move.


    "Figures, this book only shows famous human figures and doesn''t talk in detail about their powers¡­" Rain thought and then sighed. "Let''s see¡­ Sigrain is a fire mage able to burn down dozens of enemies at once with his magic. It seems that they were enveloped in fire pirs before they could notice anything.


    Since his magic wasn''t ofrge scale like a fire tornado, I guess he controlled the elements around the targets to burn them like that."


    Rain also wanted to get famous because that would help protect his family. If he shows enough power, few people will try to pick a fight with him. And those who try that will be good challengers to improve their fighting style. That was also a good chance for Rain to learn more about the world. He didn''t dislike his current life, but he was being too sheltered.


    "Yasain, the frigid Swordsman¡­ it seems that he was good enough with ice magic to freeze those that got too close to him; when their weapons connected, the enemy''s weapons would shatter like a ss too¡­ I guess this book isn''t half bad," Rain thought.


    Rain also wanted to fight others and try to understand their strength, and learn their training methods as well. He felt that he didn''t have enough knowledge about that. He knew that his life wasn''t going to be a peaceful one in such an era, so he might as well get used to that as soon as possible. Still, Rain couldn''t help but think about what Branden said.


    He was willing to give him what he wanted, but who the hell would offer boys and girls to an eight years old boy. Hopefully, he didn''t actually mean children. Otherwise, he might be way more messed up alongside the world. Rain heard of some messed up societies back on Earth, but he didn''t hear anything like that in that world until now.


    "Elfrom¡­ the most famous human archer, it seemed that he was able to hit targets five kilometers away, and his arrows could cross that distance in four seconds¡­ he had quite the arm," Rain thought.


    Rain learned a lot during the afternoon, and then he got serious when he had dinner with his family. Once they finished eating, he told them his ns.


    "I am thinking of epting the offer," Rain suddenly said. "If things go well, I should be able to return once a week eventually. Besides, I think we need some eyes and ears in the higher parts of the capital."


    That deration was nothing if not insane. The best carriages would need a full week toe from the capital to the vige, and now Rain was nning to make that trip every week. Even if he was remarkable, there were some things that couldn''t be done no matter what.


    "Do you think that the boy can be trusted?" Leiah asked. "There are exceptions like your father, but most of the nobles that taste the high life never want to live humble lives again, and considering how much he has been getting famous, I don''t think that he is aiming for anything else aside from the top."


    "I don''t trust him, but there are benefits in working with him," Rain replied. "I have been thinking that it is time to work with the future in mind, and I believe that it will be better if I do that in the capital. I heard a few times that those that can use magic forbat are rare, so I might be valuable to him.


    If anything, he looks smart, and it would be stupid if he tried to antagonize for no reason. From what I can tell, he does everything with a goal in mind, so making enemies within the realm wouldn''t help him in any way."


    "That is true; his intentions might not be as pure as he might try to make them be, but he knows that making enemies while aiming for the top will be foolish," Roan said. "Still, I worry about you. The capital is a nasty ce, just like the battlefield. On the battlefield, at least no one is trying to backstab you.


    Things are different in the capital, and everyone will do anything to gain something out of their actions."


    Rain knew that the capital would be a nasty ce considering the few months that he had lived there. Themon folk walked with their heads down while the rich acted like they were better. Reaching the middle of the capital and the court, things should change a bit, but they certainly won''t improve.


    "We have some friends in the capital, and you can contact them since you seem dead set on going," Meiro said. "I suppose keeping you here would be a waste of your talent. A friend of mine said that the sharpest de can only be formed in the harshest of the process."


    Rain didn''t think that he was talented. He would consider himself talented if he could defeat warriors with ease in a direct fight. Until then, he had no intention of getting ahead of himself. Still, he was thankful for his grandfather''s words.


    "Hmm, I wonder how your sisters will react to this," Luana said while twitching her head. "Maybe they will try to follow you to the capital when the timees."

 Chapter 86: Leaving home

    Thanks to his decision, Rain looked troubled over his sisters. G was still a kid who wasn''t that attached to him, but Dana and Kei were. Branden said that they could study in the capital if they wanted, but Rain wasn''t certain if that was the best of the ideas.


    While learning something was always a good thing, he didn''t want to let them be bullied by noble kids or be sullied by them and their attitude.


    "... I will try toe whenever possible, so that won''t be a problem," Rain said.


    Rain was a bit surprised that no one was against the idea of him going. That was convenient, but it was troubling as well since they put too much trust in his choices. Regardless, Rain still had some time to leave, so he spent the next few days spending time with his sisters. He trained with Dana as much as possible and gave her all the tips that he knew about earth magic.


    At the same time, he helped Kei read and also helped her learn a bit of water magic. She had a talent for that, and it made sense, given her calm nature. Spending time with G was a bit difficult since it didn''t seem like she liked any of the men in the family; she just stared at them as if it was weird to have muscles, a beard, and not boobs.


    "I guess being surrounded mostly by older sisters makes you like this," Rain thought while making some faces at G. "Well, soon enough, you will understand how cool of an older brother I am."


    Rain wondered if he was thinking too much because of Dana, who always tried to y with him when she was younger. In any case, two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, Rain made sure to train a lot of his magic, and he improved his high-speed movement technique. It was unsightly, but it improved his speed.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 37 (2330/3700)


    Current Path: Healer''s Path (Lv 20- 40/2000)


    Health: 2440/2440


    Mana: 2590/2590


    Stamina: 3080/3080


    Strength: 247


    Dexterity: 143


    Intelligence: 270


    Vitality: 255


    Wisdom: 258


    Endurance: 255


    Luck: 127


    Free Points: 35


    Main Skills:


    [Basic First Aid Lv 12)


    [Healing Touch Lv 12]


    [Herbal Medicine Lv 04]


    [Soothing Aura Lv 05]


    [Elemental Cleaning Lv 08]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 16]


    [Basic Training 52]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 59]


    [Running Lv 58]


    Since he focused on his movement skill, Rain didn''t make much progress in thest two weeks. He only got ten levels in the Healer''s Path. He also felt weird with the current equipped skills since they left him a bit vulnerable. That being said, he had no other option if he wanted to level up his magic and wisdom faster.


    "Well, I am going," Rain said once he stepped outside the house with his backpack. "I will probably use the first month to get used to the life there, but I will be back in a month, for a few days at least."


    "All right, good luck, and don''t find too many girlfriends," Roan said. "I was quite the careless kid at your age, so it is in your blood."


    "Of all things you should have said now¡­" Leiah said and then sighed. "Rain, you are a smart kid, so we will trust that you won''t get in trouble there. Try to send letters whenever possible."


    "Okay," Rain said.


    "One of our most trustworthy friends is a cksmith called Lotto; he will introduce you to others that he can trust once you tell him our names," Meiro said.


    That was such a small world that Rain was surprised. He didn''t think that the cksmith he had worked for a while in the capital would be a friend of his grandfather. Still, he disappeared without any warning while he was still working for him, so Rain wondered How Lotto would react.


    "You should use this during the trip and until winter ends," Luana said and then put a blue scarf on Rain. "Don''t get a cold while you are there. You can use healing magic, but it is better to prevent than remedy it."


    "Thanks, Grandma," Rain said and then turned to his sisters. "Behave while I am away, okay? If you are stressed, you can pull Dad''s bear and use him like a horse."


    "Hey, my back hurts as well, you know?" Roan asked.


    "... Okay," Dana said with some tears in her eyes.


    Over the course of the week, Rain exined to his sisters that he was going to work away from the vige. At first, Dana didn''t like that, but she knew that he was going to do something important and she could do his job now, so it was fine. She still felt that she would miss him a lot since Rain was always with her when she was outside.


    Kei didn''t show much reaction; it looked like she was wondering who would teach her magic instead since Rain was the only one who did that. G was too small to understand the situation. In any case, Rain patted them on the head once more before he waved his hands to everyone and then turned around. Before long, with a single step, he crossed a distance of thirty meters.


    "It isn''t perfect, but it will do," Rain thought. "With this much, I should gain a few days."


    Rain''s high-speed technique relied on his earth magic and his fine control over it. With his mana, he made the ground below his feet give an impulse forward, but he also used his leg strength to cross a longer distance. Thanks to that, he would destroy any signs of his steps left behind.


    It would be great if that could turn into a skill, but it couldn''t¡­ still, the mana he was using was minimal, so he crossed fifty kilometers in just ten minutes. His body was hurting, thanks to the friction, though.

 Chapter 87: Arrival

    "The friction in the air still is bad for my current body," Rain thought. "Let''s cool down a bit before doing it again. I will probably get used to it, but it will take a while."


    Rain began to walk since he also used stamina while moving with that technique, and it was a bit tiresome. He wanted to keep shortening the traveling distance, but he had one month to improve that, so it was fine. It also seemed useful inbat, so he had more than one reason to improve it.


    In the end, Rain arrived in the capital three dayster. That wasn''t half bad, considering that he had to travel for six days the first time. He had gotten stronger, as well, so he couldn''t just say that his technique was the sole reason for it.


    "It is the same as usual¡­ or maybe not," Rain thought when he crossed the gate of the city.


    At first, the capital seemed the same as usual from up close. However, Rain noticed that the guards in the city seemed more serious, and they studied him more thoroughly. He didn''t think that there was some magic tribe that had short people that could be insanely strong. Still, the guards were being cautious about anyone suspicious.


    A kid of his age traveling alone fit the criteria, but he wasn''t stopped.


    "I suppose I will be watched once I start to work with him, so perhaps I should contact Lotto already before anything else," Rain thought.


    Since it was noon, so Rain had enough time to look for Branden. So, he headed to the cksmith shop and found it open and kind of empty like usual. Lotto was the same as usual and was about to dismiss Rain, but soon he recognized him.


    "Look who has shown up. You appear when no one expects, huh?" Lotto asked.


    "My apologies, sir," Rain said and then bowed slightly. "My family conditions and the war forced us to move all of a sudden and in the middle of the night. I hope that you can forgive me for leaving in the middle of work."


    "No harm done, but just don''t expect to find work here again," Lotto said and then resumed his job polishing a sword.


    "That can''t be helped; I also came here today because someone asked me to look for you," Rain said. "His name is Meiro, a merchant that lives East of here close to the mountains."


    "... He wouldn''t send a kid¡­ ah, your eyes," Lotto said and then realized what was going on. "You get weirder by the minute, kid."


    Lotto understood everything already. One wouldn''t be able to deal with information behind the curtains if they catch on quick stuff like that. In any case, he told Rain to approach and then pretend that he was checking some weapons while he passed the details of what was going on. Lotto finally understood everything and the origins of Rain.


    The kid''s mystery waspletely revealed, but he still found it hard to believe that he was that special. Usually, talented kids don''t show up like that, and they are recruited by nobles from an early age. He didn''t expect that such a boy was the grandson of one of his allies.


    "You are lucky; most of the information around these parts passes by me, so you can send reports to your grandpa by telling me what you want," Lotto said. "Speaking of which, your friend has truly been doing what you said. So far, nothing seems out of ce, but some nobles are starting to investigate him. They love that kind of stuff."


    Rain could understand that. While it was also a hobby for nobles, it was also their lifeline to imagine people trying to knock them down using all means necessary and doing what was necessary as well to avoid that. Rain didn''t know if he would enjoy dealing with that. He preferred a more direct approach to most things.


    "I see. In that case, I will try toe here once a week while trying to be as cautious as possible," Rain said. "If I don''t show up, I will leave a letter nearby."


    "I hope that someone of your age doesn''t end up being caught in this mess, it isn''t like you are betraying the realm, but leaking information is a serious crime," Lotto said. "Try to be as cautious as possible."


    Rain nodded at the old cksmith and then left. While Rain didn''t see anyone aside from Lotto, that worked with his grandfather with the intel stuff, Rain could tell that they were good people. Lotto barely knew him, and he was worried about his well-being. There was also the possibility that he was worried that Rain might spill the beans of people like him when he is found, though.


    Working behind the curtains like that was dangerous.


    Rain walked around the city for a while looking for Branden''s house, then he recalled that he should have asked Lotto for that information. It seemed that Rain had a long way to go when dealing with the intelligence stuff. Still, it didn''t take long for Rain to be found instead.


    While he was walking around the noble district, some people that worked for Branden probably recognized him and reported that to their leader since Branden eventually showed up.


    "You came a lot sooner than I had anticipated; I take it that you made up your mind," Branden said.


    "I am nning to give you a hand for a while as long as I get good pay from it," Rain replied.


    Branden has been studying Rain for a while. He didn''t see many kids that were hard to read before, but he imagined that those like him had a tendency to be like that. If Rain only wanted money, he would be disappointed in him, but he had a feeling that they were birds of a feather, so he didn''t think too much about it.

 Chapter 88: Solo or not solo, that is the question

    "I will guide you to where the people of my organization are living; I decided to exin it further once you arrive about what I have in mind for the time being," Branden said. "As you can imagine, we can''t head straight to the battlefield now, so we are working on building a good reputation.


    For now, you and the others will work as a handyman doing all sorts of work for the clients that pay for it. Offering protection during trips, hunting wild beasts, guarding houses, that kind of thing."


    Rain began to think that Branden''s organization was operating as a guild before anything. Since he was famous, it would be easy for his organization to gain clientele. At the same time, if people wanted to cause trouble and me him for it, they also could use his organization. It was like a double-edged sword. Branden exined all that to Rain and how he should operate all the time while working.


    They had to keep their distance from their clients without being considered rude. It was hard to find the bnce.


    "Most of the people working for me are adults, so you might find yourself having a hard time gaining their trust, but your hard work should do the trick," Branden said, and then they stopped in front of arge building that looked like a rough looking, but modern hotel. "This is our base of operations.


    Every morning, someone will put out the work that we have for the day, and everyone can pick them up. Firstes, first served. Still, it is better to pick the jobs that suit your skills and try to work with others as much as possible."


    The more he heard about it, the more Rain confirmed that the organization was working like a guild. He imagined that such a thing should bemon in that world, but it wasn''t for some reason. Probably because guilds are supposed to be organizations where people with no physical links can work together toward the same goal and learn secrets from others.


    That world heavily favored nepotism, after all, so benefiting the family was a matter of fact.


    Branden and Rain entered the building, and the entrance was exactly like a guild that also looked like a tavern. He felt likeughing. The entrance of the ce was an impressive sight to behold. Arge, ornate door made of rich mahogany wood greeted visitors, standing tall and proud as a symbol of strength and unity.


    Etched into the wood were intricate patterns and designs that seemed to tell a story of the organization''s history and aplishments.


    Above the door, a majestic crest representing the ce emblem was mounted, showcasing a symbol of power, unity, and purpose. The emblem was abination of various elements, each representing the different strengths and skills of the members.


    The ce wasn''t that full since it was mid-afternoon, and most people were working right now, but some people were drinking and chatting there. They quickly got up and saluted Branden, but he told them to rx since he was just paying a quick visit.


    In the end, they stopped at the counter where a woman was writing some things in a book. On the side, Rain could see a board with the jobs avable. Most of the jobs there were simple ones and that could be done every day. Rain wasn''t surprised when he saw that Lotto''s name was there. Apparently, he wanted someone to help him with cleaning his shop and helping him with other chores.


    Rain could pick that up now and then to ry information.


    "It is good to see you here, boss," The receptionist said. "Is he a new member? He is probably the youngest you have brought so far."


    The receptionist had an enchanting and striking appearance; she possessed a captivating beauty and grace. Her deep, expressive eyes sparkled with intelligence and warmth, drawing people in with just a nce.


    Her silky, dark hair cascaded in elegant waves around her shoulders, framing her wless, radiantplexion. With a confident and weing smile, she effortlessly charmed everyone who approached the reception desk.


    Dressed in a stylish and sophisticated outfit, she exuded an air of elegance and poise. Her fashion sense was impable, and every detail of her attire seemed carefully chosen to enhance her natural beauty.


    "That is right. I went to recruit him the other day; his name is Rain," Branden said. "That being said, he isn''t the type that would like to receive special treatment for this, so treat him like everyone else. Please help him learn how the organization works in my stead. I left to just stretch my legs, but it is time to return."


    "Leave it to me and have a good day," the receptionist said.


    Branden nodded and then turned to leave after saying goodbye to the people in the ce. Rain could see that the people around were a bit rough-looking, men and women of all ages. Some also had scars from battles, so they knew how to handle themselves in a fight.


    "It is nice to meet you; my name is Ka," The receptionist said with arge smile on her face. "You must be quite someone to be recruited directly by the boss."


    "Not really," Rain said.


    "Humble, I see," Ka said. "Anyway, since you are new here, I take it that you want to sleep here? The new members stay here for a while, but they eventually move when they want some privacy. Still, I would rmend staying here for a few months at least to learn everything about the organization."


    "I will do that then," Rain said, pleased that he could save some coins from the inn.


    Ka guided Rain through the building and showed him where he could find the toilets, where he could find the rooms, and also gave him the keys to one of them. She told him that things tend to get noisy at night, but he should try to get to sleep earlier to find most of the jobs early in the morning as well.

 Chapter 89: Competition

    "If the boss brought you here, then you should be capable enough," Ka said while rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Still, I think that it would be better if you worked with some of the other members to gain experience. You will have to share the rewards of the work with them, but you will gain knowledge faster. What do you think?"


    Rain went silent for a while and began to consider things. Working with others meant that he would have to follow others and their rules. That was a pain. Besides, he didn''t know what kind of work he would need to do in a group for now. He only saw jobs that required a lot of people to guard caravans or help with people moving.


    "For now, I will focus on jobs that will need someone that can use magic; I should change my mind about the offer eventually, though," Rain replied.


    "That is fine; you should tell me when you wish for that," Ka said. "Have a good night."


    Ka left the area of the bedrooms. It was still afternoon, so it was a bit too soon to go to bed¡­ Still, Rain decided to unpack his few things and rest since those three days had been tiresome, and he couldn''t waste time rxing the next day.


    Once he finished unpacking his things, Rain looked around the room. It was fairly simple; it had a simple bed, table, chair, a candle, and a closet. There was a window that gave Rain a direct view of the western side of the capital. If the enemies were toe, they woulde from there¡­


    "I suppose I should focus on making some money and improving my skills in the first month and then look for people who want to test their skills," Rain thought while he looked out the window and looked at the city. "That should help me grow faster¡­ mixing martial arts and magic should be fine as long as I don''t go too far."


    A new chapter in Rain''s story was starting, and he couldn''t help but feel excited about that. While the future was unknown, thanks to the war, he took a step forward that would let him influence its results. He didn''t know if he could make any real difference yet, but he will work for that.


    Rain woke up the next day before the sun could rise, and the building was still closed. It seemed that Ka only opened the entrance around six in the morning, so he decided to leave through the window for his usual morning training. Along the way, Rain had the idea of making some earth rings and putting them on his arms and legs. They were made of highlypressed earth, so they were quite heavy.


    Still, that would help him with his training.


    The skill of Running leveled up.


    The Healer''s Path received 580 points of experience.


    "Not bad, huh?" Rain thought. "Still, I need to use my mana as well, at least some of it since it is full, but I will work using it during the day."


    Rain felt like doing some shadowboxing as well, but he decided to do that at home. He didn''t think that things like jabs, straights, and uppers were groundbreaking stuff in that world, but it was better to make sure not to spread around how he intended to fight.


    In the end, he decided to keep training his earth magic, and he did that by making the dust fly around him in rings that were barely able to be noticed. He wasn''t using much mana, but he was improving his control and skill with magic.


    In the end, Rain lost the notion of time since he ran around the capital when he was used to and returned around six thirty in the morning. In ten minutes, he changed his clothes, took a shower, and then went to the entrance of the building. The ce was quiterge, but it seemed small, with close to three hundred people in there.


    "It should have even more people since some jobs can take several days to be finished¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    Rain began to walk toward the board, and soon, he drew the attention of a lot of people, he was still growing, but at such a moment, he felt truly troubled when he realized that most people were at least half a meter taller than him.


    In any case, while it was early in the morning, the people of the organization looked ready for work and action; some were carrying stuff for long trips while others were fully armored. Yesterday, most of them didn''t look that much professional. Still, they sure were trying to improve their image on a daily basis.


    "I wonder if I should do the same to be taken more seriously¡­ just working and getting famous shouldn''t be enough," Rain thought.


    In any case, there was a line of people already talking with Ka and with some papers from the board in hand. When he approached the board, he was surprised to see some short people there as well. Actually, they were short because they were young as well. It seems that Branden also recruited some teenagers. While they were lightly armored.


    All of them had weapons, knives, spears, swords, bows¡­ the usual stuff. Rain wondered if they could spar with him. He didn''t have much experience training with those that didn''t use swords.


    The kids ahead noticed Rain''s stare and then looked at him while frowning. Knowing kids, Rain assumed that they would do or say something stupid, but soon they ignored him and grabbed a piece of paper. It was a job to hunt a magic boar. The reward was five gold coins if they were able to transport the body and deliver the beast to someone in the capital.


    "I didn''t see those yesterday¡­ I guess this type of job would be taken early in the morning," Rain thought. "Regardless, they work in a party of only kids around their age, huh. They are a bit older than Branden, but it seems that they feel that they need to prove themselves if they don''t want anyone older with them."

 Chapter 90: Handyman

    When he had his chance, Rain began to read the jobs on the board. The number had triplicated overnight. Just like Ka said, finding jobs in the morning was the best option. The job of helping Lotto was still there, but Rain had nothing to report.


    Aside from that, for jobs that required the use of magic, he found the usual where he had to work for some families as a living tool for a week, filling their baths with water, keeping the house warm with fire magic, and cleaning pretty much everything.


    "The payment is ten silver coins per week, huh," Rain thought. "Not bad, but I prefer not to get involved with more rich people."


    Aside from that, Rain could help with the production of bricks, cleaning the sewers, and actually repairing the walls of the city. That was the best-paying job¡­ It seemed that the leaders of the city wanted to keep the walls at the peak for when the battle reached the city.


    In any case, Rain could earn three silver coins per day, but he wondered why such a job was there¡­ it shouldn''t be easy to find earth mages in the capital? In any case, Rain picked up the paper and took it to Ka.


    "You got a bit lucky, it seems," Ka said once she received the paper and checked a book. "We just received this job. Do you have experience fixing anything with earth magic?"


    "Yes, I fixed cracks in the walls of my home," Rain replied.


    Repairing a house was different from repairing a wall around a city. Rain also only did that kind of job a few times. He was no professional at it. Still, he had to start somewhere while using his magic and improving his control over it.


    "You need to look for a guard called Prest on the Western gate and tell him that you came for the repairs," Ka said. "Remain focused on the job and follow his orders during the whole day."


    "Roger," Rain said.


    Rain knew that he looked like a kid; it was only natural. So, he had to make up for it in all other aspects. Still, much to his surprise, the guard didn''t say anything sarcastic when Rain showed up. He silently guided him while they climbed the wall.


    "I guess he knows that I am for the organization, so he is at least Willing to wait and see," Rain thought.


    While Rain was climbing the stairs of the walls, he confirmed that the ce only looked brand new from a distance. There were plenty of holes around and cracked bricks that were about to fall. Around those parts, some earth was already around, and Rain was supposed to use that.


    The guard stopped moving and just waited to see Rain in action. It seemed that he was going to be watched to make sure that he wouldn''t ck off. In any case, Rain easily moved the damaged blocks using his magic and then remade them using the dirt that had been transported to the top of the wall before putting it right back where it was.


    He also connected the blocks like glue with his magic that almostbined them. The process didn''t take even thirty seconds.


    "Hmm, ten points of mana were used¡­" Rain thought. "I can repair around two hundred and fifty of them. Around three hundred considering what I will recover during the day. In any case, it is five times more than I use when I move around¡­ I guess it is to be expected."


    Rain began to work on repairing the walls like that. The guard hoped that Rain would take the old ones and put in new ones, but he was surprised to see that Rain was repairing them. He knew a bit of magic, so he knew that it required some skill to pull it off. Earth mages like that were hard to find, but he wasn''t surprised, given where Rain was working for Branden''s organization.


    While he was working, Rain was able to see the whole city from the walls and the castle as well. He wondered if the ce also needed some repairs, but that was hard to imagine. In any case, soon, he shook his head at that thought since he didn''t want to get involved with royalty. If nobility were already a massive pain in the ass, royalty should be even worse.


    "Let''s not raise any troublesome gs," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain finished the job before noon. He wondered if the guard would make him work until the end of the day in other parts of the wall, but he didn''t do that and just paid Rain.


    "I will pass my evaluation to your groupter," The guard said.


    Rain bowed slightly once and then left the area. He was a bit surprised that the job ended so soon. Still, it seemed that some groups of soldiers were responsible for maintaining some parts of the wall, so the guard didn''t want his money helping other groups. While that was convenient for Rain, it was quite selfish of him. Was there no sense ofradeship among the guards?


    "Maybe they work for different families¡­ that would exin a lot," Rain thought.


    Rain didn''t know if he should get another job and manage to finish it before the day ended, so he decided to stop there and just walk around the city until the middle of the afternoon. He had a quick lunch to fill his belly, but he didn''t feel that tired since he had only used half of his mana.


    While he was walking around the city, he suddenly found himself hearing a weird sound. Before long, he began to walk toward it and eventually reached the north part of the city where arge building that covered an area of ten blocks was¡­ it was the school of the capital of the realm, and on the other side, he could hear the metallic sound of swords colliding against each other.


    "Come to think of it¡­" Rain thought.

 Chapter 91: Intruder

    The next day, Rain went to get another job and found it there; it was a request from the school of the capital looking for a healer with intermediate Healing skills. The pay was ten silver coins per day¡­


    "Not bad, but I guess the Healer''s Path needs to be at level fifty, or perhaps I need a better version of the Healer''s Path," Rain thought.


    Putting the money aside, Rain thought that it would be useful to be the healer in the school and see the kids sparring. Dealing with them will be a massive pain in the ass, but he should learn more than a few things while watching it.


    "Before going there, I should also try to develop the skills of those famous guys¡­" Rain thought. "I amcking a bit when ites to long-ranged attacks, so maybe I should try Archery since it won''t use mana."


    While Rain was thinking about that, he realized that it would have been more useful for the school if they had taught healing magic to some kids and made them heal the wounded during the training sessions. He couldn''t imagine why they wouldn''t, though.


    In any case, Rain imagined that he would find a job to repair the walls the next day, but he didn''t find them. It seemed that the other groups weren''t worried that their side of the walls would be attacked.


    "If negligence was a crime¡­" Rain thought.


    It was a pain, but Rain, for the next few days, took the job of cleaning the sewers. Much to his surprise, it was a maze down there, and he had to ventte the entire thing with magic and push down a bunch of disgusting stuff to the ends of the sewers. He also had to burn it downter¡­ but at least it seemed that it was only cleaned once a month.


    On the day Rain finished the cleaning, he was returning to the guild with some extra coins in his pocket, but he still felt like sighing. Until he stopped when a carriage stopped by his side. When he looked in the same direction, Rain saw Branden with two girls by his side. At first, they frowned, but then they covered their noses. It seemed that Rain smelled a bit.


    "Hey, it seems that you have been working hard," Branden said. "I want to ask a few things, but all of them would feel like sarcasm right now."


    Rain didn''t say anything since he didn''t know if Branden had been working hard. Considering the situation, it seemed that he was enjoying his youth quite a bit.


    "I am guessing that you only took solo jobs until now. Are you ready to take some group ones?" Branden asked.


    "Maybe?" Rain shrugged.


    "It seems that the magic people are unleashing some beasts on the western side of our territory to keep our soldiers busy, but we don''t have enough manpower and resources to deal with them, so we received a request to deal with them," Branden asked. "Are you up for it?"


    "I thought that we had more people specialized in Monster Hunting. Why are you asking me?" Rain asked.


    "The pay isn''t that high, so those who had a lot of experience won''t ept it without another good reason," Branden replied. "This is a good chance for the younger members of the organization, though."


    Rain could understand that. He didn''t have much experience in monster hunting, either. Still, he couldn''t understand why the magic people would rely on monsters now of all time. Were they preparing something big and wanted to disperse the forces and resources of the humans? That was pretty cunning of them¡­


    "I suppose this is a good chance¡­ I have to work with others sooner orter," Rain replied after thinking for a while.


    "I will send the message to Ka and tell her that you will participate; I will also select the other members by pitching in some extra money for the reward," Branden said. "Try to get along with them, all right?"


    Rain felt really troubled by hearing that from a kid who had lived twenty fewer years than him. Still, it made sense¡­ putting kids to work together when they don''t know each other is essentially a recipe for trouble.


    Rain went to his room after taking a good shower. He finished early that day as well, so he had some time for some magic training¡­ he had nned to do the archery training, but he didn''t have much free time while cleaning the sewers.


    "I didn''t learn anything interesting this week, so there is nothing to say to Lotto, but shouldn''t I get a weapon since we are going monster hunting?" Rain thought.


    Rain assumed that he could fight ordinary monsters with magic, but it was better to be safe than sorry. While he was thinking about that, Rain was standing with his arms crossed, and now and then, he would levitate a bit using wind magic. Thanks to that, he soon got a food result.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Healer''s Path received 600 experience points.


    While he was reading his book, Rain learned that there was a wind mage that could fly. That kind of ability required the highest level of mastery over wind magic, so Rain decided to try that, and thanks to it, he was gaining a lot of experience even though he was barely moving from the ground.


    On the first day, his feet didn''t even move, but now he was going three centimeters upward, so that was progress.


    "I won''t be able to train that much during the mission, and my mana needs to be always high in order to avoid trouble as well¡­" Rain thought.


    Roan always told him to interact with other kids more, so Rain wondered how that mission would y out. By his experience, he wasn''t expecting much since he was going to be an outsider in a group that most likely had kids that had been friends for years.

 Chapter 92: Wait and see

    The next day, Rain showed up early, as usual, at the entrance of the guild and presented himself to Ka while he was carrying a small backpack. The mission was going to take a few days, so he had to be prepared.


    "Wait here for a while. They should be finishing their preparations soon enough," Ka said.


    Since the group was informed on the previous day, it made sense that they would need some extra time for the job. In any case, over the course of the week, Rain had the chance to see a bunch of kids around Branden''s age working for the organization. There were around thirty of them, and all of them worked in groups.


    Rain was the only kid who worked solo; he was also the only one of the kids who chose the jobs that paid more instead of the most exciting ones that also would improve one''s reputation.


    "They are here. Come to introduce yourself," Ka said.


    Rain frowned since he didn''t notice the members of the group approaching while he was close to the counter, and he had a hard time not frowning even more when he found the group. He thought that he had seen all of the kids of the organization, but he didn''t see those guys. Moreover, it seemed that Rain would get in the way of the leader of the party.


    "Hello¡­ I am Rainendall," Rain said.


    The group that he was going to work with had five members, four girls, and one guy. That was why Rain thought that he would get in the way of the leader of the group since he would be getting in the way of his Harem/party.


    In any case, the leader of the group was a Swordsman who seemed to be around fifteen. Every member of the party seemed around that age, so Rain could imagine himself not getting along with them since kids tend to see other kids just one year younger than them as total brats.


    In any case, the swordsman had short brown hair brushed to the side, and he looked quite fierce and the type that had a short fuse.


    "My name is Jori; I am the leader of this party," The swordsman dered. "These are Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra."


    At first, Rain thought that recalling everyone''s names would be hard, but they didn''t look simr at all. Reca was a red-headed spearwoman who couldn''t stop looking at Rain as if the fact that he was going to join them was a bad joke. She had long hair and green eyes, and she was wearing some protectors on her shoulders and elbows.


    Liss was a ck-haired girl who was wearing a dark robe and hat. She was clearly a mage, but her outfit was weird even for a fantasy world since Rain never saw people wearing clothes like her. Then again, Rain didn''t know many mages.


    Asche was a blond girl who had short hair and a long bow on her back. She was wearing light clothes, so Rain assumed that she would often fight at close range since she also had a pair of knives on her waist, and that was why she preferred to travel light.


    Terra was another blond girl, but she had shoulder-length curly hair. She looked a bit simr to Asche, so perhaps they were sisters. In any case, she had blue eyes and was wearing a bit of a baggy dress, and she had a long white hat on her head. She didn''t have any weapons with her, so Rain assumed that she was the healer of the path.


    "You are a mage, right?" Jori asked. "What can you do?"


    "I can do a bit of everything, earth, water, wind, and fire magic. As well as a bit of healing magic," Rain replied.


    "Is that so¡­" Jori said while looking to the side, visibly annoyed. "Anyway, we should get moving."


    Rain could tell that Jori was hoping for a melee fighter, but he didn''t look like he was expecting anything from someone who was seven years younger than him. In any case, the group left the building and headed toward the western side of the city in silence. Rain thought that they had known each other for a while, but only Asche and Terra talked with each other.


    The others didn''t look like they were friends.


    "You selected a troublesome group for this mission, Branden¡­" Rain thought.


    Before long, the group crossed one of the gates of the city and then began to march toward the West. Rain wondered in which area he would find the monsters. If it were too close to Tristan, things might get messy. Still, before long, the path ahead split in three, and the group began to head south, still in silence.


    "Excuse me, what do we know about the targets and the details of the mission?" Rain asked.


    "You epted the mission without knowing that?" Jori asked.


    "Branden told me about the mission yesterday, and he didn''t give me the details; I imagined that we would be informed together," Rain replied.


    "You mean Lord Branden," Jori furrowed his eyebrows. "There isn''t much to say about the targets; they are in the South of Tristan, some of them. They are called Armored Turtles, and that is all."


    Rain wondered if that kind ofck of preparation wasmon for mercenaries and adventurers. He couldn''t help but assume that it was because they were all kids. In any case, he also couldn''t help but assume that they haven''t worked together for long and they weren''t an honest group. They were forced to band together for some reason or the other, but they weren''t a real party yet.


    "Well, let''s just wait and see," Rain thought.


    Considering the name of the monsters and the behavior of the group, he assumed that the armored turtles were monsters that specialized in physical attacks and charges. That was also the kind of tool the magic people would need to spread havoc in the human country, but they should be slow in spreading.

 Chapter 93: Past

    "That would exin why Jori looked disappointed when he confirmed that I wasn''t a melee fighter," Rain thought. "Well, I can fight up close, but I should avoid that without some kind of weapons."


    Thanks to that, Rain wondered what kind of weapons he would use in that world. Boxing gloves didn''t exist, but he wasn''t nning to use them since they would decrease his attack power. Attacking with his fists directly would only damage them over time, even with healing magic, but that would make them harder.


    "I guess for offense, ws will do¡­ but if I want more bnce, forearm guards will be a better option," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain decided to make that decision as soon as he returned. When he realized that the capital disappeared in the distance, he confirmed that he needed to put his mind to the game. At the same time, he confirmed that the group didn''t say a single thing in several hours. Their teamwork was bound to such thanks to that.


    "You guys don''t know each other for long?" Rain asked Terra, who seemed the most friendly of the group, but she took a few steps away from him when he did that, but she still smiled.


    "We have been working together for three months," Terra replied, trying to pretend that nothing happened.


    "Okay¡­" Rain said and then took several steps away as well.


    "Sorry about that¡­" Terra showed a sad smile.


    "No worries," Rain said while looking in the distance.


    Rain thought that since he was going to work with them, he might as well try to help them a little, but since the most friendly person was like that, he lost all the interest. He didn''t care if she had her issues or something; Rain won''t stand to be treated like that.


    Before long, night fell, and the group began to prepare to camp under a tree. The sky was quite cloudy, and it was getting quite cold, but Rain didn''t feel that bad thanks to his clothes and scarf that his grandmother gave him. At least the group knew how to work together to make a camp for the night.


    Jori and Reca looked for wood to burn; Asche and Terra cooked the food while Asche looked after the fire. Rain didn''t do much aside from observing since their work was well divided.


    Since the night was quite cold in the winter, the group was forced to stay quite close to each other around the campfire, but they still didn''t like getting too close to each other. The silence was also almost deafening, thanks to the awkwardness. Rain wondered if they were just that bad at socializing or if something happened to the group before; he couldn''t ask, though.


    "I never imagined that this mission would be this much fun," Rain thought and then trembled a little when a breeze passed around the group. In the end, he created an earth wall that enveloped them to protect them against that. "I hope that you guys don''t mind this."


    The others looked surprised that Rain could do that much. Everyone knew that mana and magic ability only improved with time and constant training, so it was quite something that he could do that much. In any case, thanks to the walls, the heat of the campfire warmed them up more than before, and things got morefortable.


    "We will take turns as usual to keep guard of the camp, and since you are here, you can take the second turn with me," Jori dered after a while. "We will depart at sunrise in order to reach our destination at noon, so make sure to rest properly."


    Everyone nodded. At first, Rain thought that he wouldn''t have to take a turn, but it made sense to split the work into pairs. After everyone ate some stew, everyone went to bed while Reca and Liss jumped on the walls to keep watch of the surroundings. They couldn''t see much, thanks to the cloudy sky, but it was better than nothing.


    "Waking up in the middle of the night will be a pain, but sleeping again afterward will be even worse¡­ but I guess it makes sense for the guys of the group to take that role," Rain thought.


    Chivalry was a thing in that world, and it was taken very seriously. In any case, Rain took a cloak from his backpack and used it as a nket. At that moment, he realized that he should have trained more about sleeping in camps¡­ sleeping while sitting was quite difficult. There were also some pebbles around, so Rain made a mental note to get rid of them every time before camping.


    It took a while, but Rain eventually fell asleep while sitting. He woke up several times, though, when his neck fell to the side, and there was nothing to stop it. Laying down was an option, but Rain didn''t want to feel that exposed. If something happens, he has to get up as soon as possible, after all.


    In the end, one hour before midnight came, and Rain and Jori''s turn to guard the camp came. He didn''t feel that he slept at all, but he could endure that for a few days.


    "You are a newbie in the organization, but you don''t look nervous about leaving the capital," Jori said. "Aren''t you from here?"


    "We will wake up the others if we talk," Rain replied.


    "You can rest easy. They sleep like rocks," Jori said.


    That probably wasn''t something a kid of his age should say about the girls. It only made him look suspicious. Still, the group wouldn''t havested for three months if they thought that the kid did something to them while they were asleep.


    "I am not from the capital; I am from Tristan¡­ and the other city that fell for the magic people," Rain replied.


    "My family also ran away from Reiga eight years ago," Jori replied.

 Chapter 94: Recklessness

    Considering what he had heard, it seemed that Jori didn''te to Tristan after losing his hometown. He didn''t seem like he was someone who came from a noble family, so he wondered why they headed straight to the capital. Tristan only fell after six years, so it seemed a bit too soon that they expected that the city wouldn''tst.


    "You are too young to be studying in the school in the capital, but you are quite skilled. Did you have a particr teacher?" Jori asked. "You look a bit like a noble, and since those who are young in our organization are recruited directly by lord Branden¡­"


    "I studied a bit in the school of Tristan, but only for a couple of months, and then the invasion happened," Rain replied.


    Rain didn''t want to talk too much about himself, but that group already had enough problems as it was. A cold and distant attitude wouldn''t help improve things. Rain wondered what he should ask; it had been a while since he had talked with anyone that wasn''t family. He didn''t feel that interested in the lives of teenagers either.


    "You guys must have stood out as well¡­ if Lord Branden recruited you all," Rain said while feeling troubled for being that respectful to a kid.


    "We aren''t connected to nobility, but we had some parents and acquaintances that served in the army and knew a few things about the battlefield, and we received instructions from them, and those people introduced us to Lord Branden," Jori exined.


    Rain wanted to ask more about the group, but asking about the others while they were sleeping nearby was a bit too risky. It would be better if he heard things directly from them. In any case, the conversation ended, and Rain had his mana full again, so he used it to warm things up in the camp. The night was getting cold to the point that some steam was leaving his mouth when he breathed.


    "Trying to use Fly would be too risky here. My other movement speed technique is also impossible to use here¡­ training sure is hard during missions like this," Rain thought.


    On the other hand, Rain could be able to gain at least ten silver coins per day for that work. That wasn''t half bad, but Rain didn''t know how to invest the money that he had saved thus far.


    While he was thinking about that, the hours passed quite fast, and soon their turn ended, and Jori called Asche and Terra to assume guard duty. Just as he had imagined, Rain had a hard time falling asked again¡­ even more so when things were so silent that he could hear the two sisters whispering to each other.


    In the end, Rain was only able to sleep for one hour before the sun began to rise, and the group began to raise their camp. He dispersed the earth''s walls and then stretched his body. It seemed that breakfast would have to wait for a while since Jori wanted to move a bit and look for some fruits along the way to help with it.


    Around mid-morning, the group managed to find a tree with some apples in it, and they helped themselves. They kept going after filling their bags with fruits since that area had plenty. Thanks to the war and now the monsters, few people were moving around and looking for food in the area.


    "We are getting closer to the area where were are supposed to find the monsters, so keep your guard up," Jori dered. "They are supposed to be nocturnal monsters, but we can''t drop their guard. They also like to hide behind things and target their targets like that. Asche, you are up."


    "Okay," Asche said and then moved a bit forward to have a better view of the area ahead.


    Asche looked from one side to the other as if she was looking for trails of the monsters. It would have been easier to do if it was snowing, but that wasn''t the case. In any case, the area didn''t have many trees or bushes, but it had plenty of hills. So there were plenty of ces where the monsters could hide.


    "If they are nocturnal, they won''t move unless we are really close to them," Rain thought.


    Rain had thought that perhaps he could listen to the enemy''s footsteps while putting his ear on the ground. He imagined that the monsters would be big enough to make a lot of noise, after all. Still, that would be useless for now.


    "I guess I need a tracking skill as well¡­" Rain thought.


    The group slowly moved toward the nearest hill and stopped at the top while looking for traces of the enemies around. Still, they didn''t find anything. Without wasting time, they began to move to the next vantage point.


    After doing that a couple of times and not making any progress, the group felt quite troubled. They assumed that finding the monsters would be easy since they attacked some of the soldiers around Tristan.


    Meanwhile, Rain noticed that Jori stopped talking and was only focusing on using his de as soon as he spotted the enemy. Asche was nearby to alert everyone, but it didn''t seem like the group had a clear method of action once they found the targets.


    "I suppose I should wait and see instead of pointing that out so soon¡­" Rain thought.


    "We are wasting time here¡­ we will split and look for traces of the monsters and alert the others once that happens," Jori dered. "Don''t engage in battle and just inform the others of your findings."


    Everything aside from the first deration seemed like a good idea. Rain assumed that while they had been working together for a couple of months, they didn''t have any proper guidance to avoid making hasty decisions like that. Once they joined the organization, they began to work together and did things as they saw fit.

 Chapter 95: Ambush

    "We have two healers and two front liners, so we can split them into both groups," Jori dered. "Asche and Rain will go with me toward the South while Reca, Liss, and Terra will head North. We will only move one kilometer in the same direction and then return here. If we don''t find any traces, we press onward and do the same until we do."


    Asche, Liss, and Terra looked at each other. They didn''t like that idea at all, but they didn''t want to voice their opinions and make things get awkward. Rain realized that and confirmed that despite being talented, they were still kids. If someone can''t deal with questions while they are in a position of leadership, then they aren''t fit to be there.


    Jori talked without giving room for his allies to express their opinions, and while that passed more confidently than an unsure leader, it was also hard to deal with.


    The group split, and then they began to move without wasting time. Rain looked over his shoulder and then noticed that the second group was moving slowly, but soon they sped up since Reca wasn''t going slow. In any case, much to Rain''s surprise, it didn''t take long until he noticed some vibrations on the ground.


    "Something is nearby¡­" Rain said while looking around.


    "How can you tell?" Jori asked while frowning.


    "The ground is vibrating," Rain replied.


    Jori and Asche looked at each other since they didn''t feel anything. At first, they imagined that Rain was imagining things, but he was good at earth magic, so perhaps his senses were a bit better than theirs¡­ it didn''t take long for them to confirm that was the case. From behind some hills, some creatures rolling in the shape of spheres began to approach them at high speeds¡­ at least ten of them.


    That was too much¡­ how many of them appeared nearby when the group didn''t find any traces of them?


    Rain didn''t have time to worry about that since, at the moment, Jori found two monsters in the same direction; he charged toward them without saying anything. As expected¡­ Rain''s guess waspletely correct.


    "Oh boy¡­" Rain thought.


    Despite his recklessness, Jori''s footsteps made him cover five meters with every single one of them. He reached the enemies in no time and swung his sword in an arc that Rain had a hard time followingpletely. Still, the de didn''t cut anything. It just stopped the movements of the monsters and revealed that they were just the carapace of the turtles rolling.


    "Those are some weird ass turtles to move like that¡­" Rain thought.


    While Rain was acting like it was nothing, the monsters were two meters long and wide with their carapaces. They should be hard and heavy as well¡­ enough to damage the walls of the capital. Still, Rain forgot about that when he saw the remaining enemies surrounding him and Asche.


    With her eyes moving from one side to the other, Asche had a nocked arrow. Still, she didn''t know which enemy to shoot down¡­ she also felt that she wouldn''t have enough firepower to kill them. Still, she made up her mind about her target when the ground beneath the enemies emerged and made them fly upward.


    It didn''t take long for Asche to see the holes in the carapace where the limbs and the heads of the monsters would live. In the blink of an eye, she fired two arrows before the monsters could fall, and when the enemies hit the ground, blood began to gush from the holes.


    On the other side, Rain made the four monsters on his side fall on earth spikes that he made emerge from the ground. Most of the spikes were destroyed by the carapace. Still, some of them pierced the interior of the monsters, and their heads left their hideout, showing their agonizing expressions.


    The monsters looked like really fat turtles, and since they were big, their expressions were clear to see.


    The Healer''s Path received 50 experience points.


    The Healer''s Path received 50 experience points.


    ¡­


    "The amount is small, but at least this confirms that I can get experience by hunting monsters¡­ but why only the path?" Rain thought.


    Rain could think of thatter, he could hear the sound of some monsters approaching, and then he turned around to check things. He saw Asche firing another arrow and then killing another monster through the hole in the carapace, but another one reached them.


    She quickly pushed Rain away and also jumped to the side, but the beast still charged toward Rain after a quick turn¡­ he barely had time to touch the ground and make an earth wall block the beast''s path, and when the beast was rolling trying to knock the wall down, Rain made two earth spikes emerge from the sides and pierced the monster from the sides.


    It didn''t damage the armor, but it slowed down, giving Asche enough time to fire and finish off the beast.


    Rain got up while looking at Jori. While the kid was surrounded, he still managed to cut one of the monster''s carapace and kill it. He wasn''t the brightest guy alive, but he had power and skill¡­ still, the remaining monster was pushing him backward with continuous charges¡­ Jori blocked them with the side of his de while clenching his teeth.


    Rain touched the ground to use his magic, but Asche touched his shoulder and shook her head.


    "He will be really annoying if you help him now," Asche said.


    "Are you sure about that?" Rain asked. "I don''t think that you will like the end result if we do that."


    "What do you mean by that?" Asche furrowed her eyebrows.


    "The monsters attacked us as soon as we split up, even though we didn''t find traces of them in the area," Rain said. "That also means that the others probably are being attacked right now as well."

 Chapter 96: No traces

    Rain imagined that Asche would help Jori kill the monster and then dash for her sister, but she ignored Jori and the beast and dashed to her sister. She was quite fast as well.


    "I guess it is understandable, but this guy''s teamwork seriously sucks," Rain thought.


    In any case, suffering casualties in his first group mission was out of the question, so Rain made an earth wall fall on the side of the final monster and made the beast stop moving. Jori should have an easier time dealing with it now.


    "If more monsters didn''te, these are the only ones in the area that could have attacked us¡­" Rain thought and then dashed in the opposite direction.


    Despite histe start, Rain caught up with Asche just before she reached the other group. Both of them confirmed that his guess was right, and they were being attacked by a group of armored turtles. Four of them had already fallen; two of them had been burned to death by Liss'' magic, while the other two were bleeding after being killed by Reca''s spear.


    The monsters were running around the group because Liss was keeping them at bay with a wind barrier around the group, but that also prevented Reca from attacking¡­ it was kind of a useless spell. It required help from outside, and a group that split like that wouldn''t survive most battlefields. Rain realized that he was in such a group.


    "Cover me," Asche dered while aiming her next arrow. "Liss'' mana won''tst forever."


    Rain nodded and then hit the enemies from below with some earth spikes. That didn''t cause much damage, but it slowed down the monsters and drew the aggro toward him. As soon as the beasts turned, Asche put an arrow into one of them, and the beast slowly stopped moving.


    The others were fast approaching, and Rain didn''t want to waste time. He also wanted to get more experience, so he decided to go all out. Rain quicklypressed some of the earth around him and then fired that insanely heavy dirt ball toward the monsters.


    The impact of the collision had been so great that Rain felt shivers when he heard the cracks of the carapaces being destroyed¡­ the monsters stopped moving once and for all.


    The Healer''s Path received 50 experience points.


    The Healer''s Path received 50 experience points.


    ¡­


    "Oh shit¡­ this is way more dangerous than I had expected," Rain thought when he saw the monsters stop moving altogether.


    Jori arrived just in time to see that, and just like the others, he looked surprised at Rain''s firepower. Rain told them that he could use magic. Still, they only assumed it would be basic stuff¡­ even among the organization, people able to control magic like that could be counted with the fingers of one hand.


    "... It seems that you all are all right," Jori said while looking at the bodies of the monsters. "We are going to gain per head of the monster, and while Lord Branden told us to bring twenty heads of them, I think we can find a lot more like this."


    Jori was alsocking in introspection skills. Splitting up had been a mistake¡­ although it seemed that it was the only way to find the monsters for some reason. Rain wondered why that was the case and then tried to find traces of the spots the monsters came from.


    It looked like they appeared out of nowhere, but that didn''t make any sense¡­ with their sizes and weights, they should have left some marks.


    "I am a neer here, so I can''t say much, but we shouldn''t rush ahead like that again," Rain said. "We were caught off guard, after all. Things could have ended badly."


    Jori stopped to look at Rain for a moment. He didn''t like when someone stopped or slowed down his pace¡­ but it was also rare for him to hear that kind of thing. Still, Jori would have listened if Rain weren''t eight years old. When he considered listening to him, Jori realized that he would have looked stupid¡­ while Rain had some firepower, he was still a kid who lived seven years less than him.


    "We can''t stop now, we are fifty kilometers away from Tristan and only one hundred from the capital¡­ we can''t let those things get any closer, Jori said.


    "That is a valid point, but Asche used a bunch of arrows that can''t be reused; Liss also used a lot of mana to stop the monsters," Rain said. "We won this time, but we were almost caught off guard while we were one hundred percent prepared. How will things y out if we aren''t like that?"


    "You are right, I guess¡­ still, we can''t hunt at night or camp here when the monsters can attack us again," Jori said, and then he sheathed his sword. "We will stop for lunch and then rest for two hours. Use that time to recover your arrows and mana. In the meantime, Asche, Rain, and I will try to understand how the monsters came out of nowhere."


    Jori was harsh and quick to let the blood rush to his head, but he wasn''t stupid. When someone offered valid arguments, he would listen to them. The girls of the group also looked surprised, thanks to it; they didn''t think that dealing with Jori would be that easy. From what he could guess, Rain imagined that they never tried to talk with him or change his mind about anything.


    "Have you found anything?" Jori asked while they were searching around the hills in the area, and the others were preparing lunch.


    "Nothing," Rain replied.


    "The grass here is tall enough for them to leave trails, but I only found the ones when they moved to attack us¡­" Asche said.


    It was clear that the magic people didn''t send ordinary monsters to cause havoc in the county¡­ there was no doubt about it.

 Chapter 97: Speaking Up

    Even after the three hours, the group didn''t find any clues about how the monsters remained hidden. In any case, not everything was bad news. While the mission was going in an unexpected direction, Rain didn''t mind it. The fact that he could do some monster hunting and make his path level up ten times faster, considering the cost of mana, was pretty good.


    After lunch, the group began to move again. This time, Jori used his head a bit more and made everyone walk around an area together to avoid ambushes when their strength was halved. That also confirmed that the monsters only attacked when their chances of winning were quite high.


    "This isn''t natural monster behavior¡­ I suppose since they came from the magic people''s territory, they can do that," Jori said.


    "Maybe not; maybe they are being controlled by them with magic to make them this hard to deal with," Rain said. "I heard that there is a tribe of them that can control others with a single look in their eyes."


    "You are well informed," Jori said and then began to rub his chin thoughtfully. "If I remember well, some soldier of the kingdom was captured by the enemy and began to work for them¡­ some people said that he was being controlled."


    It seemed that Roan was lucky since such a rumor fell on hisp. That sure was convenient. Still, while that exined a few things about the monsters, there were many others hard to understand or imagine an exnation. Regardless, the group moved away from the area when the sun was setting to avoid problems and set their camp behind a hill since there were no trees around.


    This time, Rain didn''t forget to fix the ground before they sat down. He made the ce free of pebbles, made some walls against the wind, and fixed the angle of thend to add some extrafort while sleeping. During that time, Rain noticed that Liss was looking at him. She was also the other mage of the group, so she was probably trying to learn a thing or two.


    "While she can use wind and fire magic, I guess she didn''t learn before she was ten, so her magic power and skills are limited," Rain thought.


    Specialized training was good to show quick results, but they weren''t that good in the long run if one wants to know a lot. Then again, Rain knew that improving their skills while thinking of a particr build was the best option. Among the mages that he had heard about, they had simple and advanced skills that were pretty simr.


    That was because the simple ones would help them learn and improve the more advanced ones.


    "We can''t stay here forever, and I think that I want to bring the heads of at least forty of those monsters to the capital," Jori said. "I want to make a single group tomorrow to look for the enemies, one small enough to make the monsterse at us."


    "It would be nice if there was a vige nearby for us to borrow a wagon. The monsters'' shells could also be valuable," Rain said.


    "Yeah, but what do you think about my idea?" Jori asked.


    "It might work, but it also puts the others left behind in danger," Rain replied.


    "We just need to leave them in the area before the hills, then," Reca said.


    Rain felt like sighing. He could see what they were thinking¡­ They want to take those that can fight without limitations and leave those that can''t behind. It was thews of physics; the human race never managed to leave a ce without leaving a lot of things behind¡­ while that could be the most optimal solution in the short run, it wasn''t in the long run.


    It would leave lingering problems for the group that will only escte over time.


    "Tell us more in detail what you have in mind," Rain said.


    "For now, I want to test if the monsters wille if we go in groups of four," Jori said. "Reca and I can fend for ourselves in the melee, and you and Asche can stop the enemies from a distance before being overwhelmed. That should be enough against a group of up to ten monsters."


    Rain looked at Liss and Terra. They tried to hide as much as they could, but it was clear that they took that as if they were slowing don''t the group. No one got hurt, so Terra didn''t have to use her healing magic, and Liss could only show her power when someone was on the frontline.


    Rain noticed that they looked quite a bit nervous during the fight earlier, but that was to be expected from kids who had never fought monsters.


    "What do you guys think?" Rain asked. "Are you fine being left behind?"


    "... If there is no other option," Liss said while looking away.


    "I just hope that nothing serious will happen while we wait¡­ but if you can use healing magic¡­" Terra added.


    Rain felt like sighing. Those kids were the textbook version of people who would let others use them and throw them away when it was convenient without saying a single thing. Still, it seemed that the others had some backbone, or at least they got some thanks to the recent events.


    "I don''t think that splitting up like that again is a good idea," Asche said. "Just like Terra said, if we get hurt, and she is too far away, things might be even more troublesome. At best, we should split into two groups like the same as before and head in the same direction while keeping a distance from each other. That way, both groups can help each other."


    Rain nodded in satisfaction; you can do it if you put your mind to it. Jori also began to seriously think about that. Rain didn''t know if Reca didn''t care either way, but she didn''t say anything against that idea. The downside was the fact that they didn''t know how far apart they had to be for the n to work.

 Chapter 98: Night Attack

    "... All right, we will think more seriously about this tomorrow morning," Jori said after he rubbed his chin for a while. "We will keep the guard duty the same asst night."


    Rain felt satisfied with that kind of development. Leaving kids alone like that would have left a bad taste in his mouth, even if he had gotten a bit pissed before. In any case, after not so long, the group dinner and the mood had improved a fair bit since the others knew that they wouldn''t be left behind. They also learned that Jori wasn''t that unreasonable.


    "I suppose half the reason for this is the fact that they didn''t learn how other parties worked, and the other half is because of their young age," Rain thought.


    Things got quite rxing after that, and everyone imagined that they would be able to sleep well that night and work harder the next day¡­ their guess was wrong.


    Just like Rain was starting to feelzy thanks to his full stomach. He felt some vibrations on the ground, and he didn''t like that. He quickly got up, and while that made him feel a bit dizzy, he soon corrected himself.


    "They areing," Rain dered.


    For a moment, they didn''t know what Rain was talking about, but soon their minds began to work fast, and then they got up while grabbing their weapons. Jori and Reca jumped on the wall, but they couldn''t see a single thing around.


    Rain did the same and then created some fireballs and made them fly around the area in circles; thanks to that, the group was able to see the monsters approaching while rolling. The armored turtles were back.


    "Will the wallst for long?" Jori asked.


    "I made it to block the wind, but I can repair it if I need to," Rain replied.


    "Liss, keep the enemies away from the walls, but don''t use a barrier," Jori said. "Reca,e with me. Asche, watch our backs, and Terra, use your magic as soon as it is necessary."


    Everyone nodded. It seemed that Rain would have to stay on the support duty like that. He won''t be able to attack with his heavy earth balls like that, but he has other options.


    Jori and Reca jumped from the walls and then prepared to face the enemies. Still, when they saw over twenty shadows around, they couldn''t help but flinch¡­ that was a number that they didn''t expect.


    "They approached us in a couple of hours, and for a group of this size toe¡­ it can''t be a coincidence," Rain thought.


    That was too suspicious, but Rain could think about thatter¡­ when he saw the others hesitating, he decided to help instead of waiting for them when they were in a bind. He made some Fireballs fly toward the enemies and engulfed them in fire upon contact. Rain''s magic firepower was quite low, but at least that slowed down the monsters, and everyone heard their grunts.


    Jori and Reca charged toward the beasts, and Rain summoned more Fireballs to illuminate the area.


    "A few of them areing from behind!" Asche said while she was firing her arrows in the same direction, one after the other.


    Those on the walls turned around and saw that, and they gulped. Still, Liss worked fast and used her wind magic to summon a small tornado. The pulling force of the spell slowed down the monsters and also made them be pulled by it. Even with their massive weight, they began to spin in the air.


    "That will only slow them down¡­ I guess I should offer some help," Rain thought.


    Rain made some fireballs move to the tornado, and then the spellsbined. While it didn''t be a fire tornado, thebination created a heat tornado that made the monsters scream in agony while their bodies and shells were heating up. Shells might be hard, but they should heat up quite easily.


    After turning around, Rain saw Jori and Reca being overwhelmed by monsters. The speed of Reca''s thrust was enough to keep five monsters away from her, but theycked power thanks to it. Before long, one of them circled around her and then hit her from behind.


    Reca almost fell from the attack, but when the monsters used that chance to attack her from the front, he used her spear in a sweep attack, and they made the monsters roll backward and fall with their backs on the ground.


    When that happened, Terra jumped from the wall to heal Reca, that bravery should be respected, but the recklessness shouldn''t be copied. In any case, Rain stopped her with an earth wall.


    "I don''t think that a healer should get that close to the frontlines," Rain said.


    "I can heal her from a distance; I just need to get closer!" Terra said.


    "You can? How close exactly?" Rain asked.


    "Five meters! I don''t have time for this!" Terra said.


    Rain had heard that some healers could do that from a distance, but he didn''t think that Terra was that better than him. In any case, he jumped from the wall and made a small block of earth emerge from the ground, and it made Terra fly. He had to cover for the healer as well, just to be safe.


    While Terra was caught off guard, she quicklyposed herself when she was five meters above Reca and began to heal her. Reca, who had assumed a defensive stance, quickly felt better¡­ but perhaps not too much since she went full-on the offensive once she realized that she wouldn''t die even if she traded blows with the monsters thanks to Terra.


    With all her might, Reca thrust her spear backward and pierced the shell of one monster, making the beast grunt in agony, but another one hit her from the side. The pain wasn''t that big, thanks to the healing magic, so she did that again and again, and she didn''t stop, even when her left arm wasn''t moving at all.

 Chapter 99: Blade of the Goddess

    "Her risk management skills really suck," Rain thought. "At least she is gutsy¡­ that might cost her life one day, though.


    Rain hit some monsters with a fireball around Reca to decrease her burden, and then he turned to the side and saw Jori running around while looking over his shoulder since he was being chased by the monsters. When one of them got close enough, he quickly turned around and stabbed the creature through the holes, and at the same time, he lifted the monster and threw it toward the others.


    The impact knocked down three of them, and Jori used that chance to stab them to death.


    His n would have worked if not for the new group of monsters that came from his back. Still, even from that distance, Rain covered him, making several earth walls block their path and almost smash the monsters upon contact by falling. Jori turned around when he saw the impacts and opened his eyes widely¡­ he dealt with the monsters in front of him, but he never noticed the onesing from behind.


    He thought that he had grown a bit, but he sighed upon realizing that he still had a long path ahead.


    Although things got a bit tense, eventually, the battle ended, and everyone sighed in relief¡­ fighting just after having a meal sure was tough. In any case, they didn''t drop their guards since more monsters coulde.


    "... Keep your guards up and let''s take the heads of the monsters," Jori said. "We will walk East for a while before camping again. Our mission is over¡­ we have a lot to report."


    That was a wise decision; the monsters'' behavior was too odd, and they had to spread those pieces of news. Besides, they killed around fifty monsters, which should be enough¡­ the heads should also put everyone in the area on high alert.


    "Rain, can you bury the shells somewhere else for us to take it back some other time?" Jori asked.


    "No problem," Rain replied.


    While Rain was working on burying the shells on a hill that would be easy to find, he realized that Jori was calling him Rain. He didn''t recall presenting himself as Rain, but his name was quite hard, so it made sense. It felt a bit weird being called like that by a kid who wasn''t from his family; a bit disrespectful. Still, there was no point in fussing over that.


    The job finished rather quickly, but the group didn''t feel that happy about it. Their teamwork improved a bit, and from now on, they would act more like a real party. However, the situation getting that intense in the country was rather troubling and overshadowed their aplishments.


    In the end, the group only slept for two hours that night and began to move a bit sooner than sunrise because some snow had started to fall in the area. It seemed a bit early in the year for that to happen, but it made everyone move faster toward the capital.


    "I wonder if the snow will help us here," Rain thought.


    Still, now that Rain thought about it, maybe the job of dealing with the monsters would fall on someone else''s hands since things were way out of control with their behavior. He was fine with that; he will have more time to train his techniques¡­ Besides, it will take a few weeks to solve the problem, at the very least.


    Rain wanted to pay a visit home in the next ten days, that is why he couldn''t work on that.


    "That being said¡­ I wonder if things will be that simple," Rain thought when the group finally could see the capital while the sun was setting the next day.


    The group looked quite tired, but they returned to the organization at dinner time while feeling proud of themselves. They also showed the heads of the monsters, and while Ka congratted and paid them, she left in a hurry after hearing the report.


    "All right, let''s drink to death today to celebrate!" Jori said while smiling from ear to ear.


    "Sounds good to me," Reca said.


    "I am tired, and I don''t handle alcohol well," Liss said.


    "We also can''t return home tooter, or we will have to rent a room in an inn," Asche said, and Terra nodded.


    "You guys are no fun¡­ I suppose Rain can''t drink yet¡­ so let''s celebrate tomorrow with lunch," Jori said.


    "You guys aren''t supposed to be drinking either¡­ but I didn''t study thews of this country that much," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    In any case, the group split up after that, and Rain watched them leave the building while waving their hands at each other. It seemed that he did well helping them¡­ they should be able to develop their teamwork after that. Regardless, Rain went to buy some skewers filled with meat as a dinner and then headed to his room.


    He had nned to do some training, but as soon as he fell on the bed, he fell asleep as well and only woke up the next day, way after breakfast time.


    "I guess I can skip today''s work¡­" Rain thought. "I also should inform Lotto of what I learned and buy a weapon."


    Fighting in the back all the time was convenient but also pretty boring. Since he also said that he would have lunch with the others, he didn''t have much time for that¡­ just doing all that all day was no good; he had to train as well.


    "Rain, I have a message for you," Ka said when Rain appeared in the lobby of the building, the ce was almost empty since most of the members had left to work.


    "Yes?" Rain asked.


    "Lord Branden invited you and the de of the Goddess to have lunch with him at his residence," Ka said.


    "de of the Goddess?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "You didn''t know? That is the name of Jori''s party," Ka said.

 Chapter 100: Villager C

    Rain felt like sighing¡­ that sure was a big name for a party of beginners. Still, it made sense, given that all the members were fifteen and below. Putting that aside, it seemed that Branden was either making too much out of the mission or he wanted to hear from them directly about the mission before spreading the information. They didn''t leave any details behind, so perhaps he was going too far.


    "Okay, where does he live?" Rain asked, thinking that having a free and luxurious lunch wouldn''t be so bad; the location would also make the others behave without him telling them to do so.


    Rain could have asked Lotto that, but he decided to be more cautious with his actions. In any case, it seemed that Branded lived in the area West of the castle, and his house was the one that had the emblem of a dire wolf on the gate. Quite the emblem.


    "... How can I help you?" Lotto asked when Rain arrived at his shop.


    "I am looking for suited weapons for someone of my size and a weapon for someone who fights using their arms and legs to attack; what do you rmend?" Rain asked after he approached and then put a letter with the contents of the mission on the counter, and Lotto quickly grabbed it.


    "What is your budget?" Lotto asked.


    While it was a bit too soon to act like he was being watched, Rain decided that it was better to get used to acting like that to avoid suspicions. In any case, Rain had five gold coins saved up until now; only half of that he got working in the capital so far, and he wanted to buy some things for his family.


    Considering how the rtionship of his previous one ended, Rain felt like sighing since he had be too attached to his new one. Regardless, he decided to use two gold coins and see what he could get.


    As one would expect, Lotto showed Rain Iron ws, Bracers, and Forearm Guards. Their quality was good, but the materials were not so good. Still, that was probably what two gold coins could help him with.


    "I take it that you know what each one is suited for?" Lotto asked.


    "The ws are to focus on offense, the bracers are to make sure that I won''t lose my arms if I am too clumsy, and the forearm guards are to not decrease my speed, but they will require some mastery to use them properly," Rain replied.


    "Right, if you use your legs to fight as well, you should use the same type of gear in ce of boots, but it would slow you down considering your size and current strength," Lotto said. "I would advise you to focus on attacking with punches alone for a few years and use your legs for evasive maneuvers."


    That was Rain''s original idea, but he changed it because he knew that kicks could be three times stronger than punches. He liked the idea of taking down enemies as fast as possible, and kicks would help him with that.


    In the end, Rain tested all of the weapons, and while he had a tendency to be pretty offensive when it came to fighting, he decided to get the forearm guards. Against most monsters, he won''t have much of a hard time attacking them without risking losing his fingers. Still, he will need a lot of experience to parry swords and spears¡­ he had the feeling that he would eventually have to pull that off.


    "If you bring some materials, then I can make better versions of your weapon at a lower cost," Lotto said once Rain made his choice.


    "I will keep that in mind," Rain said once he stored away the forearm guards.


    Rain left the shop to avoid suspicions while he wondered how he should train with his new toys. The forearm guards protected his fists when they were closed, and since he was a kid, they almost reached his elbow as well. When he put them together, they looked like a shield¡­ it wasn''t exactly heavy, but it sure would work well with the earth rings that he used to make his running harder.


    "Maybe I should keep weights with me all the time¡­ I seriously need to build my strength since my punches are nowhere as powerful as my earth magic," Rain thought. "... I guess I should start now. There is no time like today, or so they say."


    Rain looked for an alley and then made some earth rings and equipped them under his pants. Just keeping the ones in his legs would do for now since he had to get used to them slowly.


    In any case, Rain stored his forearm guards in his shirt since he knew that he had to keep them with him all the time. His weapon had to be a part of him, not just an essory that he used now and then.


    Before long, Rain was back in the organization again, and much to his surprise, he found Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra in front of the ce while wearing some fancy clothes and looking nervous as hell. It was two hours too early for the appointment as well.


    "Rain, were you informed as well of the invitation? You should dress up as well¡­ we don''t want to embarrass Lord Branden by looking like country bumpkins," Jori said.


    "You guys are embarrassing him in another way," Rain thought. "I don''t like to buy clothes that I will only use a few times, so I am going like this. I don''t mind if I am stopped at the Gates of his house since you all can give an urate report of the mission."


    Rain looked a Viger C with his current attire, but he liked it quite a lot since he didn''t look suspicious in the least. He didn''t feel like dressing up to meet a man either.

 Chapter 101: The next mission

    "Thank you foring today, and my apologies for the sudden call," Branden said when the group arrived at the gate of his house.


    Branden''s new house was even bigger than the old one that Rain''s grandparents had. It had a garden the size of a ser camp, and the building was the size of a high-ss resort that one would see on Earth. Thanks to that, Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra crossed the gates as if they were robots that needed some oil in their joints.


    Branden guided the group toward the interior of the house, and the ce sure was luxurious; a bunch of armor, paintings, and colorful windows could be seen in all directions. Aside from that, Rain only found servants and guards around.


    "Everyone is out today, so don''t worry about seeing anyone unexpected," Branden said. "My stepfather, mother, and older sister are busy."


    Rain furrowed his eyebrows when he heard that¡­ now that he thought about it, his mother probably found another husband even before his father died. He wondered how their rtionship was, but that wouldn''t change a single thing in his life, so soon he forgot about it.


    The dinner table was filled with a bunch of dishes. Perhaps there was too much food for only seven people. In any case, Branden helped himself, and while he had some ss, he began to eat like there was no tomorrow, and soon the others began to copy him.


    After that, the servants served some tea, and the group rxed for a bit. Rain thought that Branden was supposed to be busier than that, but maybe that was a day off for him.


    "First of all, I would like to congratte you all and thank you for your hard work," Branden said. "Thanks to your actions, we learned a bit more about the enemies and how they operate. Until now, the attacks had been too few, and now we finally learned why. As such, our organization will receive a lot of credit, and its fame will increase. Still, I would like to hear from you all about the mission.


    I have the feeling that we will be called to deal with the monsters soon enough, and I would like to make the decisions about it myself. You can start giving your perspective of things, Jori."


    "Yes, sir," Jori said while nodding.


    Rain already knew that, but those kids respected Branden a lot. He wasn''t just a famous guy who offered them the chance to make a name for themselves, but he was also a noble who treated them like normal people. That was rare in the capital.


    While that took a while, Branden wanted to hear everything from everyone. Eventually, it was Rain''s turn, and he didn''t know what to say since everyone said everything.


    "If you don''t know anything to say, you can just tell your opinion about the situation," Branden said.


    "What I think¡­ I think that the monsters that were sent are just a demonstration of what the magic people are about to do," Rain said.


    "What do you mean?" Branden asked.


    "We didn''t have time to learn how the monsters kept themselves hidden, but they still made some mistakes, like attacking when we were still awake," Rain replied. "That being said, the second fight was more difficult because the enemies did things that they didn''t do in the first, like attacking in arger group anding from several directions.


    They also left their area and looked for us before all that."


    "I see¡­ that truly doesn''t sound like natural behavior of monsters," Branden scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Some of the magic people can manipte other creatures, but we never heard of them controlling monsters like this. Still, this kind of behavior fits the bill."


    "Well, humans didn''t fight the magic people seriously in one hundred years. That is plenty of time for them to develop some new tricks," Rain said.


    Everyone went silent¡­ that made sense. That kind of power isn''t something that is developed overnight, after all. Still, considering the war so far, it seemed unnecessary. The capital would take more effort to fall, but it didn''t seem like monster attacks would be enough to help make it fall.


    Rain wasn''t thinking like that because his father told him: the magic people were ying the long game, that was why their actions seemed useless for now, but then all of a sudden, they would go all out and then get another chunk of the realm.


    When Rain thought of that, he suddenly wondered¡­ making the capital fall would be a lot of work, but taking it down would be the same as taking down the whole country. Facing the royal army would be a lot of work; if he were the enemy, he would target other parts of the realm instead and keep weakening them further.


    "Do you know the locations of all the ces where the monsters were spotted?" Rain asked.


    "I believe the person who asked for the job knows that; why do you ask?" Branden asked.


    "At first, I thought that the monsters were being used to disperse the focus of the army that is keeping an eye on Tristan, but what if that isn''t their true goal?" Rain asked. "The monsters could be just an experiment, and they might be more troublesome, but they also could be just a distraction.


    While we keep an eye on them, the enemies are making moves in other areas without wasting manpower with the distractions."


    "... You might have a point," Branden said while studying Rain''s words for a bit. "With that in mind, we need to deal with the monsters as soon as possible and also make sure that our spies are keeping an eye on more than just Tristan. I will try to keep their job under our control, and I think that you should be one of the groups that should handle that, so wait for that call, all right?"

 Chapter 102: Convenient job

    "As expected of Rain, even though you didn''t study politics and warfare for long, you still learned a lot," Jori said. "I couldn''t have imagined those possibilities or even convinced Lord Branden of them either."


    The school didn''t help Rain think of all that. Just thinking about some possibilities and the worst oue possible for all of them. It was a skill that he wished that he didn''t have to use. Also, thanks to his big mouth, Rain will have to work on that mission again with Jori and his group with too grand of a name.


    "Well, we live here, so see you guys tomorrow," Asche said.


    Asche and Terra moved to the street on the right side, and then Rain saw a church. He didn''t know much about the religion in that world, so he wondered what they prayed to. In any case, Church often looked after war orphans, so he could tell those sisters'' backstories. They probably should have left the Church, but they were still there and helping other kids with the money they earned.


    Liss left the group afterward, and Jori and Reca left together as well before Rain could reach the organization. That had been a bit of a troublesome afternoon since Rain didn''t make progress with his skills, nor did he make money. Still, he felt that the weights on his ankles were working since he felt a bit bothered there. When he checked, Rain confirmed that he was bleeding a bit.


    "I guess I should put some kind of protection against the weight¡­ or I can just use this chance to heal myself and level up Health Bonus," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain decided to kill some time training for the rest of the afternoon and soon confirmed that it worked. Health Bonus leveled up alongside his Healing Touch. After dinner, he practiced boxing moves while wearing the forearm guards in his room, but he felt that sparring with someone else would be a lot more fun.


    "I guess there is no such convenient job waiting for me¡­" Rain thought when he checked the jobs the next day.


    In any case, while he didn''t work with Jori''s group that week, Rain knew that they were working around the city since they wanted to be ready for the mission when Branden called them. As for Rain, while he didn''t mind epting such a profitable job, he felt like he needed some more time to get used to his forearm guards.


    At least he had enough time to make his Healer''s Path reach level thirty thanks to the wounds caused on his ankles¡­ since he added two more Earth rings there. The battle master path also leveled up as much.


    Level 25: Enhanced Regeneration - Enhances the healer''s ability to regenerate their own wounds, allowing for faster personal healing and recovery.


    Level 30: Diagnostic Insight - Develops the intuition and observational skills necessary to urately diagnose illnesses, injuries, and underlying health conditions.


    Level 25: Battle Tactics: Analyze the battlefield, assess enemy strengths and weaknesses, and formte effectivebat strategies.


    Level 30: Weapon Specialization: Choose a specific weapon and gain increased mastery speed over it, granting increased uracy and damage.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 41 (2500/4100)


    Current Path: Healer''s Path (Lv 30- 580/3000)


    Health: 2840/2840


    Mana: 2890/2890


    Stamina: 3480/3480


    Strength: 277


    Dexterity: 173


    Intelligence: 300


    Vitality: 285


    Wisdom: 288


    Endurance: 285


    Luck: 127


    Free Points: 55


    Main Skills:


    [Basic First Aid Lv 18)


    [Healing Touch Lv 19]


    [Enhanced Regeneration Lv 07]


    [Soothing Aura Lv 09]


    [Elemental Cleaning Lv 08]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 22]


    [Basic Training 62]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 59]


    [Running Lv 63]


    "I am definitely making progress, but it is a bit troublesome that some skills that don''t directly help my parameters are showing up," Rain thought while scratching his chin. "Anyway, I guess I should take a break and visit home. Without the weights, I should be able to cover more distance now since my strength has increased."


    That day, Rain had worked cleaning a warehouse, using his magic to get rid of the dust and his strength to move some boxes. He was heading back to the organization when he had such thoughts. Still, he also had a feeling that it was about time for something to happen¡­ he had gotten used to the fact that things never go the way he nned.


    That afternoon, Rain decided to head straight to his room to avoid receiving any word of work, and that actually worked. However, Ka left him a letter in his room, and it was a piece of paper about the continuation of the job.


    "I guess she was too busy to inform me directly, or maybe it would be bad if people saw a new member receiving a special job like this," Rain thought.


    "The guards of the capital didn''t make much progress hunting the armored turtles, or so it says in thest week, so we are being called to look for them again, huh?" Rain thought. "In any case, it seems that they found the monsters getting close to some viges down south of that area, and those ces raise cattle¡­ a lot of it. I suppose it will be bad if the monsters kill them.


    I can''t imagine turtles eating cows, though."


    It didn''t seem like Branden had any news about the monsters being controlled and how the magic people were using that situation in their favor. That was a bit disappointing, but it made sense that gathering such Intel wouldn''t be easy.


    "Does he only wants us to fend off the monsters?" Rain thought. "There are no orders aside from that¡­"


    Rain couldn''t say that the group was the best option to gather Intel about the monsters, but they showed some results when others didn''t. Since Branden also told them to stay alert for the next mission, it seemed that he was expecting a lot from them, but maybe he was wrong¡­

 Chapter 103: Checking the perimeter

    When Rain found the others the next morning, it didn''t look like they had many hours of sleep in the previous night. Rain wondered if everyone in the city wanted to be recognized by Branden that much. Rain wondered what would happen in the future¡­ he joined the organization. He was gaining money and Intel, but he didn''t want to receive orders to work with fanboys.


    "The mission this time is to protect three viges in the area south of that region of hills; we have to do that for a week; are you all ready for it?" Jori asked.


    Everyone nodded. At least Rain will have the excuse to take a few days off after that. Without wasting time, the group began to move, and as soon as they left the city, Asche noticed that something was weird with Rain. It was only natural since she was at the back of the group.


    "Your steps are quite heavy, and you are leaving deep marks behind," Asche said. "Is your stuff too heavy?"


    "No, it is fine," Rain replied.


    Rain didn''t have to exin what he was doing regarding his own training. It was better to keep information about himself as hidden as possible, after all. The group walked for a while, and since he had a backpack as well, Rain was starting to get tired. After five days, once he started to carry the weights, he got bored of just one in each leg, so he put another.


    He was still getting used to it, and the extra weight was putting a toll on him, but he was fine with it. He actually felt good knowing that he was pushing his body to the limits.


    "Lord Branden received the task to protect those viges, but we weren''t informed about the changes in the area," Liss suddenly said. "Do you think that nothing has changed or some people are trying to cause problems for the organization?"


    It made sense that they would think like that, but it was a bit risky for anyone to try to screw them over when they were the only ones that obtained any sess dealing with the monsters. So, Rain assumed that they didn''t learn anything new because nothing new was learned.


    "It is hard to say¡­ trying to cause trouble for us while we are in this area would only cause problems for everyone in the region," Jori replied.


    "I don''t know¡­ I heard that when Tristan fell, a bunch of people had already joined with the enemy''s side, mostly nobles," Asche said. "People in power are quick to change sides and do nasty things like that to gain more power. We need to be careful no matter what."


    "You shouldn''t say that in the city unless you want to lose your tongue," Reca said.


    Asche nodded, and then everyone looked at Rain. He still had noble blood, so he might feel offended by that. Still, he just shrugged after hearing it.


    "My family isn''t like that anymore, and we aren''t that petty," Rain said.


    Moreover, Rain and his family experienced the betrayal of a noble, so it was a fact instead of a simple fake nder. In any case, the group seemed closer now than before, so Rain wasn''t expecting many stupid decisions to be made. He also made sure that his opinion could be very valuable thanks to the meeting, so they will probably listen to him more.


    In any case, the group had to walk for two days to finally reach the first vige. Rain wondered why the monsters didn''t get closer and attack the ces considering that they were so close to the capital.


    The first vige was surrounded by a bunch of farms that were raising hundreds of cow-like animals. Rain didn''t see them before; he only saw them when they were ready to be eaten. In any case, the only difference between those from ordinary cows was the fact that they had six legs¡­ that was quite disappointing.


    "Let''s talk with the people of the viges first before making any decisions," Jori decided.


    The group hadn''t talked about how they were going to operate. The best option was to lure the monsters and attack them away from the farms, but Rain wondered if things would go that well¡­


    In any case, most of the vigers didn''t try to hide their disappointment when they saw that a group of teenagers and a boy had been sent to protect theirnds. Jori had a hard time keeping his cool, while Rain didn''t care either way. It wasn''t a good idea to waste time with those that judge a book by its cover.


    In the first vige, the group learned that the armored turtles attacked almost all of the wagons and travelers that had valuables with them. Until now, deaths have been avoided, but two people won''t be able to walk like normal until their deaths¡­ unless they pay a skilled Healer to fix their legs with a bunch of gold coins.


    The monsters also attacked the farms and let some cows escape, but they didn''t do that many times, and they only did it at night, so few animals managed to escape.


    "Their behavior is just like before¡­pletely unnatural," Asche said while looking at the cows eating some grass.


    "We should check the other viges as well and gather Intel," Jori said while smiling. "Then we will hunt some of the monsters and bring their bodies to shut everyone up."


    It made sense that Jori would feel like that, he was trying to act professional, but he was only fifteen. You can have so much thick skin at that age. In any case, the other viges were only one hour of walk away from the current one, so the group managed to visit them and talk with some people.


    They experienced the same things as the first one, but aside from that, they said that they noticed some monsters moving around their territories, and despite that, they didn''t find any signs of their footprints around.

 Chapter 104: Signs

    "For now, I want to hear what you guys think we should do given what we heard," Jori said. "You can start, Reca."


    "Maybe we shouldn''t split today and just wait and see where the enemies will attack. Once they do that, we can dash to the area," Reca said.


    "Staying on the second vige will help with that," Asche said. "I also agree with the n."


    "The problem is the fact that it will take a while to reach those ces, at least ten minutes if we run nonstop," Liss said. "I don''t like the idea of spitting up either, but that will be enough time for the monsters to cause their havoc."


    Terra nodded as well. The group only had two options, splitting or not splitting in the end. However, they didn''t think that they actually could split in a more efficient way. Everyone looked at Rain to hear what he had to say, but he didn''t know if he should. Promoting reckless behavior in front of teens was never a good thing, even if he had the skills to back that up.


    "I think we should split into three groups, considering what we heard; the third vige was attacked the least, so we can keep only a single person there; at the same time, it will be easier to defend since it is the smaller vige," Rain exined. "Even if it isn''t much, the viges should have a fighting force that can assist us, so it won''t be terrible if we split up now.


    My guess is that the monsters are waiting for help to attack with all their might, so we can use a few days to gain some information about the area and how we can deal with them."


    The group looked surprised since they didn''t think that Rain would say such a thing. While his reasoning was sound, it was pretty reckless, considering what they experienced before.


    "This is hard¡­ your opinions make sense so¡­" Jori said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Let''s camp in the second vige; if something happens in the other viges, we can borrow some horses, and that will help us reach those areas faster."


    Everyone nodded. While Rain''s idea was discarded, he wasn''t bothered by it since it was something that could be temporary. Also, if something happens in the other viges, he has his own solution to the problems. He wouldn''t lose anything by being patient; he actually would gain a lot when the time came.


    The group returned to the second vige when the sun set, and then they went to talk with one of the farmers that had a bunch of horses. The man didn''t like the idea of lending his horse to a bunch of kids, but it was for the protection of the viges, so it would be foolish of him to refuse them.


    After they secured that, the group camped in front of the entrance of the vige and began to cook their dinner. They had learned their lesson from before, so they kept their guard up for attacks. Still, nothing happened even after a couple of hours after their meal.


    "The vigers said that the attacks happen after midnight, so I guess we can rx for a bit," Jori said. "We will probably have the chance to rest during the day, so let''s try hard and stay awake throughout the night."


    "Maybe I shouldn''t have kept the weights with me today¡­" Rain thought.


    Staying awake past ten was quite the ordeal for Rain, given his body. Moreover, pushing his body to the limits on a daily basis also made him fall asleep in a matter of seconds once hey on his bed. Still, he decided to think of that as another way to train his willpower.


    In the end, nothing happened for several hours. However, when it was around three in the morning, and everyone had a really hard time staying awake, they noticed that the atmosphere began to change. They immediately got up with their weapons in hand.


    "Rain?" Jori asked.


    "It isn''t here¡­ I suppose they realized that attacking this ce wouldn''t be easy considering that we are here," Rain exined. "I guess this time, they are operating with the idea of causing damage without suffering any losses."


    Rain realized that if it was true, the monsters returned to their base at some point and received new orders. That would exin why they didn''t attack the viges sooner. Still, the group couldn''t tell where the enemies would attack¡­ until they saw some farmers looking toward the East, and everyone saw some torches lighting up in the same direction.


    "It is a sign¡­ they are probably being attacked!" Jori said. "Why didn''t they tell us that they couldmunicate like this?"


    Only five farmers left in the same direction, and while the group did the same, it was clear that they wouldn''t arrive in time. While everyone was climbing the horses, Rain got rid of the weights on his ankles and then ran in that direction while using his earth magic to boost his moments.


    "Hey, Rai¡­ n?" Jori furrowed his eyebrows as he watched Rain disappear in the darkness of the night at supersonic speeds.


    The others also looked speechless¡­ they didn''t think that a mage unless they had reached the peak in a single field of magic, would be able to pull that off.


    "It should be forty meters per second now¡­ I thought that I would have improved more," Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "I still can use my free points to increase my magic and this, but¡­"


    In the end, Rain decided to forget that for now and then equipped his forearm guards. He didn''t know how many enemies he would be fighting there, but it was better to be safe than sorry. In any case, in exactly one minute, Rain reached the other vige and saw some farmers moving toward the fences that kept their cattle locked.


    This time¡­ the beast destroyed a bunch of the fences and then charged at the farmers.

 Chapter 105: Trick

    Before the first monster reached the farmers, Rain charged in and then used the momentum to punch one of the armored turtles. His punch hit the shell of the creature, and that hurt a bit, but at least it sent the monster flying to the side and hit two other monsters and stopped them.


    "Not bad¡­ but my fingers won''tst long like this," Rain thought.


    Rain covered his fists in earth magic without hesitation and made them as hard as possible. The armored turtles recognized him as a threat and then moved toward him. Still, before they could reach Rain, he reached them first with a single step and punched another monster while clenching his teeth. The shell made an excellent cracking sound this time, while Rain didn''t feel any pain.


    The Healer''s Path received 50 experience points.


    "I guess the vibration killed it¡­" Rain thought. "Suddenly stopping while moving like that would make their bodies endure all the G force, but since I attacked as well, that increased."


    The other monsters tried to circle around Rain, but that had been a mistake¡­ as if he would give them a chance to do that. Rain charged at them with his quick steps enhanced with earth magic and finished them off with a single punch. Still, after the fifth kill, the Earth around his fists began to crack.


    "I guess it can''t be helped since I didn''t use that much mana," Rain thought and then repaired the Earth by touching the ground.


    As it turns out, Rain didn''t have a hard time killing the monsters. Only fifteen of them showed up, but they all died with a single punch. It couldn''t be helped since his punchesbined his strength and magic. Another downside was the fact that a lot of people saw his techniques in action.


    When the battle ended, Jori and the others finally arrived, and just like the vigers, they looked shocked by what they saw. A group of monsters bigger than adults around an eight years old kid.


    "... Are you all right, rain?" Jori asked. "What happened here?"


    "Nothing serious," Rain replied. "They look tough at first nce, but once the impacts shake their whole bodies, they crack like eggs."


    That was a clear exaggeration, but since Rain looked fine, the group assumed that his real strength was just beyond what they imagined. In any case, they still looked confused since Rain didn''t look like he used his magic like before. The Earth around his fists began falling, and everyone saw his forearm guards. He wasn''t just a in mage.


    "In any case, the other viges could still be attacked. We should return to the second one," Rain said.


    "Right¡­ can we leave the clean-up job to you all for now?" Jori asked while looking at the vigers. "We will help with what we can sometime tomorrow."


    The vigers nodded. It wasn''t like they could demand them to help, after all. Their job was to hunt the monsters. Still, nothing happened that night, so the group felt like they wasted time and only Rain worked.


    "Maybe I overdid it," Rain thought.


    Once they returned to the second vige, Rain noticed that the others looked a bit suspicious of him. He said to them that he could use magic, but he never said that he could fight up close as well. Also, he acted by himself while dashing at the enemies. He didn''t make mistakes after that, but he ignored the support that the others could have offered.


    "This is why I think that work alone is better for me," Rain thought when the sun was rising, and the group was preparing to finally rest. "Worrying about other people''s feelings and pride is a pain."


    As someone who fought in the ring, Rain knew that when push came to the shove, he could only trust in himself and in his training. He never had a real coach before, so he truly believed that¡­ Regardless, thinking about all that was annoying, but he couldn''t help it since he couldn''t let those kids learn the wrong thing from him.


    "Well, if anything, I tried," Rain thought. "I suppose it will make sense after this if they don''t want me working with them again."


    Rain fell asleep thinking along those lines, and in the end, he woke up hungry in the middle of the afternoon. Among the group, only Asche had already awakened and was preparing lunch.


    "We were more exhausted than we assumed, and it seems that the vigers already fixed the fences," Asche said.


    "Is that so," Rain said while stretching his body and then recreating the weights on his ankles.


    "I heard that nobles can learn all sorts of things at school, but I didn''t think that they would choose magic and meleebat at the same time," Asche said.


    "I am not a noble, my father was one, but not anymore," Rain said and then sighed. "You don''t have to limit yourself by following what ismon; that is what I did. Learning some self-defense and magic would increase my sense of survival in a period like this, and that is why I decided to learn both of them.


    That being said, I sparred with my father a bunch of times, who is a former knight, so perhaps that gave me an edge over some people."


    Rain didn''t think that, aside from his memories of another life, he didn''t have many advantages over others. If anything, he had to deal with a bunch of stops that ordinary people wouldn''t like invading the enemy''s territory to rescue his father. Work when he was just five to make sure that his family would have food to eat and fight during the invasion as well.


    At the very least, that bnced things out. In any case, something surprising was about to happen and that would trouble Rain.


    "That thing that you did by running super fast, what is the trick behind it?" Asche asked.

 Chapter 106: Price of the challenge

    Rain wondered how he could answer that question. He didn''t want to reveal the secrets of that technique since he never heard of anything like that¡­ That being said, he couldn''t imagine a way to counter it. He could use it in all sorts of terrains, after all.


    "You need to know some earth magic to be able to pull it off," Rain replied. "Your skills with the bow are pretty good, but you are still getting better, learning something different like that will only hinder your growth."


    "Is that so?" Asche asked.


    Rain didn''t know if he convinced Asche, but it was fine either way. He could only work with them so many times, and they will have to be professional even if theye to dislike him in order toplete their goals.


    The others began to wake up one after the other, and thanks to that, the vigers showed up to thank them for their hard work. While only the third vige had been attacked, they all worked together, so the word spread out quite fast. They tried to get on the group''s good side by offering them some rooms in a house and even dinner.


    Rain thought that Jori would refuse that, but he weed all that with arge smile. He wasn''t the type to hold grudges.


    "What are we going to do Tonight?" Reca asked after they had dinner in the house of the vige chief.


    "I suppose we need to decide that now, even though we still have some hours left¡­" Jori said. "Did you propose that idea yesterday because you think that you can protect one of the viges on your own, Rain?"


    "That is right," Rain replied.


    "I suppose you can also move and help the other viges fast, considering your speed¡­" Jori rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Our mission is to defeat the monsters, but we also should prevent the damage that they can cause before that. So, we should split. Rain can stay in the second vige and then warn both sides if something happens by using his magic."


    Everyone nodded; if Rain could cover and help them that fast, then they won''t have to worry about splitting the group like that. In the end, Jori decided to guard the third vige with Liss, while the first would be guarded by Asche, Reca, and Terra.


    "Liss can use fire magic, so she can fire a fireball upward as soon as we notice the enemies approach, but you guys will have to endure a bit longer since you can only use the method of alert of the vigers," Jori said.


    "We can fend off the monsters for a while; it will be fine since Terra will be with us," Reca said.


    Rain wondered if his little performance made the group feel like they should prove themselves as well. He also wondered, since the fact that he had be a big brother to three girls, it would be amon urrence for him to worry about others that were younger. That sure was troublesome¡­ His image of having a second life in another world was a bit different than that.


    "Hey, Rain," Jori said. "We still have some time, so why don''t we spar a little? I heard your father was a knight, so you know how to handle swords, right?"


    "You were pretending to be asleep, huh?" Asche furrowed her eyebrows.


    "I was waking up, anyway. Are you up for it?" Jori asked. "I practice with Reca on a daily basis, but we know each other''s moves too well to call it a real sparring session."


    "We won''t keep passing confidence to the vigers if we do that at night, even though the monsters only show up after midnight," Rain said.


    "It will be fine; it will be just for a short while," Jori said.


    "Your sword might break," Rain said.


    "I will do my best to avoid that," Jori said.


    Rain felt like sighing. He wondered if Jori had something weird in mind in proposing that in the middle of a mission. He would have weed that at any given time since that was the best method of training.


    "Okay then, let''s do this," Rain said.


    In the end, Rain made up his mind. Things will be fine if he just hits Jori in the stomach once. He will lose his dinner, but that would be the price of his own decision-making. Rain had experienced giving his father a lot of trouble, so he didn''t think that he would lose against a kid.


    Rain and Jori faced themselves ten meters away from each other and stared at each other for a short while. Jori moved his sword to hit Rain with the side of the weapon to avoid unnecessary damage. Despite that, the girls still didn''t look that eager to see them spar. Still, they didn''t feel like stopping them either.


    Rain touched the ground, and then made a hard and thickyer of earth cover his fists, and then assumed his fighting stance¡­ slightly putting his left foot forward and lowering his stance while both of his fists were in front of himself while the left one was slightly pointing toward Jori.


    That was a weird stance, or so Jori thought, but that didn''t stop him from stepping in and covering that distance in the blink of an eye and swinging down his sword. In response, rain waved his body to the side and dodged the attack by a paper-thin margin. Still, Jori predicted that and soon stopped his sword midway.


    Rain was hoping that he would be able to gain more experience by focusing on dodging, but he couldn''t dodge the second attack, so he moved his right arm to block the sword strike. The sound of metal echoed in the area, but it soon ended and gave room to a grunt of pain.


    Before Jori could do anything else, Rain hit his stomach with his right knee, making him bend his body and then lose his dinner.

 Chapter 107: Assassins tool

    "Ugh, you can kick too?" Jori asked while Terra was healing him. "Why don''t you cover your knees as well then?"


    "That is a good way to catch others off guard," Rain said. "They will never expect that kind of attack. Still, did you wish to be hit like that? I am surprised,"


    Actually, Rain acted by instinct. He wasn''t used to using kicks yet, and he had decided to focus on punches as well. Still, his stance at that moment only let him target Jori with a side kick, and since he was too close, he got a knee attack on his stomach.


    "I won''t be caught off guard next time," Jori said and then got up.


    "You still want to go again?" Rain asked.


    "Of course, we have plenty of time to kill," Jori replied.


    Rain wanted to ask if Jori was on some kind of diet where he wanted to lose all of his lunch again. Truth to be told, that was a waste of time. Rain could tell that Jori was still growing, but his attacks were too obvious, and they weren''t that heavy. Rain didn''t even move backward when he blocked the attack. He knew that he wasn''t using all his strength, but still¡­


    "I will try a bit harder this time," Jori said while swinging down his sword faster.


    Rain could only see a kid trying to show off in front of girls¡­ the situation was weird since he wanted to show off while defeating an eight years old kid. In any case, Rain epted the offer¡­ that would serve as a good lesson for the kids to understand that they couldn''t get ahead of themselves yet, considering that they have been receiving a lot of praisetely.


    Those two assumed their fighting stances again, and then Jori charged. He did it slowly this time, but when he got close enough, he swung down his sword quite fast. Rain didn''t have time to dodge, thanks to his weight, so he blocked the strike with his forearm guards. The attack had been light, but soon Jori attacked again and again.


    "Speed this time, huh," Rain thought. "His sword will break at this rate.


    Jori''s consecutive overhead strikes were more than fast¡­ they began to push Rain backward and break his stance; before long, Jori lowered his stance and attacked Rain with a body m. While Rain blocked the attack with his arms, he was left wide open to the sideway sh that Joriunched afterward.


    However, before he could finish the attack, Rain used his earth magic and pushed himself forward, and body mmed against Jori. He was caught off guard, and before he could do anything else, Rain punched him in the gut, making him lose the rest of this dinner.


    "I guess this is enough, right?" Terra asked.


    "Why are you asking me?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Ugh, alright¡­ I admit my defeat," Jori said while he was getting up and massaging his stomach. "I guess Rain is one of a kind, just like Lord Branden. Let''s spar tomorrow as well."


    "Fine by me," Rain said.


    Sparring was always a good thing; Rain confirmed that Jori only wanted some good training sessions as well to improve his skill, so he was fine with that; there were no ill intentions involved.


    "I want to join as well," Reca dered. "I will be sure to pose more of a challenge than Jori."


    "Getting carried away, aren''t we?" Jori asked. "Your head will cool down easily once you get one of those hits in the stomach."


    In any case, the group prepared for another night of guard duty. They split up as they had nned, and some farmers looked quite troubled when they saw Rain being the only one left in the second vige. They had heard that a short kid defeated all of the monsters in the third vige before anyone could have gotten hurt, but they didn''t expect that Rain was that kid. He didn''t look reliable at all.


    Much to everyone''s annoyance, that night, no vige was attacked. While the farmers looked thankful for that, it was only because they couldn''t see the big picture. As long as the monsters keeping, they can decrease the enemy''s strength, but if they keeping sporadically, then it will be hard to achieve that goal.


    "Well, we are earning per day of work instead of kill, so I guess it is fine¡­" Jori said when morning came.


    "I don''t like this; we are basically letting the enemies do what they want," Reca said while showing an annoyed expression. "We should look for them tomorrow if they don''t show up tonight again."


    "... Let''s decide that after we rest for a bit," Jori said while he was scratching his cheek.


    Rain was thankful that they had time to do nothing during the mission. He used all the extra mana to use his wind magic¡­ learning Fly would be useful, but he wondered if there was some earth spell that woulde in handy. Improving that would improve all senses of his fighting style, after all.


    While Rain was thinking about that, he wondered if his wind magic improved at all and decided to fire a wind bullet toward a random leaf on a tree. While he controlled the spell, the attackpletely erased the traces of the leaf upon contact. When he aimed at the three, he made a hole a few centimeters deep in the trunk.


    "It is as powerful as a bullet, and it is hard to see as well¡­ this can be very useful," Rain thought.


    The group heard the sound of the tree shaking, but they didn''t hear the sound of the attack, so they looked around, confused. It was the kind of spell that would be excellent for assassination corps¡­ so Rain wondered why he had never heard of it being used in wars. Maybe they were used, but no one realized that people were dying because of them¡­

 Chapter 108: Volition

    Before nightfall, Rain sparred with Jori again, but nothing changed regarding the results. Since he didn''t have experience dealing with someone that could fight like Rain, he couldn''t read his line of attack and was always caught off guard.


    Rain sparred with Reca as well; she proved to be a challenge. Rain sparred with his father when he used a spear, but Roan wasn''t that skilled with the weapon. Reca was, but she wasn''t the type to n ahead¡­ so after blocking some of her attacks, Rain could step in, blocking the spear and moving her to the side, leaving Recapletely vulnerable.


    At first, Rain tried to knock her down gently, but she got so pissed when he did that that he ended up punching her in the gut as well¡­ It was hard to know if she was thankful or regretted getting hit like that. Rain attacked her a bit seriously, as she had wished.


    "I guess I should stop using the earth to enhance my fists¡­ I need to get used to blocking all sorts of attacks with the forearm guards," Rain thought.


    That made things too easy for Rain, even though he fought while also using the weights. Regardless, the group split up when night came, and after, they had dinner. Call it coincidence, but it didn''t take long for Rain to realize that the atmosphere looked more ominous than usual¡­ he could tell the viges would be attacked.


    "Should I alert the others?" Rain thought. "Things look so obvious that I find it hard to believe that they didn''t notice it."


    Rain wondered if the fact that he had experience with weird atmospheres thanks to the night of the invasion helped him with that¡­ either way, just when he was thinking about that, he heard the sound of a Fireball exploding in the distance¡­ when he looked to his left, he saw the sky in the third vige direction being illuminated.


    He had to alert the first vige as well, but when he looked in the same direction¡­ he saw the alert of the torches being lit¡­ both viges were being attacked at the same time.


    "This is bad¡­" Rain thought.


    As if things couldn''t get worse, while Rain was thinking about which direction he should go, he heard the sound of something crossing the air while flying at high speeds. He immediately erected an earth wall and hid behind it, only to feel the wall trembling while a bunch of things hit its back.


    "The armored turtles can''t attack from a distance¡­ in that case¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain understood what had happened. The monsters didn''t show on the previous night because their masters were preparing for an attack. The wall began to crumble while it was being hit by something that Rain couldn''t tell what it was yet¡­ he imagined that they were some darts or throwing knives. Those would be the best options for assassination jobs.


    However, why would the magic people use assassins instead of some of their tribes?


    Such a thought could wait, the earth wall was about to fall, and Rain had to make his move. Jori told him that he had to fire a Fireball in the direction of the vige that was being attacked. Still, he fired one upward that illuminated the entire area. That should be enough to inform them that Rain was busy too.


    In any case, the sh of light stopped the attacks for a moment, and then Rain madd earth wall flew in the direction the attacks came from. Through the shadows, a group of ten people split to the sides and avoided the attacks, but they were still hit by a bunch of things that they couldn''t see.


    Rain''s wind bullets began to pierce their bodies left and right¡­ he had waited that he would only weaken a few of them. Still, he underestimated the power of his own attacks.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path obtained 500 experience points.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path obtained 500 experience points.


    Rain could see fairly well thanks to the embers of his fireball in the area; thanks to that, he saw a group of cloaked people falling down and groaning in pain. They didn''t look like they were armed, so Rain wondered what they had attacked him with. In any case, three of them quickly recovered and then pointed their hands at him.


    Rain heard that weird sound again and then ran to the side while using his earth magic. Once he dodged the attacks, he turned to the side and then dashed at them. In no time, Rain reached two of the enemies and then punched their faces with all his might. Rain felt and heard the sound of their skulls cracking and flinched for a bit¡­ they were too soft.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path obtained 500 experience points.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path obtained 500 experience points.


    Still, before Rain could recover, thest enemy that was standing attacked him. He used the body of one of the fallen enemies and blocked the attacks, but soon whatever was being shot passed through the body and eventually hit Rain¡­ fortunately, they wereing in the same direction, and Rain blocked them with one of his bracers.


    Still, Rain felt a weird smelling from the attacks, and when he looked down, he saw a dart¡­ made of bones.


    "What the fuck¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    The other enemies were getting up, so Rain didn''t have time to let that surprise get the better of him. Still, despite the fact that they lost half of their friends already, the enemies still pointed their hands at Rain and resumed their attacks.


    "I can''t hold back here¡­ I need to help the others; I just hope that I will have enough mana after this," Rain thought and then touched the ground.


    In the next moment, the enemies fell into holes that appeared below them, and then Rain smashed their bodies with the pressure of the ground. He only left one alive for interrogation, but once the enemy realized that it wasn''t going to escape, it bit his own tongue.

 Chapter 109: Contradiction

    "Son of a bitch¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain should have known that such a thing would happen¡­ assassins and spies usually had a very disturbing policy of never letting themselves get caught. If they do, it isn''t weird for them to take their own lives.


    Still, Rain didn''t have time to think about that; he had to help the others as soon as possible. After taking out the weights, Rain dashed toward the first vige with all his might since the group threecked a bit of firepower.


    Rain dashed toward it with all his might, but he sighed in relief when he saw that only the armored turtles were attacking the first vige. While a group of twenty of them was there, the group made it work by cooperating. Reca blocked the monster''s charges, and Asche killed them with their arrows. When Reca got hurt, Terra quickly healed them.


    "Well, just to be safe¡­" Rain said and then sniped the turtles with some wind bullets.


    The attacks slowed the monsters down, and then Reca used that chance to stab all of the remaining ones to death. She. That ended, and Rain was already far away, reaching the second vige¡­ he imagined that Jori and Liss would be fine since Jori was using his head more. Liss also seemed more thoughtful about how to use her mana.


    In the end, Rain confirmed things even from a distance¡­ Liss copied Rain''s move by making some Fireballs fly around in circles. Thanks to their numbers, they didn''t have a lot of Power, but that stopped the beasts when they charged, and Jori used that chance to finish them off while they were slowly burning.


    They could pull that off, but Rain didn''t know if others were around, so he helped them finish off the monsters by punching the beasts with all his might.


    "You took long enough toe," Jori said and then took a deep breath. "This was intense¡­"


    "Don''t drop your guard¡­ the enemies might still be around," Rain said.


    After exining what happened to Jori and Liss, they opened their eyes widely¡­ It was the first time the magic people attacked any Territory since the fall of Tristan. Jori clenched his teeth while feeling like he had lost such a golden chance to kill the enemies. Still, then the group reunited in the second vige and saw the corpses of the enemies.


    It had been a close battle with Rain as well, even though he left unscathed.


    "You killed ten of them by yourself¡­" Jori said while blinking several times. "I guess it makes sense, given that you can defeat me with so much ease."


    "Those guys are weird¡­" Liss said while illuminating the area with a Fireball.


    The appearance of the magic people changed ording to their skills, but those skills were weird¡­pletely pale like they never had seen sunlight. Their bodies didn''t have a single strain of hair, and they had holes in their hands¡­ which they used to fire bones.


    "Ew¡­ gross," Reca said while seeing the bone darts scattered around.


    "We have to report this back to the capital," Terra said while she was hiding behind Asche, who was also showing a disgusted Expression.


    "I don''t know if we are lucky to find the enemies or unlucky¡­ in any case, our scouts and spies have a lot to exin," Jori said. "Rain rest until morning; we will remain on guard duty. When morninges, you need to return to the Capital as soon as possible and inform Lord Branden of this."


    Rain nodded. If they could, gaining even one hour and making the message reach the destination faster would do it. Still, Rain wondered if that kind of thing would make people try to make him work as a messenger.


    Regardless, nothing else happened that night, so Rain had the chance to rest and then depart when the sun rose. The trip back to the Capital only took two hours, and while he was exhausted, at least he felt really proud of his progress. Instead of heading to Branden''s house, Rain returned to the organization and told Ka what had happened¡­ she closed the ce.


    She stopped getting jobs to look for Branden immediately. After half an hour, he showed up and heard things from Rain directly.


    "You all did well in surviving this kind of attack¡­" Branden said while thinking deeply about the whole situation. "While they used almost ten more enemies, it looks like they underestimated you all. We will head straight to the location since it will be better to inform others if I see everything myself."


    Rain wondered if he should ask for a spiritual potion to return to the viges faster. Even if they travel together nonstop on a carriage, it will take a full day to reach the ce, more than enough time for the enemies to attack Jori and the others. Still, Rain didn''t want to reveal his movement skill technique¡­


    "I am going ahead," Rain dered upon deciding to buy a potion somewhere in the city.


    "All right, stay put and wait for my arrival," Branden said.


    Branden decided not to pry, but he could tell that Rain had some sort of skill that helped with movement. He was aware of some of those, but only special people were allowed to learn them.


    After he bought a potion, Rain left the city¡­ it was a bit annoying that he was using the money from Several hours of work just to work harder, but at least that made him realize that he could cut the time of travel to his home with a few of them. Saving mana to create potions was out of the question, after all. It was better to use money to improve his growth speed.


    "Speaking of which, we didn''t check the bodies of the enemies¡­ maybe I can make some cash by selling their gear," Rain thought while smirking. "Here I am, thinking that money isn''t that important while thinking of a suspicious way to make more of it."

 Chapter 110: The need for knowledge

    Rain returned to the others a bit after lunch, and he informed them that Branden wasing to see things by himself. The group left things as they were since it was too much work to dig out the bodies of the enemies. Still, Rain took them out and confirmed that they didn''t have any possessions.


    "I guess I will have to ept only the payment of the mission," Rain thought. "In any case, it makes sense that they wouldn''t need any weapon or tool. Still, their anatomy is weird. I didn''t imagine that their bodies would change and adapt to their abilities... I suppose it would hurt if they didn''t have those holes."


    From what Rain could tell, he imagined that the enemies could use mana to make their bones grow first from their hands. Rain had felt the power of their attacks firsthand before. Still, he didn''t think that anyone sane would try to develop such an ability over the years or how someone could evolve to be like that and get that ability.


    "If their abilities are passed down from generation to generation, I guess they are a lot more different than humans¡­ it is quite unfair," Rain thought.


    In any case, the group stayed on guard until Branden arrived the next morning. Fortunately, they didn''t have to fight again, but the tension was starting to wear them out. It was clear that something big was about to happen, and the group didn''t know how to process that.


    Could they help and prevent the kingdom from losing even more, or would they be dead unknown soldiers when they join the battles?


    "Thanks for your hard work," Branden said while he approached the bodies and confirmed that the smell was starting to get bad.


    "They must be the bone shooters¡­ they are a rare tribe among the magic people that had been living in istion for five hundred years¡­ I didn''t think that they would attack ournds since they have been ignored all this time, and even among the magic people, few of them respect that tribe."


    Rain wondered why the names of the tribes were sockluster. They clearly represented what the magic people could do, but still¡­ it felt like they thought about the names for ten seconds and decided to use the first idea that came to mind.


    "The farms here produce a lot of meat. I guess it is clear that they want to decrease our resources, sir," Jori said.


    "Indeed, aside from just doing that to weaken our soldiers, they might also want to make the poption hungry and angry. All in order to cause havoc and even make some of them join their sides before any confrontation," Branden said.


    That made sense; that level of cunning sure was troublesome¡­ Branden didn''t mention that, but it looked like the spies and scouts working for the kingdom were unable to notice the enemy''s changes. Rain wondered how they could do that¡­ most likely, the magic people were using their superb magic skills for that.


    In any case, Branden used his magic and then sealed all the bodies of the enemies in a massive block of ice. That kind of demonstration left Rain speechless, and the others were astonished. Branden was several levels above Rain¡­ he had talent, but that only motivated Rain to train more.


    Without wasting time, Branden left after saying bye to the group. They still had four more days of work, but Branden said that he would send reinforcements. Much to everyone''s surprise, a group of fifteen veteran warriors showed up the next day, and they looked as rugged as they came. It was almost like they had the words: battle-hardened, written on their foreheads.


    "Lord Branden sent us to help," A man with a white beard dered while studying the group of kids in front of him and then looking at Rain with a difficult-to-read expression. "We understand that this mission was taken by you guys, but to make sure that the viges will be protected, we should split the work among us. We can guard the second and third viges, and you should guard the first one.


    Is that fine with you all?"


    "... Sure," Jori said after thinking for a while.


    Jori didn''t look that satisfied with the division of work, but it made sense considering the numbers of the groups. Besides, he couldn''t be selfish and cause problems when things were getting like that.


    "Humph, they only moved us like this as if they are telling that we are getting on the way," Reca said while the group was walking toward the first vige.


    "It can''t be helped¡­ since they are veterans and we are working together, this is for the best," Terra said. "I feel better this way since we can stay close and work together without dealing with unpleasant surprises. My heart can only take so much emotion on a daily basis."


    "The enemies probably were informed about our existence and sent those guys to kill us¡­ do you think that they will send others with arger group here?" Asche asked. "Rain?"


    "... I think that they might not since they probably only managed to surprise us because that group was small and managed to escape the radar of the scouts," Rain replied after a while.


    Rain was deep in thought, wondering how things would y out if an all-out war started now. That was a good chance for him to improve his abilities and get stronger, but he wasn''t the only one who had that chance. He wondered if, on the magic people''s side, they were only making some individuals get stronger or a bunch of them that would be easy to control.


    Either way, he could tell that some trouble was brewing in the distance.


    "I need to prepare for all sorts of scenarios, but this will be hard¡­ maybe I should talk about this with Father once I get back home," Rain thought.

 Chapter 111: Tis fine

    In the end, the enemies didn''t show up again. Since their surprise attack failed, it made sense that they wouldn''t try again¡­ if Rain were in their shoes, he would target other areas, but dealing a massive blow to the meat production of the realm seemed like the enemy''s best option.


    Regardless, the group killed time by sparring as much as they could without trying too hard. Rain began to spar without using magic to assist him, and that increased the difficulty level, but he had yet to take a direct hit, so he was fine with that. Also, Asche joined them with her two knives.


    She was quite skilled with them, so Rain would need some time to hit her since she was also good at mirroring his moments.


    "The time of our mission ended, so we will leave the rest to you guys," Jori dered to the white-bearded man when the day of the departure for them arrived.


    "You can rest easy, return to the capital knowing that you did a fine job," The white-bearded man said.


    Everyone nodded, and then they turned around while heading to the capital. Rain noticed that the white-bearded man kept looking at him as if he had seen him before¡­ it would be troublesome if that guy knew his father or mother. Branden said that he would keep the information about Rain''s family hidden. Still, he couldn''t shut up everyone in the organization without looking suspicious.


    Two dayster, the group returned to the capital, and they looked quite tired. Still, they had some reports to give to Ka before finally resting for a few days. Jori and Reca were the most energetic on the ground, but they also looked like they needed a few days off.


    "I guess we can take three days off after this much hard work," Jori said. "Let''s meet again in three days and in the morning in front of the organization. You areing as well, right, Rain?"


    "I don''t know; I am nning to visit my family for a few days," Rain replied.


    "I see. Tell us if you are around before that time then, until the next time," Jori said.


    Rain nodded, and the others said bye to him as well. It didn''t seem like they minded if Rain worked with them from now on despite what happened at the beginning of the mission, but Rain felt like he shouldn''t tie himself to any group for now. Considering his age, it was hard to imagine other groups inviting him to work with them, but they might change their minds if they heard about their skills.


    "I can''t waste any time¡­ I need to go back home today and cover as much ground as possible," Rain thought.


    Rain packed his things and then alerted Ka that he was going to leave the city for a few days. The organization was on high alert thanks to the recent events, so that wasn''t a good time for Rain to leave, but no one made a fuss considering his age. Rain also paid a visit to Lotto and made it look like he was repairing his forearm guards while he told him what had happened.


    Rain could inform his family about that directly, but Lotto would inform other allies.


    "Here, good as new," Lotto said while passing the extra polished forearm guards.


    Rain nodded and passed some coins to Lotto, and then he left the shop. Although he tried to act like usual, Lotto looked more tense after hearing about the bone shooters. It was quite the dreadful type of enemy to face, and a kid dealt with them. Lotto seemed worried by the fact that they lived in an era where kids like Rain had to do that kind of thing.


    "Well, I am fine with it¡­e to think of it, it isn''t the first time that I killed someone, and even the first time I didn''t feel much about it," Rain thought while he was walking toward the Eastern gate of the capital.


    Maybe it was because, from the very first day of his new life, Rain knew that he could die at any moment again¡­ that was why he didn''t hesitate in taking the lives of those who tried to take his or his family''s. It was self-defense. It was supposed to be fine, but nothing. Thinking even a bit about it seemed very wrong.


    In any case, Rain forgot about that when he left the city and was far away enough to move without being noticed. He got considerably stronger in that mission, but Rain improved even more when he used his free points to improve his magic. From forty meters, he began to cross fifty-five in a moment using the same amount of mana, so Rain felt satisfied.


    The first tripsted for three days, but this time, Rain returned home after traveling for a little less than two days¡­ he almost dropped dead at the door of his home, though.


    "You are nothing but serious about everything you do, huh?" Roan asked when he found his son in front of the house.


    While Rain was resting, he exined to his parents what happened in thest month. Since it was morning, Meiro wasn''t around, and it looked like he took the girls to walk around the fields. That was part of Dana''s morning routine, but he decided that it was a good time for the girls to have a sunbath.


    "Are you really all right, Rain?" Leiah said while showing aplicated expression. "I thought that our family was a lucky one to survive and endure all this mess, but to think that you would find problems in the two times you left the capital."


    "It is fine; I wasn''t hurt in any way," Rain said. "I only hurt myself if anything."


    Rain showed the weight ankles that he had and the marks they left on him. Even though he healed the wounds constantly, the marks would soon return.

 Chapter 112: The next goal

    "That seems interesting. Make a pair for me as well," Roan said.


    "Sure, I will make some extra heavy ones for you, Dad," Rain smirked.


    "Your sense of humor sometimes scares me," Roan said.


    Leiah felt like sighing since it looked like she was surrounded by muscle heads. In any case, Rain looked fine, and she was fine with that. Last week, she received the news that Rain fought some monsters that started to invade the territory, and while she heard that he was fine, she didn''t believe itpletely.


    In a situation like that, people tend to ignore or decrease the value of life for the sake of the grand picture.


    The girls showed up in the middle of the morning, so things got a bit lively after that. As usual, Dana was the one who was most happy about his return¡­ it was a pity that he would have to leave tonight. Since Rain brought some books for the girls to learn magic, the others also opened a bit.


    In the end, while Rain was exhausted, he took turns ying with them and teaching them some magic at the same time.


    "I thought that a battle to death would change him, but I am d that it didn''t happen," Roan said while he was watching his kids ying.


    "We never had time to talk about this, but he helped you on the night of the invasion and killed some enemies¡­ things got so busy afterward, so¡­" Leiah said and then sighed. "Did you think that he would change after all this?"


    "It isn''t umon for that to happen¡­ "When some people realize that they have a lot of power over other people''s lives, they tend to change to be more conscious of their power or get drunk on it," Roan exined. "It is also rathermon for them to waste away their talents thanks to that by thinking that they can do anything without putting effort."


    "Of all things we could say about Rain, arrogant and negligent are the least things that agreed with him," Leiah said.


    "Haha, I know, right?" Roan asked.


    Roan thought that being addicted to hard work would make more sense for Rain. He wished that he could behave more like a child of his age, but at least Roan knew that his future would be better while he built his foundation during his youth.


    Regardless, Roan felt a bit bothered when Rain made the ankle weights for him.


    At first, he thought that Rain was messing around, but soon he confirmed that Rain''s weight was also weighted that much¡­ Although he was only eight years old, Roan could tell that the foundation of his son''s body was good, and he probably could cause him some serious trouble in a serious fight¡­ Roan thought that Rain got lucky against the enemies, and his report made it look like that, but maybe that wasn''t the case.


    "I guess he will overshadow me in no time," Roan said while smiling. "Wait, I need to keep training hard to save some face¡­ can''t let my kid surpass me when he isn''t even ten years old."


    Maybe he wasn''t skilled to surpass him in a battle of speed at close range. Still, Roan knew that Rain could escape him at any moment with his movement speed technique¡­ actually, he could escape from 95 percent of the warriors of the realm.


    Thanks to that, Roan felt like sparring with Rain, but he could tell that he was exhausted¡­ He couldn''t do more than that when he came to the vige to spend a day with his family.


    Although Rain was truly tired, spending that day with his family sure improved his mood. Once he returned to the capital and rested for the night, he was sure that he would be in tip-top condition. In the end, he had dinner with his family and then left, promising that he would be back in a few weeks once again, no matter what.


    The whole tripsted for exactly four days¡­ it wasn''t half bad, but Rain wanted more. At that point in time, it was clear that he wanted to move as fast as an airne. In any case, Rain immediately went to talk with Ka about the changes, but she weed him back and told him that nothing changed, but everyone was on guard.


    "I guess the enemies won''t make a move now since they know that we are ready for them," Rain said.


    "You don''t look like you rested that much in thest few days, so take your time picking easier jobs for a while," Ka said.


    "Thanks, will do," Rain said and then returned to his room.


    For a moment, Rain wondered if he should ask about Jori''s group, but he was bound to meet them eventually. For the next few weeks, nothing major actually happened. Rain heard that the number of spies and scouts being deployed increased, but that didn''t change a thing.


    No news was found¡­ while nothing changed, people still were wondering if those guys were actually working or if they were a waste of resources.


    Still, Rain had some good news of his own. Thanks to the trip back home and to the capital. He leveled up the Healer''s Path a lot. While he didn''t do anything aside from the usual, it seemed that the constant focus and control that he put in while using his mana made his skills improve considerably.


    To the point that it was about to reach level fifty, and he was truly looking forward to a new path to be unlocked.


    Level 35: Ancestral Knowledge - Tap into the ancient wisdom of past healers, essing ancestral knowledge and techniques for more advanced healing practices. Improves your healing skills by two percent per level.


    Level 40: Pain Suppression ¨C Your healing techniques can suppress and alleviate severe pain experienced by others, providing temporary relief during critical moments.


    Level 45: Energy Maniption - Master the maniption of healing energies, allowing the healer to channel and direct energy flows to promote healing and restore vitality. Healing spells restore two more points of health per level.

 Chapter 113: Mages Path

    To make sure that he would be able to unlock the next path faster, Rain only epted jobs that would make good use of his magic skills. Thanks to that, he eventually reached his goal¡­


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Healer''s Path Lv 50: Mage''s Path. Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity + 03 per level up)


    The Mage''s Path follows a journey of magical growth and mastery over the elements. As aspiring mages progress along this path, they learn to harness the powers of fire, ice, wind, and water, bing adept in the art of elemental magic. The path emphasizes bnce and understanding of the natural forces, teaching mages to respect and wield the elements responsibly.


    Level 1: Fireball - Cast a basic fireball spell dealing moderate damage to a single target. Cost: 10 Mana


    Level 50: Revitalizing Wind - Acquires the ability to heal allies from a distance.


    "Mage''s Path? I thought that I would unlock a new healer path or something¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Maybe unlocking a new Healer''s path could only be done after reaching level one hundred. In any case, Rain finally learned the skill that Terra could use to heal from a distance. He also learned the spell that Branden learned when he was five¡­ it was hard to imagine that he unlocked a tier three path at that age, though.


    "I guess I should change the path now¡­ I don''t want to specialize in healing skills; I want to focus on increasing my parameters," Rain thought.


    Still, Rain wasn''tpletely certain of that. Healing skills in a world like that were invaluable¡­ he didn''t forget that his father lost a limb and recovered it thanks to healing magic. It would be nice if Rain could reach that level.


    "In the end, even if I change the path, I can only put the main skills of that same path¡­ changing now would make things difficult to level up," Rain thought. "Let''s just level up the skills and the path until it reaches level twenty-five."


    Rain also thought that the mage''s path would be at a higher level since he meditated a lot. However, it looked like it wasn''t part of that path, and he didn''t use any skill in it. Still, it was fine. He will have time to level it up¡­ or so Rain thought.


    The next few weeks passed without any issues, but then all of a sudden, Rain noticed that a lot of wounded people suddenly began toe to the capital, and some were even being carried in wagons.


    It didn''t take long for Rain to hear that the magic people were attacking the human camp that was keeping an eye on Tristan¡­ they were using monsters and long-range attacks, so they didn''t lose a single soldier, and they caused a lot of damage. On the next day that began to happen, Rain imagined that he would find some work rted to that.


    However, he didn''t¡­ still, some people in the organization were leaving the capital like they were ready to fight in that area.


    "Why?" Jori suddenly raised his voice and asked.


    It was pretty early in the morning, but Jori was making a fuss already. Rain saw a troubled Ka in front of him, so he could guess what was happening.


    "I told you¡­ we only received requests for some parties to go and help; there is nothing we can do about that," Ka exined. "The army still has things under control."


    Just as Rain had suspected, Jori wasining that he couldn''t face the enemies. In his mind, they showed that they could do that, but facing monsters while the enemies were covering for them was different than facing monsters alone.


    Putting that aside, Rain noticed that Asche and Terra weren''t around¡­ Rain recalled that a lot of wounded were being taken to the Church since they provided that kind of service of healing, so they must be busy.


    "The Church needs some help looking after the wounded, so I am giving that job to you all since this is an emergency," Ka said and then noticed that Rain was nearby. "Rain, you can use healing magic, right? It seems that Terra asked for your help."


    "I can, but¡­" Rain said while furrowing his eyebrows. "I guess I will go."


    Actually, neither of them had a choice. In normal times, they could choose any world to do, but in emergencies, Ka could give the jobs to the members as she sees fit. To avoid giving Jori more reason toin, he decided to ept the job.


    "I didn''t know that we have so few healers," Rain said.


    "Really effective Healers are hard to find, and most of them have been hired by people across the kingdom; some of them are in the frontline, but they are overwhelmed thanks to the recent attacks," Ka said. "Regardless, you need to head to the Church as soon as possible."


    Rain nodded. The job was rtively easy, and he would be able to train his magic; he also would get ten copper coins per healed person as long as they were able to stand after that, so it was fine. Jori, Liss, and Reca also followed Rain since they had to work there.


    "Can''t you use healing magic as well?" Rain asked.


    "I can, but it isn''t at a high level," Liss replied.


    "It seems that we won''t be able to do anything until the enemies begin to gain some ground again," Reca said while she was walking with her hands on the back of her head.


    "What are the higher-ups doing¡­" Jori said while clenching his teeth.


    "They are trying to save face; they can''t ask for help from us so soon; it would make them look weaker and make people think that we are in a bind," Rain exined. "The organization gained some poprity recently, but it seems that it wasn''t enough to give Branden have the chance to deploy us that fast. If we perform well, his influence will grow, and that will bother a lot of people."

 Chapter 114: The moving wheel

    The group didn''t get Politics that well, but Rain''s exnation was simple and concise, so they could tell that it couldn''t be helped. It was annoying, but it couldn''t be helped.


    In any case, as soon as the group arrived, they found dozens of people around the Church. The situation was a lot worse than they had expected¡­ the smell of blood was in the air, and people were groaning in pain left and right.


    "You guys are finally here!" Terra said while she was changing the bandages of a wounded soldier. "Sorry for this, but I will have to give you some orders. Jori, go look for water and bring as much as you can. Reca, look around for the people that need help moving people. Liss, you should use your magic to sterilize the tools on that table."


    "O-okay," Jori said, and then the group split.


    "Rain, since you are young, people might feel not so safe in letting you heal them, focus on dealing with minor wounds until they change their minds about you," Terra said.


    "Understood," Rain said.


    Rain wondered why someone as young as Terra was the one organizing things there, but he didn''t see anyone older. Something was off¡­ still that could be consideredter. Rain looked around for people that had swallow wounds. Most of them could rest at home for a few days for the wounds to close, but they needed to return to the battlefield so they didn''t have time to waste.


    Just as Rain had expected, the first patient refused him, but he ignored the guy and used Revitalizing Wind. Before the guy couldin, he felt his wounds closing and the pain decreasing. Moreover, that happened in no time.


    "... Sorry for doubting your skills," The soldier said.


    "In your ce, I wouldn''t let a kid heal me either," Rain shrugged.


    Rain looked for someone nearby that needed treatment and saw his skills in action. For someone that could use healing magic from a distance, one didn''t have anything to fear.


    While he was working around, Rain noticed that some people came from the Church and began to heal the wounded. It looked like they meditated inside to recover their mana. Regardless, their numbers weren''t even fifteen in total¡­


    Aside from Jori and the others that were helping to do misceneous things, Rain saw a bunch of kids around his age working around. He imagined that they were the war orphans that lived with Terra and Asche.


    Around noon, things calmed down a bit, so the people began to rx. Still, soon enough, anotherrge group of people arrived to be treated. Now Rain could understand how short-handed the people were.


    "Anyone who works a little bit for fifteen years can unlock the Healer''s Path, but leveling up Healing Touch isn''t their focus¡­ since most people in the country are warriors, they focus on using Mana to kill the targets faster," Rain thought.


    Although Rain had quite a bit of mana and his healing skills worked fast, he still had to take a break in the afternoon since he used all of it. Jori, Reca, and Liss also looked exhausted. It seemed that fighting monsters was easier than treating the wounded.


    "Thank you for your hard work," Asche showed up and then said. "We can deal with the rest of things from here on out."


    "Were you inside the church all the time?" Jori asked.


    "Yes, I was managing the resources that we have," Asche said and then sighed while looking around. "We receive donations of materials and supplies quite often, but those won''tst if things remain like this."


    It seemed that Asche was also part of the faction that wanted to deal with the enemies instead of just reacting to their actions. Still, it wasn''t up to them to decide if they should go or not. Considering the soldiers that they healed to them, the group realized that they stillcked something else¡­


    "You didn''t look fazed today," Asche said while looking at Rain.


    "Letting the situation affect me negatively wouldn''t change a thing, so I did what I could and didn''t think of anything else," Rain said.


    "I suppose that is the right way to look at things¡­ Still, we are used to seeing wounded people, but the atmosphere is something that I can''t get used to," Asche said after a long sigh.


    That was only natural; they were only kids, after all. If that didn''t affect them, they would be messed up adults¡­ the downside was the fact that they saw plenty of wounded people, and they still wanted to risk suffering the same fate or worse. That was brave of them, but it also was a bit of a difficult mindset.


    For Rain, he could only risk his life for his family¡­ but those kids weren''t like that.


    "They fight for their freedom and not to lose anything else¡­ they aren''t wrong, but they need more than just that," Rain thought.


    The group split up again, and those thoughts still stayed with Rain. He wondered why that was¡­ he didn''t know that well, but he was still worried about them. Considering the life experience that he had, he was supposed to be around 33 years old mentally, so perhaps it was around the time some people would think of having a family and looking after the next generation.


    Even if those kids weren''t his family, trying to make sure that they wouldn''t dash to their deaths seemed like the right thing to do.


    "Oh boy¡­ I guess I am bing a meddlesome middle-aged man," Rain thought.


    The group worked for a few days together, tending the wounded, but the pace eventually slowed down. Considering what they knew, it seemed that the magic people stopped sending monsters to attack, and they didn''t want to risk the lives of their soldiers. At that point in time, Rain realized that they were truly cautious about every single soldier at their disposal.


    Around the same time, things began to change in the capital; more and more soldiers were arming themselves and leaving the ce. On one of those days, Rain woke up and didn''t find a single job listed on the board, and he was able to tell that things were starting to move.

 Chapter 115: Good chance

    All the members of the organization waited to hear what was going on. They could imagine that things were getting intense in the strife zone, but such a thing never happened to an organization such as that. Taking all the listed jobs was out of the norm.


    "You think that it is about time?" Jori asked when he arrived alongside the whole group.


    "Maybe," Rain replied. "The enemies slowed down since they are preparing for the next wave of attacks, so it is high time for us to do something. Still, if the enemy is waiting for something like this¡­"


    "You sure are pessimistic," Reca said while furrowing her eyebrows. "Still, I can tell that being like that will never make you get surprised by anything."


    You can learn if you try hard enough; that was what Rain wanted to say. The group grew a bit in thest two months, and they were more aware of such things, and they are open for discussions, so that was a good thing. Still, was it enough for the battlefield? That is hard to say.


    Before long, Ka showed up, and she wasn''t alone. Much to everyone''s surprise, Branden was there, and he wasn''t wearing some fancy clothes like usual. He was wearing some traveling clothes, and he also had a sword with him. It was one of those rapiers, a typical noble sword¡­ actually, Rain could only see that as a one-handed spear, but the length was a bit short.


    "Thank you foring and waiting, everyone," Branden said. "Last night, I received a request from the king himself to help the army recover Tristan. That is why we all are going to move today, and until we recover, Tristan, we will be fighting the enemy invaders who have dirtied ournds and killed our people. I will go as well to help, so let''s work together to achieve our goal."


    The whole building began to tremble since everyone was cheering loudly. Thanks to the excitement, Rain could see Jori and Reca looking like berserker warriors on the side. As for Rain, he was the same as usual, thinking about if it wasn''t too soon for the organization to try to aplish that¡­ they only have five hundred members¡­ could they change the flow of the battle?


    "To operate more effectively, we will split you into groups that have up to ten members and start with at least five," Branden said. "Ka will inform you of all of the groups, and once that is over, we will move to the strife zone. We can''t let the enemies try to stop us or learn what we are about to do, so we don''t have time to waste."


    That was probably the best option. Some people might also try to leave the organization if they are given enough time to do so. Branden didn''t talk like that was an option, but he was probably waiting for some people to leave¡­ things were about to get really difficult; it was war, after all. The human side would start the conflicts, so they must be ready to suffer some losses.


    Still, when Rain looked around, he didn''t find people looking overly nervous¡­ Maybe that made sense since Branden was the one who selected all the members and invited them; he should have done some research about their backgrounds and the kind of people they were.


    "Jori''s group will have Jori as the captain and Rain, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra," Ka dered. "Stay close to the front in case your name is called."


    Jori nodded. He felt a bit bothered that the name of the party wasn''t mentioned, but calling Jori''s group was the best option in such a situation. As if someone would recall the names of every single party there.


    In any case, the groups were formed, and so they left the building. At the same time, they saw some battalions of soldiers leaving the capital.


    When the group crossed the gates of the city, they also saw some battalions heading in the same direction, and they came from other areas of the territory¡­ if anything, the humans are good at controlling information; Rain never imagined that such a thing had been organized for the past few weeks.


    "The beast people probably won''t make a move, even if they hear of this, so everyone back home will be fine¡­ Dad is also still training, so there is nothing to worry about," Rain thought.


    Rain only had to worry about the duration of the war and make sure that those kids won''t run to their deaths; that would be quite the ordeal, but it was fine since his healing skills improved a lot. Rain didn''t want to test it, but perhaps he could even regenerate a finger or something.


    "The atmosphere is quite something when we are marching in such arge group," Terra said while looking around and only seeing rugged soldiers that were thirsting for blood. "Some of those people were the ones we healed before, so they are truly looking forward to having their revenge."


    "While we are in a group, do you think that they will split us?" Asche asked. "Healers can''t get that close to the frontlines without risking being hit by a stray arrow or spell, and we can''t afford to lose any of them."


    "Who knows?" Reca replied.


    Since they were on the attacking side, they would suffer some losses since the enemies had the walls to use to their advantage. When ites to a siege, the defenders always have the upper hand¡­ thanks to that, Rain recalled that the enemies truly avoided a siege when they invaded Tristan.


    It was hard to know if they were scared of the losses or if they just had the opportunity to follow an easier path, thanks to Leo.


    "They also had that army camped on their back¡­ they still should have, but it makes me wonder how the magic people are dealing with their neighbors. Maybe if we don''t sustain many losses and make this into a war of attrition, we can make the enemies lose too much to maintain Tristan," Rain thought. "In any case, this is a good chance for me¡­ I should improve my sniping skills just to be safe."

 Chapter 116: Taking Back (1)

    The group arrived at the camp one day and a half after leaving the capital, the sun was already setting, but they could tell that everyone was preparing for something big. Rain wondered if it was fine to arrive like that¡­ he assumed that showing up at night would have been more efficient.


    The atmosphere of the camp was intense, and while the soldiers had been stationed there for a couple of years already, anyone could see the glint in their eyes. In one way or the other, it was time to end their watch. If they lose, the enemies will have the chance to attack the capital, but if they win, they will taste their own medicine''s bitter taste.


    "We will camp on the back, keep a distance of ten meters from each group and try to mind your own business until you are called," Ka said. "Sometimeter, we will pass the rations for everyone for dinner."


    Ka sounded way more serious than usual; she was Branden''s assistant, after all. Branden headed toward the tent of themanding officer to present himself. While he didn''t have a rank in the army, he brought a strong force, so he should be given some authority.


    "Aw, man¡­ I am so looking forward to this that I am trembling a bit," Jori said.


    "You shouldn''t say that out loud if you want to be taken seriously by others," Rain said. "Remember, you are the captain of the group, so your actions will reflect on us."


    "You are right¡­" Jori said while looking around and seeing some slightly annoyed eyes.


    The other captains would also be looked down upon if he kept acting like that, so Jori had to present himself ordingly. In any case, everyone set their tents around, but they didn''t stay inside. After the sunset, they set up a campfire since there was plenty of wood around and waited for their orders.


    "It has been a while since Lord Branden left to talk with themanders, but he still didn''t leave the tent," Asche said while looking in the distance.


    Those were some excellent eyes, Rain could see thergest tent, but since it was night, he couldn''t see the movements around. Maybe Asche had some sort of ability that an archer path or something would grant. If his guess was right, he would get that by leveling up the Thief Path up to level fifty.


    "It seems like a good idea tobine my earth magic with archery; I would be able to make good use of my strength at long range¡­ nothing says that I will always have the chance to charge at the enemies. After all," Rain thought.


    Before long, some soldiers passed around the area distributing the rations. They were basically a bit of hard bread. It was fine for now since it was still fresh, but soon everyone would get tired of it¡­ everyone also brought some food, but that will onlyst for long.


    "I guess we won''t receive any orders today¡­" Jori said once they finished their meal. "Rain, what do you think the higher-ups will decide to do here?"


    "I wouldn''t know; I never had the chance to study battle tactics of such level," Rain shrugged. "I can think of some possibilities, though. They might try to spread us around Tristan and attack all sides at once¡­ the enemies shouldn''t have that many people stationed there¡­ it should be less than ten thousand."


    "That is a very specific number," Asche said while furrowing her eyebrows.


    Rain knew that because he had talked with his father and because he had been there as well. In any case, the human side should have the double of that¡­ It was quite a small number, but it made sense since only the nearest soldiers that lived one day away from the capital were called.


    "They might also try a direct and total attack on a single side of the wall to catch the enemy off guard and destroy it," Rain said. "This would be a bit dangerous since the enemies will be able to respond eventually and then attack a lot of us.


    Lastly, we can also act as a diversion while themanders are doing something else, like infiltrating the city, cutting all routes that the enemies might get for supplies or Intel and simr things."


    The group took a short while to absorb those pieces of information. All of them were made since all of them would need arge army to work¡­ Either way, they were only interested in working hard to recover Tristan while surviving such an intense battle.


    "Anyway, I guess we should get some sleep¡­ we still split the guard duty as well; one of us needs to stay awake in case we have to receive orders in the middle of the night," Jori said.


    Since they weren''t alone and in the middle of nowhere, the group didn''t have to do the guard duty in pairs, so they had the chance to sleep a bit more than usual. Or so they thought¡­ Two hours before midnight, someone began to move around the camp, and then he began to pass some orders to the groups. They got lucky since Jori was still awake, and then he called everyone.


    "We will have to move now¡­" Jori said after he woke up everyone. "We will have to do some walking before sunrise in order to catch the enemies off guard."


    "How are we going to do that?" Reca asked.


    "We will take a roundabout way through a forest in the south and then move to the western sense of Tristan, where we have to reach before sunrise and attack the army stationed there," Jori exined.


    Rain didn''t expect that, but he could tell what themander was thinking¡­ It was an attack on two fronts. Without the naming kd the army stationed outside Tristan, the guys in the walls will have a hard time stopping the soldiers. They wanted to make the gate fall on that very same day.

 Chapter 117: Taking Back (2)

    All of the members of the organization began to move as if they were returning to the capital, but soon they began to turn around in a wide arc toward Tristan. A group of two hundred soldiers was with them, and they would lead the charge.


    Still, everyone around knew that a surprise attack with that number of people wouldn''tst for long¡­ the enemies camping behind Tristan numbered around five thousand. It wouldn''t be a decent fight, and since everyone knew that, the atmosphere was getting quite tense.


    "Themander of this battle¡­ is he trying to screw us over?" Jori asked. "I can''t think of anything else."


    "Maybe, maybe not," Rain said. "Arger army couldn''t leave the camp without looking suspicious; arger army also couldn''t cover this much ground and attack the enemies from the back before sunrise."


    Although Rain said that, he also didn''t like the odds of the battle they would soon face. No one knew what the enemies stationed outside the city could do since they had never been put to fight in three and half years¡­ so it felt like they were being sacrificed to learn what they could do.


    In any case, at least they had some Healers with them, so it wasn''t like themander sent them to their deaths. Rain imagined that Branden went against that n with all his might, and that was why it took him so long to talk with themander, but in the end, he didn''t change his mind.


    He might have had an influence on the capital to some extent, but he didn''t influence the battlefield¡­ he might gain some if his soldiers were to aplish something there.


    In any case, the mood of the group was troublesome¡­ if they wanted to have any chances of winning, they would have to fight with all their minds while not even thinking about death. It will be hard to rally the soldiers and the mercenaries in such a situation.


    Rain wasn''t the kind of person who could do that, he was also an unknown member of the organization, and he was only eight years old¡­ so he didn''t know what he could do.


    Still, while he was thinking like that, Rain realized that the atmosphere of the group ahead slowly began to change. Some groups made some noise for some reason, but soon they went silent again. However, Rain could easily feel their fighting spirit¡­


    "I guess some experienced captains managed to rile up their friends¡­" Rain thought while rubbing his chin. "I should try to talk with Jori and see if he can motivate the girls. It seems that Reca will be the easiest for him since they are birds of a feather, but the others aren''t that bloodthirsty."


    "You guys are a lot more quiet than I expected," Branden suddenly said. "This is the chance you all have been looking for, so why are you all so gloomy?"


    The group looked around since they didn''t expect to hear Branden''s voice, and soon they found a hooded figure on the side approaching them. He made the gesture to stay silent with his index finger and slowly revealed himself. Branden was truly there.


    "My lord," Jori said, visibly surprised. "What are you doing here?"


    "Trying to increase our chances of winning," Jori said. "The lordmander of this operation is a moron that thinks that my organization is only good for a petty distraction, so I am going to prove him wrong."


    Now it made sense why the atmosphere changed ahead. For one reason or the other, Branden had a lot of charisma, and the people of the organization had absolute faith in him. So, his presence could really rile up everyone''s spirits.


    "We don''t have much time to talk since I have to tell every group what they will have to do," Branden added. "Your group is more bnced than most, and that would be ideal if we were in a long battle, but we need to defeat the enemies as soon as possible and take down the western gate. With that in mind, you guys will have to charge ahead with all your might once the timees.


    Just focus on causing as much damage as possible while staying within Terra''s range for her to heal you all. That is the strategy; make good use of the chance when the timees."


    "When the timees?" Rain asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "You will soon understand what I mean by that," Branden said while smirking.


    Rain expected a better strategying from Branden; just charging ahead was something that even a kid could tell them to do. Still, maybe that was truly the only thing they needed to do¡­ Branden was plotting something, but he didn''t want to reveal details for one reason or the other.


    That was suspicious, but maybe he was considering that there were some people in the organization that joined the enemy''s side in thest few months. Spies are really good at that kind of thing, after all.


    Branden soon left the group and then went to talk with the others; at the same time, the formation of that small army was starting to change.


    It was a bit too soon for that, but it seemed that everyone wanted to work as hard as possible to make the n work¡­ their leader was there with them, even though he didn''t have to, so they felt that they had to do their best to make it work and protect Branden at the same time.


    "That is one crazy level of charisma," Rain thought.


    Two hourster, the group realized that the sky was starting to get a bit brighter. At the same time, they could see the shadows of Tristan ahead, they also could see some torches in the walls, but their numbers were much smaller ifpared to the other sides¡­ the enemies truly weren''t expecting an attack from that direction¡­

 Chapter 118: Taking Back (3)

    "All right, let''s set my goals for this battle¡­ considering the order of things that will make me regret the mostter, I guess my goals are obvious here," Rain thought.


    Rain wanted to make sure that those kids would return alive; returning in one piece would be better, but most wounds can be healed, and even lost limbs can be recovered, so returning alive was fine for now. After that, Rain had to be as strong as possible¡­ he had to kill a lot of enemies, but that wasn''t a problem after experiencing what he had done so far.


    Lastly, Rain wanted to recover Tristan; he grew up there, after all. Even if it was only for five years¡­ Besides, if things worked well, his family could move there again, but now that he thought about it, such a thing wasn''t a good idea¡­ living in the countryside was the best and most peaceful option.


    "Well, time to put my head in the game," Rain thought when everyone stopped moving behind some hills.


    Branden really had nned that well despite the little time he had. Or perhaps it was because he had been raised from an early age that one day he would have to defend that city, but arriving at such an area of the terrain at such a good time was truly amazing¡­ he knew the terrain perhaps even more than his father, and he was smart enough to use it as well like that.


    "Listen, the sun is rising from our backs, and we will use that to our advantage as well," Branden said while everyone was crunching down on their knees. "In half an hour, the sun will start to blind the enemies camping there and the walls, and we will be able to cross half of the distance without being seen.


    The enemies will have little time to ready themselves, and I will make sure that they will have even less time."


    Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra looked at Rain with someplicated looks in their eyes. It looked like they did something unfair inparing Rain to Branden.


    Their leader knew a lot more about tactics and warfare than he¡­ while Rain hadplicated feelings in being surprised by such a strategy as well since he felt like he lost to a thirteen years old kid, it couldn''t be helped since he didn''t study at school for even three months. At the same time, Branden stayed there for five years.


    "The next time, I will show them my best tactic weapon on the battlefield¡­ the legendary roundhouse kick on the neck," Rain thought.


    Rain felt that he was quite childish as well for trying topete with kids. Regardless, soon he took those thoughts out of his mind and then began to wait for the time of the attack. During those few minutes, Rain wondered what he should do¡­ stay on the back and cover for the others or dash ahead and punch the enemies left and right to draw the aggro toward him?


    "I don''t know what kind of power the enemies ahead have¡­ so I guess I should watch for a while and cover for everyone while I learn what they can do," Rain thought.


    Before long, Branden made everyone look at him, and then he raised his right arm and then slowly descended. Everyone began to move, and soon they realized that the light of the sun was truly dazzling at such a time. Still, they began to move slowly in order to make sure that they wouldn''t make much noise.


    They only increased their pace when they saw a gust of cold wind moving from the sides toward the city¡­ Branden was using some sort of spell.


    The army of seven hundred men crossed five hundred meters without being noticed, but when they were four hundred meters away, some people realized their approach. Rain looked to the sides and then saw the army forming a half ring¡­ it seemed that Branden wanted topletely surround the enemies, and it also seemed that such a thing would work.


    When the first few enemies began to shout, all of a sudden, they began to be enveloped by a cold wind, and then they stopped moving instantly. The cold wind quickly took over the ground and froze everything around the enemy''s camp. The enemies had their legs stuck in it as well, half covered in ice, and they began to panic.


    "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    The soldiers around Rain began to shout with all their might; their mouths were wide open while ignoring the fact that their shouts were spatting a lot of spit. They looked at the enemies like they were a bunch of beasts that had to be ughtered. Jori and Reca looked the same way, while Liss, Asche, and Terra were gritting their teeth while showing their anger on their faces.


    They had lost a lot as well, thanks to the war, after all.


    When the enemies were fifty meters away, they finally began to act. Rain found it weird since the guys there didn''t look particrly strong¡­ they were wearing a silver armor, but they had no weapons¡­ it was clear that they were mages as well, through and through.


    That thought was confirmed when the enemies suddenly touched the ground, and some golems began to emerge from it, cracking the frozen guard and emerging from it and freeing some of the enemies. The golems were slow but sturdy; they were four meters tall and had thick limbs¡­ it was clear their attacks would hurt.


    Still, some of the monsters began to fall as Rain fired Wind Bullets toward their masters.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path received 300 experience points.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    Alongside Rain, Asche and Liss began to attack. The other mages of the army began to fire a bunch of magic projectiles toward the enemies, but only those that were shot upward and fell in an arc hit the enemies; the others were blocked by the golems with their sturdy bodies.

 Chapter 119: Taking Back (4)

    Rain used Fireballs on the heads of the golems, and he opened some holes in their formation, but since it looked like all of the five thousand enemies there could summon golems, the holes soon were filled.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path received 100 experience points.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path received 100 experience points.


    ¡­


    "This is useful, but I can''t focus on them¡­" Rain thought as he saw his allies reaching the golems.


    Jori looked like he didn''t know what means holding back and saving energy, he began to swing his sword around viciously, but the golem that he targeted blocked his strikes with his arms.


    Reca faced the same fate, her heavy thrusts targeted the heads of the monsters, but they blocked the spear with their arms. Soon enough, the monsters began to move and swing their arms around, and while his allies blocked the attacks, they were pushed backward, and their weapons began to tremble thanks to the weight.


    "Ignore the golems! Focus on the casters!" Someone shouted.


    That was easier said than done¡­ still, Rain used his earth magic to raise some earth walls from the ground, and those emerged from below the golems and made them fall, opening another hole in their formation¡­ before the enemies could summon some of that beast, Rain stepped forward with his movement speed skill and then appeared sixty meters away from his original point, right in front of the enemies.


    "I should give a name to this skill already¡­" Rain thought.


    The enemies opened their eyes widely when someone suddenly appeared in front of them, and it seemed like a kid as well¡­ still, they didn''t have time to judge Rain by his appearance since he punched their faces with all his might and he felt their skills cracking.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path received 300 experience points.


    An unknown skill gained experience.


    The Healer''s Path received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    The mages around tried to move away from Rain, but he approached them with a single step and circted the battlefield just like that punching the enemy''s faces left and right and killing them like bugs. Their physical defense was trulycking, and that exined why they avoided a siege when they took Tristan¡­ in a war of attrition, they wouldn''tst for long.


    As numerous golems began to fall, the human soldiers began to advance and approach the casters who were still stuck on the ice. Some of the enemies had freed themselves and were running toward the walls while letting their golems do the fighting, but Rain quickly approached them and smashed their backs with a single punch.


    Somehow, breaking their spinal cord felt even more disturbing than cracking their skulls. Still, Rain didn''t pay any mind to that.


    After looking behind for a moment, Rain saw that Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra were still fine, but leaving them alone had been pretty reckless¡­ it was time to return, and he had the perfect excuse for that when he heard the sound of arrows being shot.


    Rain looked at the walls for a moment and then saw some archers there, less than fifty, but it was enough to make some changes in the battlefield. Rain quickly returned to his allies'' side while looking around. The arrows began to hit some soldiers, and while a bunch got hurt, only a few of them fell and stopped moving altogether.


    "Watch out for arrows!" Someone else shouted.


    "Rain! Look!" Jori shouted while pointing to the walls, and then Rain saw some suspicious and yet familiar-looking people there. "They are back."


    The bone shooters¡­ the enemies pointed their hands toward the army, but before some of them could fire, they fell after being hit with arrows in their heads. Rain looked to the side since the arrows came from there¡­ The enemies were two hundred meters away, and Asche still killed them with that much ease.


    In any case, a bunch of arrows and bone darts began to fall around, but the second volley barely hit anyone close to Rain. Liss used her magic and created a wind wall that decreased the power of the enemy''s projectiles and made them fall without any power.


    "I can''t do this forever," Liss said while looking at Rain as if she was waiting for him to do something.


    "Our lord is preparing another spell. Just hold your ground!" Someone else shouted.


    It was clear that Branden was probably one of the best mages in the kingdom despite his young age. He was also quite the good tactician¡­ while he didn''t know anything about the enemies there, he knew that they wouldn''t be able to show their true strength once the battle got too close to them.


    Rain confirmed that while seeing the golems barely moving¡­ since their Masters were being attacked, they couldn''t be controlled that well.


    "Hey, kid! We are breaking through!" A white-bearded man said after he approached. "We need to open the gates now, and our lord''s magic can help with that; use yours to cover for both of our groups!"


    Rain recognized the man. He was the guy that came to help Jori''s group in the previous mission. Rain didn''t know howe he got so much faith in Rain''s magic, but it seemed he saw him in action in thest few minutes. Regardless, Rain didn''t have time to think about that. He looked at his allies, and he just nodded. Both parties clustered together and then began to move.


    "Rain, you stay in the middle alongside Terra," Jori dered while showing his face red and covered in sweat, thanks to the tension. "Cover our backs while Terra will heal the wounded. We can''t stop until we reach the gate."


    "All right," Rain said.


    Rain had no idea what Branden was thinking, but he had an idea of his own on how he could open the gates of the city, even if they were sealed.

 Chapter 120: Taking Back (5)

    Jori''s group was only guarding the right side of the formation, while the old man''s group was guarding all the other sides. Without hesitation, they began to move.


    Those guys were rather big, so Rain had a hard time seeing the enemies approaching. Naturally, the enemies used their golems first to block their path, but Rain made their trip by summoning their earth magic and creating irregr elevations or holes on the battlefield. The old man and his party had an easy time destroying them thanks to it.


    "Don''t stop. Keep charging!" The old man with a mustache said.


    While those guys were armed with all sorts of weapons like spears, axes, and hammers, they still were able to swing them around while staying close to their allies. The old man had a bastard sword that was powerful enough to split the golems in half, and since he was in the front, the group began to approach the walls rather fast.


    Several soldiers began to approach them from behind to follow and offer them support, but they had a hard time keeping up thanks to the enemies firing Bone bolts¡­ Rain was doing her best to block them, but she could only block so many of them.


    The golems began to get too close to the group since they were only one hundred meters from the walls as well. The group stopped moving to face them since they couldn''t approach the walls and get surrounded by them. Still, Rain jumped on the shoulders of the old man and quickly looked around, recognizing the enemies controlling the beasts.


    Before the old man couldin, Rain bombarded the enemies with Wind Bullets and made them fall left and right. The golems quickly followed them.


    "... Keep charging and spread the damage!" The old man said. "Don''t let anyone escape!"


    Rain didn''t notice that before, but the number of enemies in the area in front of them was surprisingly small. He didn''t kill that many since he was saving some of his mana for emergencies, but soon he found some bodies on the ground with no wounds in their upper bodies.


    Their legs were frozen and shattered, though¡­ It looked like Branden''s power was a log higher than he had expected¡­ considering that he only attacked once in ten minutes, that made sense. Such a crazy spell truly would need a crazy amount of time to prepare.


    Before long, the group reached the wall, and then the enemies above tried to keep hitting them with bone bolts. Liss was starting to get pale, thanks to the fact that she was low in mana. Still, she didn''t have to endure it for long.


    "Open the path toward the gate!" Someone shouted.


    Rain and the others were twenty meters away from the gate, and they barely had time to move¡­ the enemies also tried to block whatever wasing with the remaining golems. However, a twenty meters long and wide Fireball suddenly appeared on the horizon and flew toward the gate faster than a bullet. Ten Golems tried to block its path, but they melted instantly.


    The wooden gate was hit, and a massive explosion that made the entire area tremble made it fall. A bunch of debris flew in all directions, but Rain blocked and protected his allies with a stone wall. The gate had been closed off by a shit ton of bricks, and that was why the enemies were unable to run away. Still, that didn''t stop the wall from getting a massive hole in it.


    "Secure the gates!" The old man''s mustache shouted.


    The group moved toward the gates, and they were the first ones to cross it. The air in the area was hot as hell, but they ignored it and made sure to protect both sides of the walls. From a distance, Rain could see the other side of the city crawling with enemies, but that side was almostpletely empty.


    The few enemies on the walls and the ones stationed outside were the only ones protecting that side.


    "The enemies are dispersing¡­ we took over the west side of the wall," the old man''s mustache dered. "Still, our allies are still fighting on the first side; we will help them as soon as all of our allies cross the gate here."


    That didn''t give the group much time to rest or recover mana. Still, they looked determined to keep going. Liss and Terra would be in a bind with much mana, but they quickly sat down and began to meditate.


    Before long, all of the guys on that side of the area had entered the city, and Branden also came. He had some potions with him so that he wouldn''t be unprotected. Still, it was dangerous for him to stay in the front line from now on.


    "The enemies will try to regroup on the other side of the city, but it will take a while since they sealed all of the gates, our job is to prevent that from happening and then attack the other targets inside," Branden dered. "Kill all of them, and don''t spare anyone. Only spare the humans who have dropped their weapons and if they aren''t dirty with blood."


    Branden was showing a vicious look. It was finally time to make the enemies pay for all those years that they had been far away from home and all the losses that they had. Rain was calm because he didn''t lose as much as Branden, but his cousin was pissed like never before.


    In times of war, it wasn''t weird to keep some prisoners, but Branden didn''t want that¡­ and maybe that anger inside him was what made him take those risks of being on the frontline.


    In any case, after ten minutes, the group began to move again, and they only left the heavily wounded soldiers behind to guard the fallen Western gate... it was time to finish that battle once and for all.

 Chapter 121: Final Push (1)

    Despite the chaos that the battle brought to Tristan, the general poption was still hiding in their homes. It was early in the morning, so it made sense that most people would still be at home¡­


    The group found some soldiers around, but they dropped their weapons and dropped to their knees as well with their hands on their backs. Some soldiers grabbed those weapons since some of them broke or suffered a lot of damage thanks to the golems.


    "Spread around the area using the same formation from before as a basis, don''t cluster on a single area and be easy targets for the enemies!" Branden shouted. "They won''t go down easily, and once they realize that they lost, they will try to take down as many with them as possible."


    Following Branden''s words, the soldiers began to spread around. The group of seven hundred had decreased to four hundred. However, they still easily took over the streets of the city while marching toward the eastern wall. Considering that the enemies had the heat sorcerers and the quicksand executioners, they could still cause much damage.


    The more the group approached their destination, the more they could hear the sound and feel the smell of the battle. The smell of a battlefield was different from the smell of death¡­ probably because in such a ce, people died in droves, and it was rtively easy to find people that died without fully preparing their hearts for it.


    As such, one could feel the smell of shit, piss, blood, and flesh burned¡­


    Despite that, the group remained focused on the task ahead, and it didn''t take long for them to notice the enemies close to the walls moving to face them.


    "Their numbers are smaller than I had anticipated¡­" Jori said.


    The enemies split their group in two; half of them had around three thousand, and they were moving away from the wall to keep the chaos of the battlefield from reaching the walls. That would disrupt the focus of the other three thousand on the walls and nearby that were holding back the main army.


    "I need to be three hundred meters away to be on my best range. Open the path for me again, and I will burst open that gate as well," Branden said.


    "HOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"


    While Branden didn''t give an explicit order this time, his underlings answered it like that was the case. They were five hundred meters away, and the enemies were exactly where Branden needed to be¡­ while the enemies outnumbered them right to one, the soldiers still charged toward the enemies alongside the mercenaries.


    "We just have to open the path, and victory will be ours!" The white mustache old man shouted.


    Those were the words of someone who didn''t care about dying as long as they achieved their goal. Rain would rather focus on surviving while achieving the goal¡­ regardless, the heat sorcerers pointed their hands toward it, and soon, several fire tornadoes emerged in the city. The spells began to destroy the brick on the ground and leave a trail of destruction¡­ the enemies truly didn''t want a melee.


    "Rain! Go!" Jori said.


    Rain wondered if his allies wanted him dead so badly to the point that they would tell him to run straight to the fire tornadoes. Still, he knew better than that¡­ his Impulse, or so he decided to call his skill, was something far rarer than he had imagined.


    Leaving his allies alone for a short while wouldn''t kill them, so Rain sighed and then stepped in by using his earth magic. With one step, he got closer to the fire tornadoes, but he zigzagged around them and soon passed by them before they could close in. Still, Rain felt the smell of smokeing from his clothes.


    "Holy shit¡­ how hot will this be at noon?" Rain thought.


    In another step, Rain closed in toward the enemies, they opened their eyes widely when they saw someone so nonchntly approaching them, but they didn''t hesitate in pointing their hands toward him. The temperature around Rain increased, but soon his body mmed against one of the targets, and before the guy could fall, Rain kicked him in the stomach and made him fly and knock down several others.


    "This will hurt me as well¡­" Rain thought.


    Killing the enemies wasn''t the best option to stop the fire tornadoes¡­ it was to knock them down, and to do that, Rain lowered his posture and used Impulse again with all his might and toward the enemies on his right side. Before long, fifteen of them were knocked down almost out of nowhere. Rain hit the first with his shoulder, but the pressure still made him feel some cracks on his right arm.


    Fortunately, the hard work paid off. He saved some mana and also was rewarded for it. Several fire tornadoes began to dissipate, and Rain could hear the sound of shouts approaching.


    An unknown skill has leveled up.


    The Healer''s Path received 300 experience points.


    An unknown skill has leveled up.


    The Healer''s Path received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    Several enemies died thanks to that attack, and the other enemies realized that despite his size, Rain was a far worse problem than they had expected¡­ several of them raised their hands, and fireballs appeared and flew toward him.


    Rain tried to run, but they followed him¡­ without any other choice, he used Impulse and knocked down a bunch of enemies like bowling pins and then grabbed one of the bodies and used it as a shield. The temperature of the corpse began to increase, and it didn''t burn at all.


    "They really can absorb heat¡­." Rain thought.


    Rain didn''t have time for that, though. While some of the fire tornadoes disappeared. His allies were still far away from him¡­ in the end, Rain decided to speed things up before more casualties could take ce. The screams of pain in the distance made him realize that it was no time to consider only his safety¡­

 Chapter 122: Final Push (2)

    Rain charged toward the enemies nonstop. He only stopped when his arms were no longer obeying his will, and they were making him sweat cold. Despite that, Rain still had one-third of his mana left.


    "It is time to use all of it in a single strike," Rain thought.


    Using Impulse and the strength of his legs, Rain jumped with all his might upward. He got surprised when he reached fifty meters of height, but soon he focused on the task ahead. When he began to fall, he covered both of his knees with earth magic, and then he hit the ground.


    The whole area began to tremble in the next moment, and the enemies started to lose their bnce. The fire tornadoes began to dissipate thanks to theirck of focus, and so the mercenaries and soldiers began to charge at them. Rain didn''t have the physical strength to cause an earthquake.


    However, he used all of his remaining mana to cause underground fissures that caused the earthquake¡­ It was the same thing that he had done before when he found the tunnels, but this time, he didn''t have to be cautious, and that had been the result.


    Rain''s Allies reached the area where he was, and they began to ughter the enemies. The heat sorcerers only had time to cast a few Fireballs this time. Still, while roaring like mad beasts, the soldiers and mercenaries ignored the pain caused by those attacks.


    The heat sorcerers began to fall like twigs, and those who managed to survive the onught were quickly losing ground and returning to the wall.


    "Geez, you are truly something else," Jori said, and the others arrived with him, quickly making a circle to protect Rain while Terra was healing Rain.


    Terra didn''t have much mana left, but at least she made Rain feel some relief while the others were pushing back the enemies further. Rain wondered if that had been enough as an opening¡­ it felt like they were a bit far away from their goal. Still, Rain looked to the side and then saw Branden walking ahead while he was being guarded by a bunch of guards, and before long, he began to cast his spell.


    Much to Rain''s surprise, the guy just closed his eyes and then began to focus. He imagined that Branden would do something else. Still, soon a giant and spinning Fireball showed up in front of him that made everyone around sweat a lot.


    Upon realizing that some bad news wasing for them, the enemies began to shoot numerous Fireballs toward Branden. However, all of their attacks were absorbed by the Fireball. While they were called Heat Sorcerers, Branden was more skilled than them.


    Still, the enemies had the quicksand executioners on the walls, and while they couldn''t Branden sinks in quicksand from that distance, they could erect several earth walls and protect the gate further, and so they did it.


    Some soldiers tried to charge and knock down the walls somehow; they were superhumans, after all. Still, before they could do that, Branden fired his spell. A st of wind spread in all directions when the Fireball was shouted. That caught everyone off guard, and they blinked out of reflex, only to see afterward the spell consuming the walls instantly before reaching the gate covered in stone.


    The impact of the attack could have been felt throughout the city. Even Rain''s earthquake couldn''t bepared to that¡­ a curtain of dust and smoke choked the skies while numerous screams and grunts of agony echoed in the area. Debris began to fall like rain until all that was dissipated, and then it revealed a massive hole in the wall of the city.


    Beyond it, everyone could see their allies charging toward it.


    At that moment, the magic people realized that they had lost. They stopped moving altogether while the enemies were charging. They didn''t expect that they would be caught off guard like that, and they certainly didn''t expect that a single human could be that much better than him at magic¡­ still when the soldiers began to cross the gate, they recovered from the shock and began to shout as well.


    They were going down, but they were going down on a ze of glory.


    "Leave the rest to us and make sure to keep Lord Branden safe," The white mustache old man said.


    Jori and everyone else nodded and then retreated a bit from the area to escape from the chaos that was unfolding. While half of the group still could fight, the others had exhausted their mana and needed that break, just like Branden, who lookedpletely wasted.


    "Phew, this is too much emotion for my daily life," Branden said while sitting on the ground and facing down. "I am beaten.".


    Although Branden said that and was acting like an average dude, the others sure looked amazed at his skill and powers¡­ who could have thought that Tristan would fall on a single day of a siege? No one but Branden''s presence changed things a lot.


    If the kingdom had mages of his caliber, Rain imagined that they would be used to recover Tristan¡­ but since they didn''t, it was clear that Branden was the best mage they had.


    The group watched the battle end¡­ while their side had fewer people, the main army outnumbered the enemies on the walls five to one. Some of them died trying to reach the wall, but once they arrived, the magic people began to be disposed of at fearsome speeds. From a distance, Rain watched men and women infuriated thanks to the war and the enemies.


    Rain was certain that most of them didn''t lose a lot in thest ten years of war, but they still felt quite pissed, to the point that some of them chopped the limbs of some of the magic people before beheading them. It looked like they didn''t think that their screams of agony would haunt them¡­ Rainmended them for that; he would rather not do it, though. It was better to be safe than sorry.

 Chapter 123: Final Push (3)

    When night came, everyone finally had some time to rest¡­ while the battle ended in the middle of the morning, the clean-up work still had to be done. The golem masters tried to help after they lost their side of the wall. Still, more than half of the survivors ran away while using their golems as mounts once they saw another gate exploding.


    So, some soldiers had to go and hunt them¡­ it was unlikely that they would be caught, though.


    Aside from that, the people also had to dispose of the corpses. With their heads down, the inhabitants of the city that survived that battle and the battle of three years ago helped the soldiers dispose of the bodies and clean the city¡­ at the same time, some soldiers went to the capital to bring some mages to repair the walls.


    While it was small, there was a chance that the magic people would try to fight back to take Tristan.


    Such thoughts were dispersed after one week. The walls werepletely repaired thanks to magic, and the garrison of the city was fortified. Everyone finally had the chance to rest for a bit and celebrate their victory.


    "Hehehe, this is the stuff!" Jori said while raising a cup of wine and then drinking it afterward.


    Jori''s group was partying around a campfire. Rain was eating a huge chunk of meat from the six-legged cows that he saw the other day while watching Jori and the others drinking. He was still wondering if they should drink, even more so if they should drink until they be drunk¡­ they are still growing, after all.


    Still, that was a rare opportunity to let loose for them, so he assumed that it was fine. After risking their lives, they had to enjoy the good things of life. What was the point of risking their lives if they couldn''t do that?


    "Come on, Rain! You need to drink a bit too!" Jori said while he raised a cup of wine.


    "You guys can take the wine. I will keep all the meat instead," Rain said.


    "No, you won''t!" Reca said that she had two chunks of meat in both of her hands, and she tried to eat both of them at the same time.


    "... You look like you would look fine with a massive beard and a horned helmet," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "What is that supposed to mean?" Reca asked. "You say weird things some times."


    Reca was drunk as well, so she didn''t care that she looked like a dog eating meat. The other girls were also drinking their wine like it was some sort of honey while holding their cups close to their mouths and smiling. In the end, they were lucky that Rain was around and his head was clear to stop them from doing stupid things.


    "Geez, Rain, you would look so much more cute if you weren''t scowling all the time," Terra said while she was poking Rain''s cheeks. "That isn''t the expression of a kid, you know."


    "That is right, that is right!" Asche said while doing the same. "Howe you are not even ten, but you act older than us? You embarrass me!"


    "I have three little sisters, so acting like an older brotheres with the territory," Rain exined.


    In the end, Rain felt like he didn''t have to be so guarded around those guys. They were good kids, and since they acted sincerely to him, he had to answer with sincerity as well.


    "...That is probably the first thing you ever told us about yourself," Liss said while studying Rain.


    "You guys don''t talk about yourselves that much either," Rain said.


    "... You do understand how weird we would look by opening up to someone of your age, right?" Liss asked.


    "Then we can say that such worries are what create barriers between us all," Rain shrugged.


    Liss was the one who looked the least drunk in the group. That or she gets serious and too analytical when she gets drunk. Rain knew that people change in all kinds of ways when they get drunk, but that was a new type for him.


    "Eh? You have three little sisters?" Terra asked. "Their future sure will be hard if peoplepare them to you since you are so talented."


    "It isn''t talent; it is hard work. Hard work beats talent all day, every day," Rain said.


    "Are you sure about that?" Jori asked. "I have been working hard for the past ten years, but I still lose to you."


    "You just need to use your head more and think of ways to make your training more efficient," Rain said while showing the earth rings on his legs and arms. "Work hard, but you also have to work smart."


    "Woah, this is heavy¡­" Jori said. "Can you make one for me?"


    "Tomorrow, once you aren''t drunk," Rain said. "I can say that you will want to train once I make them."


    "I am not drunk!" Jori protested. "I am just rxed¡­ being a leader isn''t easy, you know?"


    It wasn''t surprising that Jori was the type thatined when he got drunk. He was also the type that says sentimental stuff¡­ he said to Rain how happy he was when another guy joined the group; it was a bit suffocating to be surrounded by girls and worrying about them all the time. Rain could only see him bragging while saying all that, though.


    In any case, despite the noise, it didn''t take long for those kids to be knocked down by the wine. Before long, Jori and Reca fell asleep while resting against each other''s backs. Liss did the same to Rain, while Asche and Terra fell asleep while resting their heads on his bis shoulders.


    When they wake up, they will probably try to drink until they forget about that since they used a boy much younger than them like that. That is how a perfect vicious cycle starts.

 Chapter 124: Final Push (4)

    In the end, most groups partied until morning. A lot of members of the organization died, and that party was also a celebration and also a farewell party for them. While that certainly was a different way to say goodbye to the dead, Rain could understand that people are different from each other.


    In any case, it seemed that the others wouldn''t wake up anytime soon, so Rain used his earth magic to move them toward their tents. He didn''t get much sleep that night, but at least he filled his belly with meat. He needed protein to grow bigger and stronger, after all, and it was time to make good use of it.


    Rain spent the morning running at the top of the walls of the city with the weights on him. His Healer''s Path leveled up a lot in the battle, but he needed to get his body stronger as well¡­ there was no point in having weaknesses; rain wanted to cover all of his bases, after all.


    When Rain returned to where his friends were camping, they saw them getting up while wobbling since someone was paying them a visit. It was Branden. He was still around, making sure that things would go the way he wanted. He was the grandson of the former ruler of the city, after all.


    "No need to get so tense," Branden said. "I am just walking around and thanking everyone. I will need to return to the capital soon, so we probably won''t talk with each other for a while. Still, it was pretty fun to work together, right?"


    "Yes sir, it was our pleasure," Jori said while saluting and then feeling like throwing up.


    "That is what happens when you move too much while you are hungover," Rain said.


    "Training hard, so early, Rain?" Branden asked. "Do you want to recover the next city all by yourself next time?"


    "I don''t think that can be that easy, but it doesn''t hurt to try," Rain shrugged.


    "By the way, what are you going to do about my offer?" Branden asked. "A lot of people saw you fighting, so working looking for you will be amon urrence now."


    Rain recalled that their agreement was to work together until Tristan was recovered, but that happened a lot sooner than anyone expected. Still, finding jobs while working for the organization will be a better option. Contacting Lotto and visiting his family will also be easier that way.


    "I am fine for now. Besides, I think that I didn''t do much," Rain said.


    "Humble as ever," Branden said and then began to think while holding his chin. "You can talk with meter about the other matters."


    It was about making his family move to the capital or Tristan again or bing his right-hand man in ruling over Tristan. Rain was going to pass on all that; he didn''t want to be entangled in politics, after all. He just wanted to live in peace and improve his skills.


    "This is only the beginning, and we still have a debt to repay to the magic people, so keep sharpening your skills," Branden said and then said bye to everyone.


    "All right, I am fired up for some training," Jori said. "Rain, make the weights that I asked¡­ ugh,"


    "I told you that you would vomit if you kept moving like that while hangover," Rain shrugged.


    The others looked pale as well, and they also looked like someone was hitting their heads with a hammer. So, training that day was out of the question. In the end, they only rested¡­


    For the next few days, the group stayed in Tristan, helping with some work like repairing some houses and also reinforcing the walls with more bricks and gear. Two weeks after leaving the capital, they finally had the chance to return, and then they received five gold coins each.


    That was a lot of money¡­ Rain received fifteen because a lot of people saw how he stopped the heat sorcerers when they used their crazy magic or when he stopped the golem masters.


    "Hehe, now I can enjoy that good Neet life for a while," Rain thought while grinning, thanks to his pockets filled with money.


    Rain knew better than ck off, he was pretty much a training addict, so the idea of doing that was hard to grasp. Still, it was time to visit his home again. It was also time to check his progress and how fast Impulse could make him reach home.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 51 (2500/5100)


    Current Path: Healer''s Path (Lv 72 - 2500/72000)


    Health: 3240/3240


    Mana: 2890/4520


    Stamina: 4670/4670


    Strength: 277


    Dexterity: 176


    Intelligence: 484


    Vitality: 325


    Wisdom: 417


    Endurance: 325


    Luck: 127


    Free Points: 50


    Main Skills:


    [Basic First Aid Lv 28)


    [Healing Touch Lv 39]


    [Enhanced Regeneration Lv 27]


    [Soothing Aura Lv 29]


    [Revitalizing Wind Lv 15]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 22]


    [Basic Training 72]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Body Motor Skills Lv 59]


    [Running Lv 73]


    "This is a lot of growth for three weeks¡­ However, the mage''s path isn''t growing that well," Rain thought and then sighed. "Maybe I should just deal with the fact that some skills won''t get experience and focus on the parameters instead. I can''t do everything perfectly when there are so many things that I still don''t know."


    The level-ups are good, but they are only good to offer free points that Rain can use freely; in that sense, it was more efficient to level up the paths.


    Rain wondered if there was something else that he could gain by leveling himself up, but he never heard of that. Those free points were something that he would gain eventually, after all. The real problem was the skills¡­ Rain wondered what he could do about them.


    Even hisnguage skill didn''t reach level one hundred yet, so neglecting them seemed like a waste¡­ in the end, Rain decided to use his past knowledge to help with that.

 Chapter 125: Final Push (5)

    Since Rain didn''t have much work after they recovered Tristan, he had plenty of time to think about what he should do to improve his leveling up speed of everything, his skills, paths, and even himself.


    The first thing he thought was to use some tools that would help him with that. He had this one idea before that hepletely forgot about it. Still, he decided to put it into action now since he wanted to have more ways to train without using too much energy. It was the spyss.


    It was a rtively simple and old tool that still could be convenient for Rain. On the day he returned to the capital, he looked for materials to make one before he headed home. He recalled a video that he saw on how to make one. Take two cardboard tubes of equal length. While using paper towel rolls, he might need to cut them to the desired length using scissors to make them shorter.


    Hold the tubes parallel to each other and secure them together using tape or glue. Make sure the tubes are aligned straight. Cut small circr pieces from a stic wrap or clear stic bag. These will serve as lenses for his spyss. Using tape or glue to fix one stic wrap circle over the end of each cardboard tube. Making sure they are centered and securely attached.


    To improve the focus of his spyss, Rain could try adding a rubber band or string around the middle part where the tubes are connected. He can tighten or loosen it to adjust the focus. Look through one end of the spyss while holding the other end towards a distant object. Adjust the length of the spyss by sliding the tubes in or out until the objectes into focus.


    Naturally, that one was for kids, so he used real materials this time. Quality wood, high-quality ss as well, and glue. It took only a couple of minutes for Rain to make one that only had two lenses, but it made him see things with rity one hundred meters away. After that, Rain made a blowpipe and attached the spyss at the top of it.


    Through the window of his room, Rain fired some small pebbles through the blowpipe and hit people around the city, he only hit those who had armor, and that didn''t hurt anyone, so it was fine.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Healer''s Path obtained 150 experience points.


    "The first experiment was a huge sess¡­ now I just need to think how I can do the same with magic," Rain thought.


    Rain imagined that by using the spyss, he could improve his aim and thus improve something like an Archer''s path or something or the skills rted to it. While looking at his parameters, his dexterity and luck were awfully small, so he had to increase them as well. The tricky part was how he could use magic to improve the skills of the mage path¡­


    In the end, the journey home this time took a little more than a full day, and since he used the mage''s path, Rain gained a lot of experience and leveled it up as well¡­ during the travel, he wondered if he could use Fireball as well to give him a boost of movement speed, but he couldn''t risk it yet.


    Mage''s Path Lv 10


    Level 1: Fireball - Cast a basic fireball spell dealing moderate damage to a single target.


    Level 5: Frost Shot - Launch an icy arrow that slows down enemies upon impact.


    Level 10: Wind sh - Unleash a sharp wind de that strikes multiple foes in a line.


    "I guess they all are going to be spells¡­ this exins why I saw so many of them during the attack," Rain thought when he arrived in the vige.


    "Wee back, Rain," Leiah said after she sensed some magic and decided to check things outside. "I heard reports that you were fine after that battle, but it is good to see youpletely fine."


    "Thanks, Mom," Rain said and then took a deep breath. "Where is everyone?"


    "Your father took the girls to take a bath in the river; they should return at lunchtime," Leiah said.


    "I see; I guess this is good; I suppose I need to talk with you first about this," Rain said.


    Rain talked with his mother that Branden was waiting for Rain''s answer. They could move back to Tristan since everyone knew how useful Rain had been, and if they revealed that Roan was his father, it would solve a lot of problems, and Branden would deal with the rest. Rain didn''t hide that he didn''t want to live there, even if it was his hometown.


    While it was a problem to keeping and going, it was better to let the girls live in a peaceful ce.


    "We talked about this before, and your father also thinks like you; I am of the same mind," Leiah said. "While Tristan is back in our hands, that doesn''t mean that the war is over¡­ we already don''t like the idea that you have to fight, and sending the girls to a ce where they can be soldiers isn''t within our ns.


    You can ask Branden for something else, something that will truly benefit you, Rain."


    Rain didn''t know what he could ask; he already got a lot of money, after all. He also didn''t want to feel like he owed Branden anything. It was better to wait and see until Branden felt like he owed Rain a few favors, and then he feltpelled to offer something else. Some magic books would do, magic weapons as well¡­ They are hard to find since merchants always sell them to rich people.


    In any case, when Roan and his sisters returned, they looked happy. Dana, Kei, and G also looked happy while waiting for some gifts¡­ Rain wondered if he was raising them to be that type of girl¡­ but he thought that it was fine since he was giving them books and things that would improve their skills.

 Chapter 126: The things science does for me (1)

    The next six months passed in the blink of an eye since nothing major happened in the kingdom. Thanks to that, Rain had an easy time doing what he wanted without being interrupted.


    "Peace is really a good thing; it always gives you tons of time to train," Rain thought.


    Rain was already nine years old, and he was growing quite fast. He heard that too much exercise prevents the growth of kids, but even while keeping the weights with him all the time, he was already 145cm tall or 4.8 feet tall. He was nning to be as tall as his father, who was 180 cm tall, so it seemed that he could reach it.


    In his past life, Rain was a bit short, around 170 cm tall, so he fought in the lightweight categories. Boxing at a quick pace was fun, but he always wondered how it would be to have a heavyweight punch.


    In any case, while Rain didn''t join Jori''s group, he was always working with them at least once a week. They also were copying him by using weights to train, even the girls who only used magic. It was improving their physical skills, but it sure was rough for them.


    Speaking of progress, Rain managed to trick the system a bit when it came to making progress with his magic. While it was a bit troublesome, he didn''t have to only use his mana to fuel spells. For example, he could use other materials to boost the power of spells.


    Anything that worked as fuel could be used, wood, oil, even oxygen¡­ on windy days, Rain could leave the city and use his magic to control the wind and Create a mini tornado that would make him save half of his mana while gaining the same amount of experience.


    Thanks to that kind of thing, Rain was able to make a lot of progress. The magic path was almost reaching level forty, and even the battle master path was about to reach level fifty.


    Level 15: Aqua Whip - Form a water whip tosh enemies from a distance or disarm them.


    Level 20: me Ward - Create a protective shield of fire that reduces iing damage.


    Level 25: Icy Veil - Surround yourself with ice armor for temporary defense and resistance.


    Level 30: Cyclone Burst - Summon a gust of wind that knocks back enemies in an area.


    Level 35: Earth Spikes - Cause spikes to erupt from the ground, hindering enemy movement.


    Level 40: Static Charge - Release an electrical spark, causing minor damage and stunning foes.


    Level 40: Shield Wall: Form a defensive barrier with fellow allies, increasing overall defense and protecting against enemy assaults.


    Level 45: Crippling Strike: Land a debilitating blow that weakens the enemy, reducing their physical capabilities and impairing theirbat effectiveness.


    "Hehehe, almost there, and a new physical path will be unlocked¡­ The battle master path doesn''t have many useful skills, so I don''t have to keep using it," Rain thought when he woke up and then was preparing himself for another day of work.


    As usual, Rain followed his morning routine and trained until the organization opened. He got used to life there, but Rain was starting to think that he should move¡­ the organization Increased in size in thest few months as well. They lost one hundred mercenaries recovering Tristan, but now they had seven hundred.


    The veterans were mostly in Tristan, and the neers were living in the organization.


    "I have some money saved up; I guess I can buy a house¡­ but it is more trouble to keep and maintain it," Rain thought. "I guess an inn that offers meals is a better option, it is a bit more expensive, but it will save time."


    After his morning routine, Rain went to look for work downstairs. Some people along the way greeted him since he had gotten a bit famous. Most of them were the newbies of the organization, while the veterans greeted him as well; most of them didn''t like Rain since he looked like a kid who was raised by nobles; ordinary kids don''t learn magic at such a young age.


    "Hey, Rain, did you pick a job today already?" The white mustache guy said. "We need a mage that can use healing skills for our next mission."


    "Eh, I just returned from a job where I stayed three days away; I want to recover for one week at least," Rain said.


    The old man was called Cor, and while he looked like a serious guy, he was prettyid back. Rain worked with him a few times. His group was quiterge, so they didn''t need help often. Still, they saw Rain''s skills at close range, and he knew that he wasn''t someone troublesome, so they invited him often to join them.


    "The pay will be good, you know," Cor said. "The magic people using monsters again, and the guys ruling those areas aren''t joking with payment."


    "I see, in that case¡­" Rain said while he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "Sorry, but I already have a job for you, Rain," Ka suddenly said. "It is urgent Business, Cor. Please, look for someone else."


    "Well, I guess it can''t be helped¡­" Cor said and then shrugged.


    "A job especially for me?" Rain asked.


    "That is right," Ka said. "You know that we recently recovered some viges from the enemies, right?"


    "Yes," Rain replied.


    Aside from Tristan and the city he was born in, the magic people also took over some viges along the way. It was convenient that such an area didn''t have towns; otherwise, recovering them would requirerge operations as well.


    "We will need you to move a river to cross over arge area; it will work as a natural barrier against the monsters," Ka exined. "This is a job for a single mage, but you can find some assistance with the soldiers and guards in the viges that will pass nearby."

 Chapter 127: The things science does for me (2)

    That kind of job was unusual for Rain. There are some mages that specialize in doing that kind of thing; why didn''t they hire those guys instead? He could think of some reasons, but considering the pay, they seemed weak reasons.


    "Are the people worried that they might be attacked by monsters while they do that kind of job?" Rain asked.


    "That is one of the reasons we received this job; we need someone that can defend themselves, after all," Rain said. "The other reason is the fact that we need someone to pass confidence to the people in those areas. The mission mightst a few weeks, after all. Mages that specialize in that kind of won''t pass confidence.


    We also believe that some enemies might watch you, and they will hesitate in doing something against you."


    "Would they?" Rain asked. "If I were them, I would attack since I killed a bunch of their friends."


    "Well, that is also a possibility, but they won''t be able to move that many enemies, and you will have the assistance of the guards in the viges," Ka said. "You are the best image of the organization, so you are the best person for the job¡­ out of those that don''t have a fixed party."


    "It would have been better if you left out thest part," Rain said and then took the paper of the job and confirmed that he could gain three gold coins by working for two weeks orpleting the whole change of the river. "I ept the job."


    Rain found it hard to believe that he could move a river and make it past some nearby viges in two weeks. Still, it seemed that people were hoping that he would use his head toe up with the best option on how to handle that. In any case, Rain received the map of the area and the instructions on how he should move the river. It was a simple task¡­ he just had to make it in a straight line.


    Before packing the things in his room, Rain took the keys and handed them to Ka. That was an excellent opportunity to move, and it would be a waste to leave the room alone and wait for him. It could be used for someone else.


    Although Rain had already done his morning training, he still ran toward the location with his weights on. The trip was supposed to take two days by waking, but he wanted to do it in half a day by running, and hopefully, he will unlock the next path by that time as well. In the end, Rain managed to pull off both of the things¡­ his legs were killing him, though.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Battle Master Path Lv 50: Brawler - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 04 per level.)


    The Brawler''s Path is abat-focused path that empowers the user with a range of physical abilities to excel in closebat situations. As they progress through the levels, Brawlers gain ess to various powerful skills, allowing them to deal devastating blows, withstand enemy attacks, and unleash relentless assaults on their foes.


    Level 1: Power Punch - Unleash a powerful punch on a single target, dealing moderate damage. Cost: 50 stamina


    "Oh, finally, a path that really agrees with me," Rain thought while smiling.


    Rain changed his path without wasting time and tried to use Power Punch. He felt a wave of power covering his arm, and when he punched the air, a powerful st of wind scattered around. His arm began to hurt a bit afterward. The skill forced him to use all of his strength, but that wasn''t something that he should do, considering his growing body.


    "I am curious about the next skills of this path, so I will keep using it even though my job now is a magic one," Rain thought.


    Rain could see one of the viges in the distance now, and while soon the sun would set, he decided to talk with all the soldiers in those ces. The first vige was a ce that worked on raising horses and other animals that had less meat than the six-legged cows. It looked quite rundown since a battle took ce there soon after Tristan was recovered.


    The poption sure looked troubled while they lived their lives. In any case, the ce had around one hundred houses, and only five guards were stationed there, even though monsters were spotted in the area constantly.


    "Excuse me, I was sent by the organization to move the river; my name is Rainendall," Rain said when he found the guards at the entrance of the vige while chitchatting.


    "... The rumors really said that you were a kid, but I didn''t think that you were this young," One of the guards said, who was a man who had one heck of a ck and stuffy beard.


    "I am nning to visit the other viges tonight and make them prepare for the work; I am starting tomorrow as soon as the sun rises," Rain dered since he was used to hearing that kind of thing. "I know that this is our job, but are some vigers interested in helping to make things be finished faster?"


    "I doubt it; this isn''t work that will be finished any time soon; they won''t work for free for weeks," The guard said.


    "I suppose¡­" Rain said while looking at the vige and seeing the people moving to their houses. "Anyway, please be sure to have your tools ready; I want to finish things as soon as possible."


    The guards looked a bit pissed since a kid was saying that kind of thing to them. They didn''t have to hear from a brat to do their work. While they also received orders to help Rain in order to make things more convenient for them as well, they still didn''t like to do that kind of mundane job¡­

 Chapter 128: The things science does for me (3)

    Rain visited the other viges, and things happened the same way in those ces. There were only three of them in an area of twenty kilometers, and Rain had to make a river as long as that¡­ in two weeks. It goes without saying that he couldn''t do that with magic alone. So, he took his weights because he was going to sweat a bit while working on it as well.


    When morning came, Rain went to the area where the river was and then began to walk in the opposite direction. The guards looked at him while wondering when he was going to start working, but soon they noticed something weird, the area where Rain was passing was starting to get wet. It wasn''t much, but that was softening the ground¡­


    "I am going to do the same until the end of the path; I think it will be better if you start working on the other side," Rain said. "Still, I suppose that walking forty kilometers every day is out of the question, so you can start here."


    "How did you do this?" The bearded guard asked. "This isn''t the kind of magic that earth mages do."


    "I used earth magic to create a small tunnel underground. The water of the river is spreading through it," Rain replied. "Things will be a bit muddy, but this should speed things up."


    The other guards could only work near their viges, so that was the only way Rain was able to make all of them start working from day one. In any case, once he got used to that action, Rain began to run, and by noon, he managed to reach the final part where the river was supposed to end and then told the guards to get working.


    Unfortunately, his n wasn''t perfect since so much water could pass through the small tunnel that he made, and most of it was being absorbed by thend along the way.


    "I will have to erge it every day," Rain thought.


    Rain had emptied his mana as well, so he had to do thatter. In any case, he dashed toward the first vige and then began to dig with a shovel as soon as he arrived. The river had to be two meters deep but ten meters wide.


    It had been a while since the armored turtles had been seen, but he could tell that the enemies would send them again since those monsters would be able to cross them with ease.


    Although he only worked for around four hours, Rain still managed to dig around three hundred meters alongside everyone else. They looked beat after doing that for half a day, so Rain did most of the world in the afternoon.


    "This ce is bad¡­ I need to think of something else," Rain thought. "I guess I can connect this part with the river to make the other areas softer, but that won''t be enough either."


    While Rain was heading to the vige to have dinner at the tavern, he felt that something was off¡­ a cold wind in the area made him feel like he was being watched. He wondered if some enemies that were watching him emitted some bloodlust.


    "I guess they think that I am exhausted and I can be an easy target now¡­" Rain thought.


    Despite his thoughts, nothing happened to Rain or to the vige that night. Although he didn''t have much time to sleep, Rain still woke up with another idea to improve the efficiency of the work. Aside from softening the ground with water, he also controlled the mud, since it was just a mixture of water and earth, and pushed them to the sides.


    At the same time, he also expanded the tunnel where the water was flowing through. It was the same thing he did to plow thend in the vige.


    "Maybe my little sisters can find this kind of work when they grow up¡­ Dana seems like the type she wouldin about this, though," Rain thought whileughing.


    While he was thinking about that, Rain also recalled the quicksand executioners¡­ if he could copy them, the job would be even easier since the water of the river would just flow through it, and their only job would be to take out the mud.


    "How is quicksand formed again?" Rain thought while rubbing his chin. "Maybe I can use my knowledge to improve this here further."


    Quicksand is typically formed in sandy or loose soil areas, often near riverbanks, beaches, or marshes. The sand or soil particles in these areas have enough space between them, allowing water to infiltrate easily. When water flows into the loose sand or soil, it fills the gaps between the particles. As the sand bes saturated, it loses its ability to support weight and bes unstable.


    The presence of water between the sand particles reduces the friction that normally holds the sand in ce. This leads to a decrease in the sand''s ability to support weight, causing it to behave like a fluid rather than a solid.


    Quicksand appears solid but is actually a soupy mixture of sand, water, and air. When pressure is applied to the quicksand, the water is squeezed out, increasing the density and causing the sand particles to jam together, making it even harder to escape.


    "I guess I will need to use water, earth, and wind magic to pull that off, but will that even be efficient? Will I learn it on time?" Rain thought.


    Maybe Rain should wait a little until the mage path levels up¡­ it would be nice if he could get a new one that would improve his earth magic. He wouldn''t bet on that, though, considering his luck.


    That was a problem, but that was the kind of problem that Rain liked. Solving things easily wouldn''t leave him with any sense of aplishment, after all. Moreover, thinking was quite useful since it also gave Rain a new idea¡­

 Chapter 129: The things science does for me (4)

    Using his magic, from the third onward, Rain decided to y with water. He knew that he had more talent with it.


    Still, he focused on earth magic because it would work better with his fighting style¡­ either way, after he dug a hole, he closed his eyes and focused his mind on a single image¡­ in the next moment, he fired a super concentrated st of water from the point of his fingers to the wall in front of him.


    The soldiers around furrowed their eyebrows when they felt the ground trembling slightly, and then they opened their eyes widely when they saw a huge chunk of earth being sted away from the ground. It wasn''t the most skilled way to do that kind of job, but it was decent... Rain didn''t like it very much, though.


    "It used more magic than I expected¡­ I guess it still can be improved," Rain tonight.


    While it consumed mana, the st of pressured water not only softened the ground but also could destroy some underground rocks with ease. The only downside is the fact that their range is limited, and they lose power the longer they travel.


    "If I knew that I would have to do this kind of job, I would have more tools," Rain thought. "Anyway, all of the groups are digging three hundred meters each per day, so this will do¡­ now, I just have to be sure that nothing will get in our way."


    The weird feeling was still persisting when Rain walked at night, and he didn''t think that keeping ignoring it was the best of the ideas¡­ It was time to do something about that.


    After having dinner in the vige, Rain went to his camp and then entered his tent. While the vige chief invited him to sleep and even have his meals at his house, Rain refused to avoid future problems. Besides, that was part of the code of how he should act while working for the organization. He couldn''t be too cold or too friendly.


    In any case, Rain sat down while looking like he was meditating to recover his mana. Still, instead of that, he was trying something else. By focusing all of his senses on the ground, Rain tried to feel all the vibrations in the area. He could feel a few footsteps in a three-hundred-meter radius using his senses alone.


    He actually could hear them instead of feeling them¡­ so he wasn''t doing what he had nned.


    "This must be the power of my dexterity in action¡­ this is good, but the range is also limited. I need something else," Rain thought.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Brawler Path received 100 experience points.


    While it wasn''t half bad, Rain wanted to find the exact location of the enemies before doing anything. Although he shouldn''t use his mana now, that was the only solution to the problem¡­ Rain touched the ground and then slowly made a small amount of mana spread around the area; he didn''t control the ground in any shape or form, so the mana used had been smaller than usual.


    Still, it eventually covered the whole vige.


    In the next moment, Rain began to actually feel the footsteps of the people in the vige and inside their houses. Rain felt like he had a spiritual radar since he could tell the exact location of the footsteps¡­ However, the range began to decrease every time he gathered the location of the people of the vige.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Brawler Path received 500 experience points.


    "I suppose tracking skills are difficult ones. That exins the high amount of experience," Rain thought. "To cover the entire vige, I had to use fifty points of mana; I suspect that the cost will increase alongside the size of the area¡­"


    That was still manageable; Rain just had to use the spell on the right spot and with the right amount of mana before finding the targets. He could do that the next day, so he went to sleep, hoping that the enemies would leave him alone for another night.


    The next day, Rain and the others went to work like usual, but Rain didn''t use his magic as much; he focused on using his body, and while saving his stamina would be useful for what he had in mind, it wasn''tpletely necessary. Besides, he can recover stamina way faster than mana.


    When the sun began to set, the guards began to prepare to head home; they had to walk for half an hour now, thanks to the distance of theke to their homes, and Rain followed them behind, but then he stopped and touched the ground with his hands. In the next moment, he made his mana spread around the area in a range of three kilometers. That cost ten times more mana than before.


    Still, at least he hit the jackpot¡­ while Rain couldn''t feel footsteps, he found some areas on the ground where the temperature was different from the others.


    Rain looked in that direction, hoping to see some shades of trees, but he didn''t find that¡­ without hesitating, Rain used Impulse in the same direction. The enemies immediately realized that they had been discovered, and they soon materialized in the location that Rain looked toward¡­ a screen of water fell on the ground and revealed five figures that pointed their hands toward Rain.


    "Did they use water to be transparent?" Rain thought.


    Water can affect light in a way that makes objects submerged in it appear transparent due to the phenomenon of refraction. Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another with a different optical density. When light travels through water, it encounters a change in density, which causes the light rays to bend as they enter and exit the water.


    This bending of light is what gives rise to various optical effects, including the illusion of transparency.

 Chapter 130: The things science does for me (5)

    Light traveling from air to water: When light passes from air, a less dense medium, into the water, a more dense medium, its speed decreases, and it bends or refracts towards the normal line perpendicr to the water''s surface. This change in the direction of light is responsible for making objects submerged in water appear disced or distorted.


    That was interesting and all, but it wasn''t time for Rain to think about that since numerous water spears emerged from the river and flew toward him.


    "I should have known that those guys would be in a tribe like this as well," Rain thought.


    Somehow, the water spears could move even faster than Rain, so charging ahead wasn''t an option. Still, he instinctively knew the weakness of such fast attacks. Rain jumped to the side and spun in the air to avoid the projectiles, and they hit the ground while making it tremble.


    The weakness of fast magic projectiles was the fact that they couldn''t be controlled that well. The casters could only make them fly toward a location and hope that would be enough¡­


    The enemies opened their eyes widely when they saw that, but they didn''t stop¡­ when Rainnded, they tried again, but the next time, Rain was able to reach them with Impulse. One of the enemies controlled the water in the air to create a spinning barrier and then sent it flying toward Rain. Still, he protected his head with his forearm guards.


    The rest of Rain''s body screamed in agony thanks to the impact, but he persisted and reached the enemies. One of them was sent flying away after colliding with Rain''s body, and then Rain took two steps and then punched the enemy''s skulls¡­ Rain didn''t realize how strong he got in the next few months; thanks to that, the front of the enemy''s faces waspletely smashed.


    Rain didn''t have time to worry about that as water spears flew toward him, and he hid behind the corpses. Still, even those onlysted for two attacks before being split in half. Without any other choice, Rain blocked the other attacks with forearm guards, and the impacts made his whole body tremble to the point that his skeleton cracked a little.


    Still, soon he had the chance to charge toward the enemies as well and then punched them in the guts.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Brawler Path received 200 experience points


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Brawler Path received 200 experience points.


    ¡­


    "I guess they were weaker than the guys we faced in the war¡­ even though their offensive powers were insane, it was limited by the terrain," Rain thought.


    Rain knew that capturing them would be a waste of time. The enemies would just use the water in the air to kill themselves. With that much resolution, interrogating them for information was useless. It was a pity, but it couldn''t be helped.


    "Only five¡­ is that all of the enemies in the area spying on us?" Rain thought. "There are no signs of monsters as well, so this feels odd¡­"


    The soldiers were on the other side of the river, so Rain had to bring the bodies to them in order to dispose of them. Rain wondered why those guys didn''t have magic weapons. Relics that could enhance magic power existed, so he wondered why they didn''t use them¡­ they could be a lot more troublesome in wars with them.


    "In any case, if there are others like them, they will keep their distance for now, and they will leave us alone to work," Rain thought. "I suppose I still need to send Branden a message about this."


    In recent years, Rain did some research about magic people, so he wasn''t surprised that he saw those guys attacking him like that. Their transparent cloak spell was something to be never heard of, though.


    Aside from the heat sorcerers, the quicksand executioners, the golem masters, and the water snipers, the magic people had other tribes with troublesome powers, like the nt Maniptors. This tribe has a deep connection with nature and can control nt life. They can make vines and rootse to life, creating a living barrier or using them as weapons.


    The nt Maniptors are adept at manipting the environment to their advantage.


    Or the Acid Alchemists. The Acid Alchemists can produce and control corrosive substances. They can dissolve materials, including armor and defenses, rendering their enemies vulnerable to further attacks.


    There were also the Sound Maniptors. This tribe can control sound waves and use them to disorient, confuse, or even deafen their opponents. They can also create powerful sonic sts to shatter objects or incapacitate enemies.


    There were also tribes like the Chaotic Siphoners. Chaotic Siphoners can absorb and redirect the magical energy of others, using their opponents'' spells against them and growing stronger with each attack they absorb.


    While they were small in number and hard to meet, they were extremely dangerous. Hence they were known. People believed that they wouldn''t appear until their own territory was in danger, but they had to be cautious¡­


    After three days of peace, Rain finally received an answer from Branden. He sent a rider to bring the letter as soon as possible. The poor guy had to ride for a full day on a horse, so his ass was probably Killing him.


    ''Thank you for your hard work, and well done. We expected that some of those guys would show up eventually instead of the monsters; that was why we were nning to send some mages to stay as guards alongside some soldiers in those viges. After seeing the enemies in action, do you think that this is the best n of action?''


    "We? Is he being considerate of someone else, or did he not have the chance to n things like this by himself?" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows. "Also, don''t ask such troublesome questions when I am working here¡­"

 Chapter 131: Sages Path

    While Rain thought of that, he also decided to think about the situation. A small group of six men wouldn''t be able to defend the viges, but the realm couldn''t afford any more manpower than that for such small areas.


    "In the end, the enemies only want us to spread our forces again¡­ I thought that we had the upper hand now, but they want to take back the power to control the flow of the war," Rain thought. "I suppose we need to do something that will make sure that the enemies won''t surprise us here, and even six people can deal with them."


    Rain thought for a while and then recalled all the dirt that they had removed from the ground to move the river. Maybe they could use that, but it will take a while to make something like a wall. Rain''s hands were already busy with that, and the wall wouldn''tst long against the magic people anyway.


    Still, Rain sent a response that was what he rmended for some mages to do that. If they do that or not, then the problem won''t be his anymore.


    In any case, after the tenth day of working on the river, Rain couldn''t help but assume that the enemies wouldn''t bother them anymore. Sixty percent of the job was already finished, and another surprise arrived for Rain.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Mage''s Path Lv 50: Sage. Wisdom + 10 per level up)


    The Sage''s Path is a journey of wisdom and mastery over mana. Sages are learned individuals who harness the elemental forces and mystical energies to cast powerful spells and support their allies in times of need.


    Level 1: Meditation - Enter a deep meditative state to restore mana and increase mana regeneration rate.


    Level 5: Insightful Mind - Enhance your wisdom by five points per level, gaining a greater understanding of the world around you.


    Level 10: Mana Infusion - Infuse your spells with extra mana, increasing their potency.


    Level 15: Inner Calm - Maintainposure even in the midst of chaos, reducing the effects of debuffs.


    Level 20: Barrier of Mana- Create a protective barrier that reduces iing damage for you.


    Level 25: Mana Flow - Improve your mana control, allowing you to channel spells more efficiently.


    "Sage, huh¡­ this isn''t half bad," Rain thought.


    Rain got lucky that the first skill was meditation, and since he had been using that for years, the skill was at such a high level, and so was the path. Rain felt his power increasing thanks drastically to it, and that feeling sure was something else.


    "Thanks to this, I guess it is clear that I will finish the job in time," Rain smirked.


    Since the Sage path focused on improving the mana pool of those who had it, and the skills all supported that kind of thing, Rain''s skills won''t improve much. Still, he will be able to use them more often, and he was fine with that.


    The soldiers around noticed that Rain began to work faster, but they had no idea how that was even possible¡­ They expected that the job would end in five days, but it ended after three. In the end, Rain surpassed his own expectations. All three viges'' inhabitants looked shocked while seeing the river passing nearby their homes.


    They heard that the organization had a mage that made the realm recover Tristan, but they didn''t think that the mage would havee to help them.


    "The contract says that I should work here for two weeks¡­ I suppose I should fulfill itpletely," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    In the end, Rain turned the extra dirt around the river into a natural defense. While a wall would have been better, he made a long slope that was pretty steep on one side and, on the other, had several points where it could be easily climbed. He could only make it in front of the viges, but it was better than nothing.


    When it was time to return home, Rain received a lot of gifts from the vigers and even the guards. While almost none of them wanted to work with him before, they continued working on using the extra dirt around the river toplete what he had started. It will take a while, but they should be able to finish it in a couple of months. Perhaps less if some magese to help them.


    "I guess this is their way to make up for nothing, helping that much," Rain thought while he was traveling with an even heavier backpack. "In any case, this is good training¡­ my mana and wisdom exceed all of the other parameters, so I don''t have to worry too much about that for now."


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 57 (4500/5700)


    Current Path: Brawler''s Path (Lv 12 - 00/200)


    Health: 4020/4020


    Mana: 7890/7890


    Stamina: 5450/5450


    Strength: 355


    Dexterity: 293


    Intelligence: 601


    Vitality: 403


    Wisdom: 789


    Endurance: 403


    Luck: 127


    Free Points: 80


    Main Skills:


    [Power Punch Lv 07)


    [Guard Stance Lv 01]


    [Kick Combo Lv 01]


    [Free]


    [Free]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 22]


    [Basic Training 72]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 01]


    [Meditation Lv 63]


    "Meditation alone made the path reach level twenty-five¡­ this is quite insane, huh," Rain thought. "Well, I have been using this for five years, so it makes sense."


    Rain was in a good mood thanks to all that¡­ he could use his magic for longer, but he also could make his spells more powerful. Impulse definitely will make him arrive home faster now. Still, it wasn''t about time for Rain to test that yet.


    "I will have to wait for one week to test it, but I can''t wait¡­ it will be awesome if I can reach home in less than six hours," Rain thought and then realized how fearsomely powerful people in that world could be. "I thought that Branden was strong to be able to open a hole in the wall of a fortress, but I was wrong¡­ we still are big fish in a small pond."

 Chapter 132: Bodyguard (1)

    A few days passed after the end of that mission, and Rain was preparing to take a break at home again. However, the next morning, Ka passed another message to Rain. It seemed that Branden wanted to talk with him at his home.


    "Didn''t he say what he wanted?" Rain asked.


    "No, it is probably something that needs to be kept in secret," Ka replied.


    Rain wanted to sigh. That was one of the reasons he didn''t like working for others¡­ he had to deal with their conveniences. While the time he worked with Branden had been pretty beneficial to him, such times made him think that it wasn''t worth the hassle. Because he had to expose himself to the high ss, and that was never a good thing.


    Rain sure was expecting that Branden had a good reason for all that. He wasn''t able to take a job since he didn''t know for how long the talk wouldst, after all. He also had to wait for a while since nobles don''t work like normal people¡­ receiving visitors before nine in the morning was insane for them.


    When the time came, Rain headed toward Branden''s house, and then one of the guards immediately guarded him at the mansion. He was informed beforehand about Rain''s arrival, after all. Much to Rain''s surprise, he found Branden in the living room alongside a young woman. It was someone that Rain had seen a few times visiting the organization. It was Braden''s stepsister.


    "Thank you foring, Rain," Branden said. "Please, sit down."


    Branden''s sister was a young blond woman who had long, straight hair and was quite pretty. She seemed like a good person when she visited the organization and talked with everyone without showing prejudice, but she sure looked different now. She was looking at Rain as if she had heard something unbelievable.


    "This is my stepsister, Lorene," Branden said. "She is going to get married soon, and she wants to visit her future husband to decide the final things about the ceremony, but he lives further in the north, close to the Coast."


    "And?" Rain asked.


    "I guess you wouldn''t know; you always try to stay away from the political stuff," Branden said.


    "Wouldn''t you do the same in my position?" Rain asked.


    "Without a doubt¡­ anyway, thanks to the recent events, our family has been gaining a lot of influence, and my sister''s marriage might also help with that," Branden added. "Some people might dislike that and then can try something against her; that is why I want you to work as her bodyguard for a while."


    Now it made sense why Lorene looked like that. Her stepbrother, who was gaining a lot of notoriety as ofte, wanted a nine-year-old boy to protect her from possible assassins. That looked as insane as it could be.


    "I know, I know¡­ this sounds weird, but I know that you have the skills for that, and you never drop your guard," Branden said. "Besides, since you are only nine, I know that you won''t do anything to her."


    "Your way of thinking makes no sense, might as well hire an army of only women to protect her," Rain said. "There are plenty of female warriors in the organization."


    "You are correct, but she wants to travel incognito since she doesn''t want to risk the lives of her future husband''s family and his family as well," Branden exined. "We have Intel that confirms that soon they might be targeted, even more so when they get together since they can be disposed of all at once."


    "Would your enemies try that if you send twenty soldiers to protect her?" Rain asked.


    "If I were expecting a normal attack, I would do that, but our enemies won''t do that," Branden shook his head. "They will use assassins; it won''t surprise me if they use those from other countries."


    That was why Rain hated politics; those in power won''t stop at anything to achieve their goals. Just when the humans were getting back what they lost, some people were rxed to the point that they felt like doing that kind of stunt and risked everything for a bit more influence.


    "You know that this will put me in a difficult position, right?" Rain asked. "I have been too much in the spotlighttely, to the point that I am even taking roundabout routes when going home to avoid people investigating me."


    "Well, if you keep improving like that, I am sure that you will be the fastest guy in the kingdom," Branden said.


    "You didn''t say that such a thing would be enough to stop people from other kingdoms from investigating me," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "You are right¡­ that won''t," Branden said. "If things end in a fight, you definitely will be more investigated, but you are teaching your sister''s magic for that kind of situation, right? Even you know that they can''t stay hidden forever."


    Branden had a point; sooner orter, that would happen¡­ Rain was trying to get stronger enough to make possible enemies think twice before trying to pick a fight with him; he was also sparring with Dana and Kei and teaching them some tricks on how to use magic effectively in a fight. Still¡­


    "What I can do for you is to help you find the enemies before they find your family; we can get rid of them together since I am also annoyed by that kind of behavior," Branden said.


    "Won''t that escte things if people discover our actions?" Rain asked.


    "We just need to make sure that we won''t leave traces of it," Branden shrugged. "That will be a piece of cake for mages like us."


    While that was convenient, it was also another convenient way for Branden to dispose of his enemy''s forces. Taking the heads of those groups and killing them might be difficult, but it will certainly weaken them¡­ Rain didn''t like the idea that he was helping Branden that much.

 Chapter 133: Bodyguard (2)

    "We heard that you managed to move the river in two weeks and fought some enemies as well; how did you do that?" Lorene asked.


    It seemed that Lorene realized that Rain wasn''t an ordinary kid by the way he talked with Branden and wanted to confirm that he could protect her. While she trusted her brother, that single idea made her question his sanity entirely. It was reasonable, Rain didn''t mind about those questions. Still, revealing too much information was no good as usual.


    "You can''t just be a strong mage by casting big spells; you need to use your head as well," Rain replied. "I used my head a little, that is all."


    "I believe that all of our spies used their heads a little as well over thest one hundred years, but they didn''t learn that the water snipers could use water as camouge as well," Lorene added.


    "I was a bit lucky, I felt their presence, but I didn''t see them," Rain exined. "I still charged toward them, and they panicked. They revealed themselves since they couldn''t attack while keeping that spell active."


    "I tried to investigate you as well, but Branden stopped me from learning anything about you; he doesn''t even say the reason why he recruited you," Lorene said.


    "That is part of our agreement," Rain said.


    "Anyway, Rain," Branden said. "You will have to protect her for a month. She usually would need a guard of ten to protect her, but you can have the sry of ten guards as a payment for the mission."


    That was a whole of fifty gold coins¡­ that was a lot of money. Rain couldn''t help but think that Branden was trying to lure him with money, though. He wondered for a while if working with the usual suspects wouldn''t be a better option, but traveling incognito with such arge number wouldn''t work. Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra couldn''t join him on that mission.


    "Well, if you are fine with me, My Lady," Rain shrugged.


    "I am not. I need a demonstration of your skills," Lorene said. "I don''t want to risk the lives of my future husband and his family, but if there is no other option, I am nning to take a battalion with me."


    That was certainly unreasonable. Rain only epted the job because it would be a good challenge and because he wanted to confirm if Branden was plotting something as well¡­ just to be safe, he would warn Lotto and his family beforehand. Still, proving his skills to Lorene would be a pain. Rain didn''t like to show his skills without a good reason.


    "The guards of the house are getting rusty; perhaps sparring with them will do the trick; what do you think?" Branden asked.


    "I truly dislike that kind of thing; it is a real waste of time," Rain said while rolling his eyes.


    "Then defeat them with a single hit, and that will be over in no time," Branden said. "Let ''s go.


    Rain felt like sighing. It also felt like Branden just wanted him to see his skills in action and think of countermeasures¡­tely, Rain had been thinking a lot about that kind of thing. Always being suspicious of others was tiresome, but that is what one learns by working with Branden often.


    It didn''t take long for the guards toe to the garden of the house. It looked like they were used to that kind of activity¡­ as if Branden called them to spar often. While he said that they were getting rusty, the first guard didn''t hesitate in assuming a fighting stance in front of Rain¡­ the guy was also wearing a full te armor.


    "There are no rules, just like the battlefield," Branden said. "Start!"


    The guard didn''t hesitate in stepping toward Rain as fast as he could. Still, as soon he took the first, the ground swallowed his leg and then began to pull him in¡­ the guard panicked and tried to free himself, but in less than five seconds, he was up to his neck covered in earth.


    "My mother likes this garden quite a bit, you know?" Branden asked. "Try not to ruin it too much. Anyway, victory is yours."


    Rain made the guard emerge, and while that consumed some extra mana, he also got rid of the dirt covering his armor. At least that made the guy a bit less pissed¡­ he became only pissed for losing to a kid instead of for being dirt.


    In any case, the next duels ended pretty much the same way. Rain didn''t move from his spot, and he didn''t mind using only magic. It was better than showing how his fighting style improved in thest few months.


    The second guard was defeated when Rain made him trip and then hit his head with an earth hammer. The third guard was hit from behind by an earth hammer; the fourth guard was knocked down after being hit by an earth hammer in the back of his head after he blocked another earth hammer from the front.


    "You are pretty underhanded, Rain," Branden said while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "What would you do between being underhanded and failing in your mission?" Rain asked.


    "I never said that it was bad being underhanded," Branden said. "I guess we will never get along with pure knights who value their chivalry so much."


    Rain valued that too, but he valued his life more. Besides, there was no point in worrying about honor on the battlefield or being like that and revealing your skills. In any case, after the tenth victory, Lorene stopped and said that she was fine with that.


    "It wasn''t a pretty demonstration of skill, but I can understand why Branden trusts you," Lorene said. "We will depart tomorrow at sunrise; our goal is not to be recognized in any shape or form, so think about how you can hide your identity."

 Chapter 134: Bodyguard (3)

    Rain went to exin to Lotto at night what was going to happen. He had to leave the inn he was in through the window and use magic in order to avoid suspicion. He also asked him to send a letter to his parents.


    "I don''t want to get involved in politics, and yet, I am acting like a secret agent," Rain thought and then shrugged.


    As for how he was going to work without being recognized. Rain couldn''t do much aside from using a cloak and hood or something. His size still reveals that he is a kid, so there was no point in doing anything fancy. He couldn''t keep the forearm guards with him all the time, and he couldn''t use earth magic like usual, though. It was truly a pain of a job¡­


    Before the sun could even rise the next day, Rain headed to a warehouse on the east side of the city, and there he found a wagon with two people on the sides. They nodded at him before leaving the ce in silence, and then Rain found Lorene inside wearingmoner''s clothes while surrounded by a bunch of boxes.


    "I will deal with the navigation; you just focus on the road, on the sides, and on our back to avoid attacks," Lorene said. "If we leave now, we should reach the gate when it is opening."


    Rain nodded¡­ he was being paid to do all the work, so he didn''t mind all that. It also would be a good experience for him to get on high alert for such a long time.


    Although Rain didn''t use Horsemanship that much, he was still able to guide the two horses pulling the wagon well. He did some missions where others were with him and then taught him the ropes of itz after all.


    In any case, while the sun was rising, Rain saw a bunch of wagons leaving the city as well and heading toward all sorts of parts of the kingdom. He never did his morning training close to the walls, so he never noticed how many people would leave the capital so early in the morning.


    "Did you notice anything when we crossed the gates?" Lorene asked when they were one hundred meters away from the city.


    "Are you worried about the guards?" Rain asked. "All of them looked sleepy, and I made sure to hide my hair in the hood so they only saw my face."


    "While some of the gate guards aren''t talkers, they talk too much when they drink," Lorene said. "It won''t be weird if some of them work for some families and pass Intel to them about suspicious peopleing and going."


    "Is that so?" Rain asked.


    Since he wasn''t going to be able to use his legs, Rain made sure to increase the weight on his arms. In the end, he regretted that a bit since he had to keep them steady most of the time.


    "Now, I guess I will just control the dust, as usual, to improve my control without using too much mana," Rain thought.


    Before long, the road split into West and North, and Rain turned the wagon to the north. Now that he thought about it, he didn''t know much about that region¡­ mainly because it was Pacific onnd, but the sea wasn''t. Since it has some ports, it wasmon to be attacked by pirates and the sea folk when the ships moved too far away from thend.


    "I didn''t see anyone aside from the magic people until now¡­ and those two dragons," Rain thought. "I guess it will take a while before I can see the dragon people, demi-humans, the beast people, and the sea folk¡­"


    "When are you going to talk about how you met Braden and how he recruited you?" Lorene asked.


    "Perhaps once the mission ends, and you are at your home, and I am very far away from it," Rain replied.


    "You sure have some attitude, I suppose. Considering your hair and appearance, you must have noble blood, and the fact that you don''t treat me like I am above you confirms that," Lorene said. "Do youe from a fallen family? I suppose you would trust Branden that easily since he was in a simr position¡­ I can''t be sure since you don''t look like the ambitious type."


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ she wasn''t half bad at analyzing others. Rain wondered if he should just shut up and ignore her. He could as long as he does everything else rted to work. Still, the trip willst one week before they reach their destination¡­ it will be too tiresome to act like that for so long.


    "Yes, I am¡­" Rain said. "In and ruled by a powerful noble family, a member of the household fell in love with amoner. When their forbidden romance was discovered, tragedy struck, and the noble vowed revenge. Disguised as a masked vignte, he sought to bring down their own family, but as his quest progressed, he faced a choice between vengeance and forgiveness. That is my story."


    "Yeah, right¡­ well, we have time to kill," Lorene said while looking back and could see the capital shrinking in the distance.


    It looked like keeping Lorene quiet will be more difficult than keeping her safe. Still, at least Rain could use her and learn more about the north. She seems like the type who would forget her goals while she talks¡­ even though nobles are taught to learn more while talking with others than revealing things that they know.


    "Do you guys have any idea who might be targeting your lives?" Rain asked.


    "... We have a lot of enemies behind the scenes; we can''t say for certain since we can''t assume anything without risking making mistakes," Lorene replied after a long sigh. "As far as I can tell, all of the other great houses would benefit from our fall.

 Chapter 135: Bodyguard (4)

    That kingdom sure was a mess¡­ they lost another noble house a few years ago, and they wanted to take down another because they couldn''t stand seeing others doing better than them¡­ that sure was messed up. When guys like that were on the top, it was only a matter of time before things fall apart.


    In any case, at noon, Rain thought that Lorene would want to stop and stretch her legs while Rain prepared a warm meal. He didn''t unlock the chief path yet, but he wasn''t half bad when it came to cooking. He knew how to stick a chunk of meat on a stick and cook it on a campfire like no one else.


    Still, much to his surprise, she told him to keep moving and only stop at night to let the horses rest while she was eating some weird fruit that looked like a cluster of a bunch of much smaller ones.


    "Branden said that you can use healing magic, but you can''t restore stamina, right?" Lorene asked. "If you could, we could move through the night and only let the horses stop to eat."


    "I heard that only five people can use that kind of spell¡­ aren''t you being a bit unreasonable?" Rain asked. "That kind of guy to hire should cost a fortune."


    "Considering your skills with earth magic, I thought that you might be from some tribe that looks younger than they actually are," Lorene said. "I don''t think that Branden would hire someone from the magic people, but it is hard to tell what he is thinking sometimes."


    Rain couldn''t agree more. Still, he soon forgot about that and wondered how he could get the skill to restore stamina¡­ if he could teach that to his sisters, they would be invaluable to the kingdom.


    Human Path - Lv Max


    (Physical Path Lv 50 - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 02 per level.)


    (The Apprentice Path Lv 01 - Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 02 per level up.)


    (Student Path Lv 09 - + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.)


    (Artisan Path Lv 05 - Dexterity + 04, Luck + 02 per level up.)


    (Farmer Path Lv 20 - All parameters + 1)


    (Worker Path Lv 20 - All parameters + 1)


    (Alchemist Path Lv 01 - Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 02 per level up)


    (Battlemaster Path Lv 50 - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 03 per level.)


    (Healer''s Path Lv 72 - + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.)


    (Swordsman Path Lv 01 - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 02 per level.)


    (Thief Path Lv 10 - Dexterity + 04, Luck + 02)


    (Mage''s Path Lv 40. Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity + 03 per level up)


    Brawler Lv 12 - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 04 per level.)


    Sage Lv 25 - Wisdom + 10 per level up)


    "I would guess that a magic path would do that, but all the ones that I have don''t look like they are rted to that kind of thing aside from Healer''s Path," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    Since only five people knew how to do that, they would keep the secret unless they were paid well for the information. Nothing says that they will teach it, even if they sell the information. There was also the possibility that it wasn''t a spell that they learned through a path¡­


    While Rain was thinking about such things, the day ended anticlimactic¡­ he wondered if he was bing a bloodthirsty psycho since he felt that it was boring like that¡­


    "Is it weird that I want the enemies toe as soon as possible to get rid of them quickly?" Rain wondered while he was looking around for a ce to camp.


    "There is a vige three hours away from here," Lorene said. "Will the horsesst that long?"


    "They will be fine as long as I keep healing them; even if they are a bit tired, they won''t get hurt," Rain replied. "They will rest better and under a roof as well, so we should keep going. You should inform me beforehand since I will consider our pace or increase it or not."


    "I thought that you knew this area; we are only one day away from the capital, after all," Lorene said.


    "I only worked on the west side of the capital," Rain replied.


    Rain wondered if the vige had an inn¡­ then again, it would be a pain to leave the horses and the things in the wagon alone. Rain didn''t want to drop his guard even for a moment, after all.


    After traveling in the dark for a while, they eventually found the vige that Lorene had mentioned. Much to their surprise, they saw a bunch of people walking around with torches.


    "I guess monsters must be troubling this area since the river is blocking their passage in the south. I should have known," Rain said. "Do you want to sleep in an inn or anywhere else is fine? I doubt that you will get any sleeping done with the vige in this state."


    "As long as it is a roof and it isn''t windy, anywhere is fine," Lorene said. "Just make sure to keep the monsters away if theye."


    "Yes, ma''am," Rain said.


    It will be easier to protect her that way, and they can keep her identity hidden, so it was fine by Rain. In any case, when they approached the vige, some soldiers approached Rain and soon left him alone. While young, he could still pass as a short man, so it was fine.


    While Lorene stayed in the wagon, Rain negotiated with a farmer that had an empty henhouse and paid some coins to him to use for the night. Still, the old man alerted him of the risks. Some monsters called Paralyzers were around, and they were dangerous¡­ once they grabbed anyone in the neck, it was impossible to escape without help.


    "It seems like a species that I never heard of, but they shouldn''t be able to fly if they are here," Rain said. "Do you know anything about them?"


    "No, it is only natural that the enemies will only use species that we never heard of," Lorene said.

 Chapter 136: Bodyguard (5)

    Since they didn''t leave for the tavern or the inn of the vige, Rain had to cook dinner. Fortunately, Lorene brought everything necessary for the trip, so he didn''t have to hunt or anything¡­ Aside from her clothes, there was plenty of food for them in the boxes.


    "I don''t have experience, but I guess I can take the first part of the guard duty since I nodded off a few times during the day," Lorene said.


    "That won''t be necessary; we can sleep easily; if something or someone approaches while we sleep, I will wake up," Rain dered.


    Rain wasn''tpletely sure of that, but it was better to pass some confidence to his employer. He was going to learn and improve that technique along the trip¡­ in any case, he expected that he would do all kinds of jobs while working for the organization. Still, he didn''t think that such a thing would actually happen.


    Guarding a single person toward the other side of the realm¡­ Rain felt like sighing, he didn''t want to get too close to nobility, but they were the ones with deep pockets.


    In any case, after cooking some stew, they filled their bellies and began to rx. Rain had already looked after the horses, so he felt really sleepy¡­ still, he soon woke uppletely when he heard a scream in the distance.


    "It seems that the monsters are here¡­" Rain said and then touched the ground before using his tracking spell. "They are seven hundred meters away from the vige, and there is no one else around outside the houses."


    "How many monsters?" Lorene asked.


    "Only three, still. It seems that it is enough to cause problems for the vigers," Rain replied.


    "Can you help them without revealing yourself?" Lorene asked.


    ".. I guess so," Rain replied.


    Rain left the area using Impulse and quickly found the vigers trying to fight some weird nt monsters. They looked like walking bushes that had vines that could be used as whips¡­ the vines were probably paralyzing, considering what the vigers said before¡­


    Either way, Rain fired some Wind Bullets from a distance, and that pierced the bodies of the masters. While the creatures were trembling in pain, the vigers stepped in and stabbed the monsters over and over again. Their durability wasn''t high, but the whips were troublesome to deal with.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path obtained 50 experience points.


    An Unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path obtained 50 experience points.


    ¡­


    "I suppose it can''t be helped since I didn''t kill them," Rain thought.


    Rain returned to the wagon in no time, and he saw Lorene with a knife in hand. It seemed that she wouldn''t go down without a fight in case something happened to Rain. She had some courage, but that kind of action probably would only make the enemies more pissed if she didn''t have the skills to kill them.


    "The enemies are just checking the terrain with the new monsters¡­ I thought that they could only control beasts with only a certain level of intelligence, but it seems that I was wrong," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    Rain exined about the nt monsters that he saw. Lorene also seemed curious about that kind of situation¡­ for someone like her and in her position, having a lot of intel was almost her lifeline.


    "I don''t think that they can control monsters like those¡­ they should have brought them to this area instead," Lorene said after thinking for a while. "This is the first time they used this kind of monster, and they don''t have the leisure to only send a small number of them."


    That made sense¡­ Still, it was hard to understand the enemy''s actions. Perhaps if Branden and Lorene had some ess to the information of spies, Rain would learn something. Still, he didn''t want to ask and get entangled in their business further.


    In any case, those two managed to fall asleep eventually. Rain had a hard time adjusting himself to staying awake and resting his mind without turning off his brain, but he got the trick behind it after a while. He just had to stay still while sitting in the same position with his eyes open but with his mind empty.


    When morning came, his body felt a bit sluggish, but not that much that would hinder his work during the day.


    Rain and Lorene left even before sunrise, so few people managed to see them do that. Some people would wonder why they came to the vige and didn''t sell anything when they looked like merchants. Still, it would make most think that they were just delivering a cargo somewhere else.


    "Should we move away from the central path when the monsters can attack?" Rain asked.


    "That slows down our pace; the main road is filled with viges that we can use," Lorene exined. "If you don''t have any problems handling the monsters, then we shouldn''t skip them. That will also help the kingdom."


    Rain was fine with that; he was just considering efficiency since they would waste some time dealing with monsters. In any case, the next few days passed rather fast, even though the nights had been longer¡­ not all viges up to the North were being attacked by monsters, but half were.


    Rain assumes that the enemies still want to make the humans split their forces and keep their focus on many areas¡­ even though the magic people couldn''t attack those areas so far away.


    Lorene sighed in relief when they began to feel the smell of the sea, and then soon, they could see the port city that was their destination. Rain imagined that she was relieved that she would be able to see her future husband, but she was from safety; if anything, the chances of her being attacked now were greater.


    "At least I will be able to sleep a little there¡­" Rain thought while massaging his neck.


    The port city didn''t have many tall or fancy buildings, but it was quiterge, and it didn''t have any walls either since most of the problems woulde from the sea¡­ the ce really gave Rain a sense of freedom and freshness.

 Chapter 137: Working extra hard (1)

    "How are you going to meet him?" Rain asked. "All this time in incognito won''t mean anything if we knock at his door like this."


    "He will be waiting for us at night today," Lorene said. "Branden said that you can make us fly. The sun is setting, so we can just wait near a tavern before moving."


    That was a tough job¡­ while Rain probably could do that, moving everyone, the horses, and the wagon would use a bit of mana. Still, he couldn''tin¡­ The sky was cloudy as well, so that was their best option.


    While the Port City didn''t have walls, there were some guards patrolling around the ce, but they looked pretty rxed. Rain could tell that they didn''t face any problems in a while¡­ that was a good thing since it made people feel rxed. Still, it was also a bad thing since their sense of danger was getting dull¡­ if something happened, they would probably be swept by it like a tornado.


    In any case, the whole city was filled with people since there was plenty of workarounds. That was why thest few vigers that Rain saw were so far away and were quite small. In any case, they parked the wagon beside a tavern, and Lorene began to look through the boxes pretending that she was working on something. At the same time, Rain went to grab some water for them and for the horses.


    While Rain could condense the air and turn it into water, it was better not to draw that much attention toward them.


    When night fell, they began to walk around like they were looking for an inn, but they headed toward the darkest part of the city, and once they found an alley big enough, they moved toward it. Without wasting any time, Rain made a bit of the ground emerge and then pulled them upward. It would be easier if he had pulled a huge chunk, but that would leave traces behind.


    As such, he has to focus a lot while straining his mind to fly with that thinyer of earth without making it fall apart any piece of it.


    "It is that house. Land on the back of it," Lorene said while pointing to a mansion that covered a huge block of the city.


    Rain moved as fast as he could since he almost could feel his brain cells exploding with the effort he was pulling in. Still, thending on the back of the garden of the mansion had been as fluid as it could get¡­ Rain sat on the ground feeling like he needed to sleep for three days, but soon he got up when some guards appeared and pointed their weapons toward them.


    "You are¡­" a female voice echoed in the areaing from the guards. "They are guests¡­ lower your weapons."


    The guards were all heavily armored, including with helmets, which was why Rain had to wait for the woman to step in and then reveal herself. She took the helmet off and then bowed slightly, revealing the face of a woman with short ck hair. She looked quite rugged, but she had some fine features on her face.


    "Forgive our insolence, mydy," The woman whispered. "My lord is waiting for you inside the house¡­ you all return to your positions; I will deal with this."


    The guards saluted, and then they began to move. Their discipline was quite good since they didn''t hesitate even for a moment.


    It was rare to find female officers in the army since they didn''t have the upper hand when it came to physical strength; most of them would focus on magic, but asionally, Rain would find some of them that somehow could match men in terms of strength, or they were simply more skilled.


    In any case, Lorene nodded and then jumped from the wagon. Usually, she would stretch her body first, but this time she tried to keep her dignity as a noble as if she didn''t have to stretch or something.


    The mansion had a stable on the side as well, so Rain moved the horses and the wagon toward it. Soon, he followed the others, but he was stopped at the door.


    "Servants can wait outside while mydy and my lord talk," The guard said.


    "No can do; if something happens to her inside the house, I won''t be paid, and I will be med for it," Rain said.


    "No harm will befall her while she is here," The female guard said.


    "That is up to me to make sure. Your words aren''t enough," Rain replied.


    "You¡­" The female guard looked at Rain while emitting some bloodlust.


    "Let hime. He is a guest as well," Lorene said. "If he does something rude, I will take full responsibility for it."


    "... Very well, mydy," The female guard said.


    Rain knew that he did his job well, so Lorene had no reason to doubt that he would keep protecting her. As for the female guard, Rain had no idea why, but she sure looked stressed, even though that city was so peaceful.


    In any case, they entered the house; the living room of the fancy mansion exuded an air of opulence and elegance. The walls are adorned with richly woven tapestries depicting epic tales and vibrant scenes from nature. Large windows are draped with luxurious velvet curtains, allowing a soft, warm light to filter through.


    The room is dominated by a grand firece made of intricately carved stone, its mes dancing with a cozy radiance.


    The furniture is ornate and well-crafted, showcasing the finest woods and fabrics. Plush velvet sofas and chairs are arranged around the room, their deep colors matching the tapestries. borate wooden tables with iid designs hold antique books, crystal goblets, and delicate sculptures.


    "Someone is showing off," Rain thought.


    From the second floor, Rain heard some quick footsteps, and then the owner of the ce finally showed up.

 Chapter 138: Working extra hard (2)

    Lorene''s future husband looked like a noble merchant possessing an air of refined charm and approachability. With a slender frame that carries an air of grace, he stands as a testament to both his noble lineage and his keen sense of style. His clothing is tastefully tailored, a blend of rich fabrics and intricate details that denote his status.


    His eyes hold a warm twinkle, and his genuine smile is quick to greet those he encounters. Soft waves of chestnut hair frame his face, adding a touch of youthful vitality to his overall appearance. Despite his noble origins, there''s ack of haughtiness in his demeanor; his easygoing nature and friendly disposition make it easy for others to feelfortable in his presence.


    With arge smile on his face, he ran toward Lorene, and she did the same. Both of them smiled while holding each other''s hands for a long while. Rain felt like he wanted to roll his eyes, but then he saw the female guard looking more pissed.


    "I get it now¡­ unrequited love, huh?" Rain thought. "It must be tough. You don''t get my pity, though."


    It was amon urrence, a frail-looking guy making a strong and rugged woman fall in love with them because he treated her like an ordinary girl. Rain didn''t know if it was the thing between them, but he could bet that it was a bit simr.


    "I have been waiting for you, my dear," The man said.


    "Oh boy¡­ the cringe!" Rain thought.


    "I heard that you wereing with only a single guard, but¡­ I am thankful for keeping her safe," The guy said. "My name is Orcis Vi. It is a pleasure to meet you."


    Rain just silently nodded. He thought a few times why the guy didn''te to the capital instead to visit her¡­ he assumed that he had important business to do in his hometown, but even so, was that enough reason to risk the safety of his bride? It wasn''t his problem, but Rain would rather keep his distance from such people.


    "We will have dinner soon. Please, take a nice bath and change your clothes," Orcis said.


    "Yes," Lorene said while showing a weird smile.


    Lorene looked like a girl crazy in love; her head was probably filled with flowers right now, and she looked like a totally different person¡­ in any case, Rain couldn''t keep an eye on her all the time now. Still, he made sure to use his tracking spell to make sure that no one suspicious would approach Lorene while she was away from him.


    The mansion was big, but Rain would be fine since it wouldn''t require much mana from him.


    "Once again, thank you for bringing Lorene here safely," Orcis said. "Branden said that someone reliable would do that, but I didn''t think that it would be someone so young."


    "I just did my job," Rain said.


    "Right¡­ he also said that you don''t talk much," Orcis said and then sat down. "Please, have a seat. I want to hear the details about your trip with Lorene."


    That was part of the job, so Rain gave his reportst week. Nothing major happened Aside from a few encounters with monsters. Orcis asked if Rain felt them being watched, but he confirmed several times that they weren''t. Orcis didn''t seempletely satisfied by his words, but he didn''t seem that suspicious either.


    "... I suppose they might try something while we are together," Orcis said while looking at the table in front of him. "It is only a matter of time before they find that she is here¡­ I can''t keep her here all the time either; that would be a waste."


    It would be a waste, but it also would be the best option¡­ as expected, Rain confirmed once again that nobles had poor judgment skills when ites to risk-taking. They didn''t mind the risks of rxing a little since they had guards, and those had to offer their lives to protect them.


    Still, that might be a good thing¡­ If Rain keeps his distance from them, he could find the suspicious individuals when they try to target them¡­ it will be hard to stay hidden at such times, though. So, he might risk revealing himself and his skills.


    "My job is to protect her, and I will do it, even if you put her at risk or she put herself at risk with that kind of decision," Rain said.


    Rain heard the guard touching the pommel of her sword; it seemed that speaking frankly to nobles in those parts was an alien concept for them. Still, she didn''t do anything aside from that. Otherwise, Rain would have to bury her alive.


    "My apologies for increasing your workload, but I will trust you to keep her safe," Orcis said. "Besides, Lorene knows that staying hidden would only make the enemies more eager to target her since that would make her look like she feels unsafe."


    "I suppose that makes sense," Rain said.


    "Since you are her guard, you can take the room next to her," Orcis said. "Julie, please pick the one on the other side and work together with Rainendall to keep Lorene safe."


    "Yes, my lord," Julie said and then bowed.


    It seemed that Julie did some bad things in her past life to deserve that kind of job¡­ maybe she was just that unlucky, but Rain didn''t pity her in the least. He didn''t have to like someone who always looked at him with pissed eyes from the very moment they met.


    In any case, Rain unpacked his things in his new room, which was pretty fancy. He felt a bit troubled by it since he was getting used to sleeping while sitting on the ground.


    Rain soon left to follow Lorene since she was going to have dinner with Orcis. Julie did the same, and soon Rain confirmed that this one would be one hell of a job.

 Chapter 139: Risk management (1)

    The fact that Rain had to guard a noblewoman wasn''t a problem. He already knew that Lorene wasn''t that hard to deal with¡­ still, from the next day onward, he sure felt troubled while guarding her since she was mostly with Orcis, and they looked lovey-dovey all the time¡­ that was irritating since he was on high alert and they were rxing like nothing was wrong.


    "I suppose I am not fit for this kind of job," Rain thought. "Let''s focus on monster hunting from this day onward. It will be much less of a pain in the ass, but it will be good for my free spirit. There are some downsides, though."


    The fact that Rain couldn''t train his body was also a problem¡­ while the weights still were keeping him in shape, he wasn''t making much progress like usual. Still, for the first three days, things had been fairly easy for him, but after that, Lorene felt a bit stressed since that day, Orcis spent most of the time outside. He was a businessman, after all.


    He couldn''t just stay inside all day for ten days because Lorene was there.


    "Mydy, if you want to take a stroll outside, we can offer you some escorts," Julie said.


    "I am thankful for the offer, but I don''t want to take any chances," Lorene said. "I will be satisfied in leaving when there is no other choice, and we will have to prepare things for the ceremony."


    Rain was in the corner of the room, just waiting silently for time to pass. Lorene was quite understanding that something might happen outside, and she felt like it was better just to wait and not give many chances to the enemies to make their move.


    Although Julie was being jealous as hell, she still was doing her job well, and she wasn''t being that offensive toward Lorene. She waspletely respectful, actually¡­ she was only showing her anger at Rain, even though he didn''t say a single thing in three days.


    "Do you sense anything odd outside?" Lorene asked.


    "Too many presences to tell," Rain replied.


    Rain''s tracking spell didn''t work to differentiate those who were stronger, so he couldn''t tell if dangerous people were keeping an eye on the mansion¡­ he felt like he had to improve that skill somehow, but he had no idea how¡­


    Rain had some days to think about that, truly, nothing came to mind, and his peace of mind ended two dayster when he heard that Lorene had to go to a tailor to take her measurements for her wedding dress.


    "That is a thing here as well, huh?" Rain thought. "My knowledge about this world still iscking¡­ but it can''t be helped since only nobles have ceremonies like this."


    "What is the n, Rain?" Lorene asked. "I have to leave in one hour."


    "That is up to you and her," Rain said. "We can try to leave during the day incognito as servants, but we will probably be followed if the enemies are around. We can also leave like usual with some guards to scare the enemies off¡­ that is up to you."


    "What is the best option?" Lorene asked.


    "It is hard to say. If we leave in a small group, we might get rid of a bunch of enemies, but then we will truly reveal who we are and cause amotion. The enemies might try harder the next time," Rain exined. "If we leave with the guards, we can leave some doubts in their minds; I can keep some cards hidden."


    In the end, it was a matter of preference for Lorene. If she feltfortable in risking herself to lure the enemies or not¡­ even if that worked, it could cause more problems than solved.


    Julie felt a bit annoyed that she wasn''t being consulted about that. Naturally, she didn''t want to act like a sneaky thief and walk around like a peasant. She didn''t train hard for years and reached that position to not have faith in her skills.


    "... We will leave with the guards here since that will decrease the problemster," Lorene dered.


    "Understood," Rain said.


    "I will ready the guards, my Lady," Julie said and then bowed before she left for the garden.


    "... What do you think of the guards here? Can they be trusted?" Lorene whispered after she approached.


    "They look like in guards who act like honor is everything; with that in mind, it would be foolish of them to take the enemy''s side," Rain said. "I would assume that Orcis picked them to work for him since they have families and friends here as well¡­ that would suffer for their failures or suspicious actions. So, no¡­ I don''t trust them; I would rather operate not counting on them."


    "I guess I should have asked this earlier then¡­" Lorene said and then sighed.


    "It is fine; if they try anything, they will die on the spot," Rain said while shrugging. "They are big and slow; they won''t catch me by surprise."


    The real problem was other factors¡­ the guards might not do something, but they might let others do that. In any case, that kind of problem could easily be solved if the dressmaker were toe to them. Still, she was a busy person, and she was constantly making dresses for that kind of asion¡­


    Before long, the carriage that would take them to the dressmaker was waiting for them outside, so the group left the mansion. Rain wanted to sit on the top of the vehicle to have a better view of the surroundings, but Lorene told him to stay in the cabin with him. In the meantime, Julie was driving the vehicle, and ten guards followed them on horses.


    Through the windows of the cabin, Rain could look around. Still, the vision was rather limited¡­ such a well-guarded vehicle drew the attention of the people in the city, but Rain couldn''t see all of them¡­

 Chapter 140: Risk management (2)

    In the end, they reached the dressmaker atelier without finding any problems and soon entered the ce. The atelier of the dressmaker exuded an atmosphere of creativity and elegance. The room is adorned with a variety of fabrics in vibrant colors and delicate patterns, giving the space a sense of liveliness and inspiration.


    Soft sunlight filters through the windows, casting a warm glow that highlights the intricate details of the fabrics.


    Mannequins stand proudly around the room, disying a range of dresses at various stages ofpletion. The scent of carefully chosen perfumes and the rustling of fabrics create a unique ambiance, inviting visitors to explore the world of fashion and design.


    In the heart of the atelier, the middle-aged dressmaker stands with a tape measure draped around her neck. Her skilled hands move deftly across a piece of fabric, carefully cutting and shaping it to her vision. Her attire, though simple, speaks volumes of her expertise in fashion. She wears afortable yet stylish ensemble thatplements her confident demeanor.


    "Wee, mydy," the dressmaker said while bowing deeply. "My sincerest apologies for making youe to my humble atelier."


    "It is fine; I should be thanking you for epting my request despite being so busy," Lorene said.


    "It is an honor, my Lady," The woman said.


    The guards checked the atelier for a moment, but soon they left. Only Rain, Julie, Lorene, and the dressmaker were left there. Julie looked at him as if she wanted to convey with her eyes why the hell he was there, but Rain ignored it. He only realized the issue after Lorene had most of her body measured in, and then she began to take her clothes out.


    Rain shrugged and then turned to the door when Lorene looked at him before she could show anything. It seemed that it was a thing in that world; women shouldn''t show their naked bodies to anyone aside from their husbands after they reach a certain age. Rain wondered how that worked with people that married twice or more¡­ Those people certainly existed.


    Although he couldn''t see it, Rain still could hear and sense things in the atelier with his senses and magic. If anyone does anything suspicious, they will be buried alive. Still, that didn''t happen¡­ but they sure took their time taking measurements. They left after lunch, and the sun was already setting when it was over.


    Rain looked at the dressmaker with suspicion, but she didn''t react in any way. Julie looked fine, so she didn''t assume that the woman was wasting or buying time suspiciously. She also didn''t look that guarded¡­ but she looked jealous of Lorene.


    "... I really can''t count on those people," Rain thought. "Come to think of it, Julie is the one who would like the most if Orcis loses his bride¡­ she doesn''t look like that type of person, but I can''t say that I am a good judge of character."


    "Thank you very much, mydy," the dressmaker said. "The dress will be ready in one week for testing and to make the final adjustments. I will do my best to make it to your liking."


    "Thank you, I will be looking forward to it," Lorene said while smiling from ear to ear.


    Although she looked a bit tired, Lorene also looked like she enjoyed herself. As expected of women, even in another world, they find joy in that kind of thing¡­ in any case, the group soon left the atelier and saw that the city was already dark, thanks to the night¡­ People were stilling and going, but Rain didn''t like that. There were plenty of ces where enemies could hide now.


    "I will stay at the top of the cabin this time," Rain dered.


    "... Sure, few people will see you now, anyway," Lorene said after she furrowed her eyebrows. "Try not to do anything weird, all right?"


    The guards also looked on high alert, so as soon as everyone was ready, they began to increase their pace toward the mansion. Still, despite that, after they crossed just a few blocks, the road ahead was blocked when some people suddenly tried to cross it and then fell to the ground.


    "Move away! We have urgent Business to attend to!" Julie shouted.


    The copsed people didn''t move an inch¡­ and if that wasn''t suspicious, nothing else was. Julie clicked her tongue in annoyance and then looked at some guards, and they nodded. They jumped from the horses and then went to check the copsed people with their swords in hand. At the same time, Rain jumped from the cabin while looking around.


    There were some alleys nearby, but he couldn''t feel any presenceing from them.


    "Sneaky bastards¡­" Rain thought.


    The guards tried to move the bodies of those people around with their feet carefully. But they were strangely heavy¡­ when they tried harder, they noticed that there was something weird on the chests of those people¡­ it was some kind of box. At the same time that Rain saw that, he felt a shiver and then touched the ground.


    In the next moment, two massive explosions took ce where the bodies were supposed to be¡­ the entire area trembled, and then dust emerged and spread around the area like a curtain that blinded everyone¡­


    Before long, Rain heard the sound of grunts and then the sound of peoplending nearby. Rain immediately understood what happened¡­ he didn''t feel anyone''s presence nearby because they were on the roof of the buildings behind.


    "Keep a tight formation around ourdy!" Julie shouted.


    That was the best way to reveal their positions¡­ Rain thought and then felt like sighing. Regardless, he kept his guard up while he was ready to move. He didn''t know if the enemies would get closer or if they would attack from a distance¡­ that explosion was probably caused by magic, so Rain assumed that the magic people were involved in the incident.

 Chapter 141: Risk management (3)

    Rain could have dispersed the dust with a burst of wind, but he waited until he could clearly feel the footsteps of the enemies¡­ When that happened, he used his earth magic and made them sink on the ground. Still, before that could happenpletely, the targets exploded.


    "What the hell¡­" Rain thought.


    The st pushed Rain and the other guards until they hit the carriage¡­ as if that wasn''t enough, the explosion made mes around spread like wildfire¡­ it was because of the dust, Rain couldn''t exin how that worked, but he knew that such a thing was possible.


    Before the mes could reach them, Rain used his magic and pushed the dust away from the carriage. Instead of the mes burning him and his allies, it burned the enemies that were approaching and soon they began to explode one after the other.


    "Human bombs? Are you for real?" Rain thought


    The buildings nearby began to crack thanks to the tremors and the temperature increased. Still, when all that stopped, the enemies that jumped away and escaped the attacks saw the carriage covered by an earth sphere, it waspletely filled with cracks, but it resisted the attacks.


    The enemies began to run away after the surprise attack ended and since they didn''t expect a mage of such caliber to be around, but soon Rain made the earth sphere fall and then he shot Fireballs toward the enemies¡­ Rain regreted a little when he saw the enemies exploding with a single attack, so he pierced the legs of others with his Wind Bullets, but when they fell, the enemies began to explode in inspite of that.


    The buildings nearby began to lose their walls in a domino effect.


    The skill Fireball received 500 experience points.


    The Mage''s path received 100 experience points.


    The skill Fireball received 500 experience points.


    The Mage''s path received 100 experience points.


    ¡­


    "... Is everyone fine?" Julie asked while looking around and seeing that all of the enemies had been dealt with. The only problem was the fact that there were many pieces and would be impossible to identify. "Are you unharmed, mydy?"


    "... Yes," Lorene said with her head down and slowly seeing the scene of chaos around her.


    There were craters around filled with blood and some buildings were slowly copsing. People in the distance and were running away from the area while shouting¡­ while Rain had a cloak and hood, and he wanted to leave the area as soon as possible as well, but some guards were moving toward them to interrogate them.


    Rain looked on the spot where the first enemies exploded and then saw those two guards alive. He contained the explosion a bit by making the enemies sink on the ground and also emerged an earth wall on the soldiers, but they were still hit by the debris. They will be fine, though.


    "It looks like the enemies tried really hard to take us down from the very beginning¡­ even if Orcis wasn''t with us," Rain said when he approached the carriage.


    Lorene nodded while showing a pale expresion¡­ She waited for a lot of things, but not for the enemies to kill themselves while trying to kill her. Still, was that really it? Rain took a good look at the enemies before they died, and they didn''t look like they were magic people¡­ since their bodies exploded, it was impossible to tell.


    Since Julie was well known in the city, she smoothed things over until Orcis arrived in the area. While looking around, he clicked his tongue when he realized how far the enemies were willing to go to kill Lorene¡­ it seemed that he was only a bonus in the grand scheme of things.


    "I suppose my skills stillck some polish¡­ the attacks were too powerful for me to block thempletely," Rain thought. "The idea of capturing some of them also almost resulted in disaster¡­"


    It was annoying, but in a conflict like that, Rain finally realized that he couldn''t do the most obvious thing to capture enemies to interrogate them¡­ he had to kill them all without hesitation. It was quite something¡­ to think that the people of their own country would do the same as the enemies that they have been fighting together.


    "... Thanks to you, the enemies were dealt with, Lorene escaped unharmed and even my soldiers survived¡­ I am truly thankful," Orcis said and then bowed his head when they returned to the mansion.


    "I was just doing my job, I figured that I would receive less if she were to get scratched during the mission," Rain shrugged.


    Lorene left with Julie to her room since she was still in shock by what had happened¡­ It didn''t look like she had to deal with such a bloody world until now since she lived a peaceful life in the Capital. That was bound to change her forever.


    "Did you learn anything during the right?" Orcis asked. "That might help us connect this incident to their ring leader."


    "Not much, but they seemed like humans¡­ humans that were put two types of spells on them, and some explosives as well," Rain replied.


    "... Can you borate?" Orcis asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "The enemies didn''t look strong and their presence was ordinary as well, but even so, they exploded as soon as something unexpected happened," Rain replied. "That makes me think that someone put a spell on them that would make them explode upon death or when the caster decided it. The explosives would increase the power of the spell."


    Rain thought that he was the first person who thought of enhancing spells with other tools, but he was obviously wrong¡­ those enemies easily increased the power of the explosions by two hundred percent by carrying with them a box of explosives.


    Since that was the case and theirck of hesitation, Rain assumed that they were being controlled as well¡­ the explosion spell shouldn''t be able to do that.

 Chapter 142: Risk management (4)

    Rain''s exnation surprised Orcis¡­ he didn''t look like he imagined that the enemies would be able to pull that off. Still, it was something that had limitations¡­ range was probably one of them, so using thatbination on wars wasn''t probable.


    "I see¡­ I will do some investigation considering all this," Orcis said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You should go and rest as well, you can at least leave this to me."


    "All right," Rain said and then he headed to his room.


    Rain had a few things to do as well, so he weed that. In truth, Rain wasn''t that tired since he didn''t use much mana, but he looked like that since he was lost in thought.


    "So, spells like that exist, huh?" Rain thought when he opened the door of his room. "I never heard of a tribe of magic people that can do this¡­ and for them to show up now and like this¡­ something is off here."


    Rain used his magic and then condensed a small sphere of air, and made it explode. A small breeze of wind spread across the area and then he nodded¡­ he could do the same thing, but how well?


    That kind of spell coulde in handy, but it was a bit different than what the enemies used. Rain didn''t see any fireball with them, so they cast a spell that stayed on the enemies in the form of mana until they were activated. It was a spell with dyed effect¡­ that definitely could be useful inbat and definitely could make Rain learn other things rted to it.


    "For now, I don''t need it, but since I got the Sage''s path and I can use more mana to enhance spells, maybe it is about time to learn some support magic," Rain thought. "This counts as support, right?"


    Until now, Rain had used magic to support him in many ways, but not the mostmon way since he didn''t know how to use his mana to enhance his parameters¡­ It was weird since support was supposed to be one of the first things a healer should learn.


    Trying to control his mana in some parts of his body didn''t work or make it burn inside him wasn''t possible either¡­ Now that Rain thought about it, he didn''t hear much about support magic at all.


    "I need to do some research before wasting mana blindly," Rain thought.


    When morning came, Rain left his room to do his work, but soon he learned that Lorene was in her room and she asked to have breakfast there since she wasn''t feeling well. Julie helped her with that, things worked like that because Orcis was out of the house doing his investigation.


    "She didn''t sleep at all tonight," Julie said when she left the room. "For people that had never been on the battlefield, the first time they see someone really trying to kill them is shocking¡­"


    Rain wasn''t so sure about that, he experienced something simr on the day of the invasion, but he didn''t get like that¡­ it was probably because on the very first day he was born, he learned that he might lose things pretty easily if he is weak. Lorene never thought of that before.


    "She will ovee it, unless she wants to cancel the whole marriage thing," Rain said.


    Julie didn''t react to those words. Now that Rain thought about it, she wasn''t acting that hostile anymore¡­ probably because he showed his skills and he wasn''t all talk. In any case, Julie didn''t look like she wanted things to end in such a convenient way in her favor.


    In any case, it was useful for Rain if she stayed in her room for a while, but he didn''t feel so bad when she left it at noon while looking like she had seen better days. Still, after resting on the garden for a while, she began to look better.


    "I always knew that such a thing wasmon¡­ poison, assassination, betrayals," Lorene said while looking at the sky. "Nobles dying thanks to such a things is prettymon in times of war, but I never thought that such a thing would actually happen to me."


    "I guess that means that you are naively optimistic," Rain said. "It is half bad and half of a good thing."


    "Since you are from Tristan, I guess seeing people trying to kill and dying in front of you doesn''t faze you," Lorene said and then sighed.


    "All deaths can''t affect me, I wouldn''tst for long if that were to happen," Rain shrugged. "Still, that doesn''t mean that I don''t sigh in relief after the battles and confirm that we won and I achieved my goals."


    Rain didn''t want to admit it, but he felt better when he confirmed that his closest allies survived than about the victory. Winning or losing didn''t matter as long as you can try again the next time and learn from your mistake. Rain knew that as long as there is life, things change for the better, after all.


    "Goals, huh?" Lorene asked. "I guess my goal is survival, but it is annoying since it isn''t something that I can secure on my own. I suppose I should start helping Branden crush the guys who are trying to kill us."


    Lorene showed a cold grin after saying that. Rain couldn''t judge her way of coping with stress, but nobles sure tend to quickly follow the devious route¡­ in any case, Rain wondered if the next time they head to the dressmaker something will happen again.


    After that, they will just have to stay in the port city for two more days and then they will be able to leave¡­ still, much to his surprise, Lorene decided to leave the house a lot in the next few days¡­ as if she was taunting the enemies to attack.


    "I guess she must have gone insane¡­" Rain thought.

 Chapter 143: Oath (1)

    In spite of Lorene''s choices, nothing happened in the next few days. Despite that, she felt quite good since she couldn''t help but think that the enemies were too cowardly to attack in the middle of the day. The whole group was also on high alert, so attacking would be stupid.


    "Ah, this is refreshing¡­" Lorene said while showing that cold grin on her face.


    "I definitely shouldn''t get entangled with nobles," Rain thought. "Those guys are all sort of bad news."


    During those days of wait, Rain tried to think of how he could learn the spell that the enemies used and how he could detect people by the magic presence as well¡­ that would be really convenient. However, that wasmon sense; if he thought of that, many did the same and probably tried to learn such a skill, but he had never heard of anything like it.


    "Appraisal and Analyze aremon skills in games that reveal information¡­ still, having them in the real world would be too damn useful," Rain thought. "Seeing weakness would be too much, but even so¡­ just a bit of information might change the ending of some wars."


    It was probably too much to hope for a skill that would give him information with letters and numbers, but Rain would ept just enough if he could feel the mana of those around him. That would be a starting point¡­ unfortunately, nothing came to mind during those free days.


    The day to return to the dressmaker finally arrived, and just like before, they were heading toward the atelier before lunch. Rain looked at Lorene, but she just shrugged.


    "If something happens, I will be counting on you," Lorene said.


    "If anything, you have the guts to trust that much of my skills to protect you," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "I am counting on your desire to receive the payment for this mission more than anything," Lorene said.


    "I guess that is more logical," Rain said.


    The guards had recovered from the wounds that they suffered before, so they were truly itching to make up for the failure thest time. They didn''t do anything, and a nine-year-old boy took the glory from them and also saved their skin¡­ while they felt grateful, they also felt ashamed since adults aren''t supposed to be saved by children.


    While they were heading to the dressmaker, Rain couldn''t help but think that if the whole group was itching that much for a fight, the enemies might not want toe and attack them¡­ Rain was certain that the enemies only used minions that they wouldn''t miss, but even so, it would be foolish to try the same thing.


    "It doesn''t seem like anyone went missing, so the people that died are from outside¡­" Rain thought. "The people here didn''t recognize anyone suspicious missing either¡­ how did they arrive in the port city, then?"


    While thinking about such a thing, Rain and the others arrived at the dressmaker atelier. However, at such a moment¡­ Rain suddenly had a bad feeling, and then a certain idea crossed his mind.


    "Wait," Rain said. "Don''t enter the building."


    "What is wrong?" Lorene asked.


    "It is just a bad feeling¡­" Rain replied.


    Rain tried to use his tracking skill, and he also checked the roof of the nearby buildings, but he didn''t find anything¡­ and yet, that annoying feeling wasn''t leaving him alone.


    "Is something bothering you?" Lorene asked. "Should we leave?"


    "Something is bothering me, but I didn''t find anything suspicious¡­ so I guess it is fine," Rain replied.


    Just like before, the guards checked the interior of the atelier, but they didn''t find anything out of the norm and soon left. Rain didn''t feel satisfied with that, and he kept looking around¡­ the dressmaker was acting like usual, so he didn''t think that she was plotting anything. Still, he had to stop when Lorene had to test the dress.


    However, his senses alerted him when he moved too far away from Lorene¡­ in the next moment, the whole building exploded.


    The guards outside were pushed away by the st of the explosion, and then when they got up, they opened their eyes widely when they saw a curtain of dust dissipating, and then they saw a massive pile of rubble in the ce of the atelier. They failed to protect the bride of their boss, and they lost their captain as well¡­ their heads will definitely roll after that.


    Just when everyone had given up on that, the pile of rubble began to tremble, and before long, it split into two sides¡­ revealing the figures of Rain, Lorene, Julie, and the dressmaker. In thest moment, Rain used his earth magic to erect some walls that protected them against the whole explosion, but it had been a close call.


    "Shit¡­ I will never doubt my instincts again," Rain said and then got up before flying upward using an earth tform and checking everything around in search of the enemy that almost killed them. However, he didn''t find any signs of the culprit. "Sneaky piece of shit¡­"


    Naturally, the enemy wouldn''t stay around to see the results of their actions if they seeded or not¡­ in any case, that kind of ability was really handy. Rain had no idea why he was considering such a thing only at This time¡­ if the enemy could turn human beings into bombs, It wouldn''t be weird if they could make buildings fall that easily as well.


    "No luck?" Julie asked when Rain returned, and then he shook his head. "They really are trying all sorts of things to get us killed."


    "I am going to catch them¡­ but oh, I will, and then I will turn their lives into a living hell," Lorene said while clenching her fists. "At least my dress only got a bit of dust¡­ don''t worry. I will make sure that you will get your atelier and materials to work again."


    The dressmaker nodded, but she didn''t look very convinced of it¡­ she still looked like everything she worked for waspletely gone.

 Chapter 144: Oath (2)

    In the end, Rain felt a bit bad for the dressmaker as well, so he tried to fix as much as he could of her atelier. He had nned to test that eventually¡­ repairing things like walls or floors made of dirt or stone without using more materials.


    It was a bit troublesome, but it was possible¡­ The difficulty lies in making all the parts return to their spots¡­ if that wasn''t done, the repair wouldn''t restore thingspletely.


    Repairing everything would take more than a day, so Rain stopped when he got rid of most of the debris since Lorene and Julie finished talking with some guards of the city again. Around the same time, Orcis showed up.


    "Are you all right? Are you truly all right?" Orcis asked when he grabbed Lorene by the shoulders.


    "Yes, I am. Still, we didn''t have time to find the culprit," Lorene replied.


    "Why not?" Orcis asked while ring at Rain.


    "We were busy trying not to be buried alive," Rain replied. "The explosion also sent the guards flying away. It gave more than enough time for the enemy to escape. They are good at that since they have been living in your city for a while, after all."


    Orcis didn''t take those words well; he clenched his teeth and fists and had a hard time containing his anger. Still, he pulled that off since, once again, no casualties happened, thanks to Rain.


    "... I wanted to avoid power struggles since I am concerned for my people''s safety¡­ however, I can''t tolerate this any longer," Orcis said. "I will offer my total support to the Corsalis family from now on. We aren''t only waging war against the magic people; we are waging war against the scum of our country as well."


    Rain wondered if he could get a bonus for making Branden gain a new ally like that¡­ maybe he shouldn''t ask for it since everything he did was within the requirements of the job.


    In any case, Lorene returned to the shop every day until the day of their departure. She also asked Rain to fix the atelier of the dressmaker since there was no better Earth mage user. While Rain didn''t want to show more of his skills, Lorene promised him to pay more for the mission, so he didn''t have that many reasons to refuse.


    "I guess I am too much into making money," Rain thought.


    Rain recently thought of buying a house, so perhaps that was the reason. Perhaps he should use the extra coins to buy better gear as well, even though he didn''t need to until now.


    In any case, on the day of the departure, Orcis decided to follow them until the gate of his mansion. He was a bit surprised when he heard that Lorene didn''t want to travel incognito anymore¡­ She had total trust in Rain''s skills now. While that was fine, he wished that such respect made her more mindful to help him work less instead of more.


    "I will visit the capital in the next few weeks, and then we will finish the final details," Orcis said. "Until then, my beloved."


    "Not even bears like this much sweetness," Rain thought. "I guess women in this world are into that kind of thing."


    "I will trust her safety to you, Rain," Orcis said. "Once again, I am thankful for your work, and I hope that someday I can repay the favor."


    "You can repay with some gold coins," Rain thought and then just nodded.


    The guards saluted Rain as well. While they didn''t like him at first, they recognized his skills eventually and confirmed that he wasn''t an ordinary kid. They also knew that there was no point in feeling jealous of someone else''s talent and power. The best option was just to show some respect.


    In any case, Rain didn''t feel much toward it¡­ having the respect of others was fine and all, but he wasn''t nning to use it in any shape or form. Maybe that will open some doors for him in the future, but he decided not to pay any mind to it.


    Before long, both of them left the port city in broad daylight. While it was risky, Lorene decided that it would be a better idea to let the enemies know that she only had a single guard and it was their golden chance to attack her¡­ naturally, she couldn''t see any other result aside from their deaths.


    "My apologies for making you deal with this," Lorene said. "But since you feel confident and you aren''t against the idea, I thought that it would be fine."


    "Just doing my job of following orders. As long as I am being paid, it is fine," Rain shrugged.


    While it was a bit troublesome, Rain was fine with luring the enemies like that. It was a lot more troublesome to stay hidden, after all. Besides, Rain wanted more battle experience, and he also wanted to make the enemies show all of their cards against him; that way, they could only surprise him for so long.


    Still, something troublesome happened along the way¡­ nothing happened. The trip back to the capital had been as calm as it could be¡­ to the point that it felt boring.


    "I guess you scared the enemies for good," Lorene said. "Trying a third time would be hard for them to pull as well¡­ they wouldn''t be able to hide in the open."


    "I suppose so," Rain said.


    "At first, I thought that this trip would be pretty bothersome since I was being escorted by a kid, then I regretted a little when we were attacked for the first time, but I am grateful for it now," Lorene suddenly said.


    "It opened my eyes and made me realize that the kingdom is in a much worse shape than I had imagined¡­ It also made me realize that people like you can also appear, even though you aren''t one hundred percent highborn. You are invited to my wedding, and I will introduce you to some nice girls."

 Chapter 145: For the future (1)

    While Rain was thankful for the invitation, he was seriously thinking of refusing it. Nothing good wille if he is introduced to a bunch of spoiled kids or to suspicious-looking nobles. Still, refusing the invitation would be rude.


    "While I tried my best, connecting the dots about me isn''t difficult," Rain thought. "Not many noblemen marry lowborn women, after all."


    "See you around, and thank you for your hard work," Lorene said when they arrived at her house. "Ah, I have to pay you, huh? Maybe we can dy that for a few weeks. Hahaha."


    That wasn''t funny at all¡­ in any case, Lorene soon returned with a bag with a single coin¡­ Rain thought that she was messing with him, but then he found a tinum coin inside. It was worth one hundred gold coins¡­ so she was paying him two times more than they agreed.


    "Don''t look at me like that; consider that just an example of my generosity," Lorene said. "I promise you that I won''t try to force you to do anything in the future because of the money."


    "You saying that only makes you look more suspicious," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Anyway, Branden isn''t here," Lorene said. "I will talk with him about the incident, but maybe he will want to talk with you as well, so stick around in the capital for a few days."


    Rain nodded and then left the area¡­ it was high time for him to visit home and rx for a few days. However, he also had to confirm what happened while he was away from the front lines. The enemies didn''t use that many resources to try to kill Lorene, so they could have focused on doing something else¡­ It was about time for the kingdom to try to recover the western part of their territory as well.


    It should be easier to recover than Tristan as long as they have a n.


    "Wee back. It has been a while, Rain," Ka said when Rain reported to the organization.


    "Yep, what did I miss?" Rain asked.


    Rain wondered if people were treating him friendly or if his full name was just that difficult to pronounce¡­ even Orcis called him Rain when he left the port city, after all.


    "Nothing much. Some parts asked about you quite often since they needed the help of a mage," Ka replied. "It must be hard to be this popr."


    "Yeah, right¡­ about my report," Rain said after a long sigh.


    While he was telling the events during the mission, Rain recalled that he had to talk with Lotto as well and do the same thing. Everyone had to be aware of the bomber man¡­ or so was that the name that Rain gave to the enemy that targeted them.


    "Thanks for your hard work. I will make sure to add this ability to the list of what we know that the magic people have¡­ it is hard to imagine that it belongs to anyone else," Ka said.


    Rain nodded, and then he left the organization as well. While using the excuse to repair his Bracers, Rain went to talk with Lotto. During that time, Rain confirmed that he didn''t make much progress when it came to his skills. Still, since he had money now, he wondered if he should buy some potions or just look for enemies to hunt¡­ he would be fine with monsters too.


    "By the way, we received word from that region that the beast people are bing more active in the mountains," Lotto said. "We didn''t receive word that they attacked or are raising an army, but you might want to keep an eye open in that region."


    Rain furrowed his eyebrows when he heard that¡­ now the East might face some problems as well. Since the focus of the kingdom was in the opposite direction, things might get messy.


    "I am already stronger than Dad, but he is still training and improving. The girls can use magic, but they are too young to fight¡­" Rain thought. "This is truly troublesome."


    "You can''t return home before talking with Branden, right?" Lotto asked. "Do you want me to send the message that you are fine?"


    "Is he that far away?" Rain asked.


    "He is in the south, so it might take a few days for him to return," Lotto replied.


    "... I will wait three days, and then I will leave; my job isn''t to wait for anyone here," Rain replied after a long sigh.


    In the end, Branden showed up two dayster and also went to talk with Rain early in the morning before he could take a job. That wasn''t a good sign, but it didn''t look like Branden had another job for him.


    "You can rx. I am just here to thank you and say another thing to make you think about for a while," Branden said. "Orcis was in the fancy before, but now he truly wants to help since our enemies went too far this time."


    "I thought that they went too far from the very beginning," Rain shrugged.


    "What I mean by that is their current actions, their intentions were unforgivable from the very beginning," Branden said. "Anyway, Lorene praised you a lot, and she said that she wants you to be her guard again when her marriage happens. In fact, she said that she won''t mind if you want to be her personal guard; she is also willing to pay you even more than arge group of guards."


    "That is tempting, but I don''t want to spend all day guarding someone in the early stages of their marriage that would cause too much mental damage," Rain replied.


    "I figured as much. I still hope that you can protect her from time to time since she is also willing to help me now," Branden said. "Well, that is another thing to consider in the future. What I came to say today is that for the sake of the future, it would be good if you joined Jori''s party for real this time and became an actual member."

 Chapter 146: For the future (2)

    "That came out of nowhere; how does that alone can change things in the big picture?" Rain asked.


    "Lately, they have been facing some problems with their mission, and I can tell that their teamwork iscking a bit," Branden exined. "Your presence there can help them keep improving, and that would benefit the organization a lot. I can see a lot of potential in them."


    Rain wanted to say that he didn''t want to babysit anyone, but he was the youngest of the group, so that wouldn''t make sense. In any case, Rain liked his freedom, and since he wouldn''t be the leader of the ground, he had even fewer reasons to join them permanently; there was no point in joining them to help if he was only going to lose.


    "I can understand your concerns, but your presence truly will make them work harder," Branden said. "Also, you are much of a solo guy, so that would benefit you as well."


    "No, it won''t," Rain said.


    "Well, maybe not that much¡­ however, soon enough, we willunch an offensive to take back the rest of our territory, and everyone will have to work on teams to make sure that the enemies won''t be able to escape," Branden said. "We need to deal a heavy blow on them that will mark their history forever."


    "I think that by this point, I have already shown that I can work well on my own," Rain shrugged.


    "You aren''t going to make this easy for me, are you?" Branden asked and then sighed. "Look, once we recover ournds, I am nning on opening some branches of the organization and let you lead the one in the East. However, few people will work with you if you are this stubborn. You need friends as well."


    Rain didn''t ask for that, but Branden had a point¡­ still, bing a leader of a branch of the organization seemed like it would be too time-consuming and would be too much of a pain, even if he had the chance to protect the area where his family lives. It was a really tough decision¡­


    "Everyone needs people that they can trust, Rain," Branden added. "I am not going to force you, but you need to realize that sooner orter."


    That was really troublesome¡­ Still, instead of letting that bother him for Long, Rain decided to visit his home. During that time, he talked with his parents and grandparents about the neighbors on that side. They said that things were fine for now, the beast people didn''t try anything, and the farms were several kilometers away from the mountains.


    They looked like they realized that Rain was troubled, so perhaps they were being considerate. It was hard to say¡­ Rain had nned to rx during that time, even more so when he decreased the traveling time to twenty hours. It was such a pity¡­


    The next month, Rain was called to escort Lorene again to her marriage ceremony, and then he left her in the port city where she was going to live with Orcis. The smart thing for them would be to live in the capital, but she wasn''t afraid of other attacks.


    During the party, Lorene and Orcis introduced Rain to a bunch of girls slightly older than him. He acted politely, but he wasn''t interested in kids, so that party had been quite tiresome.


    "Come to think of it, with my mental age and with my mindset, adding to the age of my current body, it will be hard to find a partner in this world¡­" Rain thought during the party.


    Women at max ten years younger than Rain in terms of mental age were all married already, and they wouldn''t be looking for someone at Rain''s age unless they were criminals. It was rare to find girls older than twenty and single as well¡­ and since Rain didn''t want to feel like he was doing anything troublesome, he didn''t want to get involved with minors, not even bing friends with them.


    That was another reason why he didn''t want to join Jori''s party.


    "Life in another world as a reincarnated person sure is troublesome when you are as serious as me about most things," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain tried to ignore Branden''s request as much as he could, so he avoided the matter and also tried not to work with Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra as much as possible. It looked like they also felt his hesitation, or perhaps they wanted to show that they could get some results without his help, so they avoided inviting him to missions as well.


    While Rain was avoiding such an issue, six months passed in no time, and soon he became ten years old. At the same time, he felt happy about his physical growth and his progress when ites to his strength. He was already 160 cm tall, or 5.2 feet tall, and he believed that he was pretty tall for his age.


    As for his strength, while he didn''t fight that much, Rain managed to make some progress. He didn''t unlock a new path, and he wasn''t that close either, but at least he could see his parameters increasing.


    Level 15: Iron Resilience - Strengthen your resolve, gaining temporary resistance to crowd control effects.


    Level 20: Counterstrike - Prepare for an enemy attack and retaliate with a powerful counter, dealing bonus damage.


    Level 25: Mighty Swing - Swing your weapon in an arc, hitting all enemies around you with increased damage.


    Level 30: Charging Charge - Charge forward, knocking down enemies in your path and dealing high damage.


    Level 30: Mind Ward - Shield your mind from mental attacks, gaining resistance to mind-altering effects.


    Level 35: Mana Arrow - Conjure a powerful arrow made of pure mana and shoot it at a distant foe.


    "I guess I should just focus on the Sage and Brawler''s Path since they increase more parameters, I can see myself getting stronger faster," Rain thought when he checked his new skills, but soon he forgot about that when he saw Jori''s party entering the building for the first time in a while.

 Chapter 147: For the future (3)

    Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra looked exhausted. Jori and Reca also had their arms and legs covered in bandages¡­ Rain looked at Terra, and she looked like her head was about to kill her thanks to a Migraine¡­ she was using too much mana.


    "Hey, it has been a while," Rain said while waving his hand.


    Rain wanted to ask what happened to them, but that probably would wound their ego. Since they wanted to prove themselves, thest thing they wanted to hear was someone looking like he was making fun of them or overly concerned.


    "Yeah, it has¡­" Jori said while looking like he wanted to sleep for a few more hours instead of working that day.


    Rain looked toward the others, and it seemed that they didn''t want to say anything further either. That was fine with Rain. If they didn''t want to talk, it was fine. When he thought of leaving them alone, Rain noticed Liss''s gaze; she looked like she was silently asking for help.


    "I am not good with this kind of stuff; I like to mind my own Business, you know¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain was also the type that thinks too much about things; thanks to that, he didn''t feel like he had the right to join their party even temporarily after this long.


    "More monster hunting?" Rain asked when he saw them heading to the board.


    "It is fine, Rain; you don''t have to worry about us," Jori said. "We are finally getting the hang of these."


    Jori pointed toward the weights that all of them were carrying¡­ no wonder they looked exhausted. Now and then, they showed up and asked Rain to fix them or make them heavier, but Rain forgot that he had to make them easy to take out¡­ aside from himself, the others couldn''t do that.


    "You either have some crazy balls, or you are too insane to fight with the weights all the time," Rain said. "No wonder you guys look so beaten."


    "Ah,e on¡­ it isn''t that bad¡­" Jori said while forcing a smile.


    "If you are having a hard time with monsters without humans supporting them, then it is that bad," Rain said. "I will confirm this with my own eyes today. Fighting with weights in the wrong battle might cost your lives, and it looks like the next fight might be yourst, so I will judge if you guys can keep them or not."


    "You are going too far, man¡­ but if you truly want to work with us today, then I am all for it," Jori said while looking at the others, and they nodded as well. "I guess there is no point in trying too hard to refuse you just because we don''t want to be left behind."


    "Who is leaving who behind?" Rain asked. "You guys know that while I keep my weights on, I mostly work on the capital, right? You worry too much about pride and forget that it doesn''t matter what others think of you; as long as you keep improving every day, the opinions of others are useless."


    Jori didn''t say anything after hearing that. The others looked a bit thoughtful about the same thing as well. While Rain didn''t pay much attention to themtely, he realized that the youngest members of the organization avoided him as well. Maybe it was because the veterans greeted Rain pretty often.


    They also wanted to be recognized while not associating themselves with Rain¡­ kids sure are difficult to handle.


    "Well, it is about time for them to learn that their true rivals are their current limits," Rain thought. "Let''s make sure that they will learn this this time."


    "What job should we pick this time?" Jori asked when they arrived at the board.


    "I don''t know; I haven''t gone monster hunting in a while," Rain replied. "While they are good for reputation, finding them is a pain."


    "That is because they avoid you¡­" Jori said while furrowing his eyebrows. "Something close to the capital will do, right?"


    "No, a well-paid job is the best option," Rain said.


    "Man, even though you earn so much solo, you still want more¡­" Jori said.


    "It is a bit further south, so we will have to walk for a while, but that one seems good enough," Liss said while pointing to a certain paper. "It has been on the board for a few days as well."


    Everyone looked at the paper¡­ While the job involved monster hunting, it was more of a guarding job. A small fortress was being built in that area, and the workers wanted some guards since monsters kept attacking the construction at night and dying things a lot. Every night, the number of monsters attacking increased, and that probably wasn''t a coincidence.


    "It is a long job¡­ three days to go, three days to return, and one week doing the guard duty," Jori said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Are you really fine with that, Rain?"


    "Yes¡­ still, taking this much time to travel is too much," Rain said. "Do you guys have horses?"


    "No, we wouldn''t be able to use the weights well if we were moving with them," Jori replied.


    "Well, in that case¡­" Rain said and then saw Ka approaching.


    "I overheard you guys talking, and I can do something to help," Ka said. "If you need some horses or a wagon, I can help you get one, you just have to do a delivery to Tristan first. While you will lose a few hours there, you will be able to save a couple of days of traveling."


    Rain was thinking of buying a wagon since he was nning to join Jori''s party for a while, but that worked as well. It would look too suspicious if he made such an investment out of nowhere when everyone knew how fast he could move."


    "That will help a lot; where can we find the wagon?" Rain asked.

 Chapter 148: For the future (4)

    The wagon was already waiting for them outside since they were sending some resources to the branch of the organization. Usually, that kind of job wouldn''t need anyone working for the guild to do so. Still, it seemed that there was a n for the organization to keep some horses, carriages, and wagons in case of an emergency.


    They were starting to operate in pretty far away areas, so it made sense that they would think along those lines.


    "You guys can just stand on the wagon if you want to train your bodies that much," Rain said while he took the reins of the vehicle. "I can drive it by myself."


    "Sounds like a n," Jori said.


    "I just hope that all this weight won''t damage the vehicle¡­" Liss said and then sighed. "By the way, you have grown a lot, Rain. You are as tall as me¡­ it is annoying to be the shortest of the group now."


    "You don''t have to be tall to do your job well, but I do," Rain said and then made the horses move. "Focus on your strengths instead."


    Although he said that, in hisst life, Rain wished countless times that he could be at least five centimeters taller. Such a way of thinking stopped when he got into college, though.


    In any case, the whole group began to feel a bit troubled after a while; the moving of the vehicle sure made them have a hard time while standing with the weights and everything. Although they were eager to get stronger, they soon realized that what they were doing was quite dangerous. Still, they kept going until three hourster, when their legs began to tremble nonstop.


    Before the day could end, the group reached Tristan, and soon they unloaded the supplies that they carried with them on the branch. It seemed that they could move for a while longer, but they decided to rent some rooms in an inn just to be safe since they won''t sleep well for a while.


    Much to his surprise, Rain noticed that the group rented one less room than they should have, but soon Rain saw Jori and Reca sharing the same room.


    "I see, I see¡­ I thought that Reca would be like Julie, but I guess she doesn''t mind people that are like her. Ah, youth¡­" Rain thought while shrugging. "I just hope that their rtionship isn''t causing some issues for the group."


    The next day, Rain didn''t notice them out of the norm when the group reunited in front of the inn. It seemed that they were acting professionally during the missions, so Rain had nothing to say about that.


    However, Rain could imagine a few troublesome scenarios¡­ if something were to happen on the battlefield to either of them, the other might do something reckless and put the others in danger¡­ It was amon urrence for feelings to cause disasters on the battlefield.


    "It is particrly troublesome that both of them are the only members of the frontlines¡­" Rain thought. "I wonder if this is one of the reasons Branden asked me to join them."


    In any case, the group managed to arrive in the city when the sun was setting the next day. There was a small camp in the area that probably had around fifty workers and ten guards¡­ It was a small number.


    "Do you guys know when the construction of this started?" Rain asked.


    "It should have been two months ago," Terra replied. "There are no earth mages helping since we are only fifty kilometers away from what is considered the enemy''s territory."


    Two months and only the foundation of the fortress had been finished; even from a distance, Rain could see some marks on the walls of the ce¡­ when he looked to the side, Rain saw some carriagesing from the East and bringing some bricks to the ce. Still, even so¡­ it will take a while for that to be finished.


    "Why didn''t they ask for mages from the organization? They asked for mercenaries, so what is the difference?" Rain thought. "I guess we don''t have them either¡­ Earth mages that are good at building and preparing things Usually aren''t good atbat."


    "Can any of you talk with the person in charge here?" Jori asked. "I feel like my head might explode due to sheer anger if I see anyone judging us by our age just one more time."


    "Isn''t that a good thing?" Rain asked. "It is pretty good to have situations like that and prove them wrong by their assumptions."


    "We try that often, but we never do enough to surprise those who underestimate us," Asche said.


    "That is because of the weights," Rain said and then pointed his hands and then split them in half. "Since it is getting dark, we will start working soon. For now, I think we should take the weights until we assess the situation throughbat."


    "What about yours?" Jori asked.


    "... I guess I need to take them as well," Rain said while holding back a sigh.


    Rain didn''t feel like he needed that, but it was the best option in order to improve the teamwork¡­ if he didn''t do that, the others would feel inferior and then will do stupid things topete with him.


    "We are from Lord Branden''s organization, and we havee for the guard work," Jori said after they stopped the wagon in front of the fortress.


    "... I am the captain in charge here. Thanks foring sooner than we expected," A man only wearing the lower half of his armor said. "The guards here are working during the day, so we''ll be counting on you all to defend the ce at night. We will be paying ording to how many times you prevented the fortress from suffering any damage.


    So, try hard not to disappoint us and make us feel like we wasted time hiring you all."

 Chapter 149: For the future (5)

    The captain left without waiting for an answer, and Jori bit his lips and clenched his teeth in annoyance¡­ he needed to work on his patience.


    "Is this like this all the time?" Rain asked.


    "Every single damn time¡­ there is always someone making light of us," Jori replied.


    "And you react like this all the time?" Rain asked.


    "How else should I react?" Jori asked.


    "It must be exhausting," Rain shrugged.


    "Anyway, let''s set our camp and then work on our schedule," Terra said when she noticed Jori''s eyebrow twitching. "The terrain is pretty even, so we won''t have to worry about obstacles getting in our way. Shall we make some bonfires around to improve our field of vision? At least if they are extinguished, we will know that the enemies are nearby."


    That wasn''t a half-bad idea, but the enemies could also try to use that or wear them out. They had to consider that kind of thing, but everyone was fine with Terra''s idea. Instead of dropping the mood with such possibilities, Rain decided to let such a thing happen if necessary to make everyone learn a bit.


    There were some trees around, and the fortress also had some firewood to be used, so the group soon made the campfires. Everything in an area of three hundred meters west of the fortress could be seen, but the enemies still could attack from south and north.


    "Asche, you keep your eyes and ears open in the north, and Rain can do the same in the south, right?" Jori asked.


    "No problem," Rain said.


    "That is really helpful¡­ it is too tiresome to stay on guard and watch two different directions," Asche said.


    "It must be hard to be the only tracker of the group," Rain said. "By the way, do you only feel the sound of the enemy''s footsteps, or do you use other things to find them?"


    "Why do you ask? Can''t you do the same?" Asche asked while furrowing her eyebrows. "I prefer to hear their footsteps, but if the wind is against me, I focus on my nose. It is hard to use it, though. Since spies are used to erasing their scent."


    Rain nodded¡­ he was hoping to learn something useful to improve his tracking skill, but he didn''t know how using his sense of smell would help him with that. It seemed that the best option was truly to focus on feeling a magical presence. Still, even with Terra and Liss nearby, Rain couldn''t feel anything. Just like his mother, he would be able to tell if they used some mana, but that wasn''t enough.


    In any case, the whole group stayed on guard on the first night, but nothing happened¡­ It was clear that the enemies noticed that some reinforcements had arrived, but it was hard to imagine that such a thing had been enough to make them give up on attacking.


    "Now we can finally rest. Let''s make sure to recover in order to train as much as possible once we wake up," Jori said. "It has been a while, Rain. So this time, I will kick your ass."


    "That is a weird way to ask me to spar," Rain said and then sighed.


    The area was pretty hot since they were close to the sea, and it was summer, which was why they had a hard time sleeping well during the day. In any case, after having a quick meal once they woke up, Jori and Reca asked to spar against Rain.


    "Well then¡­ how should I proceed with this?" Rain thought.


    The group knew that Rain had be famous thanks to thest mission protecting Lorene, and he also defeated a bunch of enemies that were being controlled, so he wondered if he should hold back a little instead of showing his true strength.


    While Rain was thinking about that, Jori stepped in toward Rain and swung his sword. Still, at thest minute, he jumped to the side and began to run in circles around Rain. He was pretty fast, so it was a pain to follow him. Making his trip while he was carrying his sword could be dangerous, so Rain just waited.


    When Jori was right behind Rain, he stepped in to attack again, but Rain raised his arms and blocked the sword with his forearm guards. Rain quickly moved them to the side and then turned his body while lowering his posture; after a while, he kicked Jori''s leg and made him fall. Rain clicked his tongue since he kicked a metal te, and that hurt quite a bit.


    "No progress, huh?" Jori asked while looking at the blue sky with his back on the ground. "Figures."


    "You have gotten faster and tried to use your head and surprise me, but you still took the first chance to attack when it was too obvious," Rain said. "I could see your movements even without using my eyes. At the same time, when you went on the offensive, you didn''t leave any room for change or improvisation."


    "Hmm¡­ I guess so," Jori said and then got up. "I feel like taking my time will only make me waste energy, but I guess it is better than suffering such a counterattack."


    "My turn now," Reca said while stepping in.


    Reca was strong, but she focused more only on speed, so Rain wanted to see how much she changed in the past year. Once she assumed her fighting stance, she quickly charged him and then trusted her spear with all her might¡­ that was dangerous, but since the attack was too obvious, Rain blocked it with one forearm guard.


    In the next moment, Reca quickly recovered and then swung down her spear¡­ she was smart¡­ she wasn''t getting too close, so Rain didn''t have the chance to counterattack since her spear had more range.


    Still, when her weapon collided against Rain''s forearm guard, he quickly punched the side of the weapon with his other hand and almost forced Reca to let go of her weapon¡­ that didn''t happen, but she broke her fingers by resisting.

 Chapter 150: For the future (6)

    "This will be a good lesson for them," Liss said while Terra was healing Jori and Reca. "Lately, they have been focusing too much on increasing our reputation and doing everything with the weights¡­ they forget that you use your brain as well when fighting."


    "What about you guys?" Rain asked.


    "We are fine improving our skills little by little; we don''t care about reputation," Liss replied. "As long as we can do that and make a living with this work, then we are fine with it."


    It looked like Jori and Reca made up in passion for the others since theycked a lot of it. Rain was surprised that the groupsted like that¡­ he thought that he had solved most of the problems when he worked with them before, but they still had a long road ahead of them.


    In any case, since they had time and Rain had some mana as well, he decided to do some magic training while he meditated. Since some mages were close to him, that was a good chance that he couldn''t miss.


    "Those guys want topete with me thinking that I can do everything, but in the end, I didn''t make any progress in learning the skills that I wanted in thest few months," Rain thought while he was meditating. "Maybe I should ask Branden for some books."


    After thinking for a while, Rain wondered if he could use the elements to measure how strong someone was, but even though he used some dirt to surround the others, nothing happened. The wind, water¡­ nothing worked. Rain could use a bit of raw mana, and now he could use Magic Arrow as well, but only that¡­ he couldn''t use his mana from a distance and envelop someone to check their strength.


    When Rain tried to use his mana directly on the others, nothing happened either¡­ It was hopeless. The skill that he wanted was too powerful; maybe that was a sign that he had to give up on that.


    "The power to sense someone''s strength is too ridiculous in the first ce¡­ I guess even if I can''t sense or see their strength, I should feel satisfied that I can feel the vibrations on the ground thanks to earth magic," Rain thought. "See¡­ see¡­ see?"


    Rain wondered why he didn''t think of that before¡­ it seemed pretty obvious. What would happen if he focused his mana on his eyes?


    Rain tried that, but soon he learned that controlling his mana in such an area was difficult since his eyes were a sensible part of his body, and it wasn''t like his skin. Still, little by little, he began to pull that off. As he did that, he began to see everyone''s aura¡­


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The brawler''s path received 1000 experience points.


    "On a thousand points?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "Is this skill that advanced?" Rain thought.


    That was the only exnation¡­ that also seemed to be the case since Rain could see that the aura around everyone was different. Jori and Reca had an aura that was constantly moving around them and upward. Liss and Terra''s aura looked like it was spinning around them in a small area. Asche''s aura was the most different since she was an archer.


    Her aura was thin all around her body, but it was more intense as well¡­


    "As for mine¡­ I can''t tell exactly," Rain thought. "Judging by my arms and torso, it feels like an oval sphere¡­ it would be a perfect sphere if my parameters were more bnced, I guess."


    Since Rain was training his body and magic, it made sense that he would be all-rounded. In any case, soon, he began to improve his skill to the point that he also could see the color of the auras. Everyone''s aura seemed light blue for some reason. When Rain checked with the workers and the guards, he confirmed that it was the same¡­ even though the workers were way weaker.


    "I get it¡­ it is like a danger level," Rain thought.


    It looked like Rain couldn''t see the power level or the size of an aura, but if someone was much stronger than him, then the color of the aura would change. Perhaps if the enemies show some bloodlust, it will affect things as well.


    Since it was dark, Rain decided to see if he could find the enemies in the distance hiding in the darkness. He couldn''t help but smile when he saw some areas in the distance.


    "Whoops¡­ this skill consumes ten points of mana per second; I can''t keep it active all the time," Rain thought, and then he got up.


    "What is wrong, Rain?" Jori asked.


    "I found some guys that want to y in the darkness," Rain replied. "They adopted the darkness; I was born in it."


    Rain was in a good mood, so he spouted some nonsense before using Impulse and disappearing into the darkness. As he got closer to the aura, he noticed their yellow aura turning orange¡­ his guess was right. Bloodlust affected his magical sight.


    When Rain was fifty meters away from them, he suddenly noticed some other auras in the distance approaching. They looked yellow, and they moved wildly, showing long and pointing ends¡­ Rain soon heard grunts and confirmed that they were monsters. At least fifty of them¡­


    "You called them a bit toote¡­" Rain thought and then prepared to use Impulse once again. "Still, I shouldn''t look them in the eye, just in case."


    Rain closed his eyes, but the spell was still affecting his sight. While he couldn''t see the environment, he could see the enemies getting up and grabbing weapons from their backs.


    Before they could point them at him, Rain arrived in the middle of their group¡­ out of the five, two of them had their skulls cracked by Rain''s merciless punches. Meanwhile, the others focused their mana in their eyes as well¡­

 Chapter 151: Realization (1)

    Rain''s guess was right; those guys were just like the Lady Subus that brainwashed his father. Even though he didn''t look them in the eye, he felt their magic, making his body heavy somehow.


    "No time to mess around, huh?" Rain thought and then made the enemies sink to the ground before crushing their bodies with the earth.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    Despite the fact that the enemies died, Rain still didn''t feel his body getting lighter¡­ that was a bit troublesome. Still, he will have to deal with the monsters using magic alone.


    Rain took a food look around once more and confirmed that no more spies were around. So, he didn''t have to hold back. The monsters approached, and considering their silhouettes, they weren''t armored turtles¡­ before Rain could take a good look around them, they opened their mouths. Then they bombarded him with a massive wave of Fireballs.


    "What a time for my body to feel so heavy¡­" Rain thought.


    Still, before the Fireballs could reach him, they began to explode in the air. One after the other, to the point that they illuminated the area brightly. The temperature increased as well, but Rain didn''t suffer any damage¡­ he stopped the magic projectiles by hitting a few of them with air bombs, and when they expanded, they stopped the others.


    Since their masters died, the monsters still followed theirst order to dash toward Rain and attack him. However, before the second volley of Fireballs, they were impaled from below by earth spikes. The monsters grunted in pain while they tried to free themselves¡­ but it was useless, and soon died.


    "We were toote for the party¡­" Jori said when he and the others arrived. "Are you fine, Rain?"


    "Just feeling a bit sluggish¡­ I avoided their magic strength, but they still managed to affect me," Rain said while trying to get up and then wobbling.


    "These guys are¡­ they don''t look different from us; their hair is strangely shining ck, though," Jori said when he checked the bodies.


    "Their eyes¡­ it looks like their iris is white, even though the sphere around is ck," Liss said. "It is quite ominous."


    Rain assumed that the iris was what made their magic so strong and easy to manipte others. Even though Rain had good control over his mana, he could only envelop his whole globe ocr with his mana. In any case, aside from that, they confirmed that the enemies brought crossbows with them¡­ and they didn''t have bolts at all.


    "Neat¡­ crossbows that consume mana for projectiles," Asche said while her eyes were glowing. "This is very interesting¡­ we don''t know how to produce this kind of weapon."


    "Two are mine," Rain dered. "You guys can keep the rest."


    Rain approached the monsters he just killed, and he confirmed that they looked like reptiles¡­ they were two meters long and one meter tall. While they didn''t look that dangerous with that size, they had some crazy teeth. Rain was lucky for killing them that fast because they had scales and also fur in the outer areas of their bodies.


    The chest close to the ground was their only weakness, their necks were also a weakness, but they were long and thin.


    "Even though you are this strong physically, you also disposed of so many monsters at once¡­" Liss said as he checked the monsters as well. "Maybe I did the wrong thing focusing on improving fire and wind magic."


    "Nah, you can do the same with those elements; you just need to improve and train your control on a daily basis," Rain said. "If your mana is full, you are literally wasting a good chance to train."


    "How do you suggest that I should train?" Liss asked.


    "Well, you can control the temperature around yourself; make it cooler during the day and warmer at night," Rain replied.


    "I don''t think that my control can be that good¡­ is that really the trick behind your powers?" Liss furrowed her eyebrows.


    "The trick is diligence and creativity," Rain shrugged. "Start low controlling a fireball and try to decrease its size¡­ just like the weights, you can''t start doing something difficult. You increase the difficulty one step at a time."


    "We can do that once we dispose of the bodies and move the monsters toward the fortress," Jori dered. "Leaving them behind would be a waste, and we can study them to prevent future unpleasant surprises."


    It was very unlikely that the enemies would try anything that night. Still, Rain decided to rest since his body felt heavy even after a couple of hours. When morning came, he was feeling better¡­ but not that much.


    "Maybe I should do the same thing I did with Dad, but staying upside down would draw a lot of attention here¡­" Rain thought. "I guess I will just wait for the mana to dissipate."


    In any case, Rain achieved one of the two goals that he had set for himself in thest year; now, he just had to learn how to use support magic. That certainly wille in handy, even more so if they are skills from the system.


    "I guess the change of scenario gave me the inspiration necessary¡­ doing the same thing and following a routine is good when ites to physical training, but I guess it is the opposite when ites to magic," Rain thought.


    When the others woke up, they immediately readied themselves to do some training. Liss did what Rain told her before and started on the previous night¡­ while she didn''t make much progress, she was determined to obtain some. Since Liss was fired up, the others also felt itching to improve. Since Rain was with them, they knew that they had some room to spend their energy, so they didn''t hold back.


    Still, soon they realized that they had gone too far¡­

 Chapter 152: Realization (2)

    On a night three days after Rain managed to kill the spies, he felt that most of his body was back to normal. Around the same time, he noticed that Liss had finally made some serious progress with her training. While she needed to total focus, she could use the mana that she recovered during meditation to warm things around her in a five meters radius.


    "Ahhh, this is life¡­" Asche said while feeling truly rxed thanks to the warmth.


    "Don''t drop your guard; we still didn''t do anything in this mission," Jori said. "The progress of the fortress speed up in thest few days, so if the enemies might do something, it will be soon,"


    Rain wondered if that was true¡­ Jori had some good instincts sometimes, but Rain didn''t feel alerting him yet. However, once night fell, and Rain began to check the area around, he soon saw numerous auras approaching from north, south, and west.


    "Did my senses get dull since that fight boosted my confidence?" Rain thought. "I can''t think of anything else..."


    Rain didn''t like that, but it seemed the only exnation¡­ or maybe his senses were only good at alerting him from ambushes. While it wasn''t arge number¡­ Rain could see at least fifty enemiesing and ten times more monsters¡­ they were the magic people that could brainwash others. It was the only exnation.


    "The enemies areing. Alert everyone forbat," Rain said while looking at his allies. "Their numbers are too high; we can''t deal with them by ourselves."


    "What? From where?" Jori asked while looking around and only seeing darkness.


    It seemed that Jori had good instincts, but he trusted his eyes too much. In any case, the enemies were still two kilometers away, so it made sense that they couldn''t be felt or seen yet.


    Still, Reca quickly got up to alert the others in the fortress and in the camp while the other girls grabbed their weapons and tightened their formation.


    "How can you see them, Rain?" Liss asked.


    "It is a trick that I learned recently; either way, I don''t have time to exin it," Rain said. "They are the guys that can brainwash others, so we can''t look at them in the eyes¡­ if they get too close, they will make you have a hard time controlling your bodies as well."


    "That exins why your condition looked bad without being tired or injured¡­ you should have exined that to us earlier," Terra said while showing an angry expression.


    "Well, I didn''t think that they would try this hard now, it was my blunder, and I will take full responsibility for it," Rain said. "Just hold down the fort while I get rid of those guys, and then I will help with the monsters."


    Rain didn''t say that, but there was a chance that those guys came because of him¡­ he had be quite famoustely, and he yed an important role in the recovery of Tristan. So, it would make sense that the enemy would try to get rid of him when they have the chance.


    There was time to hold back, so Rain made up his mind to go all out from the very beginning. He couldn''t help but wonder if the fact that he joined the mission with them was the cause of such unlucky events¡­ It was pretty evident that something always happens when Rain joins them. Perhaps not trying to help them would keep them out of danger better than trying to help Jori''s group.


    Before long, the ten guards and some workers joined the group while showing difficult expressions. They couldn''t see the enemies either, so they couldn''t help but think that it was an exaggeration on Rain''s part. It was their time to rest, and they had been stopped by a kid¡­ it was only natural that they would feel pissed.


    Still, Rain created a Fireball above them and soon fired in the direction of the first group of enemies. When the attack crossed five hundred meters, a wave of Fireballs emerged from the darkness and hit Rain''s projectile. mes and light illuminated the area, and soon everyone saw hundreds of monstersing from that direction.


    Everyone gulped when they saw that¡­ more of them wereing from other directions. Still, that size alone already heavily outnumbered them.


    "Fight as a group, don''t do anything stupid, and we will win this," Rain dered.


    The enemies stopped just before their silhouettes could be seen in the distance; they were also surprised that somehow the humans managed to identify them with such antecedence¡­ Still, they didn''t have time to waste; now that they had moved that many men and resources, they had to kill everyone and burn down the fortress once and for all.


    After ten minutes, the enemies began to move. At that moment, Rain used the mana in his eyes and confirmed that the masters controlling the beasts were behind all of the groups. Two of them had fifteen, and one had twenty masters¡­ they were smart enough to split their forces to avoid all of them being attacked at the same time¡­


    "Fighting the monsters while they are being controlled will be too hard; they will just bombard us from a distance," Rain said. "I will make them be a mob."


    Before anyone could say anything, Rain used Impulse¡­ this time, he did it upward, and soon he disappeared like a shadow in the dark sky. Before he could lose altitude, he used wind magic under his feet, and then a st of wind propelled him forward once more. He just had to do that three more times before he reached the enemies and began to fall¡­ Still, he could see their eyes on him.


    "It is useless, shitheads¡­" Rain said and then covered his arms with wind instead of Earth. "Neither of you did that to my father, but all of you will pay for the crimes of that bitch."

 Chapter 153: Teamwork (1)

    Before Rain could fall, the monsters being controlled by that group of enemies turned around and bombarded Rain with Fireballs. Still, he let them hit him since that onlysted for two seconds.


    In the next moment, Rain fell and then smashed one of the enemies with his fists until he became a pulp. The attack made a st of wind spread in all directions and knocked down the brainwashing wizards. When they tried to get up, Rain impaled them without hesitation. Earth spikes emerged from the ground and made them pay for all of their crimes.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    "Shit¡­ not again," Rain thought when he tried to get up and felt his body as heavy as steel.


    The monsters were approaching while using Fireball as well, so Rain didn''t have time to waste and did his best to use Impulse¡­ while his body wasn''t obeying him that well, his magic was, so he quickly left the area and escaped the barrage of attacks.


    The other fireballs burned his clothes and left some nasty marks on him, but Rain could endure that much. Besides, thanks to that, he realized something else. While it onlysted for a moment, he felt the intention of the enemies when they tried to brainwash him.


    Even without eye contact, they could influence others while giving them certain types of orders¡­ in that case, before dying, the enemies tried to stop him moving¡­ that was why his body was so heavy.


    The other two groups had already reached the fortress. Rain could see Liss using a sand tornado to keep the monsters at bay. At the same time, Liss tried to hit the brainwashing wizards behind the monsters, but they moved quite well and had the chance to avoid the arrows from that distance.


    On the other hand, the guards on the southern side of the fortress were already engaging the monsters, and the beasts were attacking them mercilessly with fireballs. It was annoying, but Rain had to help them instead of his allies.


    "Once again, no time to waste¡­" Rain thought and kept charging.


    This time, Rain didn''t try to hide, and the monsters saw him. Thanks to that, they soon changed their focus toward him¡­ the monsters fired their constant annoying wave of fireballs toward Rain, but he just clenched his fists and then took a deep breath.


    When the first Fireball almost hit him, Rain punched him. Since his fist was enveloped in wind magic, it protected him and also dissipated the spell. Not only that, it created a heat shockwave that made all of the other fireballs explode. The st in the area made everyone flinch, thanks to the heat, but Rain kept charging in spite of that and eventually reached the monsters.


    Rain put his arms in front of his face and then used Charging Charge. In the next moment, he collided and knocked down several of the monsters, and he used the skill over and over again until he passed through their formation. Rain felt the bones of the enemies cracking, and he felt his cracking as well, but soon he reached the brainwashing wizards.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    "Surprise, shitheads," Rain thought.


    The enemy''s eyes began to glow, but soon they closed since the heat in the air made them flinch as well¡­ all ording to Rain''s n. Before they could recover, Rain used Impulse and arrived right in the middle of their formation and then touched the ground.


    That scene was particrly gruesome¡­ Rain also impaled the enemies with earth spikes, which hadn''t been something pretty to see since they were still standing. While Rain holds a grudge against them, he doesn''t want to receive the title of Impaler until he gets rid of them.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    The Brawler''s Path received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    Before Rain could turn around, the monsters attacked his back with their fireballs. He protected his head with his forearm guards, but soon he moved to the side in order to escape since they were getting too hot and burning his arms as well.


    "Our job is to protect them and the walls¡­ I guess I can''t leave all of the monsters in the guard''s care," Rain thought and then clicked his tongue.


    Rain quickly turned and began to run toward the enemies¡­ his previous attacks consumed one thousand points of mana each. However, he still had some to spare¡­ so he didn''t hesitate in getting closer to the monsters and then impaling them. The only difficulty about that strategy was the range, Rain could only impale the enemies in a fifteen meters radius.


    As such, the enemies had plenty of chances to hit him as he got closer. Still, Rain used the bodies of their allies to block the attacks. Once he disposed of around one hundred of them, he decided to dash toward his allies.


    "You guys can at least deal with fifty of those monsters, right?" Rain thought while looking at the shocked guards.


    Before long, Rain could see Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra fighting the horde of monsters¡­ much to his surprise, they were hanging in there. Instead of using arge area of effects attacks, Liss used her magic to make everyone''s weapons lighter with wind magic¡­ that was what Rain wanted to learn as well. Still, he could worry about thatter.


    Rain saw Reca spinning her spear and blocking the attacks of several monsters while Asche covered for her and put arrows in the mouths of the monsters. In the meantime, Jori was watching the enemies and shing away the fireballs that were targeting the backline¡­ they were working hard together¡­ but soon, the first group of monsters was going to nk them.

 Chapter 154: Teamwork (2)

    When Rain thought of impaling all of the first waves of monsters¡­ he felt his eyes getting blurry. He didn''t realize that, but it looked like the fireballs caused more damage than he had expected¡­


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 65 (4500/6500)


    Current Path: Brawler''s Path (Lv 32 - 200/3200)


    Health: 1220/5220


    Mana: 3390/9790


    Stamina: 6250/6650


    Strength: 475


    Dexterity: 393


    Intelligence: 641


    Vitality: 523


    Wisdom: 879


    Endurance: 523


    Luck: 197


    Free Points: 120


    Main Skills:


    [Power Punch Lv 07)


    [Guard Stance Lv 01]


    [Kick Combo Lv 01]


    [Mighty Swing Lv 01 ]


    [Charging Charge Lv 03]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 22]


    [Basic Training 72]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 10]


    [Meditation Lv 63]


    "I guess that makes sense¡­ the adrenaline didn''t let me understand my current state," Rain thought.


    The brainwashing monsters have been killed, but the number of monsters was still high¡­ even if Rain had enough mana to deal with all of them, he didn''t have enough time. Before something happens, he makes his choice and uses all of his free points for intelligence. That only increased his magic power by twenty percent, but it had been enough¡­


    When the beasts approached him and opened their mouths to use Fireball, Rain touched the ground, making numerous heavy earth spheres emerge and fly toward their mouths. The impacts alone broke their heads and necks and sent the beasts flying in the opposite.


    The earth spherespletely destroyed the fireballs, so Rain wasn''t hurt¡­ he kept attacking the foolish monsters that kepting at him, and in no time, they were all killed. Rain''s mind started to get foggy, thanks to the fact that he used all of his mana, but he still forced himself to turn and get up to help his allies.


    However, Rain suddenly stopped when he saw them trying hard to keep the enemies at bay. Their formation was tight, and they kept covering each other''s backs. Even the wild Jori and Reca weren''t doing anything stupid, like dashing in to swing their weapons widely.


    Five of those weird lizards ran to the side and targeted Terra, who was healing the burned hands of Reca. Still, then Jori jumped away and then swung his sword upward while making the tip touch the ground. A small wave of dust flew to the enemy''s eyes and blinded and then in the next moment, Jori stepped in and then cut their throats with a single sh.


    "Is that one of the skills of the Swordsman path?" Rain thought. "Come to think of it, maybe I should check the other paths to learn their skills and find ways to counter them¡­"


    Rain''s allies were struggling right now, so it was weird that he was leisurely thinking of such things. Still, those guys wouldn''t grow at all if he took all the hard work for himself¡­ Besides, they had experienced monster hunting. That was supposed to be their forte.


    While it took a while since they didn''t take any risks, the group eventually killed all of the remnants of the second group of monsters. Since their masters had been killed, they acted in the same exact way¡­ attack from a distance and then bite the targets when they showed some weaknesses.


    Jori and Reca were exhausted when the battle ended, and then they fell with their butts on the ground as well, and soon they found Rain doing the same and red at them¡­ it seemed that he finished his job a lot sooner than them, but he didn''te to help. However, they changed their minds when he saw his body¡­ he was in a far worse condition than them.


    Terra wondered who she should heal first, but then she realized that Rain was already healing himself. At the same time, he looked behind. Then he saw the guards finishing their battle as well¡­ some of them were screaming in agony since some of their limbs were burned to a crisp, but it looked like they didn''t face any casualties.


    "... I guess it is our victory," Jori said while he approached while he was sweating cold. "This time, we finally had the chance to make ourselves useful since Rain didn''t hog all the glory."


    "You still looked pissed at first because of that, though," Rain said.


    "Sorry about that¡­ as you already know, I tend to let the blood rush to my head more often than not," Jori said after a long sigh.


    "In any case, it seemed that the enemies tried really hard this time¡­ are they nning something big soon?" Asche asked while looking around.


    "It is hard to say¡­ Lord Branden must be well informed about such matters, so we need to report this to him," Liss replied.


    Rain wasn''t one hundred percent sure if he was to be med for what happened; it was just a theory that he was at the top of the list of the people that the magic people wanted dead.


    "Raising such a possibility won''t help or solve any problem, so I should keep it quiet for a while," Rain thought. "Still, if it is a possibility, then I should try to remedy this as soon as possible¡­"


    Rain didn''t know many ways to do that aside from working with Jori and the others while helping them get stronger. Before, he didn''t want to join them since it would be too limiting; even after hearing Branden''s words, that didn''t change. Still, now Rain had a real reason to stick with them for a while longer.


    Before long, Rain and Liss began to work on helping the wounded on the guard''s side. They suffered a lot of damage, to the point that they would be incapacitated for a few weeks.


    Still, they couldn''tin since such a battle could have been way worse¡­ it was a miracle that they all survived with their lives, so they didn''tin about what happened¡­ They felt happy that they won and could brag about winning such a tough battle.

 Chapter 155: The cycle

    Since some guards and workers wouldn''t be able to work, the group decided to help them. Since Rain could use earth magic, he was basically as useful as twenty workers, so the pace of the construction of the fortress wouldn''t decrease.


    Usually, Rain wouldn''t agree to do that kind of work since it went beyond the terms of the job. Still, since he got a bunch more magic crossbows and could make some coins selling a few of them, he decided to do that since he was in a good mood.


    On the day the group began to prepare to head home, a new group of workers and guards arrived to take their ce. It seemed that the higher-ups understood that the enemies were truly worried about that fortress, so it was better to keep the progress of the building from falling behind.


    "This job was a bit harder than I expected, but I felt like it was worth it," Jori said while he was driving the wagon that the group was using. "It sure is refreshing to deliver such blows on the enemy like this."


    "Just a bit?" Reca asked. "I don''t mind fighting those guys, but I''d prefer if we weren''t outnumbered that hard."


    "I think we should take at least three days off after this," Liss said. "It is unlikely that we will find jobs like this on a daily basis, but we should try to assimte what we learned in this mission."


    Everyone nodded. It seemed that they were starting to realize their limitations, and they were also looking to the future instead of just the present. Building their reputation was fine, but they also needed to train more. Eventually, anotherrge battle will happen to recover their remaining territories, and they need to be strong enough to survive that.


    "I got hit a bunch of times as well, so I guess I am stillcking some training," Rain said. "After that battle, I also realized that I amckingbat experience when fighting without using my magic. Do you guys want to train together from now on?"


    "... I don''t think that anyone would mind, but it is pretty clear that the difference in strength between us is that great," Asche said after everyone looked at each other. "Wouldn''t it be better if you trained with some stronger?"


    "That usually would be the case, but most of the adults of the organization are busy with their lives, and they have families; their free time is rather limited," Rain replied. "Some of them also would feel bad if they lost against me, even in a sparring session. Jori also isn''t that bossy, so I am fine working with you guys."


    "Oh no, he is bossy Alright," Terra said. "But he behaves better when you are around."


    "Hey, I am not bossy just because I am the leader of the group and tell you guys to do some things and sometimes ignore your opinions when you are in your feelings," Jori said.


    "That is the exact definition of being bossy," Terra said. "Still, I am more than fine with that. With another Healer, we can try hard during the missions and train harder as well."


    Everyone nodded as well¡­ healers weren''t only good at dealing with wounds. While most of them couldn''t restore stamina, the fact that warriors could fight harder, knowing that someone nearby could heal them, was a great addition.


    "I am fine with it as well, but I still think that we won''t grow as much if we rely on Rain all the time," Jori said while scratching the back of his head.


    "In that case, I will ck off as much as possible," Rain said.


    Jori furrowed his eyebrows after hearing that¡­ such a thing was no good either. It was hard to find a good bnce in that situation since Rain was a great addition to the team. In any case, the group epted him joining them. It wasn''t a temporary addition, so they had to all agree for that to happen.


    After returning to the capital and reporting to Branden what happened, the group dispersed. However, Rain still stayed to talk with him for a while longer. While he wasn''t interested in leading any branch of the organization, he said that he was going to work with them until the rest of their territories were restored. Or until Jori and Reca make the party split¡­ it seemed that they were behaving.


    Still, it was only a matter of time before their rtionship bore fruit in the shape of a child.


    "Forgive me for saying this, but it was about time for you to make your choice," Branden said.


    "What do you know that exins what happened?" Rain asked.


    "It seems that the magic people are reuniting more and more of their tribes since they know that the tide of the war is in our favor," Branden exined. "While most of them won''t do anything drastic, the others know that they can take risks, and that is why they are sendingrge groups of people on those expeditions to damage ournds.


    While they are doing that sporadically, it is only a matter of time before they do that in earnest to stop us from attacking their current base that is closest to us."


    That was the city where Rain was born¡­ Rain imagined that keeping fighting those groups would be a good idea to decrease the enemy''s forces, but it looked like it would only bring the big guns to the fight¡­ Rain was fine in testing his strength against them, but that was going to decrease the power of the magic people too much¡­ Once they find that weakness, it is clear that the humans will try to capitalize on that and will try to invade instead of recover¡­ starting another war.


    Humans were pretty much the same in all worlds, besides, they would have more than enough reason to continue that long war...

 Chapter 156: Promise

    After talking with Branden, Rain began to think about a lot of things¡­ he was starting to make himself too famous, and that might put his family in danger. When Dana was around nine, she could do pretty much everything in the vige that required her use of earth magic. At the same time, Rain taught her Impulse¡­ it was only a matter of time before shepletely mastered it.


    Rain was worried that she would use it to visit him in the capital, though.


    Kei started working on the fields as well. With her water magic, she could water a good part of the fields, and she did that while reading her books. By the time she ended, though, she would click her tongue every minute andin about the hot weather. Rain was a bit worried about her¡­


    G didn''t have a preference for magic, and she didn''t help on the fields either. Still, despite being five, she already could use the four elements. She used them to help her mother and grandmother cook, though. Thanks to that, now and then, Rain was able to eat pudding¡­ she taught her that and became a hit in the family¡­ Rain had to find an exnation for where he learned such a recipe, though.


    "How are things in the capital?" Roan asked while they were watching the girls using water balls against each other, and Kei getting annoyed that Dana wouldn''t leave her alone. "Is your party doing all right?"


    "More or less, it is a bit troublesome to see kids being lovey-dovey, though," Rain said and then recalled that Jori and Reca were already eighteen, and since their skills improved, they were rxing a bit too much during the missions.


    "Hahaha, I suppose so," Roan said while grinning. "Still, your skills have improved a lot since you began to work with them; even without magic, I can''t defeat you anymore¡­ my pride as a man ispletely broken. Anyway, there are three other girls at the party, right? Anything happening between you and then?"


    Rain sure liked the fact that his father was quick to recover like that. Still, now that he thought about it, Rain never saw those three like that. While they were single and eighteen already, their rtionship was basically of a teacher looking after them.


    Rain sparred with everyone on a daily basis, and that was why his skills improved. Learning how to read the trajectory of arrows, how to counter spells while he charged toward the opponent, moving around and dodging strikes by a paper-thin margin in order to get some room for a counterattack¡­ Rain learned all that in thest eight months. Rain also taught Terra some self-defense skills.


    While she wasn''t going to punch anything or anyone, she could dodge some attacks and then throw her targets over her shoulders.


    "Not happening," Rain replied. "It would be too much suffocating if something happened between them and me since we work often. Besides, while I am taller than them, I am still seven years younger, and they have their own goals, and it isn''t rted to romance."


    Asche and Terra wanted to keep the orphanage in the church up and running, and they often used their money to help. Liss apparently wanted to be a famous mage¡­ Rain didn''t know why, from the group, she was the most Mysterious person, after all.


    "Your mom is d that you aren''t fooling around, even though you are my son," Roan said. "Still, you need to rx a bit as well and live your life. You can''t spend all day and every day thinking of getting stronger. You mentioned Lorene introducing you to some girls. Didn''t you like any of them?"


    "Noble girls are more trouble than they''re worth," Rain replied.


    "I get what you mean¡­ if their noses were any longer, they would live with their necks hurting," Roan said while forcing a smile.


    It seemed that Roan wanted to have a boy talk with his son; maybe that world was like that, but Rain felt that he was hoping too much from an eleven years old boy.


    "Big bro, when can I join the organization?" Dana suddenly approached and then asked while she was drenched for ying with water.


    "When you beat me using Impulse or when you are able to hit me using magic," Rain replied and then emitted some warm wind from his hands to dry Dana''s hair. "That ce isn''t a ce for kids."


    "But you are a kid!" Dana protested.


    "No, I am taller than you; henceforth, I am not a kid," Rain said.


    "What is henceforth?" Dana asked.


    "A big word that adults use," Rain replied and then looked at his father. "Why do you want to join the organization? You can help Dad hunt monsters here."


    "It is boring, monsters rarely show up here, and Daddy can deal with them without me," Dana replied.


    "... I want to visit the capital to buy some books," Kei said with her usual expressionless face.


    "I can buy them for you," Rain said.


    "I want to take my time looking for them," Kei said.


    Kei seemed more mature than Dana, so Rain had a hard time convincing her not to go, she was smart for her age, and she probably thought beforehand of many reasons why she had to go herself.


    "Dad and Mom can''t leave this area, and I might receive some work as soon as I return, so I can''t take you all there," Rain exined.


    Rain didn''t mind giving them a tour through the capital, but that would make people see that they were his sisters. Rain didn''t think that he did anything to make enemies within the human territory. Still, he was acquainted with Branden, and he was famous as well. A good hit on him will affect the organization¡­


    "Let''s do this, I will take you all to the capital once I buy a home there and we recover our territories," Rain said. "Dana can enter the school there in one year, so it will be better if you leave there with me."

 Chapter 157: Late (1)

    Somehow, Rain convinced Dana to wait a bit, but he knew that he couldn''t keep them in that area of the kingdom forever. Rain and Roan wanted that, but Leiah already made them give up on the idea of making them do what they wanted forever.


    Rain and Roan only wanted to protect the girls from all sorts of bad things in the world. Violence, scheming, sickening nobles, false people, and boyfriends. Unfortunately, after some earful sessions, they were convinced that they had to let the girls know the world and grow¡­ they couldn''t make them reach adulthood thinking that the world was perfect and the clouds were made of cotton candy.


    In any case, after resting for a day there, Rain returned to the capital. Since he was filled with energy, he increased the weights on his ankles since the Brawler''s Path was about to reach level fifty. It has been a while since he unlocked up any path¡­ Rain thought of buying a terrain near the capital to use his magic to raise the level of Farm Path, which would hit two birds with one stone.


    In any case, he also had to think about what he should do now that his sisters wanted toe to the capital.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 35: Tough Skin - Toughen your skin, increasing your endurance and vitality by two points per level.


    Level 40: Furious Fists - Unleash a flurry of rapid punches on a single target, dealing rapid strikes.


    Level 45: Agile Dodge - Perform a quick dodge, avoiding iing attacks with ease.


    Level 50: Crushing Blow - Deliver a devastating blow that deals massive damage to a single target.


    Brawler Path Lv 50: Fighter''s Path. (Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 05 per level.)


    The Fighter''s Path is a journey of physical prowess, honing the art of closebat and mastering the art of powerful punches. Those who follow this path be masters of strength, endurance, and vitality, capable of withstanding the harshest of battles and delivering devastating blows to their enemies. (Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 05 per level.)


    Level 1: Punch Mastery - Hone your punching technique, increasing the damage of your punches.


    "Hoho¡­ now we are talking about!" Rain thought when he was about to reach the capital.


    His hard work wasid off, and now Rain would be even more of a beast with his punches. With Tough Skin, he would also be able to train both of them when he punches three or more rocks¡­ without wasting time, Rain changed to that path.


    When Rain arrived back in the capital, he decided to report to the organization and then train as soon as possible. The sun was setting, so there was a point in looking for a job.


    "Still, I have been doing a lot of punching¡­ why isn''t the skill at a higher level then?" Rain thought when he arrived at the building and then noticed that the ce was empty, even though it was usually the time people would start drinking.


    "You left at a really bad time, Rain," Ka said while she was finishing her work and putting away some papers. "In the afternoon, after you left, we received an urgent task to move toward the West since the magic people were on the move, and a bunch of them left the city that they took."


    "That was two days ago¡­ I can still reach them," Rain said. "Everyone left? Why are you here?"


    "Lord Branden isn''t leading our group. The royal guards are," Ka replied. "That is why I stayed behind."


    The royal guards¡­ Rain recalled their leader. It was Revan, the guy that didn''t hesitate in trying to stir up Roan and his brothers. Still, it was weird for them to receive such an order. His specialty should be defending, not attacking¡­ if Branden heard that such a thing was being nned, he would have asked to return hometer as well.


    "What about Jori and the others?" Rain asked.


    "Lord Branden told them to wait for your return. He might give you other orders," Ka exined. "He seemed to be thinking about a lot of things, so he might be gathering before making his choice. I will inform you of your return; pleasee here tomorrow morning."


    To think that such a change would happen so suddenly¡­ the magic people must be sick of letting the humans do as they pleased. Still, why would they leave that city? If the humans responded like that, Rain imagined that at least half of the garrison moved¡­


    "I can only see this as a trap," Rain thought. "Despite that, the kingdom was quick to take the bait¡­"


    The next day would start early, so Rain looked for an inn for the night instead of training. At that point in time, even though he was used to it, Rain felt a bit troubled by living in inns¡­ while he could save time with some things, the fact that he could keep a lot with him was starting to be a nuisance.


    "I can also save money just by making the house myself close to the capital¡­ it isn''t like I need much or like I want to live in the capital," Rain thought. "I guess this is the best option since I have some other ideas."


    The next morning, Rain headed toward the organization, and he found Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra waiting for him. There was a wagon there, as well as two horses. Those became a part of the organization in thest year¡­ still, only a few groups could use them since it was hard to keep so many horses.


    "Hey, sleepy head," Jori said. "Did you enjoy your vacation?"


    "You must be pretty pissed that you didn''t go with the main group," Rain said.


    "No way, I feel excited since we can tell that we are a special team for a secret mission like this," Jori said while moving his arms up and down due to the excitement. Still, he soon stopped when he saw a cloaked figure approaching from the back of the building¡­

 Chapter 158: Late (2)

    "I should have known¡­" Rain said and then sighed when he recognized Branden''s aura.


    "I can''t even fool you like this¡­ maybe this is a bad idea, after all," Branden said, slightly revealing his face. "What''s up, everyone? Your mission this time is to escort me to the front lines. I didn''t receive the permission to join this time, but I have a bad feeling about this, so we will act like a special force."


    "Hell yeah, that is what I am talking about," Jori said while punching the air.


    "Don''t mind him; he is an idiot," Asche said. "Still, is this wise, Lord Branden? For someone to give you orders that you can''t refuse¡­ I can only imagine one person."


    "Just Branden is fine, it will be troublesome if others realize that you are being too respectful," Branden replied. "Yep, that is right. The king said that I shouldn''te. The previous attack that Tristan recovered showed results, but he didn''t like that I was at risk. Still, I can''t risk just waiting for things to happen while everyone is risking their lives.


    It also would be too much of a pain to rebuild it if too many of them were killed. Just kidding, I can''t leave the lives of my people in the hands of someone else."


    "You really had to joke about that, huh?" Rain asked and then sighed.


    "Anyway, time is of the essence. Let''s go," Branden said.


    "Let''s just hope that we won''t be punished alongside you for disobeying the king," Rain shrugged.


    The others didn''t look worried in the slightest about that; they were just happy that they were going to do such an honorable job of protecting their leader.


    The group began to move, and Branden remained hidden inside the wagon until they left the city. The guards of the gates never checked the carriages of those who worked for the organization. Still, it seemed that it was a good time for them to start¡­ that would be the max level of unluckiness. Still, they didn''t do that.


    "Do you also smell that this is a trap?" Rain asked when they were hundreds of meters away from the capital, and Branden stopped hiding.


    "That was my first assumption, but nothing came to mind that could exin the enemy''s behavior," Branden replied while looking in the distance. "It looks like half of them are returning to their territory, and our Commander assumed that some internal conflict was the cause of that.


    Even if it is a trap, Revan assumed that attacking that city when half of those who could fight were far away was the best option."


    "I can''t deny that," Rain said.


    "Themander of the royal guards assumed that, but His Majesty was the one to make the final call, right?" Jori asked.


    "Indeed, but His Majesty hasplete trust in Revan," Branden said.


    That didn''t make much sense since hemanded the first few attempts to take back Tristan. Still, he didn''t get any results and also lost the three sons of Roswall and Melody¡­e to think of it, Rain never saw the king, and it seems that no one saw him in eight years as well.


    Rumors say that his health is bad, even though he was around his forties and magic could heal most sicknesses or at least decrease their symptoms.


    Rain didn''t recall seeing the queen and their kids either¡­ Since they lived in times of war, it made sense that the king would keep them hidden for their safety, but that sure made the poption feel uneasy. Not like they cared about that since they had been doing it for many years already.


    "You are close to the higher-ups and the Intel they obtain, right?" Rain asked. "What do you know that few people know?"


    "... A while ago, everyone heard that some of the magic people tribes had decided to join the conflicts, right?" Branden asked. "As it turns out, some other people did the same. They were the powerhouses of the enemy''s country.


    They didn''t do anything until now because they were guarding the other side of their frontiers¡­ since the dragon people are their territory, they need to keep an eye on them, and only the strongest of them can actually make a difference. The dragon people stopped doing suspicious movements near their border, so they are changing their focus to us."


    "If they can fight on par with the dragon people, I can imagine how powerful they are," Rain said.


    "Saying that they are powerful isn''t fair for them; their strength is insane," Branden said. "One of them was the person who defeated and tamed two of the wild dragons that invaded our territory eleven years ago.."


    The group looked speechless after hearing that¡­ defeating a dragon was quite something. Subjugating one and turning them into a loyal dog was much more difficult. The person able to do that had to show the difference in strength between them to make that possible. Still, considering all the facts, that only made things more difficult to understand.


    "I have some potions with me; we can add them to the horse''s water and make them move at night for a bit longer," Branden said when the sun began to set, and the group began to prepare to camp. "The others are two and half days ahead of us, and their destination is five days away from them, so we need to cover more ground."


    "Even if we do that, it is unlikely that we will reach them before they reach the area," Rain said.


    "It is fine. They won''t do anything before setting their camp and readying everything," Branden exined. "The mission might be hasty, but their preparations aren''t."


    Everyone nodded, and they kept moving for a couple of hours at night as well. They were thinking of training with Rain before going to bed, but perhaps they should just focus on improving their magic until the timees.

 Chapter 159: War (1)

    During the trip, Branden also trained his magic. While he was doing that, Rain confirmed that his aura was orange, but it probably would turn red if he emitted his bloodlust. That means that he wasn''t an easy enemy to kill¡­


    In any case, Branden''s method of training was weird, just like his choice of spells¡­ he kept floating a Fireball and an ice sphere around him at the same time. Since they were opposite elements, it was good that they could cover Branden''s bases. Still, since they were different, they also didn''tplement each other.


    Water and wind worked well together since fluidity was one of their strongest points, so training one would improve the other as well. Still, the wind was the most convenient element since it could Enhance the others to some extent; maybe that was why Branden was training like that since both of them could be enhanced by the wind.


    When he wasn''t driving, Rain also tried to do some training and level up his new path. However, it didn''t work that well. Punch Mastery only leveled up when he hit something, and he had to try harder. Otherwise, the amount of experience gained would be meager.


    Still, when Rain equipped enough weights on his arms to the point that he had a hard time keeping them up, the skill began to gain experience even when he punched the air.


    "It seems that it is the norm for this party to use weights. No wonder thedies look more buff than me," Branden said. "Still, you will probably break the wagon with that much weight."


    Rain''s punches were heavy enough to push away the air around him, so they could tell that the weights were pretty heavy. Still, Rain was decreasing his weight by using a bit of wind magic on his legs; that was what Rain learned from Liss after defending that fortress.


    Thanks to that, he basically could float a few centimeters above the ground, but when he tried to go higher, the magic would destabilize since the wind was just pushing him away from the ground, and the greater the distance, the more energy he would need.


    Regardless, the trip that was supposed tost eight dayssted six since the group was in a hurry. Before long, they found recent traces of the army that left the capital ahead of them.


    "We have to stop following this route. They will leave scouts in all directions, and they will find us if we keep this up," Branden said. "Our goal is to influence the battle without being noticed."


    "I guess that''s why you trained your control over magic," Rain said.


    "That is right," Branden nodded. "I can''t use big spells this time unless it is absolutely necessary."


    "It will be hard to move avoiding scouts from both sides," Rain said.


    "You can do something about that, right?" Branden asked. "While no one can exin that yet, you can find enemies with ease even in the most difficult situations."


    "I guess so," Rain shrugged.


    Since they had to give their reports of the mission and details that could help others, it was a known fact that Rain could find enemies even in the darkness of the night while they were far away. At least no one tried to force him to spread the secret.


    "You can tell us as soon as you notice anything out of the norm," Branden said. "While I don''t have the skill to coverrger distances, I am good at sniping enemies as well."


    That won''t work; he didn''t know that Rain could find enemies even if they were behind some obstacles. Besides, even if Branded could pierce through them, it would make too much noise. A silent and quick approach was the best option.


    "Let''s leave that forter once we secure a spot that we can use as a base," Rain said. "I mean¡­ You guys are fine with that, right?"


    "I am. I am not the leader of the team, after all," Branden said.


    "I won''t mind letting you two lead during this mission," Jori said.


    Since he was mentally the oldest and that mission was out of the norm, Rain tried to take the reins of it, but soon, he realized that he couldn''t do that without risking some problems. The others were fine with it, but Rain wasn''t. It would be better if the group didn''t be too reliant on him¡­ they improved a lot in thest year, but they still had a lot of room for growth, after all.


    "I will keep an eye on the surroundings and inform if I notice anything weird," Rain dered.


    The group began to move a bit south instead of following the main road. They also slowed down a bit since Rain told them that it would be easier to dispose of all of the enemy scouts like that at night. Thanks to that, Rain only found some orange auras in the distance one hour before sunset. He couldn''t see the silhouette of the enemies, but it was clear that they were a couple of kilometers ahead.


    "They are ahead," Rain said. "I suggest that we camp here, have a meal, and wait for two hours before moving."


    "Does Rain always talk like this?" Branden asked. "I thought that he would be more bossy and forceful with his approaches and words."


    "He is like that most of the time; when he realizes that he is taking the lead, he falls back and gets quiet for a while," Jori said.


    "Don''t talk, as if I am not here¡­" Rain said and then sighed.


    It seemed that Rain wasn''t the only one who noticed changes in the group, but that was fine since that showed that the others grew as well. In any case, the group stopped for two hours and just ate some bread and rested for a short bit. From now on, they couldn''t make any fires since that would reveal their positions.

 Chapter 160: War (2)

    "I will deal with the enemies ahead; since they are only scouts, they won''t be a problem, and I will deal with them quickly," Rain dered while the group was getting ready to move. "I suggest that you stay here and only move once I return after confirming that the path ahead is clear."


    "What if something happens to you?" Branden asked.


    "I will attack the enemies before they can notice me," Rain said. "I have been training hard in the art of Stealth, after all, still, on the off chance that something happens. I will make the ground tremble. Others will think that it was just an ordinary earthquake, but you guys won''t."


    Level 15: Disguise - Learns to adopt various disguises to blend in with different environments while not moving.


    Level 20: Silent Movement - Master the technique of moving silently and without making noise, reducing the risk of detection.


    Level 25: Sleight of Hand - Improves the ability to manipte objects and perform tricks, useful for misdirection and sleight-of-hand theft.


    Rain trained the others with surprise attacks; thanks to it, the Thief Path leveled up quite a bit. His dexterity grew to the point that he could do juggling with six very sharp knives without getting hurt. At the same time, he could jump backward and spin in the air exactly as many times as he wanted. Being more dexterous was awesome.


    In any case, the others nodded, and Rain began to move while using the darkness of the night. While using Impulse was the best option in terms of speed and efficiency, he used some sts of wind under his foot to make him move more silently.


    The terrain ahead was filled with undtions, and that exined why the scouts were ahead since it was easier to hide and blend in the scenario. Still, their aura changed the environment a bit, and they were easy to find since they were always checking the surroundings while behind the peak of the hills.


    "We don''t know tribes specialized in that, but those guys should be good atmunicating over long distances¡­ that exins why some ces were attacked fastst year when the number of guards decreased," Rain thought when he found the first target. "I have to get rid of them before they can inform their allies.


    However, their main group will soon notice that something is off since, most likely, they receive constant reports."


    Rain jumped with all his might and then increased his jumping ability with a st of wind under his legs. Thanks to that, he was able to see one of the scouts¡­ the guy was one of the water snipers¡­ Rain couldn''t see the guy, but he could see their spell in action¡­ it was amazing that it could stay active for so long¡­


    Still, the water cloak had zero defensive capabilities¡­ Rain fired a wind bullet from the tip of his fingers and hit the head of the enemy, canceling the spell and killing the scout instantly. Rainnded nearby while looking in all directions and soon found another aura further West, three kilometers away.


    "I didn''t feel any magic being used, so I stopped him from alerting others, but maybe that isn''t enough, and I need to speed up," Rain thought.


    Rain charged in again and soon found that all of the scouts were water snipers¡­ their water cloak sure was valued among them. It was a pity that it was useless against Rain.


    In any case, Rain disposed of seven scouts before he finally could see some lights in the distance. Ahead, he saw arge group of lights. He imagined that it came from the city where he was born, but soon, he saw another source of light up North.


    "It must be the army¡­" Rain thought. "Let''s check this area further and then return to the others.


    Branden, Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra were starting to get impatient since one hour had passed since Rain had left but soon returned. He didn''t smell like blood, but they could feel the scent of death on him. In any case, he soon gave them the report of what had happened.


    "I don''t think that neither side knows that we are approaching," Rain said. "Still, I feel that something is off. The water snipers are good at Stealth, and they have powerful long-ranged attacks. However, long-distancemunication isn''t their thing."


    "You are worried about how they canmunicate like this¡­" Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I can understand your worries, but we should approach that area for now."


    Everyone nodded, and then they began to move in the wagon. Along the way, Rain disposed of the bodies by burying them deep in the ground. That was pretty easy for him now, and he didn''t use that much mana, either.


    "You two are good at magic as well; if you could only use water magic and had to find a way tomunicate using that, what would you do?" Branden asked while they approached the city.


    "If I were them, I would use their water spears toward the others; that would be a good sign that they are being attacked," Rain replied.


    "That wouldn''t be enough to alert the others in case they aren''t noticed, but they need to inform their allies of enemies approaching," Liss said while looking around, then stopping while looking upward. "If they are truly good at water magic, perhaps they can make clouds appear in different shapes that will give messages to their allies."


    It was a pretty costly way in terms of mana to pass a message that would only work for a couple of kilometers¡­ but it was also a pretty interesting one that few people would think of. Rain recalled that back on earth and in the past, people used that kind of trick during wars¡­ using gs and even colorful smoke¡­ maybe that could also be done with magic.


    He didn''t have time or an army to lead, though.

 Chapter 161: War (3)

    Before midnight, the group finally could see the city in the distance that was under the enemy''s control. Despite them being so close to the enemies, the atmosphere was fine since Rain disposed of all of the enemies. At the same time, they could see faint traces of the human army up north.


    "We will split work now to avoid problems; those who have better tracking skills should stay awake, and the others will take care of things at night," Branden said. "We didn''t rest properly in thest week, so we need to rest as much as possible before the human army makes their move. So, Rain and Asche, we will be counting on you."


    "Shouldn''t one of us rest at night as well? We will need a tracker during the day, too," Rain said.


    "I agree, but we should at least work in pairs," Branden said. "Also, I want you to start digging a tunnel toward the city. The enemies know that we don''t employ earth mages to the frontlines, so they won''t be expecting this. Considering what you did with that River, you can pull this off, right?"


    "Yeah, if I have one week or so¡­" Rain said. "Still, the enemies sooner orter will realize that they lost their scouts on this side, and they will confirm that the enemies aren''t only in the main army."


    "It is fine; I will exin thingster," Branden said. "With that in mind, Asche should cover for you while you dig."


    Rain felt like sighing. If you can exin your n, then do it already¡­ all that drama and suspense was annoying, butining now would make things awkward for the group.


    Before long, Rain began to make the tunnel, and the entrance was quite hard to see, even from up close, since Rain didn''t damage the grass in the area. Since he had used some mana, Rain only dug a tunnel that was five hundred meters long.


    He made it as thin as possible to reach the city that was five kilometers away since he didn''t want to make the group waste too much time¡­ still, that was a problem since he would be out of mana in case something happened.


    When morning came, Branden asked Rain to create something like a watch post inside the tallest hill in the area. That way, they could hide and watch everything in all directions.


    "What a ve driver¡­" Rain thought.


    It seemed that Branden noticed that Rain was saving some mana for emergencies¡­ he could have asked Liss for some help. Still, she would be more useful if something happened on the backline.


    Things were a bit tight on the watch post, but at least all of the sides were being guarded even while Rain and Asche were resting. In any case, when night came, Branden called everyone while Brain was working on the tunnels.


    "We need to keep an eye on both sides before the battle happens," Branden said. "While we could use the tunnel for that, we will have to wait for a few days. Besides, that will increase Rain''s workload. With that in mind, we need to split into two groups, one that will watch the back of the enemies and the other that will watch our allies."


    "Forgive me for saying this, but it is really wise to split our forces like this?" Terra asked. "Rain is already busy, and he is using too much mana, and Asche is covering for him. If something happens, we won''t be able to do much."


    "You are right, but gathering Intel isn''t Revan''s forte," Branden exined. "While some scouts are reporting things to him, we need to assume that those guys are being watched and their movements have been considered¡­ we are the only force that the enemies aren''t expecting."


    "You guys are scheming and didn''t invite me?" Rain suddenly appeared and then said. "How cold."


    "I knew you would be against this since you would focus on the boring work; that is why I decided to talk about this whole; you are busy," Branden said.


    "You know that if your n fails and you die, we will lose our heads, right?" Rain asked. "As long as you are already aware of that, then I am with your n."


    "Well, since that is the case¡­ I guess it would be better if Lord Branden were to watch our allies and the rest of us were to watch the back of the enemies until morning," Jori said.


    "I have another idea; you guys can watch our allies while I keep an eye on the enemy''s back," Rain said. "The tunnel will have to move a bit to the side, but I will be able to sense the tremors caused by the movements of anyrge group while I work. Our goal here is to prevent an ambush and recover the city if possible, right? That way, we can do both without taking too many risks."


    Branden stopped to think for a moment. He had heard that Rain could do that as well, but it was hard to say how reliable that was.


    Still, he probably was among the top ten earth mages of the realm, and he was probably the best earth mage who was also abatant, so perhaps they could trust his tracking abilities¡­ if all else fails, Branden will have to show up and show bis best skills, but that still was less risky.


    "All right, let''s go with your n," Branden said.


    Everyone nodded, and soon they began to move. Rain returned to his tunnel, and then he couldn''t help but sigh. Who could have thought that upon reincarnation, even while being a human, he would do the work of a mole?


    "Speaking of Moles¡­ I guess I can do something pretty nasty when the timees and the battle starts," Rain thought. "The battlefield sure is affecting my mindset. Well, as long as it keeps my head on the right ce..."

 Chapter 162: War (4)

    When the group began to watch the human army and also keep an eye on the backs of the enemies, nothing noteworthy happened on the first day. However, on the second day, the human army began to spread around the area, and soon, they split their fifteen thousand soldiers into three groups. Those three armies moved to the East, North, and Southern sides of the city.


    "Why not surround the whole ce?" Jori asked. "They might be cautious of reinforcementsing. With this mind of formation, they still can regroup and run away in case something unexpected happens."


    "They also can be offering the illusion to the enemies that they can escape since they are outnumbered three to one."


    From the little that Rain knew about sieges, he assumed that on Earth, a force of at least three to one was necessary to take down walled cities. Things are different in that world since super-powered humans existed, and magic was a thing as well. However, if both sides have more or less the same strength, it would make sense that the rule still applies.


    Still, the humans didn''t do anything aside from moving their camps like that in order to make their attacks more effective. It was weird of them to take their time aftering this far, but Branden said that despite his current decision, Revan was cautious to a fault.


    "They will probably make their move tomorrow¡­ we can use this chance to attack them from behind while they are busy," Branden said. "How long until the tunnel is ready?"


    "Four more days," Rain replied.


    "... I guess I will have to give you one of my potions, which should restore four days'' worth of your mana," Branden said after thinking for a while.


    The Minor Spiritual Potions cost ten silver coins and restore one thousand points of mana, while medium ones restore five times more but cost ten times more. Intion, here Ie¡­ in any case, the potions that Branden had only restored twenty-five thousand mana potions. They were of the fifth order and usually cost twenty gold coins.


    Rain would rather go bankrupt than buy them¡­ but someday, he will probably have to keep some of those with him in case of emergency.


    "Work as fast as possible overnight," Branden said.


    Rain nodded and began to use the potion while he worked. Still, just like he had expected¡­ when the potion was over, the tunnel still was six hundred meters away from the walls, and the sun was rising. Still, some good things happened.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 40: Wisdom''s Blessing - Bestow a temporary boost in wisdom to yourself and nearby allies.


    Level 45: Mana Burst - Release a burst of mana, creating a small explosion around you to knock back enemies.


    Level 50: Elemental Infusion - Enhance your non-elemental attacks with elements, adding additional effects.


    Sage''s Path Lv 50: Enchanter''s Path Lv 15. (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 04 per level.)


    The Enchanter''s Path is a journey of harnessing the elemental forces of fire, water, wind, and earth to empower weapons, protect allies, and weaken enemies. As you progress through the levels, you''ll learn to manipte these elements in various ways to enhance yourbat prowess and strategic abilities.


    Level 1: Fire Enhancement - Infuse weapons with fiery energy, adding a chance to burn enemies on hit.


    Level 5: Aqua Resistance - Enchant armor and shields with water energy, reducing iing damage from water-based attacks.


    Level 10: Wind Swift - Enhance your movements with the power of wind, granting increased agility and speed.


    Level 15: Earth Armor - Create an earth-based shield around yourself, reducing damage taken from physical attacks.


    "Level fifteen, huh?" Rain thought. "I guess it makes sense since I have been using a variation of Wind Swift and Earth Armor."


    Those skills were the ones Rain learned from Liss, and the other was the one he used to help his father and uncle during the invasion of Tristan. He also practiced that for a while, but soon he changed that when he began to enhance his attacks with earth magic¡­ Perhaps that helped as well.


    "Rain, are you done?" Branden asked.


    "Nope, I am four hundred meters away," Rain replied. "You sure are a ve driver... give me a couple of hours."


    The extra bonuses in parameters granted Rain more mana, and he used that in the tunnel. Still, it wasn''t enough. Branden realized that he underestimated Rain; he thought that they had the same amount of mana, but he actually had less than Rain, somehow.


    Still, he didn''t have time to feed hispetitive side since the human army began to move on all sides¡­ they weren''t going to go all out now; they would probably wait for one side to show some weakness, but that was also the chance that the enemies needed to surprise them.


    "Keep working on the tunnel; we will see what we can do here," Branden said.


    Rain nodded, and he was fine with that since he confirmed that the more he used his mana nonstop, the more experience he would get. The fact that the Sage''s path got five levels in a single night is good proof of that.


    "I am just a single person; I can''t overestimate myself thinking that I can save thousands of lives in a war," Rain thought while he was working. "I can only focus on myself and prevent our defeat while making sure that those guys will stay alive as well."


    While Rain hade to terms with his own limitations, Branden and the others were watching the start of the battle, wondering what they should do. The humans were advancing with tower shields and spears in their hands. Branden confirmed that some of the Royal guards were leading the charge to raise morale.


    Still, the enemies in the city were strangely quiet¡­ Everyone could tell that they were waiting for the humans toe since they had some nasty surprises in store.

 Chapter 163: War (5)

    Before long, the soldiers reached the walls of the city, and soon, they began to move toward the gates. However, soon, the enemies emerged from the walls and threw a bunch of buckets toward them.


    The humans raised their shields to block the attacks, but naturally, the buckets weren''t the real problem.


    "AAaaaaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhh!" Numerous soldiers shouted in agony.


    Somehow, the buckets didn''t melt, but they were filled with acid. As expected, the enemies had a lot of time to prepare for that¡­ it wasn''t clear that they had prepared much more or if the whole situation was an ambush, but that was a bad starting point.


    Despite that, not much damage had been caused on the human side. A lot of people were suffering, but no casualties took ce in the first attack¡­ but then the second wave of acid came.


    "Fall back ten meters. They won''t hit us if we keep our distance!" A random royal guard shouted. "Approach the gate and keep your guard up!"


    The army moved to the sides and toward the wall, and Branden couldn''t help but frown. Imagining that they would act like that was easy, so the enemies had the chance to prepare some traps¡­ they had the quicksand executioner''s on their side, so making traps wasn''t an issue for them¡­


    The humans began to hit the southern gate, and while the wooden doors fell pretty fast, soon the soldiers found a massive block of concrete blocking their path¡­ it wasn''t concrete, but it was something quite hard and big enough to cover the entire gate without leaving any openings.


    The human side flinched once they began to attack the massive brick, but their attacks only caused small scratches¡­ naturally, while that wasn''t their specialty, the quicksand executioners also could harden the ground, and they had a lot of time to make something like that.


    "It seems that they found one hell of a wall on the gate¡­" Jori said.


    "They learned their lesson, and they won''t do half-assed things anymore after losing Tristan; I guess this is my fault," Branden said.


    The humans retreated for a bit since they didn''t know what to do. Themander of that size called for a retreat in order to regroup and assess the situation. Thanks to that failed attempt, they lost some men, but not much.


    "The only option is to climb the walls, right?" Reca asked. "Do they have the tools for that?"


    "To some extent," Branden said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    Branden realized that Rain could easily solve that problem if he had some mana. However, he was still working on surprising the enemies. In any case, at least the humans didn''t attack for another half an hour, and that gave the group some time to think and some time for Rain to work.


    "The progress, Rain?" Branden asked.


    "Three hundred more meters," Rain replied.


    Branden felt like clicking his tongue, and in the end, he decided to go and help Rain.


    He felt like he put too much trust in him¡­ his mana was full, and while earth magic wasn''t his forte, he knew that he could finish most of the job¡­ Still, he stopped when he saw Rain using earth magic to make the dirt fall from the wall while he also covered his fingers in wind magic while he attacked the walls of dirt with his hands.


    Branden lit the area with a fireball since he felt a troublesome smell in the air, and soon, he saw Rain''s fingers covered in blood and dirt. Branden took a deep breath¡­ Rain had been working on that tunnel day and night for four days already. In the first ce, a tunnel this long couldn''t be made by a single person that easily in a meter of days.


    In the end, Branden decided to step back and let Rain do his work¡­ no one could have done something like that better than him. Once he returned outside, Branden saw the human army moving again¡­ if only they weren''t so impatient, Rain could finish the tunnel before noon, and once the group was inside the city, they would be able to cause havoc and split the enemy''s focus.


    Still, things can never be that convenient.


    "We need to do something without being noticed," Liss said. "If the enemies are plotting something, then we need to stop their ns and make the city fall before they can put it into practice."


    "Rain will need two or three more hours before he finishes the tunnel, but while I am not scared of punishment, if we do something obvious and the enemies confirm our presence, then we won''t be able to surprise them," Branden said.


    It was clear that Branden didn''t have a n right now, so the whole group had to think about it together and fast. Anything too shy was no good; they also couldn''t use too much energy. Otherwise, they wouldn''t be able to do much when they reached the other side¡­ it felt like they truly couldn''t do a thing.


    "My apologies. You can say that nning ahead is my strong point, but improvising isn''t," Branden said and then sighed.


    "It can''t be helped, sir," Jori said. "This situation wasn''t something that anyone could have prepared for."


    "Besides, while we are suffering casualties, the enemies are also losing some manpower," Terra said while pointing to a group of archers that were using the magic crossbows that Jori''s group gotst year."


    Behind each army, there was a group of fifty archers with the crossbows. While those weapons weren''t that powerful from a distance longer than fifty meters, they could travel three hundred meters with no problems¡­ numerous magic people were being hit by those on the walls, and then they dropped the buckets filled with ice nearby them, causing havoc among their ranks.


    "We have to be patient, huh?" Asche asked. "Still, I wonder how they produce their acid when some of them can fire bones from their palms¡­"

 Chapter 164: War (6)

    That was a weird question to raise at such a time. Still, the group forgot about that when the humans began to carrydders toward the walls. Still, when they firstnded there, the enemies made them dissolve in acid.


    Some soldiers that had extra spears threw them on the walls and created footholds for them to climb, but those soon were hit by acid as well¡­


    "I suppose this is a real siege, huh?" Rain asked. "When we recovered Tristan, the enemy didn''t have the chance to defend itself from our surprise attack, and thanks to that, the siege never took ce."


    Branden calmed down a bit when he began to see that as a siege. Sieges were a battle that tested the patience of both sides¡­ it wasn''t weird for some of them tost months in the past. Although he looked like that, Branden knew that patience wasn''t his forte¡­ it only made sense given his age and for how long he had been working to be influential in the realm.


    Still, Branden endured that since he epted all that as a test of his willpower. Seeing his brethren, his soldiers died while he could only watch them¡­ it sure tested his resolve. It also made him even more eager to kill all of the enemies inside the city.


    "Hey, I am done here," Rain suddenly dered. "The tunnel is right below the closest area on the other side of the wall."


    Only one hour had passed since thest time Branden checked with Rain, so he wondered howe he managed to cover three hundred meters of distance on such a short notice. When he went to check it, he confirmed that the tunnel truly reached the other side.


    Still, Rain didn''t find anything along the way that helped his work¡­ he just worked hard, even when he didn''t have mana¡­ thanks to that, the fingers of his hands were all broken.


    "You sure are reckless¡­ just by seeing this, I feel like I am in pain," Terra said while healing Rain''s hands.


    "Something like this is nothing for someone who wants to fight with their fists," Rain shrugged.


    The trick behind all that had been the fact that Rain used Punch Mastery. That was why his forearm guards were also quite damaged. Still, it had been worth the hassle since the Fighter''s Path leveled up quite a bit alongside Basic Training and Health Bonus.


    Level 5: Iron Fist - Infuse your fist with strength, dealing additional damage with punches. Cost: 10 SP


    Level 10: Unyielding Endurance - Strengthen your Endurance, allowing you to endure longer battles. + 03 Endurance per level.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 77(2500/7700)


    Current Path: Fighter''s Path (Lv 11- 400/1100)


    Health: 6740/6740


    Mana: 12330/12330


    Stamina: 8380/8380


    Strength: 627


    Dexterity: 517


    Intelligence: 825


    Vitality: 665


    Wisdom: 1143


    Endurance: 686


    Luck: 227


    Free Points: 60


    Main Skills:


    [Punch Mastery Lv 27)


    [Iron Fist Lv 09]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 07]


    [Mighty Swing Lv 01 ]


    [Charging Charge Lv 13]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 32]


    [Basic Training 82]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 20]


    [Meditation Lv 63]


    Unyielding Endurance also helped Rain quite a bit since he used it more often, and that truly increased his digging speed¡­ it hurts his hands and fingers like a bitch, though. Rain won''t be able to muster all of his strength for a while¡­ at least not with his hands.


    "Listen, we need to get rid of as many enemies as possible, and we won''t be able to pull that off by staying together," Branden said. "We truly need to take some risks now. The enemies made some countermeasures against my power, so I couldn''t destroy the bricks blocking the gates. We need to gain enough time on all sides and give time for our allies to climb the walls."


    "You should be able to destroy the blockade if you fire a st of pressured water in the middle of the brick for a few seconds," Rain said.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about, but such fine control is beyond my skills," Branden said. "Besides, I don''t have time to learn anything right now."


    "Can you buff weapons like Liss can?" Rain asked.


    "No, I don''t have much experience working with others, so¡­" Branden said.


    "I guess Liss will do then," Rain said. "She will use her magic to buff my next attack, and then I will do the same and attack the nearest blockade."


    "When you put it like that, it kind of really bothers me," Liss said while showing aplicated expression.


    "I said like that because I think it would be better if you saved your mana to cover for the others," Rain exined. "Anyway, I will do the same, and that will increase the power of my next attack exponentially."


    It seemed hard to believe that Rain, even with help, could destroy a block of earth that was ten meters long and five meters tall with a single attack, but he wasn''t the type to say nonsense at such a time.


    In any case, Branden couldn''t help but think that his way of thinking was the correct one¡­ while ultimately it was to avoid bigger problems, Rain didn''t want to split up the group and put their lives at risk.


    "Can your fists take that much more damage?" Branden asked. "In the worst case scenario¡­ You will be out ofmission for the rest of the battle."


    "I never said that I would use my fists," Rain shrugged.


    Branded nodded, and then the others did the same when he looked at them. It was about time¡­ the enemies probably had other tribes in the middle of the city and waiting to be used, so they couldn''t waste time crossing it to the other side.


    When the preparations were over, Rain touched the ground above them, and then it began to fall and take the shape of a single earth sphere. Before long, they could see the blue sky above.

 Chapter 165: War (7)

    The group quickly jumped out of the hole, and only a couple of enemies noticed them¡­ they opened their eyes widely in surprise.


    Still, before they could shout, Rain assumed his stance, and then he used wind magic to enhance his right knee; Liss did the same, and then Rain felt the energy-burning and cutting his flesh¡­ it was supposed to be abination beyond his limits, so it made sense that such a thing would happen.


    Using hisst reserves of mana, Rain used Impulse and charged toward the massive block of earth on the gate with his right knee pointing toward it.


    When the impact happened, the wall on that side of the city trembled, and everyone was caught off guard¡­ Rain felt two things cracking¡­ his knee and the massive earth block¡­ he probably won''t be able to walk well for a while either¡­ Still, the massive earth block began to crack and fall apart.


    Before long, Branden fired a st of fire that pushed away all of the debris, and when the dust and smoke dissipated, the humans on the other side saw Branden signaling for them toe.


    The human soldiers hesitated for a moment, wondering why someone like Branden was there. Still, it would be insane for the enemies to give on that blockade for a simple trap, so they began to cross it.


    "They areing!" Jori shouted.


    Numerous tribes that were waiting for the enemies to show up appeared from all directions. Rain tried to move toward them, but soon, his right leg gave up¡­ he was enduring the pain, but his body refused to obey him.


    "Do you have a hobby of hurting yourself all the time?" Terra asked while she approached to heal Rain.


    "I don''t know, maybe I have Awakened to masochism," Rain shrugged.


    The enemies around erected fire tornadoes and sandstorms, and they began to fire water spears as well. Still, Branden dispersed the fire tornadoes by firing ice boulders toward their base¡­ once an explosion took ce, the fire tornadoes dissipated.


    In the meanwhile, Jori and Reca moved to create a wall against the sandstorm that was about to blind everyone, but before they could be engulfed in it as well, they swung their weapons upward and fired a st of wind in the opposite direction, dying the sand storm for a couple of seconds.


    At the same time, Liss and Asche were hitting the water spears before they could hit the group, but they could only attack so many times before they ran out of mana and arrows.


    Still, that short window of time gave enough room for the army to cross the destroyed gate. The royal guards quickly raised their shields and blocked the rain of acid that came from above. Rain''s attack knocked them down for a short while, but they were back.


    "Secure the area and kill all the enemies!" One of the guards shouted. "Spread the word that we conquered the southern gate to the other armies!"


    Branden quickly looked for a vantage point and then began to hit the enemies on the walls. He was lucky that Revan wasn''t there. Otherwise, he might have forced him to fall back. There were many rumors that said that Branden could marry the princess, the king liked him a lot, and he was popr, so that made perfect sense. Such a person couldn''t be lost in that battle.


    "I am fine now. We need to increase our range and secure the area," Rain dered when he could move his right leg again.


    "You''re Not fine at all," Terra said. "You can move your leg, but any effort will damage your muscles. Only your bones suffered damage in the impact, so we are lucky, but I need time to heal damaged muscles."


    "This much I can handle; as long as we take back the city in one day, I can heal myself afterward," Rain said and then got up. "Help the others that are more hurt."


    "Fine! Go get yourself killed then!" Terra said.


    The group looked at both of them, and Rain just frowned. He also didn''t expect that Terra would overreact in that kind of situation¡­ in the middle of the battlefield. That was by far the calmest of the group, so that was really out of character.


    Rain checked his leg once more and confirmed what Terra said: the bones were hurting a bit, and if they kept cracking, they would damage the muscles¡­ Rain had to avoid that because every day hurt was one less day of training that he could do.


    "The enemies on the other side of the walls are moving toward us since our allies are alsoing," Branden jumped and approached Rain. "There are plenty of enemies on the walls, and they will stay there since they aren''t good at close range."


    "All right, I will take care of them, and you can look after those guys since you are a mage and can take my spot," Rain nodded. "You guys guard him as well, to avoid the future where we will lose our heads."


    Everyone nodded with serious expressions on their faces. Rain tried to lift the mood, but they were totally focused on the battle¡­ maybe he was getting out of touch since he never let the wars or battles get the better of him.


    In any case, Rain jumped toward the wall and then began to climb it once he reached the middle using his grip strength alone.


    As soon as hended, Rain was weed by a barrage of acid spheres from all sides, but he charged toward his left side while lowering his stance and running on four legs like a dog. He decreased the area where the enemy could hit, and he moved from one side to the other, avoiding the projectiles until he was ten meters away, and then used Charging Charge toward the first group of enemies.


    Rain''s attack killed three of them instantly and made four others fall from the walls.


    Instead of turning around, Rain began to run in the same direction to cover more ground faster¡­ he did the right thing because thanks to that¡­ he could see arge army of enemiesing from the East.

 Chapter 166: War (8)

    "Not everything that shines is gold¡­ the humans will learn this today," Rain thought when he stopped moving.


    The army of magic people seemed to be at least the same size as the humans¡­ if they had a lot of quicksand executioners, then the walls wouldn''t help that much. Things would be different if the humans had time to take over the city and reinforce the walls, but that wasn''t the case.


    "I get it now¡­ they made the walls of the city hard for us to take, but they should have some countermeasures for that¡­" Rain thought.


    Without wasting time, Rain returned to the others and informed them what he found out. The enemies will arrive in less than half an hour¡­ and that the whole thing truly had been a trap. While the humans were expanding their territory in the city, the enemies weren''t trying hard to fight them.


    When Revan confirmed that and saw the enemies from the top of the wall, he realized that he didn''t have time to deal with Branden and his crazy actions.


    "Seal the gates and make sure to be ready to face all of the enemies," Revsn said. "Send the word to our allies in Tristan and in the Capital. As soon as they arrive, this war will end in our victory."


    That was easier said than done¡­ Even if the reinforcements hurry, they will need at least four days toe. In any case, Branden told Rain to work on the walls and make sure to focus on the quicksand executioners.


    "What a ve driver¡­" Rain thought and then shrugged.


    "Commander Revan," Branden said. "If you bought some spiritual potions, Rain can help you reinforce the walls of the city in no time. Lent us some, and then you can focus on taking down the enemies inside or make them run away."


    Revan red at Branden since he didn''t have time to listen for a brat that couldn''t even follow orders from the king. Still, soon, he changed his mind and began to reconsider when Rain sat down in front of the destroyed gate, and then the debris of the huge earth block began to return to their starting point.


    As if that wasn''t enough, while half of the block had turned into dust, Rain still managed to harden and move the ground upward to increase the size of the blockade¡­ but he had to stop since he was out of mana. After meditating for a short while, he did the same thing again, and the blockade increased by a few centimeters.


    "Bring some spiritual potions, archers, move to the western wall, and attack anyone that gets in range!" Revan shouted. "Royal guards! Select ten soldiers each and move as a group to hunt the enemies inside the city! You have fifteen minutes to dispose of all of them!"


    "YES, SIR!" The royal guards shouted with all their might.


    While some of them were heavily wounded, their morale was sky-high since they invaded the city a lot sooner than expected. While it was a part of the enemy''s n, the enemies didn''t Decrease their numbers as much as they had expected.


    "Rain, we will be moving to the western wall as well. Come to us once you are done," Branden said.


    "I will try not to bete for the party," Rain said.


    Everyone noticed it. Rain wasn''t the type to joke around in such a situation, so they could tell that something was bothering him. His wounds must still be hurting a lot for him to mask the pain like that.


    "That was a lot of power¡­bining magic and physical attacks is as useful as ever, but it sure is painful¡­" Rain thought while he looked at his hands trembling.


    Rain hadn''t recovered from the wounds that he suffered by digging with his own hands, but at least he learned his lesson¡­ It was time to upgrade his gear.


    "I heard that Branden''s organization had a talented mage as good as him, and he was younger¡­ You were the one who dug his hole?" Revan asked after some of his underlings brought the minor potions.


    "Yes, before you ask for anything unreasonable, it took me four days," Rain said.


    "We don''t have time to dig holes against this kind of enemy; they probably brought their big guns as well this time," Revan said and then passed the potions to Rain. "Just make to keep that brat in one piece, or my and your heads will roll once this battle is over. If we survive."


    That sure was a hopeful way to see things. Still, it wasn''t like Rain couldn''t see where Revan wasing from¡­ if he had a bunch of plucky teenagers running around and disobeying orders for glory under his care, he would feel troubled, too.


    In any case, Rain began to hear the sound of battles in the distance, and he also could feel the vibrations on the ground caused by the enemies approaching. They were still two kilometers away, but it was easy to feel their approach since they had thousands on their side.


    After drinking just one potion, Rain was able to fix the gate and seal itpletely. The hole was a problem, but it was unlikely that the enemies knew how they arrived¡­ those who knew had been killed already.


    "I guess I will use another potion to heal myself," Rain thought.


    While he was healing himself, Rain also headed where the others were, and they looked astonished while looking in the distance. When Rain did the same, he could understand them a bit; the army of the enemies basically took over the entire horizon.


    "There are three of them here," Branden said while pointing to the horizon.


    Rain looked in the same direction and saw that three people were leading the armies¡­ They were some of the big shots of the magic people, and they were supposed to be crazy strong¡­

 Chapter 167: War (9)

    It had been a while since Rain had seen so many enemies¡­ that was still a good opportunity for him, though. Still, just like all good opportunities, theye with some risks¡­ Rain could be crazy strong, killing a lot of enemies, but he also could die if he catches the attention of the big shots on the enemy''s side.


    "Which tribe do they belong to?" Jori asked. "They are still too far away for me to see them¡­"


    "We don''t have information about that since they operated on the other side of their country; that is another reason why they are so dangerous," Branden exined.


    The enemies stopped marching when they were one kilometer away from the city and began to prepare for the battle. While they didn''t want more humans to join the fray, they also couldn''t rush too much. They had been cautious for a while and even devised such a trap to lure the human army away from their stronghold, so there was no reason for them to rush ahead now.


    Rain looked to the other side and then saw some enemies being pushed away from the walls of the city; some were escaping since they didn''t have enough numbers, and the high morale of the humans was a problem. Still, there was a chance that they still could be attacked from two sides, so they couldn''t drop their guard.


    "Men! Those dirty invaders are trying to kill us all and take over this city again. Are you going to let those swine do that and fester ournds with their stench?" Revan asked while shouting.


    "NO SIR!"


    "Then we can only punish the scum for trying to do that, and the punishment is their death," Revan shouted. "Today, your swords will be the executioner''s de that will pass judgment on the neck of the scum. Sharpen them well because we won''t stop until all of them are dead!"


    "WOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"


    The human''s morale certainly was sky high, to the point that they forgot or that they were pretending that they fell for a trap. In any case, Revan knew how to control an army in his favor. After shouting some orders, Revan approached the group. The organization was there, and there was no reason for them to follow Revan''s orders directly when Branden was there.


    While he wasn''t that experienced in giving orders on the field, his presence would still pump them up.


    "I am going to give you themand of your soldiers, and you can guard the southern side of the wall," Revan said while looking at Branden. "Don''t do anything stupid in order to be more famous."


    "Understood," Branden said.


    They didn''t have time to waste bickering among each other, so Branden only said that. Without wasting time, he moved to the other side, and the members of the organization followed him¡­ a few of them were wounded, but it was nothing serious.


    As for the casualties that they suffered, it didn''t reach the digits mark, but Branden still felt like he should havee up with some sort of n to prevent that¡­ It was a lesson that he learned from a mistake that he was determined not tomit again.


    "The gate here is sealed, but can you open up and close once we need it?" Branden asked.


    "I have some potions that themander gave me, so I can do that a few times," Rain replied. "I would rather use that mana doing something else, though."


    Rain was being a bit too greedy since he wanted more experience, but it couldn''t be helped. Until now, he had been a team yer through and through¡­ so he felt that he deserved some freedom. He wondered if that was something he should think about in a war¡­


    "Save your mana for when I give you the order to use. We will have to work together to prevent casualties while Killing as many enemies as possible," Branden said and then began to give the order for some groups to split to stay on the wall while others would stay behind.


    Branden didn''t give room for debate on that matter, and while it was troublesome for Rain, it couldn''t be helped. He was their leader, and they were in a war; amander shouldn''t show weakness or let his underlings question his choices. Otherwise, they will never stop doing that.


    Amander had to be one hundred percent certain of their orders in order to pass that much confidence and to avoid being questioned.


    While Rain was thinking about what he should do to make their lives easier on the battlefield, Jori dragged him out a bit far away from the group and began to whisper.


    "What did you do to piss Terra that much?" Jori asked.


    "I don''t know, I didn''t do anything, she just got pissed all of a sudden," Rain replied. "I guess she is stressed since people are dying left and right, and she can''t do a thing. Or maybe she is in her period. Or maybe both."


    "I guess I was foolish to ask that from you when you can answer like that¡­" Jori said and then sighed. "Anyway, if you don''t get hurt too much, that should help a bit, so try to be reasonable."


    "I will be as reasonable as I can in the middle of a war," Rain replied.


    While they didn''t have time for talking about that kind of thing, at least it gave Rain an idea. When Branden was about to climb the wall again, Rain touched the ground and then and then made a staircase made of dirt emerge. It seemed sturdy enough andrge enough for a few soldiers to climb it.


    "We can use this to make our soldierse and go," Rain said. "I can also make it disappear before the enemies can use it. I have other ideas as well..."


    "Won''t that consume a lot of mana?" Branden asked.

 Chapter 168: War (10)

    Branden had a point; even with his extra potions, Rain couldn''t use that more than ten times. Still, he soon found a solution to that problem.


    "I can half the cost of it by using the walls," Rain exined. "It will also be a good way to surprise some tribes of the enemies."


    "That sounds good enough. Focus on recovering your magic until the battle starts," Branden said. "I will give you the sign as to when you should use that."


    Since it was the battlefield, Rain had to be more cautious of his surroundings. Using big spells like that without alerting others would cause more problems than solve, after all. In any case, Rain cleared his mind and began to meditate.


    "Hey, Asche, you should talk with Terra about before," Jori said. "We shouldn''t get the mood of the group to stay like this when we are about to risk our lives."


    "Why? I am on her side, though," Asche dered. "I don''t like when people try to act heroically only to get themselves hurt or worse. When the wounded say unreasonable things, I also felt like beating the crap out of them."


    "What is up with you two today?" Jori asked and then sighed.


    Jori recalled the days when Rain didn''t work with them; it was mainly like that, the girls being an enigma all the time since their actions didn''t make sense. It was only natural since they mostly acted out of their feelings.


    In any case, after hearing that, Branden assumed that they had some history about that kind of thing¡­ Jori never asked about their parents, but if he had to guess, it was rted to the situation.


    Regardless, Jori didn''t have more time to deal with that situation; the enemies had finished setting their camps and were preparing to move a good part of their armies¡­ things were starting to take shape for one hell of a long battle.


    Rain opened his eyes when he felt a trembling on the ground, and soon he got up. He saw the main army on the enemy''s side moving¡­ they were only using half of their forces, and they were also splitting that number into three parts. They were nning to attack three sides of the wall like usual¡­


    "They are moving like they are prepared for a siege, but they don''t have that much time," Rain said. "I guess they have some tricks up their sleeve to knock down the walls as fast as possible."


    "What do you think that they can do, considering that you are an earth mage?" Branden asked.


    "I never considered myself one, but¡­" Rain said and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If I were to guess, maybe they made some parts of the walls weaker, or they are nning to break through one area by using their magic nonstop."


    As soon as he said that, Rain used his magic to check the walls, and it didn''t take long for him to find a semi-hollow wall near the gate. When Rain opened a hole in the floor, everyone saw that the bricks inside were actually sand¡­ it was a gift that the quicksand executioners left behind.


    "Can you fix this?" Branden asked.


    "I only have so much mana and potions," Rain shrugged. "Let''s see¡­ transforming everything back to normal will cost too much mana, but I should be able to move the bricks from the sides and make the hollow point be split into several positions. That should surprise the enemies."


    "All right, do that and then check the other parts of the walls; we don''t have much time," Branden said.


    Rain felt like sighing while he was working¡­ he could tell that he was going to work a lot during that whole battle. He sure was hoping that he would be paid well for it¡­ Otherwise, he might consider changing his profession.


    The enemies stopped five hundred meters away from the walls while they fixed their ranks. Thanks to that, Rain had time to run around the wall as fast as he could and fix the hollow points. Fortunately, he only found them, and he solved them with one potion alone. Revan regretted his choice of giving those kids a chance to do what they wanted when he saw Rain.


    Still, soon he saw what he was doing, and he almost broke into a cold sweat¡­ if the enemies had attacked those points with their magic, it wouldn''t havested for even five minutes.


    "You can use this chance to surprise them; make sure to give them a surprise that they will never forget for the rest of their short lives," Rain said.


    Revan didn''t like to receive tips from a kid, but he recognized that Rain had a point¡­ they had to surprise the enemies since the battle waspletely in their favor.


    When Rain returned to the others, he did it just in time to see a ground of three hundred enemies moving. It was hard to see what kind of power they had since they were all wearing dark cloaks. At least theirmanders, who were in the powerhouses, weren''t with them yet.


    In any case, as soon as the enemies were three hundred meters away, Branden raised his right arm, and the enemies stopped when they saw the archers and mages on the walls pointing their bows and wands toward them. They were within the limit of their effective range, and the enemies knew that well¡­


    All of the enemies did the same; they pointed their hands toward the walls, and they were acting like they only wanted to damage it without a real target. Still, soon they all pointed their hands in the same direction, and then hundreds of earth spears emerged from the ground and then flew toward the walls.


    "I guess this is another tribe¡­ since they are targeting the supposed hollow point, they aren''t acting suspiciously by using blunt projectiles," Rain thought and then looked at Branden, who began to smirk.

 Chapter 169: War (11)

    The enemies kept summoning their earth spears, even though it took a while for any cracks to appear on the walls. They kept going even though all of a sudden, the air around them began to get colder¡­


    "Do it now, Rain!" Branden said.


    Rain made three sets of staircases appear on the other side of the wall. The soldiers stationed behind the walls began to go down and dash toward the enemies.


    At first, the mages ignored and waited until those guys got closer, but then their legs began to get covered in ice¡­ they didn''t learn a single thing from Tristan¡­ or perhaps they just thought that the walls would fall before anything happened.


    In any case, the enemies still could use their hands, and while their bodies were suffering frostbites at that moment, they still pointed their hands toward the humans and bombarded them with earth spears. Rain watched the battle unfold before his eyes while furrowing his eyebrows.


    The soldiers blocked the earth spears with their weapons, but some of them were knocked down thanks to the sheer power of the attacks. Still, it didn''t take long before they reached the enemies and began to ughter them.


    "Don''t rush, and don''t get impatient," Branden said while he was clenching his fists since he was seeing some of his soldiers die. "The battle just started. They only sent a small portion of their soldiers¡­ we can''t get exhausted before the real battle begins.


    Rain closed his eyes and tried to meditate while he was standing¡­ Still, he wasn''t able to focus on doing that. It was only natural since he needed to rx as much as possible to be able to meditate¡­ but it was a problem at the same time.


    "I need to improve Meditation or find a way to meditate all the time," Rain thought. "Maybe there is a relic out there that is waiting for me, but it will be better if I develop a skill that does that since it will give me a ton of experience."


    It was hard to imagine that Rain would be able to pull that off in the middle of a war, though, still, in the encyclopedia of famous and Powerful figures that Rain read. He heard of a mage that could use area of effect spells whenever he wanted, and no one ever saw him run out of mana¡­ no one knew his secret, though.


    "I still have a long path ahead of me," Rain thought.


    Branden sent around three hundred soldiers as well to deal with the three hundred mages. While they lost twenty on their side and thirty more due to injuries, the enemies had lost more than one hundred of them already, and the walls were no longer being attacked¡­ still, the enemies soon sent their second battalion.


    "It looks like they know that we don''t have many people on this side¡­" Jori said while furrowing his eyebrows. "Themander should have sent more soldiers toe with us."


    "It wouldn''t work; only the members of the organization would agree to follow me," Branden said. "The soldiers need to have some faith in theirmander to perform well. Maybe that will change after this battle, but for now, the soldiers of the kingdom think that I am just an underhanded brat who relies on tricks to win our battles and that I only lead a group of unruly mercenaries."


    It made sense¡­ for someone to be respected in the army, they needed the experience and the aplishments. Branden had his organization because of his fame and family, and while they did a lot in thest five years, they still had a lot to prove.


    Before Branden could make his choice of sending reinforcements or not, the earth mages from the enemy''s side began to fall back¡­ he decided to call his soldiers as well to avoid making them expose themselves.


    Still, the second battalion of enemies soon joined the first and began to march together toward the walls. Much to everyone''s surprise, they crossed that three-hundred-meter line, and soon Branden gave the order for the archers and mages to attack them.


    Unfortunately, since they only had one hundred of those, the projectiles were stopped¡­ the new battalion used wind walls to stop all the projectiles. It soon began to fire wind des toward the walls. Jori and Reca stepped forward and blocked the projectiles that targeted their friends. However, the impacts still pushed them a couple of centimeters.


    "We can''t let them dictate the pace of the battle," Branden muttered and looked around. "Guys, I will need you to lead the charge. I will be safe here, so focus on stopping the second battalion and returning in one piece. Support Rain as much as you can since he doesn''t have much mana."


    That choice of words was problematic since it could make the others jealous of Rain. Still, they weren''t kids anymore¡­ they were in Rain''s eyes. Still, they didn''t behave like that often, so they seriously nodded while looking at Branden.


    The same looked at Rain and also nodded¡­ they couldn''t risk too many more soldiers to stop the second battalion¡­ they had to do that with the ones they had on the field.


    "Well, let''s go then," Rain said and then jumped from the wall.


    Rain wanted to dash toward the enemies, but he waited for his friends since the enemies were moving toward them¡­ when the soldiers were about to reach the wall, they saw the signs that Branden had made. He raised his right arm and then moved to the side¡­ it was the sign for them to stand their ground and prevent further damage to the walls.


    The earth mages began to attack the walls again, on the same spot since they believed that they were almost there¡­ It was time for Rain to crush their dreams. Once everyone was ready, they took the lead of the first line of defense, and then they charged toward the enemies when Rain used Impulse.

 Chapter 170: War (12)

    The wind mages stopped attacking the soldiers on the wall. They began to fire wind des at that rtively short figure moving toward them. Still, Rain dodged them all by jumping from one side to the other¡­ when he was one hundred meters away from the enemies, he used Impulse once more and then appeared right in front of them.


    While clenching his fists and teeth, Rain used the power of the Charge alongside Iron Fist to hit one enemy and make him spin for thirty meters while colliding with a bunch of their allies. The st of the attack also knocked down the enemies on the sides¡­


    The Iron Fist skill received 300 experience points.


    The Iron Fist skill received 300 experience points.


    The Iron Fist skill received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain confirmed that his hands didn''t suffer damage; attacking walls and attacking humans was different, after all. In any case, the other enemies that weren''t bitten by his attack turned to the side and fired numerous Wind des at him. Still, Rain used Charging Charge again and pierced deeper into the enemy''s formation and avoided the attacks.


    Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, Terra, and the other soldiers finally reached the enemies while they were trying to hit Rain, and that wonderfully backfired for the enemies¡­ they basically had several seconds to attack the enemies before they could turn around and see what was happening.


    "I guess improvisation isn''t their forte, too," Rain thought when he reached the other side of the enemy''s formation. "... In any case, it doesn''t look like there is an elemental resistance skill in this system, or I can''t just get hit by elemental attacks and hope that I will get resistant to them."


    Rain checked his arms and legs, and while they weren''t deep, he had some cut wounds on his body¡­ he didn''t avoid all the wind des, apparently.


    In any case, there was no time to rest¡­ the enemy might send another battalion soon, and they had to deal with those two as soon as possible, so Rain began to run while attacking the enemies.


    Half of the enemies focused on him, but he lowered his stance and blocked the attacks with his forearm guards. At the same time, he collided with the enemies and sent their bodies flying. For now, that would work, but he could hear the sound of the metal of his forearm guards cracking with every passing moment.


    When Rain reached the other side, he found his friends fine and well, but a lot of soldiers were getting hit by the wind des; evenEven though the enemy''s formation was a wreck, their attack power was no joke, and the mercenaries were dying a lot faster than anyone could have expected.


    "Rain, you should go and scar them for life, those who survive, that is," Jori said.


    Rain nodded and began to drink the potions that he still had left¡­ just punching the enemies that were running away would take too much time. Killing all of them wasn''t possible with the mana that he had left, but he could do something else.


    After using Impulse, Rain arrived in front of a group of wind mages, and they prepared to split him in many parts with their wind des, but then Rain punched the ground, and in the next moment, earth spikes emerged from it and then pierced their legs¡­ in a single moment, thirty wind mages fell while shouting in agony.


    Rain quickly moved to another side and looked for thergest group to do the same because that was the quickest way to cause a lot of damage and save Mana. Without their legs, the enemies wouldn''t be able to escape, and the pain would make them unable to focus¡­ soon, Rain confirmed all that.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received experience.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received experience.


    ¡­


    Rain couldn''t help but smile; he was getting a lot of experience¡­ wars truly were the best option to make people stronger. Still, he soon calmed down once he realized that the generals of the enemy''s army had fought in situations like that who knows how many times¡­ they were a lot stronger than him, thanks to it.


    In the end, Rain stopped doing that after five minutes¡­ the enemies split in all directions and were only trying to survive instead of fighting back. Out of the two battalions that had three hundred each, only around one hundred managed to escape. The humans decided not to give chase since they would be too close to the enemy''s camp.


    When Rain returned to his friends, he saw them helping the wounded return to the wall. Although he wanted to keep an eye on the enemies, he decided to help them since there were plenty of people who could do that job instead.


    "What do you think of this first battle?" Jori asked while he was cleaning his sword from blood.


    "We sent the message that things won''t be as easy as they had nned¡­ we made them pay the price of underestimating us, but this might also make the next battles much harder," Rain said and then noticed that his friends didn''t look that tired, but they looked tense. "It will be better if you guys pace yourselves."


    Although he said that, everyone had to help the wounded since their side had the least people. It was hard to say since they still could hear the sound of battles happening in other areas of the city, but they shouldn''t expect much help from Revan.


    Still, much to everyone''s surprise, some soldiers carrying potions arrived and gave them to be used on the wounded.


    "I guess he wants to see us showing more results, even if he has to spend resources on mercenaries," Rain thought.


    "Rain, you should get some rest," Branden said. "I think that the enemies will attack at night, and we will need you if the enemy generals join the fight."

 Chapter 171: War (13)

    Using the generals so soon would be a bold move. They only had three on their sides, so each one was leading a different army. If they die, the army on that side will be reduced to a mob, and dealing with them will be a lot easier. Chain ofmand wouldn''t help the enemies when their morale drops to the very bottom, after all.


    In any case, Rain was quite tired since he spent the night working and had to get hurt a lot more to finish the tunnel that day¡­ in the end, he found an empty house nearby where he used his backpack to rest his head.


    "All the people here apparently were killed or escaped," Rain thought. "I don''t even remember the house where I was born¡­ putting that aside, maybe I should develop a technique to let me meditate and sleep at the same time."


    Rain tried to meditate while he was lying down, and while the skill was working, it wasn''t at full power¡­ maybe it was because he was too rxed and unfocused. Regardless, it didn''t take long for him to fall asleep.


    Rain had nned to sleep for as long as he could, but in the end, he woke up when it started to get cold and dark outside. He got up and left the house, only to see everyone working on making campfires and torches.


    "I guess around three hours have passed," Rain thought while looking around. "Where is everyone?"


    It has been a while since Rain ate anything as well, so he was starving. While he has some jerk on his backpack, he wants something more filling and tasty to raise his spirits. Still, he just warned a piece of jerk by a campfire nearby, and then Rain moved to the wall.


    While he was walking, Rain noticed that a lot of mercenaries were looking at him. Rain didn''t want to say that he was that famous, but those people should have seen him more than a few times in the organization.


    "I guess I stood out too much today," Rain thought.


    When Rain reached the top of the walls, he saw the enemy''s camp in the distance. It was massive, even though it only had one-third of its total size. There were numerous bonfires around to make sure that they wouldn''t be surprised by ambushers¡­ they looked a lot more defensive than Rain had expected.


    "You sure showed something crazy today," Cor suddenly approached and then said.


    "White mustache¡­" Rain said while furrowing his eyebrows and trying to recall his name.


    "You call me that in your head?" Cor asked.


    "You are¡­ Coral. No, Corel," Rain said. "Wait, it is Cornelius."


    "... You have a weird sense of humor," Cor said after a long sigh. "Our boss is taking with themander, and your friends are guarding him."


    "I see¡­ how the other sides fared today?" Rain asked.


    "A bit worse than us, considering that our odds were the worst," Cor replied. "They tried to do the same things on all sides for some reason, and Themander made them pay the price for it. It looked like he had been expecting how they would start their attacks and used that chance to make the first battalions on the enemies side be annihted."


    It didn''t look like many people knew about the hollow point in the walls, but that was for the best. In any case, Rain wanted to ask about their losses on all fronts, but he didn''t want to dampen the mood.


    Level 15: Vitality Surge - Enhance your vitality, increasing your overall health pool. Vitality + 03 per skill level.


    Level 20: Precision Strike - Strike a precise target, bypassing a portion of the enemy''s defenses.


    Level 25: Crushing Blow - Deliver a powerful punch, staggering your opponent briefly.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 84(2100/8400)


    Current Path: Fighter''s Path (Lv 25- 400/1100)


    Health: 5620/7620


    Mana: 4330/12330


    Stamina: 7530/9530


    Strength: 702


    Dexterity: 517


    Intelligence: 825


    Vitality: 743


    Wisdom: 1143


    Endurance: 791


    Luck: 227


    Free Points: 95


    Main Skills:


    [Punch Mastery Lv 47)


    [Iron Fist Lv 29]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 17]


    [Vitality Surge Lv 01 ]


    [Crushing Blow Lv 13]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 42]


    [Basic Training 92]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 20]


    [Meditation Lv 63]


    "Hehehe, this path is really the best¡­ I am only at level twenty-five, and I already have two passive skills that increase my parameters," Rain thought. "Training and fighting will make them level up as well, so I really can''tin."


    Rain still needed some time to rest, but the excitement was making him forget all that. Around three hourster, after sunset, Branden and the others showed up. The meeting that they had had been a pretty long one; it was also weird since everyone knew that the enemies could attack at night.


    "I thought that you would use these moments of peace to rest¡­" Branden said and then facepalmed. "We still have a long war ahead of us, so you really need to rest. Our message shouldn''t have arrived in Tristan yet, so we probably will have to hold the fort for five more days at the very least."


    "What else?" Rain asked.


    "I would dare say that we won on the first day, but the enemies have tricks up their sleeve, so Revan wants to y defensively no matter the cost."


    "That might not end well for us; long range is the name of their game," Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "They also should have a lot more mana than us, so we might lose a lot and only gain some time at the cost of many lives."


    "He is aware of that, but he believes that it is a necessary sacrifice," Branden said.


    "We won today, so the enemies will try to y safe for a while, and that is where we canpensate for it," Asche said.


    "Themander is going to send one hundred royal guards and the groups that they lead as well, so we will have the reinforcements of eleven hundred men, so it isn''t all bad news," Jori said.

 Chapter 172: War (14)

    Since they were royal guards, the reinforcements would have more reasons to obey Branden, who could join the royal family. Still, Rain didn''t know how much they would be useful, even more so when they were a lot more loyal to Revan than anything else.


    "Well, if something happens, we were just following orders," Rain thought.


    The group had a quick meal and then went to rest for a bit. Still, they didn''t have the chance to rest for long since, all of a sudden, a massive impact echoed in the area and made the ground tremble.


    Rain quickly left the house that he was having and then heard some noiseing from the walls. The others also appeared and looked around, imagining that an enemy attack was taking ce, and soon they headed toward the walls¡­ Still, they didn''t find any signs of enemies nearby. However, there was a boulder close to the wall and a huge mark of attack nearby¡­


    "From that distance and with something that big?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Before long, everyone on the walls heard the sound of something, and a secondter, they saw a massive boulder almost hitting them on top of the wall. It onlysted for a moment, but Rain saw the boulder spinning¡­ it was five meters long and wide, and to cross that distance, a normal person couldn''t fire such a spell.


    "It is abination of wind and earth magic," Liss said. "It seems that even though they don''t belong to the same tribe, those guys can do this much together. The wind adds the speed by moving around it, and it also makes the projectile lighter and releases all of the energy upon impact. Also¡­


    It seemed that Liss was some magic nerd, so she kept rambling about that for a while. In any case, the enemies wanted to damage the walls at night to make them have an easier time during the day.


    Soon, the group realized that the same thing was happening on the other side of the wall¡­ they also didn''t want to let anyone sleep. That was a good strategy and very dangerous for the humans.


    "If everyone doesn''t rest properly enough, we will suffer more wounds and casualties tomorrow," Terra said.


    That was obvious, but Terra still felt the need to warn Branden about that. When the next projectile came, he confirmed that the enemies were targeting random spots on the walls to prevent them from being blocked¡­ the enemies imagined that they had some decent mages on their side if they were doing that much.


    Branden considered working together with Rain to stop the projectiles. Still, they would have to cover two kilometers of walls¡­ it was impossible, no matter how good they were with magic.


    "We can''t move arge group of enemies, but we should be able to stop them with a smaller one," Branden said.


    "Sir, themander said that you shouldn''t head to the Frontlines," Jori said. "If you disobey such amander, the reinforcements won''t feel the need to follow theirs since they will feel that you don''t respect themander; they will also feel that you respect their lives even less."


    "I suppose so¡­" Branden said while ring toward the enemies in the distance. "I wanted to surprise them, but I guess you guys can do that. You should use the tunnel and then cover for Rain and Liss while they use their magic together to cause havoc among the enemies."


    "The entrance of the tunnel is around four hundred meters away from the enemies; it will be hard to approach and escape without revealing it," Reca said while grabbing her spear tightly since she wanted to do something more aside from just guarding the attackers.


    "Rain?" Branden asked.


    "... You really like to treat me like a mole, don''t you?" Rain asked after a long sigh. "I can make the tunnel get two hundred meters closer, and that should be enough for a fire tornado to cause some destruction among their ranks while we remain hidden."


    "All right, get to work; we don''t have time to waste," Branden said. "Be careful since the earth Mages might be able to feel your magic underground."


    Rain wanted toin, but it was useless. ording to the work that he showed thus far, he wanted at least ten gold coins. If he receives less as a payment, he will probably resign from the organization.


    In any case, Rain began to work, and after half an hour, he finished the job. Since he only used magic, his hands were fine. It was a pain since he wouldn''t be able to use much of it on the next day, but at least he wasn''t discovered. Using the small hole that Rain created, the group checked things on the enemy''s camp, and then they saw what was happening.


    They saw a group of ten earth mages raising their hands while they also created a boulder slowly but surely. Around them, there was a group of twenty wind mages enveloping the boulder in the wind and making it spin¡­ Some enemies were watching them, but not a single person was guarding those guys.


    "They truly aren''t expecting this¡­ I guess everyone in this world sucks at improvising or risk management," Rain thought.


    "If I focus hard enough, I can make the tornado appear close to them and such them in, but I can''t use two types of magic from this distance," Liss said.


    "Fire magic isn''t my strength, but I got covered," Rain said. "You can start it."


    Liss nodded and focused until the enemies began to focus their magic and prepare tounch another projectile toward the walls. The tornado started like a gust of wind, but soon, it began to grow in size and length.


    Before long, Rain used all of his focus to send a single bullet of fire that contained a shit ton of mana, and when it touched the tornado, it engulfed it in mes and began to make it expand while sucking the enemy''s wind as well¡­

 Chapter 173: War (15)

    The enemies were caught off guard, to the point that even some of the earth mages were crushed by the boulder that they created.


    The enemies panicked when they saw that kind of spell, and soon, the water snipers approached and attacked the fire tornado. Still, the spell began to move toward them while destroying a good part of their camps¡­


    The wind and earth mages that were resting joined them to attack the spell. Still, since they weren''t acting together, they only slowed it down a little while they were pulled toward it; before long, their screams of pain echoed in the area.


    "They are looking for us¡­ make the mes spread," Jori said.


    Liss nodded while she was making an expression of effort and sweating. She used all of her remaining mana and focus to make the mes spread in all directions, consuming a bunch of tents and enemy soldiers on the st.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received experience.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received experience.


    ¡­


    When the enemies recovered from the unpleasant surprise, Rain had already sealed the hole, and they were returning to the city.


    Before long, they were back and confirmed that the enemies were still busy looking after their wounded and extinguishing the mes that spread around. At the same time, the enemies on the other side of the walls slowed down the attacks and kept their guard up against ambushes like that.


    "Good work, this should even things a bit," Branden said. "You should rest now and wait for future orders. Try to rx as much as possible while you can."


    Controlling that much mana sure wore Liss down, so she epted the offer without hesitation. As for Rain, he wasn''t that tired, but he wanted to meditate as much as possible¡­ he also had a feeling that the enemies wouldn''t only use their minions to take over the walls, after all.


    "I thought that my range was good, but I guess that after seeing this, perhaps I should train harder," Asche said while looking for a target that she could use. "I wille backter."


    "I will stay close to the walls in case someone gets hurt," Terra dered.


    "I wished that we could do something like that as well, but there are too many people on guard duty; I guess we will have to wait until the next battle," Jori said.


    "Let''s just sharpen our arrows as much as possible to cut down the enemies with more ease," Reca said.


    Despite her scary words, Reca had a point. Everyone could do something in that situation to improve their odds. Branden felt satisfied seeing the group working like that. He also felt satisfied that Rain''s presence made them grow that much¡­ he had originally nned to make them grow by looking after someone younger who was supposed to be like them. Still, he proved to be a lot more reliable.


    Rain Awakened theirpetitive side, and they also learned that preparation was key.


    In any case, when morning came, Rain felt a bit less tired since he managed to find a bit of bnce between using Meditation and resting his head. The enemies attacked the walls a few times, but not that many times, and not that side of the wall.


    "I guess it is time for that; the forearm guards are almostpletely busted, so I have to buy the best ones I can find in the capital, and since I am already of this size, I might as well buy some that will work even in an adult body," Rain thought while he was stretching. "I guess it is time to get the shin guards as well. That will offer some extra protection and variety to my attacks."


    Rain wanted some nice breakfast to start the day on a high note, but soon, he reunited with the others and only had some nations. They didn''t know how long the battle wouldst, so they had to be careful with their food since reinforcements woulde as fast as possible, and they wouldn''t be able to do that while carrying a lot with them.


    "We haven''t received our orders yet, but I guess we need to talk about how we should fight today," Jori said while they were earring. "While we didn''t have to use formations now, we should do that from now on for the sake of efficiency. We can''t just let Rain dash ahead and offer support from a distance. That isn''t much teamwork, and that also makes him use a lot of mana."


    Rain didn''t mind that much since he had the chance to get a lot of experience, but perhaps Jori had a point. Instead of going ahead like a cannon and only working for a few minutes, perhaps a more steady approach would be the best option since he would be able to fight longer, and the others would get stronger with him.


    Battles like that were good to make him gain a lot of power, but it would be bad if something happens to his friends while he was away.


    "We don''t have to watch our back, so I think that something like this would work," Jori said while drawing on the ground. "Terra stays in the middle, and the rest of us deal with the enemies around us. Asche and Liss will be on the back of the formation, offering support since they can only attack so many times; Reca and I will be on the front but watching the sides, and Rain will lead the charge.


    Sometimes, he doesn''t have time to look to the sides, so we need to do that for him since he is getting hurt a lot in his blind spot."


    "I guess that is fine. Rain can lead the charge and also Change its direction in case of need," Reca said. "Still, we might need to do that a few times to improve our coordination."

 Chapter 174: War (16)

    While they worked as a team for a while, they also worked ying to their individual strengths. It was mainly the first time they had the chance to fight like that for so long, after all.


    "I think that we might need that when we fight alone, but it won''t be the case this time," Rain said. "You will soon confirm that."


    The others didn''t understand Rain''s words that well, but they knew that he wouldn''t say nonsense just to lift their mood. Still, they didn''t have time to practice since everyone began to move toward the walls, and the words of the enemies started to spread around.


    When Branden showed up, he called the group to stay close to him again. There were plenty of veterans who could help him and follow his orders better. Still, it seemed that he wanted Jori''s group for different reasons.


    "Our orders today are to keep the fighting near the walls and avoid losses," Branden said. "Still, we can move and take the fight to the enemies if the walls take too much damage."


    "I guess the other walls aren''t in that good shape," Rain said. "Perhaps Revan didn''t have the chance to sleep that well and changed his mind."


    "It is Commander Revan," Jori whispered when some of the royal guards approached.


    "The enemies will try harder today, so I am nning to use fresher troops," Branden exined. "You guys will go with the royal guards groups and then try to cause as much damage as possible against them. However, try to not stand out too much. The enemies might have prepared some traps for you all."


    That was something hard to ask; they were young, and they were Mercenaries. Of course, they would stand out if they worked with the royal guards and their underlings. In any case, Rain had to make the stairs appear again. While it was a bit too soon for that, it was also a trick to lure the enemies while giving the allies the chance to move to the battlefield faster.


    Before long, around three of the enemy battalions began to march toward the walls, and the royal guards stepped forward with their tower shields to block the view of the enemies and protect those behind them.


    Those guys stopped when they were three hundred meters away, but Rain still was able to see their appearance¡­ they were the heat sorcerers. Fire wouldn''t do much against the walls in the short term, but the enemies apparently wanted the humans to suffer as much as they didst night.


    "That isn''t something that shields can defend against," Rain dered.


    "Mages! Attack the enemy''s spells! They will power and control from this distance!" Branden shouted when the fire tornadoes began to emerge. "Now!"


    Those who could use magic fired water balls toward the fire tornadoes. Alongside the mercenaries and the reinforcements that they received, they had around three hundred people who could use magic at a decent level. Still, it was hard for them to be able to do much against ten fire tornadoes.


    As if that wasn''t troublesome enough, the enemies were only using around one-third of their forces. It was clear that they wanted to cause damage from a distance without risking any losses. After all, they probably lost five hundred more soldiers than the humans did on the previous day.


    In any case, little by little, the fire tornadoes began to approach the walls, and the winds started to burn a little those nearby. Still, out of nowhere, Branden raised his hands, and then he made somerge ice boulders appear above him, and then he fired toward three of the fire tornadoes. Considering their size, the speed was quite crazy, but soon everyone understood why that was the case.


    The projectiles were hollow¡­ instead of making a heavy projectilepletely made of ice, Branden filled the interior with cold air that spread around when it hit the ground below the fire tornadoes.


    The cold air spread around and immediately dissolved the three fire tornadoes. It was quite something that Branden could do that against three spells of dozens of enemies¡­ maybe he trained all his life to be proficient at fighting the magic people.


    In any case, that disy of skill and power made the soldiers on the walls get inspired, and they began to attack the fire tornadoes more fiercely.


    While emotion and adrenaline couldn''t power up magic, they could improve uracy¡­ the soldiers in the walls started to attack the base of the fire tornadoes, and that made them lose Power and speed¡­ just like when they were fifty meters away, they started to decrease in size and then eventually dissipated.


    The battlefield grew silent for a while since the enemies didn''t know what to do; they truly sucked at improvising. While looking at them, Rain pointed his right index finger at them and almost fired an earth bullet. However, Branden stopped him¡­ he truly didn''t want them to stand out and be the focus of the enemies.


    That was a bit bothersome, but it couldn''t be helped¡­ in any case, the first battalion began to retreat a bit, and then the second battalion emerged. The tension could be felt in the air since the next enemies were impossible to recognize since their hoodies were covering their whole bodies.


    Still, everyone quickly realized who they were when they pointed their hands ahead, and then from the ground, Numerous golems began to emerge.


    "The golem masters¡­" Branden said and then furrowed his eyebrows. "Groups one to fifty, go deal with them. You guys should go with them and try to get rid of as many golem masters as possible. Don''t go too far since the other battalions are nearby. We need to take down as many of them as possible while not losing any on our side."


    Rain, Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra nodded, and then they began to climb down the stairs alongside half of the parties of the royal guards¡­

 Chapter 175: War (17)

    "Oh, I get it now¡­ since the others will be on both sides, we don''t have to worry about changing directions or being attacked from those sides as well," Jori said when the group reached the ground.


    "Took you long enough," Rain said. "Anyway, do you really want me to take the position that will lead the group? I am not good at pacing myself and keeping my eyes looking to the sides."


    "It is time to learn that," Jori said when the enemies were fifty meters away, and they pointed their hands toward the group and the royal guards.


    The Golems began to fire earth bullets toward them. The royal guards had no difficulties blocking them with their shields. Still, since Jori''s group didn''t have that kind of defensive gear, they had to block the attacks with their weapons while the others assumed their positions.


    The golems stopped moving and focused only on attacking; thanks to that, the sound of stone hitting iron shields echoed in the area like Rain until the entire formation waspleted. Aside from Jori''s group, the others had split themselves into five lines of one hundred and began to march toward the enemies.


    "Well, this is quite fun," Rain thought while he was blocking the earth bullets with his forearms guard.


    It felt like a rhythm game; aside from the noise, it was pretty rxing. In any case, while Rain was like that, Liss and Asche were itching to do something, but they couldn''t since their real goal was to target the golem''s masters. They couldn''t waste energy and resources until they found an opening in the golems formation. Still, the golems began to back down when the humans began to get close.


    "Increase your pace and kill them all!" One of the guards shouted.


    Everyone followed that lead, and Rain kept an eye on the back of the enemies¡­ unfortunately, he couldn''t see that well because the golems were toorge. Still, while it was a bit too soon for that, he solved the problems by making the golems trip while they were walking backward, thanks to some bumps in the ground.


    A line of five of them fell and showed a hole in their formation¡­ The third battalion was marching toward them as well.


    "You couldn''t be more sneaky than that, even if you tried," Rain thought.


    The allies didn''t notice that since the golems were ten meters away from them. The confrontation was about to start¡­ the backline could see what was going on, but it couldn''t make them retreat¡­ in the end, Rain did the only thing he could have done. He made all the golems trip¡­


    Even Rain didn''t have enough control to make all of them fall, and making enough bumps on the ground would consume a lot of mana, so Rain just made thest line of monsters fall, and the others tripped when they kept going¡­ the monsters and their masters didn''t have time to do a thing.


    Thanks to that, the human soldiers saw the third battalion approaching¡­ They still didn''t stop moving since it was an excellent chance to get rid of the golems, but at least they wouldn''t be caught off guard.


    The golems didn''t have time to get up, but they still pointed their hands at the humans and fired countless earth bullets. The royal guards blocked them with their shields and destroyed the heads of the enemies with their spears and soon crossed that first line of defense.


    Jori''s group did the same with their weapons, aside from Rain. He didn''t feel like killing one at a time, so he kicked one of the golems and made it smash the others¡­ that hurt his leg quite a bit, but at least five of them died instantly.


    The golem masters soon created another wave of monsters, and while everyone wondered how many times they could do that, Rain checked their aura and confirmed that their presences thinned out by about half¡­ if they used the same amount of mana before¡­


    "They can only summon three monsters each! Don''t fear them!" Rain shouted.


    No one could tell how Rain was so certain, but at least that gave some hope to the soldiers. Moreover, Rain got close enough to snipe some of the golem masters with earth bullets. Asche and Liss did the same¡­ a quick sequence of arrows and Fireballs reached the enemies after flying in a downward arc, and the enemies began to fall like dominoes.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 100 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 100 experience points.


    ¡­


    While the golem masters were falling, the third battalion passed by the sides of their formation, and they approached quite fast¡­ considering what the enemies had done until now, it was quite surprising that they weren''t trying to keep their distance.


    As if things weren''t weird enough, out of nowhere, those guys suddenly took out their cloaks and revealed the appearance of quite buffed figures. All of them had silver hair, and it was pretty long; their silver hair began to shine, and in the next moment, some glowing weapons started to appear in their hands. Swords, spears, axes, even shields¡­ that was really unexpected.


    "Are they from an unknown tribe?" Jori asked, visibly surprised.


    Everyone around also looked surprised¡­ no one heard of such a tribe before. Rain assumed that it was a tribe that worked for one of the generals who worked on the other side of their country. It was the only exnation.


    Aside from that, Rain didn''t let himself be surprised by the appearance of those people and their weapons¡­ his eyesight was better than most, and thanks to that, he quickly confirmed what it was: the shining thing¡­ It was mercury, being enhanced by mana to change its shape and be more durable and or sharp.


    "They can even do that, huh?" Rain thought. "Attacking from a distance with that would be the same as throwing a bunch of mana, and they can only produce or carry so much of that, so they developed a meleebat to deal with that."

 Chapter 176: War (18)

    "They are strong! But they aren''t invincible!" Rain shouted. "Their weapons are only a bit stronger than ours; don''t let that surprise you all! Look at their speed! Do they look impossibly strong to you all? They aren''t all that."


    Rain was probably terrible at increasing morale, but at least some people readied themselves to fight. True, the enemies looked suspicious, and they had weapons and abilities no one had heard of, but they weren''t that insanely fast. Their bodies were well-trained, but their aura didn''t pass a sense of absolute terror.


    Everyone readied themselves to face the enemies. It wasn''t like they weren''t ready to die to recover theirnds and repel the enemy''s invaders. Still, even Rain couldn''t help but recognize the air around those guys¡­ they had faced some serious shit considering the aura that they emitted. They also looked viciously toward the humans; they didn''t show any other emotion aside from that.


    "Keep attacking the golem masters. Let us deal without new enemies," Jori dered.


    "Don''t block too many of their attacks; focus on getting rid of them as soon as possible," Rain said. "Their weapons are reinforced and can be repaired with mana; they have the upper hand in a war of attrition."


    Jori and Reca nodded, and then everyone readied themselves. In the next moment, both armies collided, and a crazy sound of impacts echoed in the area. Aside from the royal guards and their shields, most people were pushed back by the enemy''s advance. Jori and Reca clenched their teeth since the enemies had the advantage of the momentum, but they soon stood their ground.


    Rain punched the first enemy without hesitation. The guy swung his sword toward him, but that didn''t stop Rain. The enemy thought that his sword would easily spit Rain and his arm in two, but the forearm guard blocked the strike, and then Rain''s punch hit the face of the enemy. He felt a crack when the neck of that guy snapped¡­ that is what happens when you focus that much on offense.


    The skill Iron Fists received 500 experience points.


    That was a lot more than usual¡­ that tribe of people certainly was stronger than the others that Rain faced. Still, Rain soon faced the other enemies behind the first one and realized something¡­ There was no sense of union between them.


    The first line of enemies had people with swords, axes, shields, and spears¡­ anyone with two brain cells that could do their synapses would know that the shields and spears should be on the first line, not that mess of a formation. Still, while that was curious, it wasn''t Rain''s problem.


    The enemies also overly focused on offense without giving much thought to defense; only the ones with shields actually tried to block attacks with them.


    "I suppose this tribe must have several factions or something," Rain thought.


    One of the enemies tried to stab Rain with a spear, but Rain moved to the side and avoided the thrust before stepping in and then punching the enemy. The target blocked the attack with his shield, but he still was sent flying into the distance.


    Three other enemies approached Rain and swung down their axes¡­ blocking those wouldn''t be good for Rain''s forearm guards, so he used Charging Charge and collided against the body of one of the enemies before he could swing down his axe.


    Rain took out the ax of that enemy and tried to block the other''s attacks, but soon the ax melted. For a moment, Rain thought that he was done for, but then he reinforced his fists with earth magic, and then it covered his arms up to their elbows.


    The enemy''s attacks still hit him and pushed him backward, but Rain didn''t suffer any damage thanks to his block. The enemies furrowed their eyebrows since they didn''t think that their weapons could be blocked by a bit of dirt¡­ they didn''t have time to do anything else since Rain punched them in the chest.


    They used their weapons to block the attacks, but they were still sent flying while spinning in the air and colliding with dozens of their allies.


    The skill Iron Fists received 500 experience points.


    The skill Iron Fists received 500 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain looked to the sides for a moment and then saw Jori quickly blocking the sword strikes of an enemy and being pushed back by a powerful sword sh. The enemy used that chance to go for a big swing, but then Jori fixed his stance and then stepped in with all his might, and propelled his body forward.


    In the next moment, his right shoulder hit the enemy''s chest, and when he staggered, Jori swung his sword upward and cut the enemy''s chest, making a lot of blood gush from the wound.


    On the other side, Reca was ying with a spearman. Both of them blocked each other''s attacks with their weapons while mirroring each other. Unfortunately, Reca was lighter than the enemy, so he was being pushed backward with each hit.


    Still, when the enemy pushed her further and then went for the finishing move, Reca pushed the spear forward with a single hand and increased its length for a moment, making it reach the neck of the enemy faster than usual. The guy didn''t have the time to react and ended up dead.


    "They can handle one-on-one fights, but I suppose it will be bad if I move too far away from them," Rain thought.


    The other lines were standing their ground and staying close to each other. They weren''t being pushed or winning, so things were on a stalemate. However, soon, the enemies of the other battalions began to approach, and that wasn''t a good sign.


    Rain quickly looked backward to see if Branden was nning something, but he didn''t notice any changes in the backline. It seemed that he wasn''t going to send reinforcements until it was absolutely necessary¡­

 Chapter 177: War (19)

    "I wanted to save Maan, but it can''t be helped¡­" Rain thought. "We need to get rid of at least half of these guys."


    Rain thought of wounding the legs of the mercury guys, but soon, he realized that they were all wearing boots made of the same materials as the weapons that they summoned. They worked really fast on a countermeasure against him¡­ so Rain had to be more creative.


    "They probably aren''t the strongest tribe that they have; they will keep that until all of us are exhausted and then will use them to wipe us out swiftly," Rain thought. "Not on my watch."


    If Rain couldn''t damage them, he still could make them stop moving, and without using their legs, the enemies would lose a good part of their powers. Rain didn''t have to look around; he just touched the ground and could feel the location of all of the enemies. Without hesitation, he made the ground below their feet sink until they fell up to their knees, and then the holes closed.


    The enemies lost their bnce for a moment, and in the next moment, forty of those guys were killed by Rain''s allies. Although they tried to look cold, the others still were caught off guard when they saw their friends being killed like that¡­


    The skill Iron Fists received 250 experience points.


    The skill Iron Fists received 250 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain used around one thousand mana points to help kill forty enemies¡­ it wasn''t very efficient to get rid of them, but at least it was fast. That also made the humans step forward faster, thanks to the morale and the hole in the enemy''s formation.


    "All right, this will do," Rain thought. "Still, earth mages can be really useful in wars. Why do the people here train kids to be like me?"


    Rain could only assume that a mindset that could only be developed during fights and a cold-hearted attitude was absolutely necessary to be a bit like him. Some talent was also necessary, but that could be solved if they focused only on earth magic.


    Regardless, Rain stopped wasting time and began to punch his way through the enemy''s lines. Around the time he reached the back of that battalion, he saw the next one approaching, and this time, they were a mix of the heat sorcerers and the golem masters.


    "I have a bad feeling about this¡­" Liss said and then began to focus more on her magic and began to fire some wind des at the enemies.


    Some of the mages lost their heads and had their bodies cut quite deeply by Liss'' attacks, but that didn''t stop them from making more golems emerge from the ground. As if that wasn''t troublesome enough, the heat sorcerers used their magic. They made the golems be fire golems¡­ defending against them will be hard.


    From the back line, several ice spears flew and hit the fire golems. While that stopped them from moving, it also made them explode¡­ the explosions created small craters in an area of ten meters andpletely burned down the ground.


    "Fall back! Fall back! The mages will deal with them!" Someone shouted.


    This time, Branden gave the call pretty fast. The explosions that those creatures caused upon death definitely would kill most soldiers instantly¡­ that had been the right choice. Still, they couldn''t let the golems reach the walls at any cost.


    "Urgh, what now?" Jori asked.


    "Do you think that you can cut them in half and endure the explosion?" Rain asked. "We can only leave this in the hands of the mages."


    Rain wanted to test something, but he decided to wait for a bit longer. The mercury guys weren''t chasing them, but they weren''t falling back either. It was better to y it safe until thest moment.


    When everyone climbed the stairs, Rain got rid of them. Unfortunately, the monsters didn''t need to get closer. They raised their arms and began to attack everyone on the walls with fire-stone bullets. The royal guards blocked them with their shields, but the new projectiles were causing a lot more damage.


    "Hold your ground; we will get rid of them soon enough!"


    Someone was saying that in Branden''s ce, the group soon found him focusing on some spell or attack. Fortunately, it didn''t take long for him to make some ice spikes emerge from the ground and then make half of the fire golems explode.


    Unfortunately, Branden fell on his butt thanks to the fact that he got dizzy¡­ around twenty fire golems were left, and the mages on the walls couldn''t attack without exposing themselves.


    "I am fine; I just got a bit dizzy," Branden said. "Rain, the survivors are on that side; you know what to do, right?"


    Rain looked to the enemies, and then he realized that Branden got rid of the ones that were on the northern side of their wall. The ones on the southern side were still alive, but they were also close to his tunnel.


    "I guess I do," Rain shrugged.


    "Theirbination of spells isn''t that stable, so just enough power will make that destabilize, and the monsters explode," Branden said. "Try to save as much mana as possible."


    That was easier said than done since everything that Branden told him to do required mana. In any case, Rain didn''t waste time and dropped into the tunnel. Two minutester, the monsters began to sink to the ground, and then, when their legs were pressed against it, they began to explode.


    The area trembled for a short while, but Rain was fine on the tunnel. Still, he wondered how the enemies would be unaware of that. If they had enough time, they could use the quicksand mages to check for it, but time was against them as well¡­


    When Rain returned to the others, he confirmed that the enemy''s battalions were still four hundred meters away, waiting for orders. Rain''s attack made them confused since they didn''t think that his skills would let him attack from the walls and with such precision.


    "Everyone here sucks at improvising," Rain thought.

 Chapter 178: War (20)

    In the end, everyone had an hour of rest before they saw any movementsing from the enemy''s camp. It seemed that things on the other sides were pretty much the same¡­ while the enemies didn''t get many surprises there, the numbers on both sides were more or less the same.


    For some reason, those three Battalions returned to their camp¡­ they suffered some losses, but they weren''t that tired. Still, soon, the other three Battalions stepped forward, and they looked much fresher than the others. At the same time, someone was leading them, and that guy was clearly exposing himself¡­ he was either a fool or had a lot of confidence in their skills.


    "One of the generals ising¡­" Branden said and then began to bite his nails nervously. "Is this a trap, or could this be a good chance for us?"


    "Sir, even if it is dangerous, we should ept the risks," Cor suddenly approached and then dered. "Please give me the order to take down that enemy. I shall return with his head before the collision between the armies ends."


    Cor was feeling feisty, apparently¡­ Rain saw him fighting a few times, and the white mustache was a powerful fighter, but he didn''t look strong enough to take down an enemy that could lead one of the enemy tribes. His strength lies in working with his group, after all.


    "... If that guy leads the charge, I want you to fight him, but before anything, measure his strength before going for the kill and focus on defense," Branden said. "The morale of both armies will be on the same level if that guy fights, but we will be in a bind if he kills you. Focus on learning about his patterns and skills first."


    "Understood," Cor said and then saluted and then nodded.


    Someone overly prideful would probably think that Branden wasn''t putting a lot of faith in them. Still, the members of the organization didn''t have time to worry about that. Besides, Branden probably selected those who wouldn''t let those feelings get in the way of situations like that.


    In any case, the enemies stopped their approach when they were five hundred meters away. That was a bit more distant than usual, but the people on the walls still began to climb down and assume their positions. Branden decided to use the fresher troops as well, and Cor would lead them¡­ in the meantime, Rain and the others would stay behind.


    "Is this fine, sir?" Jori asked. "We aren''t doubting your judgment, but we can still fight, and we aren''t even hurt in the slightest."


    "It is fine; just be ready to move in case I call you as fast as possible," Branden said, and then he nodded while looking at Rain.


    Rain did the same¡­ it seemed that he should try to learn as much as possible from the enemy leader if he joined the battle. All in order to get rid of him as fast as possible. It was annoying that Rain had to wait since the enemies were all hiding their appearances behind cloaks and hoods, after all.


    Just before the humans could finish assuming their positions, Rain saw the aura of the enemies changing. Just before, it was a bit of yellow and quickly turned into orange-red¡­ that wasn''t a good sign. At the same time, they charged toward the humans with extreme speed. Even Rain wouldn''t be able to keep up with that unless he uses Impulse.


    At the same time, Rain realized that their footsteps on the ground left deep marks and made them cross several more meters with each step.


    Their general stayed behind, so Rain could almost see the anger that For felt. It was his perfect chance to change the flow of the battle and also affect the war as a whole. Still, the enemy wasn''t stupid¡­ he didn''t have to do what his enemies were expecting of him.


    The enemies and humans collided, and even though the magic people didn''t use any magic, they began to push the humans backward, and some of them were even sent flying for several meters in the air.


    "That much speed and power is umon for them¡­ did they actually use magic when their auras changed?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    That was the only exnation¡­ it was probably some support magic that increased their speed and strength. Rain assumed that when he saw the Cor swinging his sword and then shing the chest of one of the enemies¡­ he was one of the fastest Mercenaries, so that wasn''t surprising. Still, it looked like the endurance of the enemies didn''t change¡­ at least for now.


    When the humans realized that the enemies weren''t that resilient, they focused on waiting for an excellent chance to counterattack. When that happened, a bunch of the enemies began to fall, but all of a sudden, the enemies stopped attacking that fast, and when their bodies were hit, the human''s weapons only scratched their skin and clothes.


    Rain looked behind the enemy''s lines and saw that lone figure¡­ Did that guy intervene somehow? Still, that battalion had around five hundred enemies¡­ could that guy have enough mana and control to affect that many people?


    "It is annoying that they hide their appearances since we would be able to get some answers regarding them with that alone¡­" Rain said. "Still, it looks like they are a tribe that specializes in supporting magic. They changed their approach from strength to speed to strength to endurance."


    "You realized that as well, huh?" Branden asked. "What do you suggest we do considering that?"


    "It seems that they can''t use more than two types of support magic at the same time¡­ so I guess we should alternate between magic and physical attacks."


    Branden nodded¡­ maybe the enemies could increase their magic resistance just like they can use it to increase their physical resistance, but that wouldn''t allow them to cause much damage.

 Chapter 179: War (21)

    The soldiers on the walls that had long enough ranged attacks from that distance used their magic to attack the back of the enemy''s battalions after Branden gave them the order to do so. However, after traveling three hundred meters in the air and in an arc to avoid their allies, it was unavoidable that they would lose some power.


    Some of the enemies were hit by those and slowed down a bit, but soon, they became wary of the attacks and avoided them entirely.


    While that was happening, several humans had their weapons and shields broken by the sheer power of the enemies'' punches. They were almost at the level of Rain''s punches when he used Iron Fists.


    Thanks to all that, the enemies began to push back the humans further, and they began to fall and lose a lot of ground¡­ despite that, Branden didn''t give any other orders.


    He just waited for a while longer, and then he used hisst reserves of Mana and dropped the temperature behind the enemies¡­ he didn''t do anything else aside from that since it would consume his Mana faster¡­ Still, he managed to affect the entire battlefield by making the enemies tremble, thanks to the cold.


    From that point onward, the enemies were the ones who began to falter and fall and thanks to it, the humans started to like the battle and their morale increased by leaps and bounds. Branden fell with his butt on the floor of the wall, though. Since he was mentally exhausted now.


    "I am fine. I just need a bit of rest to recover Mana after this battle," Branden said while getting up.


    Branden couldn''t fall back from the area now since themand wouldn''t fall to one of his subordinates. It woulde to the royal guards, and he wasn''t sure how they would treat the Mercenaries; he didn''t imagine that it would be like they treated each other.


    In any case, he didn''t have time to think about that for long since he suddenly saw that cloaked general approaching the battlefield a bit. He was calmly walking while looking around with his head down. All of a sudden, he crunched down a bit but soon got up¡­ in a single and almost instantaneous motion, the enemy threw a rock toward Branden''s head.


    Still, Rain blocked the attack with one of his forearm guards¡­


    "Hehe, it will be fun to fight that guy," Rain said while the stone that had turned into dust was falling on the floor. "Do you think that we have time to waste waiting here?"


    "Thanks¡­ you have a point," Branden said and then began to think, and then he saw the enemy grabbing another stone and then throwing at Rain this time, who grabbed it with one hand, but he hissed in pain. "Can you really face that guy when he can throw stones that are on par with magic?"


    "I will find a way. Besides, I have a feeling that I pissed him off, so he won''t run away no matter what," Rain said.


    "Let''s hope that Cor won''t be bothered by this¡­ go straight ahead toward the general and bring me his head," Branden said. "Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra, you guys go and make sure that the other enemies won''t get in the way and or try to attack Rain from behind while he is busy."


    It was a bit weird for Branden to worry about that, but it made sense considering his usual behavior. Even though he said some unusual things as well.


    "Roger that," Jori said, and everyone saluted.


    Everyone jumped from the wall at the same time, but even before his fall could end, Rain used Impulse toward the battlefield, and the others quickly were left behind. Rain reached the battlefield, but he just sidestepped the enemies and his allies as he advanced to face the general. As soon as he passed by thest of them, he saw a tall shadow in front of him.


    The enemy general immediately attacked Rain with a double palm strike in his stomach; he didn''t have time to block or dodge it, so Rain felt like his stomach was about to split in two. Still, he didn''t let that attack push him backward.


    He stood his ground and endured the attack and also punched the enemy''s face, or so he tried anyway¡­ the Enemy moved his head to the side and then jumped backward quite fast.


    Rain couldn''t see the face and what the enemy was thinking behind the cloak, and it was a bit difficult to make him strategize. Still, Rain charged once again toward the enemy. In thest moment, he used Impulse. He closed in the distance insanely fast before punching the stomach of the enemy.


    Still, the guy blocked his attack with a single hand, and Rain felt like he had punched a boulder since he barely moved at all.


    "He changed from strength and speed to endurance to speed," Rain thought. "His reflexes are quite good¡­"


    In the next moment, the enemy tried to headbutt Rain, and he epted the challenge; he used Impulse to increase his power as well, but then when their foreheads collided, Rain got dizzy since he felt like he hit a brick wall¡­ he was certain that the enemy would use Strength and Speed again, but he changed in thest moment.


    "His reaction and decision-making speed are something else," Rain thought when he jumped backward and calmed down a little.


    Rain could tell that the enemy was also trying to analyze him, so he shouldn''t rush like a mad dog¡­ the enemy was being cautious since it probably knew a few things about him. If he attacks like usual, he will probably receive a counter that could take his life.


    "Well, I can''t take my time here, and since it has been a while, I guess I will use that and finish things as quickly as possible," Rain thought and then touched the ground.

 Chapter 180: War (22)

    The enemy raised his guard and waited for an attack from below since he knew that Rain liked to do that. Still, instead of that, he only saw a bunch of dirt covering Rain''s arms¡­ that should grant him some defensive power, but it will definitely slow him down. That usually would be true, but not when Rain can use Impulse¡­


    Just like before, Rain crossed the distance in a single moment and punched the enemy''s chin. He reacted in time to block the attack, but the punch had been heavy enough to push his arm back, and his chin got hit a bit. It didn''t suffer any damage, but the enemy general still was caught off guard.


    The attack pushed the head of the enemy backward a bit, and the hood was lifted for a short moment. Rain saw the face of a guy who didn''t look older than twenty, and he didn''t look like he had gotten hit many times either since he truly had a soft face. Aside from that, Rain only saw that the enemy had somewhat pointy ears.


    "An elf?" Rain thought. "I didn''t think that they were a thing here¡­ maybe they are just a bit simr."


    The enemy jumped backward insanely fast and thennded¡­ Rain saw the aura of the guy changing from orange-red to almost light blue for a second¡­ it seemed that he used his powers to increase only his speed for a moment¡­ that was quite troublesome since the enemy would be faster than Rain while he used Impulse and he would be able to control his movements better as well.


    Just like Rain had expected, the enemy suddenly began to run in circles at super speeds¡­ even if that guy was increasing his speed by five or four times, it was insane that he could move around five hundred kilometers per hour.


    "I will learn support spells no matter what¡­ still, I can''t realize anything considering his aura," Rain thought.


    All of a sudden, the enemy suddenly attacked Rain''s back and then backed away before he could turn around¡­ the enemy only used speed and the weight of his own body to enhance that attack. Still, even so, it hurt Rain a lot despite his high health¡­


    "In situations like this¡­" Rain thought and then began to focus.


    It was only for a brief moment, but Rain could feel the vibrations of the footsteps of the enemy¡­ still, the war behind him was messing with his senses. Still, Rain focused enough to use a st of wind against his body and force it to turn around when he felt the Enemy''s approach. While that was happening, he swung his arm to punch the enemy, but he backed away again.


    "I guess you must have left your balls in your tent," Rain said, trying to piss the enemy off. "It is funny to see someone like you in your position."


    "Your taunting skills need some work," The enemy said. "People who fight in wars and lead others aren''t that prideful, at least from where I came from. You don''t look like that either, so why are you trying to rile me up?"


    The enemy was a lot more talkative than Rain had imagined¡­ someone like that probably wasn''t that battle-hardened, but that was weird considering what Rain said. The appearances also made the enemy look inexperienced, so Rain wondered if he could fool that guy with some tricks.


    The enemy had plenty of chances to attack first, but he was too cautious of Rain even while he was thinking. Still, Rain couldn''t let that chance go. In the end, he had an idea. To deal with someone that versatile, Rain had to be quick-thinking and also surprising.


    Just like before, Rain used Impulse and approached the enemy instantly. That guy tried to run away, but Rain was quick to kick the ground and follow him¡­ the enemy tried to keep his distance and wait for an opening, but Rain was stubborn. Even when the enemy kicked a stone that flew faster than a bullet toward his face, Rain just blocked it with the dirt around his arms.


    The impact still made his whole arm tremble.


    "He changed speed to speed and strength for a moment to attack¡­ he might be a general because he is so skilled," Rain thought.


    Still, after moving around so much while always trying to keep his distance, it made Rain realize his patterns. All of a sudden, the enemy tripped when he felt a sharp pain on his feet¡­ Rain had emerged an earth spike that caught him off guard. When that happened, he used Impulse with all his might and attacked the enemy.


    When he recovered, the enemy general saw Rain almost punching him already. The enemy changed his magic for total defense and nned to block the attack and then headbut Rain¡­ still, he regretted that when both of his hands were pierced by something¡­ he was surprised to see earth des on Rain''s hands instead of what he saw before¡­


    "Ugh," The enemy grunted in pain.


    Rain had hardened the dirt as much as possible, but it only pierced the skin of the enemy for a few centimeters. His defense was something else¡­ Still, his attack didn''t end there.


    The enemy tried to run away by increasing his speed, but Rain erected an earth wall behind him, and when he tried to run to his right side, he was kicked in the face instantly¡­ Rain had predicted that he would try to run in that direction because he was right-handed.


    The enemy rolled on the ground for several meters before getting up with his face covered in blood, but he didn''t find Rain. In the next moment, Rain fell from the sky and attacked him¡­ still, even with the earth blocks, the enemy easily blocked them with his arms, and in the next moment, he grabbed Rain''s arms and threw him against the ground.

 Chapter 181: War (23)

    Rain felt his body cracking every time his back hit the ground¡­ he couldn''t understand it. The defenses of the enemy suddenly increased, and now he suddenly was stronger.


    Still, when Rain coughed some blood, the strength of the enemy returned to normal, and he saw some of his soldiers being cut down from behind¡­ they were pointing their hands at the general as well¡­ which exined what had happened.


    When the enemyunched Rain against the ground once more, it soon let him down when numerous spikes emerged from the ground to impale him; he jumped away and then took a deep breath. Which gave Rain enough time to get up.


    "My n was stopped midway thanks to external intervention," Rain thought and then clicked his tongue. "Now, the same thing won''t happen again."


    Rain had nned to finish things quickly in a single sequence of attacks. Still, now he will have to look for another approach, one that will work even against a guarded opponent and that it will ignore if his allies try to intervene.


    Rain closed his eyes for a moment to think of what he should do¡­ the Enemy thought that he was baiting him, so he raised his guard even more and didn''t do anything.


    While it would be better to help his allies and get rid of the leader on that side of the wall, the enemy general was fully aware that such a thing wouldn''t happen while Rain was around¡­ while not famous, he was an adversary that truly required all of his focus.


    "I guess this will do, but it will take all of my mana," Rain thought when he opened his eyes. "Still, against an opponent this fast, it can''t be helped."


    Rain thought of a three-step scenario that would grant him victory, cornering the enemy and also preventing external intervention. In the end, he just made the dirt on his arms fall and then walked toward the enemy general.


    That guy found that weird and truly out of character, but he still kept his distance until Rain just ran normally toward him. The enemy general used his speed to keep his distance. Still, Rain didn''t do anything else¡­ he looked really foolish, but it seemed that he was waiting for the general to run out of energy.


    The enemy didn''t think that Rain was truly out of ideas. Still, he couldn''t keep waiting like that¡­ in the end, he decided to finish things as fast as possible instead of letting things drag out like Rain was nning.


    The enemy began to run around at extreme speeds and then watched Rain raising his guard; there were no signs of him using any magic, and the enemy also kept his eyes open for earth spikes¡­ but nothing like that was used.


    In the end, the enemy general charged and decided to attack both sides of Rain''s neck from behind. Still, before all that could happen, all of a sudden, some earth walls emerged and surrounded him and Rain; they eventually closed, creating a dome of earth.


    The enemy collided with Rain, but his fists hit nothing, and he soon ran away from there to attack the walls. Still, the enemy soon realizes that as soon as he changes from Speed only to speed and strength, Rain will attack him. He couldn''t show that opening¡­


    The enemy general ran away in circles, running on the limits of the dome, thinking of what to do. In the end, he did exactly what Rain had predicted¡­ he thought too much and didn''t try to escape with all his might.


    In thest moment, Rain suddenly got in the way of the enemy and then punched his stomach with all his might.


    Thanks to using his hand like a de and the speed of the enemy, his arm passed through his stomach¡­ the charge made the enemy push Rain several meters until his back hit the wall, but that was fine; the enemy couldn''t lift a single finger after that and eventually fell dead on the ground.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    ¡­


    The Fighter''s Path leveled up.


    ¡­


    You leveled up.


    ¡­


    You received 40 status points.


    "Was this guy this strong?" Rain thought. "I am surprised how much experience I just got¡­"


    Before long, the earth dome fell, and then Rain saw himself surrounded by dozens of enemies¡­ They came to help their leader, but they didn''t arrive in time. They opened their eyes widely when they saw the body of their general like that¡­ and while they recovered, those precious moments of shock made dozens of them being killed from behind.


    Rain thought that it was a good idea to run away from the enemies who were enraged at losing their generals. Still, when he turned around, he saw another army of enemiesing from behind.


    "The lesser of two evils, I guess," Rain thought and then sighed before turning again.


    Rain charged toward the enemies while using the energy that he got from the level-ups; he punched the enemies while using their fists over and over again. Still, even when he cracked their skulls quite a bit, they still attacked him.


    Rain blocked the attacks with his forearm guards, but they were starting to crack as well, thanks to everyone using only the buffs of strength¡­ Before long, even Rain''s bones began to crack, and he flinched for a moment.


    In his moment of weakness, Rain found himself surrounded. Still, before the enemies could take advantage of that, they were attacked from behind. Sword shes, spear thrusts, fireballs, and arrows hit the enemies, and then when they fell, the figure of Rain''s friends appeared.


    "Cover for Rain and increase our perimeter. We are retreating!" Jori shouted.


    Rain''s forearm guards began to fall to pieces while Terra offered him a shoulder to lean on. He tried to act tough, but he was in pretty bad shape¡­

 Chapter 182: War (24)

    The chaos after the death of the general of that areasted for a while. The magic people werepletely enraged and kept fighting even though the favor wasn''t on their side. Thanks to that, they lost three Battalions while they barely reached the walls and killed around two hundred soldiers who watched the retreat.


    Branden considered sending more soldiers to make good use of that opportunity. Still, soon, he realized that it would be useless since it would make things more chaotic than anything.


    In any case, the other seven battalions were still back in the camp, and they didn''t make any move. They will probably wait for the other generals before doing anything.


    "Sit. Down." Terra said when the group finally had the chance to rest.


    "Why are you so pissed when we won an important battle?" Rain asked while sitting on the floor of the wall.


    "Because it feels like you have some kind of disease that forces you to almost kill yourself all the time, and that increases my workload," Terra replied and then took down Rain''s shirt, showing his backpletely bruised and purple.


    "Well, sorry for not being strong enough not to dance around the battlefield without getting hurt," Rain shrugged.


    Instead of wondering how many bones he broke, it was better to ask how many bones Rain didn''t break. While his friends saw him fighting for a while, they didn''t see him the moment that the enemy general treated him like a ragged doll. Jori and Reca had some bruises, too, but they were fine.


    Things would have been different before, but by sparring with Rain, they learned how to fight using their heads, so it was weird for them to see Rain that messed up.


    "Good work, everyone," Branden said when he arrived. "Taking the head of the general will truly help us in the next few days¡­ the enemies won''t be able to attack three ces effectively like before. It would have been better if we had brought the body of the enemy, but it can''t be helped."


    Rain wondered what Branden was thinking of doing with the body of that general; Rain heard some crazy stuff was done with the bodies of generals to demoralize the enemy''s troops in times of war. It made him realize that he still was a guy from a modern world¡­ the fight had been hard, but there was no hate involved.


    If anything, Rain was thankful for the enemy since he got a lot stronger by killing him.


    At the same time, Rain knew that Branden had grudges against the magic people¡­ they were responsible for the deaths of his grandparents, which spoiled him a lot, after all.


    At that moment, Rain realized why Branden never showed up to visit his grandparents¡­ he sure was acting like he loved them. At that time, he was supposed to be nine years old, so perhaps his mother forbade him since it might cause problems for them. The entire Lonard family was considered responsible for the fall of Tristan; after all¡­ still, taking it back wouldn''t erase what had happened.


    "From now on, you should keep your guard up all the time, Rain," Branden said. "Most of the loyal underlings of that general died in the previous battle, but some others might try to avenge him and demoralize our troops by killing you."


    "Fine by me, there will be no shortage of enemies," Rain said, and then he felt Terra poking on his broken ribs. "Ouch, ouch¡­"


    "You can think more about fighting once you arepletely healed, which isn''t something that will happen today," Terra said.


    "Not a problem. Wounds like this are nothing," Rain shrugged. "I will start recovering my Mana now in case you are out of it already. Only if all of my limbs are broken will I won''t be able to fight."


    "Perhaps we can do that in order to make you listen?" Terra asked.


    "You seem too stressed. Perhaps you need a hobby," Rain said.


    From what Rain could tell, Terra''s hobby was her work, and she liked when her patients followed her instructions, but she got pissed when dealing with patients like Rain.


    It couldn''t be helped; Rain was determined to test his limits on a daily basis¡­ that world was a dog-eat-dog world, and he wasn''t nning to fall behind. Besides, he died once when he was just twenty-five; he wasn''t nning to die that young again. Living three hundred years seemed good enough; he just had to be a muscr martial artist old man.


    Regardless, Terra fixed Rain''s body enough to the point that his breathing didn''t make him sweat cold. His bones were still mending, but it was a lot better than before. Walking didn''t make him feel anything, either.


    "You should bepletely fine in three days. That being said, if you get bit in any spot that is remotely wounded, you will feel pain like never before," Terra alerted him. "At the same time, the vibrations of any powerful attack will make your whole body tremble in pain; I believe that I don''t have to tell you what might happen if you flinch on the battlefield thanks to such levels of pain."


    "No, you don''t have to, ma''am," Rain said while putting his shirt back.


    After saying that, Rain began to meditate. His health was already back to full, so he could only wait for the bones to mend themselves naturally. He had plenty of time for that since that day, all the armies fell back once they learned that they lost one of their generals.


    Some people with good eyes began to spread the news that the remaining generals had a meeting to confirm that. After that, the sunset, and it became impossible to tell what they were doing from a distance.


    "We should try to get some rest while we can," Jori said as soon as it got dark. "It will be hard to believe that they will attack at night again¡­ they will seriously rethink their strategies before making any move that can alter the flow of the war.

 Chapter 183: War (25)

    The next morning, Rain stopped meditating when his Mana was at eighty percent¡­ he could keep going, but he decided to stretch his body a bit. When he did that, he felt his bones aching a bit. When he touched the spots, he felt the same pain¡­


    "I guess I really should focus on using magic only today," Rain thought.


    Rain joined the others and soon found himself having breakfast with them on the walls while they watched the enemies camp; even now, they didn''t show any signs of change.


    "They are losing precious time; I can''t believe that they are making such a blunder," Jori said.


    "They must have a hard time reaching an agreement on what they should do; they don''t want to return home as losers, even more so after losing a fellow general," Rain said. "That is one of the downsides of having three generals that stand at the same rank without amander. When they lose one, and the other two don''t agree with anything, they can''t do shit."


    "The fact that they live in tribes and those tribes are only loyal to their leaders could be another factor," Reca said.


    "Indeed, that is also another important factor," Rain said. "Their variety when ites to techniques can be a weapon, but also a weakness."


    "I don''t see Lord Branden here," Liss said while looking around.


    "Cor and his group aren''t around either," Asche said. "They probably are having a meeting with the Lord Commander. Since no general is on this side, we can afford to take it easy without a leader."


    Since that was the case, Rain decided to leave the walls and look for some weapon to use. His fists and magic could do the trick, and while he was nning to only use magic for a while, not having a weapon felt odd. Rain slept with his forearm guards for many years; he only took them to shower himself, and they still stayed nearby. No wonder he felt restless without them.


    Still, even though he checked the supplies that they had on their side, he didn''t find anything close to forearm guards. Rain felt like sighing.


    "It is no surprise. Normally, one wouldn''t use such a weapon against swords and axes and even spears," Jori said.


    "What do you mean by even spears?" Reca furrowed her eyebrows.


    "What I mean is, I can''t even see forearm guards as weapons," Jori said.


    "Even if it isn''t a weapon, it made you lose your lunch plenty of times," Rain said. "Still, I can understand your way of thinking. It enhances my attacks a bit, but it is mainly a way to keep my real weapons safe, which are my arms."


    "You should have trained the other paths a bit, right?" Terra asked. "You should be able to handle a sword or some knives."


    Level 1: Swordsmanship Basics - Develops fundamental sword handling techniques, including proper grip, stance, and basic attacks.


    Level 5: Defensive Maneuvers - Learned defensive maneuvers such as parrying, blocking, and dodging to effectively defend against enemy attacks.


    Level 10: de Mastery - Enhances proficiency with the sword, improving uracy, speed, and control in wielding the weapon.


    Level 15: Dual Wielding - Acquires the ability to wield two swords simultaneously, increasing offensive capabilities and allowing for more versatilebat techniques.


    Level 20: Sword Techniques - Learned advanced sword techniques such as thrusts, shes, and spins, maximizing damage output andbat effectiveness.


    Level 25: Agility Training - Focuses on improving agility, speed, and reflexes, enabling the swordsman to swiftly maneuver around the battlefield and evade attacks.


    A little was fine¡­ the path was at level ten when Rain recalled, but then he saw it at level twenty-five¡­ It was probably because he used Earth magic as a de during the fight with the enemy general. Still, Rain still wanted to use weapons without relying on magic. It was his trademark at that point¡­


    "The enemies are moving! Assume your positions!"


    One random soldier shouted, and then the group returned to the walls as fast as they could. Still, they were surprised to see the enemies on their side raising their camp¡­ it was a bit too soon for them to give up on the war, though.


    After one hour, they noticed that the enemies were moving to the eastern side of the city¡­ they also heard that the enemies in the opposite direction were moving to the same location¡­


    "I guess this is going to be an all-out war from now on," Rain said.


    "Did they agree only to work together in a single ce in order to make sure that they will win?" Terra asked.


    "It would be more urate to say that it would be easier to react and change the flow of the battle if the other side drags the other down," Asche shrugged. "It is funny that those guys wanted to conquer another country when theirs are still this split."


    The royal guards began to return to their camp without receiving orders, but the others had to stay behind and wait for Branden. It didn''t take long for him to show up.


    "Attention, we will be moving to the northeast side of the city," Branden dered. "Don''t rush and wait for further orders until all of your groups will be allocated to their designated locations. The enemies won''t attack so soon, so don''t leave anything behind and use this chance to rest as well."


    The group began to pack their things, but Rain didn''t have much, so he soon found himself bored and decided to help Liss and Terra, who were the weakest physically. Before long, Branden joined them.


    "Things will get a bitplicated now since we will have to follow the orders of Revan directly," Branden said. "He is no fool, so we won''t do anything insane that will cost the war, but you need to keep your guard up since he might send you to your deaths in order to increase his merit in the victory. There is no need to reward that much those who die on the battlefield, after all."

 Chapter 184: War (26)

    Humans sure are messed up; even in situations like that, they worry about the stupidest of things. Still, it wasn''t like Rain never imagined that such a thing would happen in that world¡­ that being said, he never imagined that he himself would be the target for that nonsense.


    "I guess if that were to happen, he won''t live to return to the capital," Rain thought.


    Rain wasn''t a master at assassination, but his tools were pretty versatile; he was sure that he could think of something that would leave no traces behind and make it look like an ident or an enemy assassin.


    In any case, everyone worked to relocate their camps, and soon, they arrived in the area they were supposed to guard. It was in one of the corners of the city, and while it had plenty of room for the soldiers of all groups, some fights broke out between the members of the army and the mercenaries.


    "Give them a bit of a leeway, and this is what happens¡­" Branden said and then sighed before heading to deal with those fights.


    Branden was too busy to deal with that, but he knew that it would be the fastest way to make them end. If he shows up every time a fight breaks out, that will make both parties less eager to do so.


    "The soldiers of the army are trying to pick a fight with us because they think that we are hogging all the glory," Jori said. "Our side was the one who showed the most results until now, after all."


    "This is so annoying¡­ I guess we need to show even more results to make them work harder instead of being pissed," Reca said. "We will be counting on you, Rain."


    "You should listen to your own words¡­" Rain said.


    Although he said that, Rain saw that Jori and Reca, as frontliners, felt a bit troubled by being unable to match the same achievements that Rain pulled off. Still, they had grown enough to know that they could only work harder to make up for it.


    Rain felt a bit bad for them, but as a man with memories of his previous life, he had to do something at least that much, or he would feel like a total failure. He couldn''t let every single person younger than him outdoing him. Branden already showed that with his magic skills, and Rain didn''t know if he made up for it in thest few years, but he had to keep trying hard.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 84(2100/8400)


    Current Path: Fighter''s Path (Lv 45- 400/1100)


    Health: 9120/9120


    Mana: 12330/12330


    Stamina: 11.030/11.030


    Strength: 852


    Dexterity: 517


    Intelligence: 825


    Vitality: 893


    Wisdom: 1143


    Endurance: 941


    Luck: 227


    Free Points: 135


    Main Skills:


    [Punch Mastery Lv 47)


    [Iron Fist Lv 29]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 17]


    [Vitality Surge Lv 01 ]


    [Crushing Blow Lv 13]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 42]


    [Basic Training 92]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 20]


    [Meditation Lv 63]


    "Not bad, I guess¡­ I should be able to unlock a new path soon if I deal with another general," Rain thought. "That will also most likely end the war¡­ but can I do that without my weapons?"


    Rain won''t be underestimated this time around, so the fight will be even harder than before. Besides, the enemy has gathered enough information about him to have several countermeasures for his skills. That will be more than a little tough.


    "They are moving again," Asche said while squinting her eyes while looking in the distance.


    The sun was setting, so it was a bit of a weird time for the enemies to make any big moves. However, once everyone saw the whole enemy army, it became abundantly clear that they were going all out from now on¡­ even if they had to keep fighting over the entire night, the next day, and the next night.


    The enemies didn''t light any campfires or bonfires; the sky was also cloudy, so the visibility at night would be terrible. It was also getting cold, so it was hard to say if it would rain and how much that would benefit the enemies.


    "We never fought them under these conditions," Liss said while looking worried. "This might be troublesome¡­ it seems that the rain will stay for a while, and the enemies might even force that to happen if it suits them."


    "Can''t you two do something about that?" Jori asked.


    "A st of wind probably could dissipate the clouds, but it is basic math; they have a lot more people and a lot more mana; hence, trying that will be a waste of time when they can fix the weather," Rain said.


    When it waspletely dark outside, it began to rain, so the group looked for some cloaks to protect themselves from the rain, but it didn''t look like they would be able to use them for long. Using Mana in his eyes, Rain saw the enemies moving.


    "Three thousand enemiesing from the East!" Rain shouted.


    No one could see that yet since the area ahead waspletely dark, but they recognized Rain''s voice and readied themselves for the fight. The royal guards equipped their shields, and soon, they began to get hit by Water Spears, which made their shields tremble all over and get damaged.


    The rain actually enhanced the power of the water snipers¡­ or perhaps they could focus more on offense because they didn''t have to create the water.


    "Can you see them that well?" Branden asked.


    "To some extent, there''s also some mana in the rain, so the enemies are trying to decrease our visibility as much as possible, which is also interfering with my senses," Rain said.


    Rain wasn''t nning to share the secret of the Mana in his eyes without something in exchange, so he decided to say that¡­ he was pretty sure that Branden was the one owing him now, after all.

 Chapter 185: War (27)

    "Keep me informed of any changes in their movements," Branden said. "That being said, I am certain that they won''t do anything aside from attacking like this until our soldiers begin to get exhausted¡­"


    Those were basic battle tactics, weakening the enemy while saving your strength. There was no point in worrying about honor and fairness in the war since the winner could always write history the way they saw fit afterward.


    Before long, some royal guards fell on the floor when they were unable to withstand the barrage of attacks. Others took their ce, but the shields were starting to get damaged beyond repair.


    Rain''s instincts surged within him, urging him to take action, to snipe down some of the approaching enemies from his hidden position. The anticipation was almost tangible as he gripped his hands tightly. However, the orders from his superiors echoed in his mind, a stern reminder that he had to wait until the enemy was closer.


    He understood the logic ¨C the element of surprise could be critical in their strategy.


    Beside him, Branden fidgeted, his fingers twitching. Rain could feel the impatience emanating from him. Branden''s desire to leap into action was palpable, but like Rain, he had to adhere to the orders that had been given. His role was to set an example for others to showcase discipline and unity.


    As the enemy attacks continued, Rain''s heart pounded in his chest. The tension in the air was thick, the anticipation of battle mixing with the struggle to hold back their impulses. Every fiber of his being was ready to unleash his magic that was already ready. But he knew they had to y their part in therger strategy to seed in this battle.


    "Well, my mana is at full capacity, and not using it now would be a waste," Rain thought.


    Rain had to be careful, and he couldn''t let others see what he was doing. He also had the chance to test a few things while the enemies werepletely focused on attacking.


    Rain''s senses were on high alert, his attention fixed on the subtle vibrations traveling through the ground. His connection to earth magic allowed him to detect the enemy''s movements. But the challengey in pinpointing their exact location amidst the rain-soaked battlefield.


    The rain fell in a steady rhythm, its pattern creating a natural white noise that interfered with his ability to focus. The enemy forces were stationary, and that posed a unique challenge. Without movement, their vibrations were faint, nearly imperceptible amidst the background noise.


    Rain strained to distinguish between the sounds of raindrops and the subtle disturbances caused by the enemy soldiers.


    His eyes, enhanced by his mana maniption, allowed him to see the faint silhouettes of the enemies. However, maintaining that vision required a constant expenditure of energy, and Rain knew he couldn''t keep it activated indefinitely. The man in his eyes provided a glimpse of their positions. Still, it was a temporary solution, one that would inevitably drain his magical reserves.


    In the end, using the vibrations was the best method, and training his senses in that regard and in that situation would only improve his skills further¡­ It took a few minutes for Rain to get used to that, but he eventually improved his technique.


    In the midst of the rain-drenched battlefield, Rain''s heightened senses worked overtime. While the vibrations caused by the enemy''s movements provided some clues to their locations, he discovered another, more unexpected source of information ¨C the absence of vibrations caused by the raindrops themselves.


    As the rain fell, it created countless ripples and disturbances on the ground. Rain''s keen awareness allowed him to differentiate between the subtle tremors caused by the droplets and therger movements of the soldiers. Where there should have been vibrations, there were gaps ¨C areas where the rhythm of the raindrops was disrupted.


    It was a realization that granted him a new level of precision in pinpointing the enemy''s positions. By focusing on theck of vibrations in certain spots, Rain could deduce where the soldiers were stationed. It was an ingenious use of his earth magic, a technique born out of necessity and honed by his relentless determination.


    Yet, Rain''s mind was never idle. Even as he tested this newfound technique, another idea formed ¨C a strategy that could potentially turn the tide of battle in his favor. But for now, he had a pressing task at hand: making the enemies pay for their intrusion into his homnd.


    On the extreme sides of the enemy''s formation, the water snipers suddenly began to disappear¡­ thanks to the sound of the rain and thanks to the darkness of the night, they didn''t realize that since they were focused on their attacks. However, their allies began to sink to the ground, unable to escape.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 300 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 300 experience points.


    It was a bit costly, but Rain created mud traps under the enemies, and then when they fell, he sealed the top with an earthblock. Inside, the enemies began to drown and tried to use their magic to escape, but they didn''t realize that they were being drowned by mud, so their magic didn''t work.


    Using the rain and the terrain and the conditions to make mud made Rain save some mana, but that sure was something nasty to do. It was the only thing that he could do without leaving traces behind, though. Also, long-ranged projectiles would lose speed and power¡­


    "Controlling the environment from this distance sure is hard¡­ it would be impossible if I hadn''t trained earth magic every single day since I learned it," Rain thought.


    After Rain''s precise attacks imed the tenth or so enemy, a palpable tension began to ripple through the remaining ranks of the enemy soldiers. Their once-confident demeanor faltered as confusion and unease took hold. It was clear that something was amiss, and Rain''s clever tactics had finally forced them to acknowledge it.

 Chapter 186: War (28)

    Realizing that he had attracted unwanted attention, Rain knew it was time to shift his approach. He ceased his ranged assaults and stopped doing anything, his mind racing to formte a new n. He had made a significant impact, but he couldn''t rely solely on surprise attacks forever.


    "Well, what now?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I need to make them stop without making the others realize that I did something¡­ I also have to erase all traces of my actions."


    Rain realized that perhaps he had used his head and trained it a bit too little in the past¡­ he could think of a bunch of things that he could do using his body, but not with his Mana alone.


    It was a bit risky, but in the end, Rain could only try to snipe the enemies using one of the worst things that people from Earth had created¡­ after focusing his senses a bit, Rain used his magic to fire a small bullet using the stones in the wall. He made it spin as much as he could to gain speed and piercing power before he fired.


    Much to his surprise, the stone bullet hit the enemy that he had aimed in the stomach with ease.


    The enemy struck by Rain''s precisely aimed stone bullet let out a strangled gasp, a mixture of surprise and pain escaping their lips. The impact had been sudden and severe, causing them to stagger and clutch at their abdomen, where the hollow point had hit its mark. Their expression contorted with agony as they crumpled to the ground, wracked by the internal damage the bullet had inflicted.


    Rain''s attack had been mercilessly effective, the hollow point causing catastrophic damage without the outward flow of blood that would typically apany such an injury. The enemy''s features twisted in a grimace as they fought to breathe, their strength rapidly draining away.


    Despite theck of visible blood, the internal injuries were insurmountable, leaving them in a state of dire vulnerability.


    As Rain watched from his vantage point, a mixture of determination and difort flickered across his eyes. He hadn''t taken the decision to use such a projectile lightly. The hollow point bullet had been a calcted choice, designed to ensure lethality without leaving a trail of bloodshed.


    Yet, even as it achieved its intended oue, Rain couldn''t shake the sense of unease that apanied its use.


    The ethical implications weighed on his mind. Rain was conscious of the potential consequences of introducing such tools to this world, where his actions held far-reaching impacts. He was determined not to contribute to the development of weapons that could cause unnecessary suffering and destruction.


    "Screw it, I won''t use this¡­" Rain thought.


    Even if he didn''t leave traces behind, Rain still didn''t like what he was doing. Rain found a sense of satisfaction in the synergy between his martial arts skills and his magical abilities. Thebination held a promise of versatile self-defense, a way to enhance his techniques and gain an edge over his adversaries.


    It was a fusion that seemed to fit naturally with his style, opening up new possibilities for creative and effectivebat strategies.


    However, as he reflected on the tactics he had employed, Rain couldn''t help but wrestle with a sense of unease. The realization that his magical talents could be harnessed for more lethal purposes weighed heavily on him. The hollow point projectile he had used to incapacitate an enemy had been a stark reminder of the potential consequences of his actions.


    "I don''t have time for this since my allies are suffering here, and many more will die¡­" Rain thought. "Even if I leave traces behind, no one will be able to say that I was the one who did it."


    Rain stopped overthinking and soon fired some water darts using the rainwater toward the enemies. Still, the projectiles lost some power along the way thanks to the droplets of rain, so he didn''t kill many enemies¡­ Those who got hit in the head fell dead, though. Those who got hit in the chest were forced to retreat due to the wounds.


    Around the time Rain killed the twentieth target, the water snipers began to retreat, and he informed Branden. Some shields had been seriously damaged, and some royal guards had broken arms, but they didn''t suffer any damage.


    "They will probably send another tribe. Keep your eyes open," Branden said.


    Rain saw several battalions moving¡­ it was hard to say who they were, thanks to the rain and their cloaks. Still, they were slowly approaching, and it looked like something big was about to happen¡­ Rain confirmed that they weren''t humanoid when he saw some auras in the sky.


    "Flying monsters iing!" Branden shouted.


    Just alerting Branden wouldn''t do it, so Rain shouted. Before long, everyone was able to see shadows in the sky, but it was hard to see them with rity¡­ attacking them would be more than a bit of a challenge. Despite that, the soldiers in the walls still began to fall after being hit by invisible projectiles¡­


    "They still have some other tricks up their sleeve?" Jori asked as he raised his sword and blocked the projectiles, thanks to his good senses.


    Thanks to the Mana in his eyes, Rain was able to see the enemies and their spells¡­ The adversaries Rain faced were unlike any he had encountered before in his previous life. These peculiar foes took the form of eerie blue bats, their wingspan allowing them to swiftly traverse the air. What made them particrly formidable, however, was their unique method of attack.


    These creatures harnessed Mana in a way that seemed almost supernatural. Emitting a powerful sound wave that wasden with Mana, they cleverly allowed the rain to serve as a conduit for their magic. As the mana-infused sound wave collided with the rain, it underwent a remarkable transformation. The water droplets, now imbued with magic, coalesced into razor-sharp water des.

 Chapter 187: War (29)

    At close quarters, the enemies'' assault was almost lethal. Thebination of the sound wave''s force and the water des'' cutting ability made them a dangerous threat in closebat. However, at the distance where Rain and his allies engaged them, the potency of their attack was severelypromised.


    "Mages and archers! Attack the flying monsters freely!" Branden shouted.


    Around the same time that Branden gave the order, Rain saw the enemy battalions moving¡­ he saw one of them moving first and then ten others moving right behind, and then he informed Branden.


    "They are taking this seriously now¡­" Branden said while biting his nails.


    Now things truly were looking like a war¡­ In the end, a messenger approached Branden and told him the orders that Revan had decided. He was also having a hard time dealing with the bats, and the wind was against them, so the damage being caused to the beasts was minimal. He had to split his forces to deal with the monsters and enemies since he was responsible for the right side of the western wall.


    "... Cor, you will lead the frontlines," Branden said after he thought for a short while. "The royal guards aren''t with us anymore, so do things as you see fit on the field. Those who can attack from a distance will remain here and deal with the monsters. Keep your guard up."


    It was the first time in a long while that Jori''s group was going to split up and work independently. While the frontline seemed confident, the backline seemed a bit worried.


    "Don''t worry, we got this," Jori said. "Just keep the monsters busy, and we will get the head of another general."


    "Rain, I want you to keep an eye on the enemies and return to the wall if you see any big and suspicious movements," Branden said. "Quick thinking and moving fast will be the key while we can''t see the enemies well enough."


    "Roger that," Rain said and then nodded.


    Just when Rain was about to jump from the wall alongside the others, he had an idea of what he could do to deal with the monsters. He looked at Liss and wondered if she could pull it off¡­ her strength was wind and fire magic, after all.


    "Enhance Asche''s arrows, and now with wind magic, that should help her hit the bats," Rain said.


    Liss blinked several times after she heard that¡­ she was used to enhancing Jori''s sword and Reca''s spear, but Enhancing their bow and arrows was something that he hadn''t done before¡­ mainly because Asche never needed that kind of help. Also, it was very inefficient since the Mana would onlyst for a single attack on the arrows.


    "Do you want to try?" Asche asked.


    Liss nodded, but then she had another idea¡­ one that it would be better to save Mana. Instead of just enhancing the whole bow with wind magic, she just Enhanced the string.


    When Asche fired the next arrow, he noticed that the projectile was a lot lighter than before and flew for a longer distance as well.


    Still, Asche didn''t hit the target since the speed and power had been far too great¡­ In the next moment, Liss used her wind magic on Asche''s right hand as well, and then when she shot the next arrow, it pierced the head of the target and killed it, just like she wanted.


    "It looks like your tip helped them," Jori said when they began to see the bats falling like rain as well.


    "Maybe I still feel like they are showing progress too fast," Rain thought and then turned to face the enemies. "Let''s forget about them."


    While Rain couldn''t see the enemies, he recognized their auras a bit. The ones in the frontline were the golem masters. At least three hundred of them were ready to fight¡­ it was hard to imagine how well golems would fare in those weather conditions.


    Rain couldn''t help but blink several times when he saw the golems emerging from the ground like it was nothing¡­ their bodies were a bit different as well¡­ It was made of mud instead of stone.


    "They can use mud golems as well¡­" Rain said.


    "As long as they aren''t fire Golems, we can manage that," Cor said and then raised his sword to make everyone raise their guards.


    Those could be interpreted as famousst words, but Rain wouldn''t let the currentmander of their group die like that¡­ it would be disastrous, after all.


    Rain''s astonishment deepened as he saw the monsters moving. While they were earthy monstrosities known as golems, what set them apart was their method of lotion.


    Rather than lumbering forward on their legs like conventional golems, these mud constructs seemed to glide effortlessly across the ground. Their bodies,posed of a mixture of water and earth, had taken on a slick and fluid consistency that allowed them to slide rather than walk. The terrain beneath them became almost like a makeshift track as they propelled themselves forward with eerie grace.


    What struck Rain as particrly surprising was the trade-off between durability and speed. As the mud golems slid across the rain-soaked ground, they lost some of their structural integrity, causing portions of their forms to erode and disintegrate.


    However, this apparent weakening had an unexpected side effect: it made them faster, their sleek and fluid movements enabled by their deteriorating bodies.


    "Charge!" Cor shouted once he pointed his sword toward the enemies.


    Rain wasn''t entirely sure if that was a good idea, but he followed his orders¡­ Besides, they couldn''t let the enemies reach the walls and damage the long-ranged fighters, after all.


    Still, in the end, his instincts proved themselves to be correct. Rain was one of the first to attack the mud golems, and he punched the target with all his might¡­ making it explode. Unfortunately, that hadn''t been only thanks to his attack¡­


    The monster exploded, and numerous sharp rocks flew in all directions and hit the humans. Even Rain, who had a high endurance, felt a burning pain when he protected his head with his arms, but he didn''t have his forearm guards with him¡­ then he began to feel some blood falling.

 Chapter 188: War (30)

    The battlefield was thrown into chaos as the mud golemsunched their unexpected assault. Rain''s initial surprise quickly turned to concern as he witnessed the devastating consequences of their explosive demise. Not only were the humans and defenders hurt by the initial impact, but the subsequent chain reactions caused by the golems'' explosions sent shockwaves rippling through the ranks.


    The strategy of the mud golems became apparent: weaken the defenders, sow confusion, and disrupt their formations. The explosions, though not lethal, dealt significant damage and created a chaotic atmosphere. Rain could see the pained expressions on the faces of his fellow fighters as they grappled with the unexpected attacks.


    "They are using a lot more tactics than we had expected," Rain said and then healed his arms a bit while he looked to the side.


    Seeing Jori and Reca valiantly defending themselves against the barrage of projectiles, Rain''s concern deepened. He watched as they skillfully used their weapons to deflect and block the attacks, but the strain was evident on their faces. Their fingers were grazed and injured in the process, a testament to the intensity of the battle.


    As Rain observed the next wave of enemies advancing toward their position, he knew he couldn''t dy any longer. With urgency, he rushed over to Jori and Reca. They both acknowledged his presence with nods, their expressions a mix of determination and fatigue. Rain wasted no time, tapping into his healing abilities to mend their injured fingers.


    "Focus on defense. I will finish the healing once we deal with the next wave of enemies," Rain dered.


    Everyone could see the new enemies approaching, and they also could see them with their silver weapons. The survivors of the tribe of the general that Rain killed wanted blood, to the point that their bloodlust made even some people flinch and hesitate.


    "If they find me, I guess they will lose their sense of reason," Rain thought while squinting his eyes.


    The line of human defenders had reformed, and their ranks braced to face the oing wave of enemies. Rain''s heart raced with determination as he realized the pivotal role he needed to y in this critical moment. With unwavering resolve, he stepped forward, positioning himself at the forefront of the defense. The weight of responsibility settled on his shoulders.


    Still, he knew he had to draw the enemies'' focus away from his fellow fighters.


    As the enemies charged, fueled by their intent to overwhelm the human defenders, Rain''s eyes zed with intensity. He summoned the power within him, invoking the technique he had honed through practice and experience: Impulse. A surge of energy coursed through his body, enhancing his speed and strength to a supernatural level.


    Rain moved like a whirlwind with lightning reflexes, his movements fluid and precise. He closed the distance between himself and the enemies in an instant, leaving a trail of shock and awe in his wake. The enemies were taken aback by his sudden burst of speed, and their attack patterns were disrupted.


    The members of that tribe soon identified Rain since he used the same method to kill their leader and soon stopped moving and fired liquid metal arrows toward him.


    Dozens of mercury-like arrows rained down on Rain, but he blocked them by Enhancing his arms with earth magic. He had to keep repairing it since, even from that distance, their attacks were something else.


    As Rain stood his ground against the onught of the mercury warriors, his allies and friends rallied beside him, stepping into the fray with unwavering determination. The atmosphere around them was charged with tension, a battlefield where survival hung in the bnce.


    The mercury warriors, though initially focused on Rain, quickly realized the new threat posed by hisrades. They lunged at the defenders with razor-sharp weapons, intent on preserving their advantage.


    But the battle was far from over. As the mercury warriors met resistance, reinforcements arrived in the form of wind mages. These spellcasters unleashed the power of the wind, conjuring des of air that sliced through the battlefield with deadly precision. The human soldiers found themselves at a disadvantage, struggling to defend against the swift and unpredictable attacks.


    The wind des began to behead a lot of the mercenaries.


    Rain''s mind raced as he assessed the situation. He knew that their enemies were relentless, but he also understood the strength thaty within their ranks. Drawing upon his determination, Rain steeled himself for the challenges ahead. He had to find a way to break the enemy''s formation, disrupt their coordination, and exploit their weaknesses.


    "Let''s do this, Rain!" Jori said.


    "We will cover you!" Reca added. "Let''s destroy their formation!"


    That was a bold move when they didn''t have the support of Terra. Still, Rain could see in the corner of his field of vision that they didn''t have any other choice. The mercenaries were trying to block the wind des with their weapons since only a few of them had shields, but things weren''t going well. The enemies '' attacks were more powerful since the wind was in their favor.


    "All right, make sure to keep it up," Rain said.


    Those three charged toward the first line of enemies, which were the mercury warriors. With Impulse, Rain passed by two of them hit their backs with his elbows and pushed them backward. The enemies fell right in front of Jori and Reca, and they pierced their hearts without hesitation.


    In the next moment, two enemies carrying axes tried to swing their weapons at Rain, but he lowered his stance and used the mud under his feet to pass by them. While the enemies were turning around to attack Rain, Jori and Reca impaled them from behind.


    "Kick the ground with all your might, now!" Rain shouted.


    Jori and Reca didn''t have time to think; they just followed what Rain said, and thanks to that, he was able to make them use Impulse as well and reach the wind mages.

 Chapter 189: War (31)

    The shock on Jori and Reca''s faces was palpable as they witnessed the incredible speed and power they had just exhibited. Their eyes widened, mirroring their astonishment at the newfound abilities that seemed to have awakened within them. It was as if the boundaries of what they thought was possible had been shattered, reced by a reality that surpassed their wildest dreams.


    For so long, they had poured their efforts into developing their own movement techniques, seeking to harness the same level of agility and finesse that Rain disyed. Yet, despite their determination and hard work, their attempts had yielded little sess. And now, here they were, effortlessly moving with an almost supernatural swiftness that defied exnation.


    However, the surprise that registered on their faces was swiftly reced by a renewed focus. They were warriors ustomed to adapting in the heat of battle, and this moment was no exception. As Jori swung his sword to the side, the de blurred with such speed that it became nearly invisible to the naked eye.


    The enemies before him were caught off guard, unable to react in time as his strikended true.


    At the same time, Reca wielded her spear with a newfound confidence. A powerful st erupted from the weapon''s tip as she thrust it forward. The force of the impact propelled the st with astonishing speed and uracy, piercing the bodies of enemies who had thought themselves safe at a distance.


    As for Rain, he didn''t do much aside from the usual. He tried something new for a change since he had to save his mana, and with that in mind, he punched the ground by using Iron Fists and Crushing Blow at the same time.


    The impact made the area tremble and made several enemies fall on their butts. At the same time, Rain suffered some damage for punching the ground like that¡­ but at least it stopped all of the enemies in the area and made them look at him.


    "CHARGE!" Cor shouted while raising his sword. "Kill all of those fuckers and slice them to pieces!"


    Cor used that chance to rally all the soldiers around. With his shout, hundreds of mercenaries followed him and finished off the remaining mercury warriors. They reached the windmages just in time when they were getting up. Some of them tried to use wind des while getting up, but Rain, Jori, and Reca were causing havoc among their ranks and prevented most of them from doing what they wanted.


    The first and second lines of enemies were getting rid of, but the third line wasing again, and they were the golem masters.


    "They don''t know when to give up, huh?" Rain asked.


    "They shouldn''t be able to control that many of them; mud golems aren''t that specialty, after all," Jori said while swinging his sword and getting rid of the blood on it.


    "We need to stop their charge¡­ even if it might be a bit painful for us," Reca added. "The other sides are in a stalemate, so we have to change the tides of the battle by yourselves."


    Rain nodded in agreement with Reca''s assessment. Waiting for opportunities toe to them would only get them so far. They needed to be proactive, seize the initiative, and shape the battlefield to their advantage. The enemy''s superior numbers and mysterious powers had put them on the defensive for too long. It was time to change that.


    However, Rain also recognized the dangers of pushing too far into enemy territory without a clear n. It could easily lead to a trap or an ambush, ying right into their adversary''s hands. As he pondered the situation, an idea began to form in his mind: a strategy that could give them an edge without exposing them to unnecessary risks.


    Drawing on his earth magic, Rain summoned several earthen spheres into existence. With a focused effort, he set them spinning at a blinding speed around Jori and Reca. The spheres whirled in a tight formation, creating a protective barrier that encircled the two warriors.


    "This will help you all a bit; let''s go," Rain said.


    Jori and Reca felt that they would get in the way of their weapons, but as soon as they moved their arms, the earth spheres moved away from them a bit. That gave them some confidence.


    Using Impulse again, Rain made him and those two charge toward the enemies. They arrived on the next line of enemies just in time to see the mud golems getting up. Without hesitation, Jori and Reca attacked them and made them explode. They quickly moved their weapons to protect them, but while they heard the sound of impacts, they didn''t feel anything¡­ the earth spheres protected them.


    Rain left the mud golems to his friend, and then he reached the golem masters¡­ At close range and without their mud dolls, they were at the same level as ordinary humans, so Rain didn''t have a hard time punching their chests or heads and breaking most of their bones while sending them flying into the distance. Although Rain wasn''t using any skill, he was surprised with the notifications¡­


    An unknown skill level up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 300 experience points.


    "... Is it because of the earth''s spheres?" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows. "Anyway, I need to unlock the next path before the next general appears."


    Rain used Impulse to collide against a bunch of golem masters, and when they died, their golems didn''t explode. They only fell dead¡­ and became piles of mud. That made him feel even more eager to collide against them like that since they weren''t that tough.


    Before long, Cor and the others joined the group and began to destroy the mud golems while their masters were trying to escape from Rain¡­ still, when he was about to follow them, he saw the final like of enemies marching toward them and their aura was different from anything that Rain had seen until now.

 Chapter 190: War (32)

    Rain knew that learning the skills of the enemies would take a while and formting strategies against them would also be a pain¡­ so they had to get rid of all of the allies that could help them.


    Rain touched the ground with both hands and then began to impale the golem masters without holding back his mana. Still, despite that, he wasn''t able to do that before the next wave of enemies arrived.


    In the end, Rain did the right thing in getting rid of as many enemies as possible because even from a distance, the new group began to heal their wounded allies¡­


    "This isn''t good," Rain thought.


    A group of healers¡­ that was another thing that they didn''t hear that the enemies had; perhaps a tribe would be more urate. Still, the surprises didn''t end there, Rain soon saw the healers doing their healing and still approaching the area even though they didn''t have the numerical advantage.


    Rain could only imagine that they had some tricks up their sleeve¡­ otherwise, it would be too stupid for them to do that. It was close to a death sentence.


    The sh between the new battalion and the mercenaries was a whirlwind of movement and precision. The mercenaries swung their weapons with force, their attacks aimed at the neers. Still, their strikes met only air as the skilled fighters from the battalion dodged and weaved, narrowly evading the blows.


    With astounding agility, the battalion members closed in on the mercenaries, exploiting every opening they found in the enemies'' defenses. Elbows and knees struck out with calcted precision, targeting vulnerable points on the mercenaries'' bodies. Even through their armor, the mercenaries winced in pain as the powerful strikesnded on their stomachs and sides.


    In the blink of an eye, the skilled fighters from the battalion seized the advantage they had created. Swift and decisive, they seized the opportunities presented by their adversaries'' momentary vulnerability. Powerful roundhouse kicksshed out, aiming for the mercenaries'' heads. The impact was brutal, the sound of bone meeting bone echoing across the battlefield.


    Rain''s eyes widened as he witnessed the result of these strikes. Some of the mercenaries'' necks twisted at unnatural angles, their bodies dropping like lifeless dolls to the ground. Others were sent sprawling, tumbling over the earth as their equilibrium was shattered. The rapid series of kicks and precise strikes left no room for mercy, and the battlefield was soon littered with the fallen.


    Thebination of speed, precision, and brutal efficiency disyed by the battalion fighters was awe-inspiring and chilling at the same time. Rain recognized the effectiveness of their tactics and the way they exploited weaknesses and unleashed their attacks with deadly intent.


    "They are exactly what I want to be¡­ semi-immortal brawlers with excellent healing skills," Rain thought.


    Rain decided to stop daydreaming since the enemies knew how to fight against armed soldiers. Still, the inverse couldn''t be further from the truth. Rain looked at his friends, and they seemed as surprised as him, but they had experience fighting "unarmed" people.


    "Keep your guard up," Rain said. "I don''t know their overall strength, but you need to assume that they are almost the same as me, if not stronger, thanks to their healing abilities."


    Jori and Reca exchanged a quick nce, their expressions a mixture of surprise and trepidation. The scene unfolding before them was nothing short of astonishing. The skilled fighters from the new battalion moved with a precision and speed they had rarely witnessed, easily overwhelming their adversaries.


    It was a stark contrast to their own experiences, especially when it came to facing Rain in sparring sessions.


    In those training bouts, Rain had always held a clear upper hand. His mastery of martial techniques and magic made him a formidable opponent, and Jori and Reca had struggled to evennd a hit on him, let alone gain an advantage. Now, as they watched the battalion members effortlessly dodge, strike, and incapacitate the mercenaries, a sense of awe and humility washed over them.


    They watched as the battalion fighters disyed a level ofbat prowess that seemed almost supernatural. The fact that the enemy could heal themselves only added to theplexity of the situation. Knowing that the enemy could recover from injuries emboldened the fighters, allowing them to take more risks when attacking or counterattacking.


    The group charged toward the enemies, and since Rain knew that he couldn''t waste time, he decided to use Impulse every single time he and the others attacked¡­ that would boost their power a fair bit. Still, it would also consume his mana insanely fast.


    After approaching the enemies, Rain didn''t hold back and used Iron Fists and Crushing Blow at the same time on one enemy. Still, even without weapons or protective gear, the target blocked the attack with both arms.


    The impact of Rain''s punch was thunderous, crushing the enemy''s arms and sending shockwaves through his body. The force of the blow was enough to push him back several steps, his feet sliding against the ground as he struggled to maintain his bnce. His arms hung at unnatural angles, broken and mangled from the sheer force of the impact.


    Despite the excruciating pain and the gruesome injuries, the enemy''s resolve remained unbroken. With an eerie determination, he began to channel his magical energy, a pulsating glow surrounding his body. The air around him seemed to shimmer as his rapid healing abilities kicked into overdrive.


    Rain''s eyes widened as he watched in astonishment. The enemy''s wounds began to knit themselves back together, flesh reattaching and bones realigning at an almost rming pace. It was as if his body was defying thews of nature, regenerating with a speed that was nothing short of unnatural.


    The enemy''s twisted arms straightened out, and the skin that was once torn and broken became smooth once more. The pain that should have immobilized him seemed to have little effect as if his body had be impervious to suffering. He flexed his newly healed arms, testing their newfound strength, a malevolent grin crossing his lips as he stared back at Rain.

 Chapter 191: War (33)

    "Are you serious?" Rain thought.


    That kind of punch could make arge area tremble¡­ and a single person just blocked that kind of attack without being knocked down¡­ Rain truly wanted to speak with those guys and see what kind of training methods they used. He couldn''t recall thest time he felt such admiration to his opponent.


    Rain looked to the sides for a moment and saw Jori and Reca fighting their own opponents. They were evenly matched in terms of speed and strength, but the enemy fighters could easily block their weapons with their arms alone. That level of endurance couldn''t be obtained with training only¡­ still, that exined why Rain''s attack only broke the arms of the enemy.


    Without hesitation, Rain charged toward the enemy, and even with his arms semi-healed, the enemy did the same and punched Rain''s face. Rain twitched his head to the side and avoided the hit, but his cheek was still cut for some reason¡­ maybe thanks to the wind.


    Rain and the enemy locked eyes, their gazes intense and unwavering, as they continued their relentless exchange of blows. Each punch, each strike, was met with a resounding sh of force, creating shockwaves that rippled through the air around them. Their movements were a blur of motion as they weaved a deadly dance ofbat, trading blows with incredible precision and speed.


    Their fists collided with bone-jarring impact, sending shockwaves down their arms and causing their surroundings to tremble. The sheer force of their strikes generated gusts of wind that swept through the area, sending raindrops scattering in all directions. The ground beneath them quaked as the shockwaves reverberated, and the air crackled with energy.


    They blocked and parried with expert skill, their arms and knees intercepting attacks with a sharp crack of impact. Rain''s arms burned with each sh, his muscles protesting against the strain of blocking the enemy''s relentless assaults. He could feel the bruises forming beneath his skin, the ache of his bones protesting against the pressure.


    "If endurance is his strength¡­" Rain thought and then made an earth spike emerge from the ground and pierce the enemy''s right leg.


    The enemy grunted in pain and flinched. Rain used that chance to step in and then punch his face with all his might¡­ he felt the skull of the enemy cracking, and that guy fell on the ground with his body listless.


    The skill Iron Fists leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path obtained 300 experience points.


    Rain didn''t hold back on the use of mana, but even so, the earth spike didn''t pass through the enemy''s leg. He imagined that they endured magic endurance training as well¡­ It was the only exnation.


    "I tried that as well, but I never got any experience¡­ Am I missing something?" Rain thought.


    Rain didn''t have time to think since his allies were dying and his friends were struggling. Still, before he could do anything else, one enemy suddenly attacked him with a flying kick. Rain blocked it with both arms, but he was almost knocked down after being pushed backward for ten meters.


    As if that wasn''t enough, the enemy recovered super fast and began to kick him in quick session. When Rain tried to knock them down with an earth spike, the enemy just jumped backward¡­ it felt the movements of the earth beneath their feet and reacted in the blink of an eye.


    "This one looks like a problem¡­" Rain thought.


    Those who use their fists only are easy to counter. One should just aim at their legs, but those who fight with their legs only have a few openings, even when they attack.


    Rain knew quite a bit of taekwondo, at least in theory, and it was enough to make him tell that the current enemy would be hard to deal with. Still, it was that kind of challenge that Rain was looking for.


    When the enemy charged at Rain again, he used Impulse and quickly passed by him. The enemy turned around and tried to kick Rain, but he lowered his stance and avoided the hit before he tried to punch the enemy''s left side.


    Still, the enemy finished the turn faster and then jumped away¡­ unfortunately, for him, Rain calcted with pinpoint precision where he wouldnd, and then Rain used Impulse to get closer while he was finishing the punching motion.


    The enemy didn''t have time to block the attack and felt his insides getting ripped apart when Rain kicked his stomach. The enemy quickly began to heal himself, but then Rain mimicked him by using Impulse, followed by a flying kick. The enemy raised his arms to block the attack, but those broke, and eventually, even the skull of the enemy broke.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 500 experience points.


    "I guess I copied his technique quite well, " Rain thought.


    Rain took a deep breath and looked around while seeing the enemies blocking weapons with their forearms without any protection. He could only assume that they were using a skill at the moment of the impact to harden their flesh¡­ the first guy that Rain killed had his arms covered in scars, and the body in front of him had a bunch of them on his legs as well.


    Although he knew that it wasn''t the time to study the enemy''s techniques, Rain couldn''t help it and then ended up mesmerized by one of them who was punching a man with an ax without hesitation and extremely fast. Rain could tell that the weapon was suffering damage thanks to fists alone.


    "I want to learn that¡­" Rain thought.


    Before he could study the technique further, Rain suddenly saw two enemies running toward him. He stood out since he was unarmed as well, after all. So, it couldn''t be helped. Besides, there were no other corpses around since the enemies had enough time to heal themselves.


    "I want you guys to teach me something new too," Rain thought.

 Chapter 192: War (34)

    Both enemies charged toward Rain at the same time, but he wasn''t hesitant in facing them. After touching the ground, he covered his arms in hardened earth and then charged at them.


    Rain and the two enemies began to punch each other with all their might. Even though they had the numerical advantage, the enemies didn''ty a single finger on Rain because his punches pushed them backward with every hit.


    Once again, the rain stopped falling in a single area on the battlefield, thanks to the power of their attacks. Still, at the same time, the enemies were starting to grunt in pain since their fingers were breaking, and they didn''t have time to heal them.


    Eventually, the damage piled up and made the enemies take a single step backward.


    Rain used that chance to punch them with all his might, and while they blocked his attack, the earth surrounding his fists turned into sand and then hit the eyes of the enemies¡­ They began to cough and close their eyes out of reflex, and thanks to that, Rain used the chance to kick one in the head with another flying kick, and then he punched the area below the ear of the other.


    When he fell unconscious, Rain pierced his stomach with his right hand.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 500 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path received 300 experience points.


    "I guess killing while using my hands like a de is some sort of technique as well," Rain thought.


    Rain looked to the side and then saw Jori cutting the neck of one of the enemies and making them bleed to death. Reca also filled the arms of one opponent with holes until they couldn''t do anything else, and then she went for a thrust on the throat¡­ They were finally fighting back, and the earth sphere was protecting them, but it was taking too long to defeat that tribe of enemies.


    "What can I do here to learn a lot and speed up this battle?" Rain thought.


    The same tricks won''t do it since the enemies are that strong. In the end, Rain could only do his best workout holding back¡­ he also had to do something that went beyond what people knew about him.


    Rain quickly checked his paths for a moment and confirmed that he was bing more well-rounded again¡­ that is what happens when you keep using the same paths over and over again.


    Human Path - Lv Max, Physical Path Lv 60, The Apprentice Path Lv 01, Student Path Lv 09, Artisan Path Lv 05, Farmer Path Lv 20, Worker Path Lv 20, Alchemist Path Lv 01, Battlemaster Path Lv 60, Healer''s Path Lv 72, Swordsman Path Lv 25, Thief Path Lv 25,(Mage''s Path Lv 50, Brawler Lv 60, Sage Lv 50, Fighter''s Path Lv 35, Enchanter''s Path Lv 15.


    "I guess I shouldbine all my strengths in a single type of attack," Rain thought and then lowered his stance to charge at the next enemies.


    For starters, Rain used earth magic and hardened as much as possible around his fists, creating a pair of short ws on his knuckles. They were so sturdy as they were heavy¡­ they were even heavier than the weights that he used to wear.


    After that, Rain charged toward the enemies while using Iron Fists. He used a ton of mana to make the ws, but he had to use his stamina to enhance their power as well. With a resolute determination, Rainunched himself into the next attack. His reinforced knuckles connected with the enemy''s arms, the force of the impact tearing through flesh and bone as if they were mere paper.


    The enemy''s attempt to block the attack was futile, as Rain''s strike opened a hole in their guard, an opportunity he seized without hesitation.


    Exploiting the gap in the enemy''s defenses, Rain''s fist surged forward, propelled by his unwavering resolve. His fist struck the enemy''s stomach with an explosive burst of power, the impact resonating with a bone-shaking force. The force of the blow was immense, and it felt as if time itself slowed down at that moment.


    As Rain''s fist made contact, the enemy''s body reacted to the devastating force, the impact sending shockwaves through their form. The attack prated a significant portion of the enemy''s abdomen, causing a visceral shockwave that rippled through their body. With a guttural cry, the enemy wasunched backward, propelled by the sheer force of Rain''s strike.


    The sound of the impact echoed through the air, mingling with the rain and the howling wind. The enemy hurtled through the rain-soaked battlefield, their body carried by the momentum of Rain''s attack. They tumbled and rolled through the mud, their movements finallying to a halt as they skidded to a stop.


    The Fighter''s Path received 100 experience points.


    The Enchanter''s Path received 100 experience points.


    The Apprentice''s Path received 100 experience points.


    Rain wondered why three paths gained experience instead of a skill first. Still, that didn''t matter now. His attack silenced the area of the battlefield since it created a st of wind that spread around in an area and pushed away the particles of rain. Many enemies looked at Rain and recognized him as a threat, and he weed that.


    Rain also charged toward the enemies, and he didn''t try to defend himself. It was time to test his endurance¡­ The first enemy hit Rain first, but he ignored that and followed with his own attacks¡­ His punch hit the enemy in the chest and sent the guy flying in the distance while a powerful st of wind pushed the rain away yet again.


    The second attacked with one hand and then used the other to block Rain''s punch. Still, the exchange ended up in the same way, perhaps even worse, considering that the arm of that guy waspletely destroyed upon the impact. Things were about to reach the final phase...

 Chapter 193: War (35)

    The third enemy tried to grab Rain''s attacking arm and give the chance to the others to hit him, but that didn''t work well either. His arms ended up broken, and while he stopped Rain''s punch, the next one couldn''t be blocked.


    From that point onward, the enemies had the chance to attack Rain from the sides, and while he felt his bones cracking with each hit, he ignored the pain and kept hitting them one after the other.


    Before long, all of that battalion was looking at Rain while they were fighting other targets. His fighting style was unusual for humans, and he was the strongest on their side of the battlefield.


    When they had the chance, the enemies kept charging at him, trying to stop his endless charge. However, they only met their ends and only had the chance to attack him once or twice.


    Rain''s face bore the marks of the fierce battle he had waged, his once unblemished features now marred by swelling and bruises. Despite the toll the fight had taken on him, he stood resolute, his determination unwavering even as his health bar dwindled to less than half its maximum capacity.


    Each punch he delivered, each blow he received, sent shockwaves of pain through his body, a testament to the brutal intensity of thebat.


    His hands were calloused and battered, the knuckles that had struck down enemy after enemy now raw and aching. Rain''s body glistened with rain and sweat, his breathsing in ragged bursts as he pressed on, undeterred by the burning ache that gnawed at his muscles.


    Rain''s vision was slightly blurred from the swelling around his eyes, his movements sluggish as fatigue began to set in. Yet, his spirit remained unbroken, a zing fire within him that refused to be extinguished. He knew that the battle was far from over, and his resolve only grew stronger with each passing moment.


    "Terra willin a lot and will give me one hell of an earful," Rain thought. "Well, as long as this war ends here, that will be a cheap price to pay."


    Rain thought that more and more enemies would keeping at him, but in the end, they stopped, much to his surprise¡­ it was the perfect chance for them now that he was tired and wounded, after all.


    Still, Rain eventually understood what was happening¡­ a group wasing from the back of the enemy lines¡­ while they only used half of their forces on their attack, it seemed that they were nning to do something more drastic since Rain could feel a powerful auraing from the group.


    Before long, the group split into three parts: ten people went to the right and ten others to the left, and they began to fight those on the sides of Rain to iste him from the others.


    "Hey, get the hell¡­ what the" Jori said when an enemy began to attack him with supersonic punches, and he didn''t care about punching the de of his sword.


    Reca was enduring the same thing; another enemy was attacking the tip of her spear without suffering any scratches¡­ the final enemy began to walk toward Rain with his arms on his back.


    "His presence is the same as that other guy¡­ he is a general," Rain thought. "This be even more fun, who could have thought?"


    Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, Rain understood the strategic significance of targeting key figures that held the power to sway the course of a war. Defeating an enemy general or a particrly skilled soldier capable of demoralizing the troops could indeed turn the tide in favor of their side.


    Rain was keenly aware of this principle, knowing that his own demise could also serve as a powerful blow against the humans. It wasn''t lost on him that his presence alone had been a source of inspiration for hisrades.


    As Rain surveyed the ongoing conflict, the thought of attacking the enemy did cross his mind. However, he recognized the need for caution and restraint. He had already revealed a significant portion of his abilities during the battle, and charging headlong into the fray without a clear understanding of the enemy''s capabilities would be reckless.


    With his body battered and his health dwindling, Rain understood that he needed to make calcted decisions. His desire to protect his allies and contribute to the fight was strong. Still, he also recognized that there was a fine bnce between bravery and recklessness. The knowledge that his enemies were watching, gauging his every move, only added to his sense of caution.


    Rain''s mind raced as he weighed his options. He knew that the battle was far from over, and every decision he made could have far-reaching consequences. With his abilities and resourcesid bare, he needed to strategize and find a way to exploit the enemy''s weaknesses without unnecessarily endangering himself or hisrades.


    "You are well built, but aren''t you quite young?" The enemy general said. "Are you a child trained by the royalists?"


    Rain''s senses sharpened as he heard the voice of the enemy, yet there was an uncanny quality to it that set it apart from his own thoughts. It was as though the voice didn''t quite belong to him, raising his guard even further. This subtle dissonance only served to intensify his wariness.


    As the enemy began to speak, Rain couldn''t help but notice a familiar pattern. It was a tendency that many adversaries seemed to share¡ªa proclivity for monologuing before the impending sh. While he remained on high alert, Rain''s thoughts briefly touched on the irony of the situation.


    The battlefield, where time and circumstances were often critical, had somehow be a stage for grand derations and speeches.


    "She mentioned a kid that defeated her before, and there are rumors about a boy who defeated Heiriam¡­ you must be the person," The enemy said. "It is a good thing that I came before she made her move."

 Chapter 194: War (36)

    As the enemy''s words reached his ears, a chilling realization dawned upon Rain. It seemed that the woman responsible for brainwashing his father, the catalyst for so much turmoil and pain, was present on the battlefield. She stood as thest general of the enemy''s army, a key figure in this conflict. Anguish and frustration welled up within Rain as he grasped the gravity of the situation.


    The desire to confront and defeat this antagonist surged through him like a torrent, mingling with theplex mixture of emotions that had fueled his journey to this point. The prospect of finally confronting the one who had inflicted such suffering upon his family and society ignited a fierce determination within him.


    Rain''s jaw clenched, his fists tightened, and his gaze hardened as he faced this enemy who had wrought so much devastation. A maelstrom of emotions swirled within him¡ªanger, grief, and an overwhelming urge for retribution. Yet, even amid these tumultuous feelings, he recognized the necessity of strategic caution.


    The burning desire to strike down this woman who had wrought havoc upon his world battled against his awareness of therger battle at hand. He knew that recklessness would only jeopardize his chances of sess. As his fingers flexed around his weapons, Rain vowed that this encounter wouldn''t end in folly.


    The woman responsible for his father''s fate would be held ountable, but only through careful consideration and a strategic approach.


    "Only one of her guards was freed, and she was unable to control him after a while¡­ his name was Roan Lonard, was it?" The enemy asked. "He had a wife and a son at that time who was six and two daughters¡­ You must be the son. Leo really didn''t tell us about you, and he messed up¡­ we should have gotten rid of you when we had the chance."


    "You can try now," Rain said. "This is your perfect chance since I am tired and wounded. Give me your worst¡­ try to keep your head on the same spot while you try it, though."


    "Huh? My apologies, I didn''t mean it in that way," The enemy said.


    Rain listened to the enemy''s words, sensing the attempt to provoke him into a hasty reaction. He understood that the enemy wanted to distract him and create chaos. It was clear that this guy was strong, but Rain wasn''t going to let him dictate the flow of the battle.


    He recognized that this enemy was trying to mess with his head, make him lose focus, and create openings for his underlings. Rain saw through the trick and wasn''t going to fall for it. He was determined to stayposed, no matter how powerful or cunning the enemy seemed.


    Even though his emotions were running high, Rain was careful not to let them control him. He knew he needed to stay smart and keep his eyes on the bigger picture. This wasn''t just about a single confrontation; it was about the entire battle.


    Rain wasn''t going to let this enemy''s mind games get to him. He was going to maintain his cool, assess the situation, and take control of the fight. He wouldn''t be rushed into making rash decisions. Instead, he would y it smart, use his strengths, and lead the battle on his own terms¡­ and he did that by charging toward the enemy.


    Rain charged forward, his fists swinging through the air with a determined force. He aimed to strike the enemy and finally gain the upper hand in the intense battle. However, to his increasing frustration, the enemy disyed an almost uncanny ability to dodge his attacks, sidestepping with a seemingly effortless grace.


    What aggravated Rain even more was the fact that the enemy maintained a nonchnt posture, with his hands casually resting behind his back. This stance seemed to convey a sense of superiority, which only fueled Rain''s desire tond a solid blow.


    As Rain''s frustration grew, he quickly considered employing his magic to target the enemy''s legs. But, before he could execute his n, the enemy responded swiftly. In a calcted move, he leaped backward, creating a considerable gap between them.


    This strategic withdrawal left Rain momentarily stunned, as he realized the enemy was both a master ofbat and tactics, not easily allowing Rain to predict his movements or capitalize on his weaknesses.


    "Did he predict my attack that fast?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows in surprise. "I didn''t even channel my mana¡­ what kind of crazy senses are these?"


    Rain assumed that the enemy was so experienced fighting those that could use magic that he developed some type of irvoyance¡­ It was the only exnation.


    Still, that caution also made Rain think that the enemy was too cowardly to take any unnecessary risks¡­ he thought that he could learn a bunch of things from that guy. Still, it wouldn''t be that easy, apparently.


    Rain took a good look around, and he could tell that no one was going to disturb them. Still, the flow of the battle was moving toward the enemies again¡­ Rain was too far away from the walls to hear about what was happening in the other areas, and since Branden didn''tunch any order, things were at the same stalemate.


    "Let''s see if he is good at improving when I use my modern knowledge," Rain thought.


    Using tricks wasn''t something that Rain wanted to do, but winning the war was more important than his pride. Once again, Rain charged toward the enemy while running like usual. Still, the guy kept sidestepping and avoiding his hits¡­ until Rain used Impulse when he was only two meters away from him.


    Rain had nned to body m against the enemy, but the cloaked figure anticipated that and then jumped to the side with all his might¡­ Rain was unable to react since the aura of the Enemy changed from red to total dark for a moment¡­ he had used some sort of technique just now.

 Chapter 195: War (37)

    Rain''s surprise deepened as he observed the enemy''s swift evasion and subsequent change in aura. The shift from a dark aura to a fiery red one caught Rain off guard once more. It was bing increasingly evident that these adversaries were holding back some of their techniques, revealing their true strength only when necessary.


    The transformation in aura seemed to signify a shift in the enemy''s approach ¨C a warning that he was prepared to escte the intensity of the battle. Rain couldn''t help but acknowledge the enemy''s proficiency and adaptability inbat tactics, making him even more cautious about the battle thaty ahead.


    "His whole presence seemed a lot more powerful all of a sudden¡­ aside from high-level healing magic, can they do this?" Rain thought.


    Rain assumed that it was a technique that he would learn eventually if he kept focusing on the martial path, but he didn''t want to wait. He will have to force the enemy to show that again.


    "No impulse. Some wide attacks should do the trick¡­" Rain thought.


    While Rain wanted to make the enemy show that technique again, he needed to make things a bit more equal¡­ he also wanted to make the enemy pay for his arrogance.


    Rain charged once again and tried to punch the enemy''s stomach, but the guy kept moving backward and avoiding the hits by a thin margin. Rain insisted for a while, but soon he got pissed and impatient.


    In the next moment, Rain tried to punch the face of the enemy, but the guy just twitched his head to the side and avoided the hit. But soon, his aura changed when he felt Rain''s mana acting again.


    The enemy jumped to the side, but then an explosion of wind made his head dizzy as a weird sound echoed in his head. In the next moment, Rain kicked the enemy''s stomach, but he blocked the attack before jumping backward.


    The enemy''s astonishment was palpable, likely stemming from an assumption that Rain''s abilities were limited to earth magic alone. This surprise grew even more pronounced when the enemy suddenly lost all auditory cues from his left side, reced by an eerie void that heightened his unease.


    Capitalizing on this moment of vulnerability, Rain seized the opportunity to disrupt the enemy''s equilibrium. With a powerful explosion of wind magic, he targeted the enemy''s eardrums, disorienting him and throwing off his bnce. The enemy found himself momentarily incapacitated, struggling toprehend the sudden loss of his senses.


    Without giving the enemy a chance to recover, Rain charged forward. His assault was swift and relentless, a determined advance that exploited the enemy''s momentary weakness. The unexpectedbination of tactics left the enemy struggling to regain his footing¡­


    Before Rain could even attack, the enemy used that technique again¡­ aside from the change in aura, Rain could see it clearly. The body of the enemy began to bulge, and its muscles grew alongside the popping veins.


    Rain had initially suspected that the enemy''s secret technique was somehow tied to mana maniption. However, as the battle unfolded, it became evident that their true focus was on channeling mana into healing their wounds and enhancing their resilience.


    This revtion provided a valuable insight: the enemy''s strength did not rely on an additionalyer ofplex magic, meaning that Rain wouldn''t need to excessively drain his mana reserves to keep up with their abilities; he also wouldn''t increase the mana output when he tries to learn it¡­


    Understanding this dynamic was a critical advantage for Rain. It meant he could continue to engage the enemy without undue concern about escting his mana consumption. Instead of engaging in an energy-draining magical arms race, he could focus on maximizing the efficiency of his own techniques and exploiting the enemy''s vulnerabilities.


    The enemy tried to punch Rain, but he used Impulse to the side and made the enemy punch the air. Theck of bnce that the enemy was experiencing helped a bit, and Rain targeted the other eardrum as well with another explosion of wind.


    Unfortunately, the enemy reacted in time to protect his other ear¡­ Still, Rain hit the ribcage of the enemy with all his might using Iron Fists, Crushing Blow, and with the help of Impulse as well. While the enemy was suffering, Rain kept using Impulse even without moving from the spot¡­ which increased the power of the attack.


    The enemy quickly turned and kicked Rain with a roundhouse kick¡­ and while Rain blocked it with his arms, he felt them going numb while he was sent flying into the distance and spinning in the air.


    Rain onlynded fifty meters away, much to his surprise, and he felt that his arms were about to break. He saw the enemy charging at him again as if that wasn''t enough. He was finally showing his true colors¡­ or perhaps that technique made him more wild.


    "That works as well¡­" Rain thought.


    With lightning speed, Rain formed sturdy barriers of earth around his arms, intercepting the enemy general''s thunderous strikes. The sh of their forces created shockwaves that rippled through the battleground. Unfazed by Rain''s defenses, the enemy''s attacks were like relentless tempests, hammering against Rain''s fortified barriers.


    Amidst the chaos, Rain''s earlier actions had caused the rain to halt around him, creating a surreal bubble of stillness. But the enemy''s onught was so potent that even the ground beneath them seemed to quiver, water droplets recoiling from the intensity of the impacts.


    Each collision between their forces generated a fierce exchange of energy. Rain felt his own body being pushed back, his feet digging into the wet ground as he resisted the opposing force. He was propelled ten meters backward with every strike, his form streaking through the battlefield like aet.


    As he was pushed toward the heart of the conflict, Rain''spanions, Reca and Jori, became distant blurs amidst the swirling fray. The battleground itself seemed to transform, bing a vortex of shing elements and unrestrained power.

 Chapter 196: War (38)

    Explosive sts of wind created a turbulent dance of bodies soaring through the air while the very earth quaked from the impact of their blows.


    Rain''s unwavering determination was palpable as he held his ground, his arms trembling with the strain of maintaining his defenses. The exhration of battle coursed through his veins, each sh of forces igniting his resolve further. Amidst the tumultuous whirlwind, Rain''s grin was one of exhration, his spirit undeterred by the formidable opponent before him.


    Their tumultuous sh carried them toward the heart of the battlefield, where the chaos was at its zenith. Amidst the cacophony of shing weapons, shouting soldiers, and explosive spells, Rain and the enemy general seemed like a tempest within a tempest, a duel of titans that went unnoticed by the chaos around them.


    In this central maelstrom, the frantic whirl of battle obscured their presence. Consumed by their own struggles, warriors on both sides failed to register the monumental confrontation between Rain and his adversary. The gusts of wind that apanied their strikes began to knock back even the most resolutebatants, adding to the confusion and turmoil.


    Rain''s efforts were unwavering as he held his ground, his arms forming an unbreakable shield against the relentless barrage. Grunts of exertion mixed with the sounds of battle as he endured the onught, his steely determination shining through even in the midst of the storm. Every forceful sh reverberated through the air, a testament to the unyielding willpower of bothbatants.


    Rain endured the attacks for a while, but soon, the guards of dirt that he made began to crack, and he had to make his choice about his next step¡­ he had two options: use all of his mana and fight without hiding his true strength or weaken the enemy a bit and save his mana.


    When the enemy saw the pieces of earth falling, his fury exploded and then went to attack Rain''s head with all his might¡­ However, he stopped midway when something pierced his right arm.


    The biting cold assaulted the enemy''s senses as the de of water materialized from Rain''s very being. It was an astonishing sight, an edge of liquid that seemed to defy thews of nature. As Rain lunged forward with determined force, the water de followed suit, bing a lethal extension of his will.


    The de cut through the enemy''s ranks with frightening precision, carving a path of destruction through the battlefield. The enemy, caught off guard by Rain''s unexpected attack, attempted to leap away to safety. Still, the water de''s reach was relentless. With a skillful twist of Rain''s control, the de expanded in size, its surface rippling and turning like a deadly, liquid tornado.


    Trapped within the swirling vortex of the water de, the enemy''s attempts at healing were thwarted as the de''s currents disrupted his mana and concentration. Each rotation of the de sent pulses of pain reverberating through his body.


    The wound wasn''t big since the natural magic resistance of the enemy added to the power of the secret technique to fight back against Rain''s attack. Still, in the end, the enemy tried to raise his guard, but everything below his elbow wasn''t obeying him, and it was bleeding a lot as well¡­


    Amidst the maelstrom of conflict, Rain keenly observed the enemy''s reactions. Despite the enemy''s reputation for rapid healing, Rain noticed that this time, the wounds inflicted by his waterde remained untouched by any regenerative magic. It was an unexpected twist, one that filled Rain with a sense of both opportunity and uncertainty.


    In that charged moment, Rain''s mind raced with possibilities. The realization that the enemy''s secret technique might hinder his ability to heal was a significant revtion. It was as if the enemy''s mastery over his own body was locked away, concealed by the activation of his enigmatic skills.


    This new knowledge added ayer of strategy to the battle, forcing Rain to reevaluate his tactics on the fly.


    Rain''s instincts sharpened as he recognized the potential advantage this offered. It was a rare window of vulnerability in the enemy''s formidable defenses.


    "As expected, it has a bunch of weaknesses¡­ but I want it," Rain said and then charged toward the enemy.


    The enemy fixed his stance by slightly moving to his left side and then blocked Rain''s punch. Even with a single arm, his guard didn''t flinch at all.


    With determination fueling his every move, Rain charged toward the enemy general, fists zing with intent. The sh was imminent, a collision of wills and strength. However, to Rain''s surprise, the general didn''t attempt to retreat; instead, he stood his ground, a stoic figure unyielding in the face of Rain''s onught.


    Rain''s punches rained down, each one aimed with precision and intent to break through the general''s defenses. Yet, despite Rain''s efforts, the general''s single arm acted as an imprable shield, effortlessly blocking each strike. Frustration coursed through Rain as his attacks met a seemingly immovable obstacle.


    In his mind, Rain was racing to find a weak point, a chink in the general''s body that he could exploit. He attempted to concentrate his blows on a single spot, aiming to concentrate the force and create an opening.


    "We are in the middle of the battlefield¡­ he doesn''t want to show his soldiers himself being overwhelmed; that would disrupt their morale¡­ but what is he waiting for?" Rain wondered.


    Growing impatient with the enigmatic stance of his foe, Rain''s resolve solidified. He refused to be a pawn in the general''s waiting game any longer. With a calcted move, he feigned a surge of mana, hoping to provoke the enemy into action. In response, the general''s stance shifted ever so slightly, his anticipation evident.


    Seizing the moment, Rain surged forward, delivering a swift attack aimed at catching the general off guard. But the seasoned adversary wasn''t so easily fooled. In a swift motion, the general thwarted Rain''s assault, deflecting the blow with a well-ced block. Unexpectedly, the enemy responded with a decisive headbutt, a calcted move that caught Rain by surprise.

 Chapter 197: War (39)

    The impact sent a jolt through Rain''s skull, momentarily disorienting him. The unexpected counterattack left him dazed, and his thoughts momentarily scrambled as he fought to regain his bearings.


    Rain felt the world almost turning upside down, but he held his ground, even though he was pushed away for several meters and he fell on his knee. Still, that helped him¡­


    While blood was falling from his forehead, Rain touched the ground and then made a lot of earth beingpressed on a single spot and around his arms¡­ instead of protecting them, it looked like they became a new pair of arms that emerged from his elbows.


    A flicker of genuine surprise danced across the enemy general''s countenance as he observed Rain''s tactical shift. The sudden change in Rain''s approach was unexpected, catching the general off guard for a fleeting moment. As Rain''s attack power surged, a question lingered in the air: Just how much of a difference would this make?


    Rain''s strategy was a calcted one, drawing from past experiences. He harnessed a technique he had honed against armored beetles, an effective means of oveing their formidable defenses. Now, in the heat of this intense battle, he was banking on that very same technique to provide him the edge he desperately needed.


    Rain charged toward the enemy and then punched him with his earthen fists with all his might. The sound of the impact echoed not only in the air but on the ground as well¡­ the impact stopped the rain from falling around those two for five seconds, and it pushed the enemy backward for five meters.


    Rain charged again and then attacked his left Earthen Fist¡­ the enemy general readied himself even more for the hit, but that didn''t change a thing¡­ the crushing blow pushed him backward and silenced the whole battlefield.


    The battlefield seemed to hold its collective breath as soldiers from both sides cast their gaze upon the relentless exchange between Rain and the enemy general. The sh of their strengths was a spectacle that transcended the chaos of battle, drawing the attention of all who witnessed it.


    With each punch Rain delivered and the enemy general''s unwavering defense, the sheer force behind the blows was nothing short of astounding. The very ground quivered beneath their feet as if the earth itself struggled to bear witness to this astonishing disy of power.


    To the onlookers, it was a surreal scene. The impact of Rain''s strikes against the enemy general''s steadfast guard was a sight to behold, one that held an almost otherworldly intensity. The sheer kic energy released with each collision was enough to make even battle-hardened soldiers question the limits of human capability.


    The entire battlefield was interested in how that fight would end¡­ and while that wasn''t normal of a thing to happen, both sides stopped fighting and formed an encirclement around the area¡­ they couldn''t get too close. Still, at least they knew that once either side falls, the others will have the chance to move.


    Rain wasn''t that known yet, so most people on the human side weren''t expecting a lot from him, but they wanted the chance to take down the enemy general¡­ on the other hand, the magic people were waiting for the chance for their general to win the exchange since that would boost their morale tremendously¡­ However, the enemy general wasn''t showing any signs of preparing a counterattack.


    "I don''t like this¡­ this guy is too cunning to go down this easily," Rain thought.


    With each thunderous blow, Rainnded on the enemy general''s defense; he could feel the bones beneath the man''s skin, his attacks resonating with the underlying structure of his body. It was a sensation that sent shivers through Rain, a stark reminder of the raw power hemanded and the immense force he was unleashing in each punch.


    As the battle continued, Rain couldn''t help but sense that the enemy general''s strategy was to buy time. Rain''s attacks seemed to be pushing the general to his limits. Yet, the rest of his underlings merely watched, neither intervening nor supporting their leader. It was a curious observation, one that raised suspicions within Rain''s mind.


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that the final general, the one responsible for brainwashing his father, might join the fray soon. It was a possibility that filled Rain with both trepidation and determination. Thest thing he wanted was to give her an opportunity to exert her mind-controlling powers on him, potentially turning him into a pawn of the enemy.


    But would she reveal herself on the battlefield so easily, especially when her capabilities seemed to be limited to her brainwashing abilities?


    "Either way, I need to finish this as soon as possible¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain stopped his attacks to prepare the final one. At that moment, he realized that the enemy could be waiting for that in order to kill him, but Rain didn''t have any other option¡­


    "It is time to show them my real secret weapon," Rain thought as he lowered his stance and tightened his guard.


    Rain''s entire being tensed, his muscles coiling like a tightly wound spring, as he prepared to unleash the full extent of his strength. The enemy general remained immovable, his stance unyielding, as if he were daring Rain toe at him with everything he had. With Impulse coursing through his veins, Rain propelled himself forward, a force of nature charging ahead.


    As he moved, the ground beneath him cracked and splintered, creating a small crater as his power bore down upon it. Rain''s body transformed like a coiled spring releasing its energy, his form shifting with the promise of an unstoppable blow. His momentum carried him directly toward the enemy general, his fist drawn back, ready to deliver a punch of overwhelming force.


    The enemy could tell that the next attack would be like no other,so he readied himself to take it... he wouldn''t have imagined that he would take a punch from another world.

 Chapter 198: War (40)

    In a sudden twist, the enemy general shifted his stance, his intention clear: to strike Rain with a counterattack the moment Rain closed the distance. The general''s movements were precise and calcted, and it seemed as though he had Rain figured out.


    But in the crucial instant before their fists collided, Rain''s right hand, guided by instinct and experience, pulled back slightly, diverting the trajectory of his strike.


    In a split second, Rain''s right hand transformed into a shield, and his left fist, fueled by the might of his Earthen Fist technique, surged forward. The enemy''s eyes widened in astonishment as Rain''s calcted move disrupted his expectations.


    The impact was a double blow, a criss-cross, where Rain''s left fist collided with the enemy''s torso even as his right hand deflected the impending counterattack.


    In boxing, a criss-cross is a counter-punching technique where a boxer simultaneously strikes with one hand while using the other hand to guard or deflect an opponent''s counterattack. It''s a skillful move that requires precise timing, coordination, and anticipation of the opponent''s actions.


    In Rain''s case, his mastery of both martial arts and magic allowed him to execute this technique with a deadly precision, catching the enemy off guard and delivering a powerful blow while minimizing his vulnerability to a counter.


    The sound of punches echoed like a lightning bolt in the area¡­ alongside the sound of the Enemy''s general head cracking and neck-snapping. The enemy general was sent flying in the distance and spun in the air for around one hundred meters before he fell and rolled on the ground without being able to move an inch. He was already dead, after all¡­


    The Iron Fists skill has leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Punch Mastery skill has leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    ¡­


    After a while, the notifications stoppeding, and Rain saw himself breathing roughly. That fight took a lot of him physically and mentally, but it wasn''t over yet¡­ Rain could feel the eyes of the enemies on him, and he didn''t have much energy to spare.


    "Men! Charge forward and kill them all!" Branden shouted.


    From the left nk of the battlefield, Branden emerged, leading a determined charge of mercenaries who had rallied to his side. The sight of his friends and allies, including Cor, by his side, bolstered Rain''s resolve. They were here to capitalize on the opportunity, to seize victory, and to bring an end to the conflict that had gripped thend.


    As Branden''s forces surged forward, the collective energy of the human soldiers surged as well. It was as if a spark had ignited in their hearts, rekindling their determination to stand against the invaders. The atmosphere on the battlefield shifted, the soldiers now recognizing the tide turning in their favor.


    Rain could see the renewed hope in their eyes, the realization that they had the upper hand. The once-daunting enemy forces that had seemed insurmountable now appeared vulnerable. With renewed vigor, the human soldiers pushed back against the enemy, their battle cries echoing across the field.


    Branden''s arrival had injected a fresh surge of determination into their ranks. Rain could feel the shift in momentum, the rising crescendo of their collective will to reim theirnd and secure their future.


    "I should as well¡­ urgh," Rain grunted in pain. "Maybe I actually shouldn''t and leave this much fun to the others."


    Rain took a step forward to join the fray, but then he felt a sharp pain in his right leg¡­ he didn''t notice it, but his previous charge was so powerful that it hurt his right foot, and now he couldn''t step in that well. Rain wouldn''t be able to show even half of his strength without his dominant feet.


    That only showed that his body was too young for that kind of strain, or perhaps he should train harder. Either way, he felt like he had done enough in that battle and now he deserved a good rest and some good healing.


    Revan strode past Rain, their eyes locking for a fleeting moment that conveyed a silent understanding. Revan then assumed amanding stance with purpose in their stride, leading the royal guards into the fray. The presence of the royal guards,bined with Revan''s steadfast leadership, injected an extra surge of morale into the human ranks.


    As the royal guards joined the battle, the human soldiers rallied around their determined leaders, fighting with a renewed sense of purpose. Thebination of Branden''s mercenaries, Cor''s tactical prowess, and Revan''s royal guards created an unstoppable force that pushed back against the enemy lines.


    The magic-wielding enemies, once so confident in their advantage, found themselves at a loss. Their attempts to deploy their powers were met with fierce resistance and unwavering determination from the human soldiers. The sky-high morale among the humans was palpable, a contagious energy that spread like wildfire through their ranks.


    Without their fallen general''s leadership and facing the human defenders'' unwavering spirit, the enemy''s tactics began to falter. As Rain observed, the enemy''s cohesion started to crumble, their once-coordinated efforts giving way to chaos and confusion. It was a stark contrast to the unity and determination radiating from the human forces.


    And then, as if in response to the shift in momentum, the rain finally ceased. The clearing skies and the cessation of the downpour seemed to symbolize the turning point of the battle. With the weather''s change, the magic-wielding enemies began to retreat, their confidence shattered, and their resolve waning.


    Liss, Asche, and Terra arrived at that time as well, and they formed a barrier around Rain. The enemies weren''t that close, but some were still fighting so they could try something against Rain.


    Terra looked like she had a lot to say, but she knew that it was useless, so she just silently treated Rain. While he had been reckless, the results speak for themselves¡­ he basically ended the war by killing two of the enemy''s generals¡­ the war was over.

 Chapter 199: Payback

    After the initial sh on the battlefield, a fierce pursuit unfolded. The human soldiers, emboldened by their newfound momentum and bolstered by the joined forces of mercenaries, royal guards, and skilled leaders like Branden, Cor, and Revan, pursued the retreating magic-wielding enemies relentlessly.


    The initial surprise and confusion among the enemy ranks had turned into a rout as their coordination crumbled under the pressure of the human assault.


    At first, the magic-wielding enemies attempted to regroup and establish a defensive position at their camp. They tried to hold their ground, using their magical abilities to fend off the pursuing human forces. But the tides had shifted irrevocably.


    The human soldiers fought with a fierce determination fueled by the memory of their fallenrades, the desire to protect their loved ones, and the taste of victory on the battlefield.


    Despite the magic users'' efforts, their camp was quickly overwhelmed by the relentless onught of human soldiers. The once-proud and confident enemy forces found themselves forced into retreat once again as the human soldiers chased them down with unyielding resolve. For hours, the battle raged on, with the human forces showing no signs of slowing down.


    It was a testament to their collective determination and the strength of their unity.


    As the sun rose and day came, the human soldiers were tired, battered, and covered in mud and sweat. Yet their spirits remained unbroken, and their high morale continued to propel them forward. They knew that this was their chance to drive the enemy out of theirnd for good.


    The pursuit carried on for two grueling days, with the human soldiers pushing themselves beyond their limits. The magic-wielding enemies eventually crossed the borders and escaped. However, the human forces still set numerous camps around it to avoid future invasions that could happen soon.


    "How is your body today?" Asche asked when she and the others went to visit Rain in his room.


    "I am better now. The healing is alleviating the pain, so I can sleep fine now," Rain replied.


    The relentless battles had taken their toll on Rain''s body, leaving a trail of injuries in their wake. The umted strain from his fiercebat had left most of his bones with hairline cracks, a testament to the tremendous force he had exerted.


    His muscles, though resilient, bore the brunt of thebat''s intensity, showing signs of wear and tear from the powerful punches and maneuvers he had executed.


    Among the many injuries, one part of Rain''s body had suffered more than the rest¡ªthe leg he used to pivot and generate force during his attacks. This pivot leg had endured an incredible amount of stress, especially during his final charge against the enemy general. The culmination of his efforts, the ultimate push to ovee the enemy, had strained his leg muscles to their limits and beyond.


    The damage extended beyond muscle strain, reaching into the very bones of his leg.


    Even after receiving the benefits of healing magic, Rain''s body showed signs of its limits. While the magic worked to mend his wounds, the severity of the damage couldn''t be ignored. The healers who tended to him advised that he refrain from putting weight on his damaged leg for at least a week, allowing it time to heal properly.


    For Rain, this diagnosis meant more than just physical difort. It meant a temporary halt to his mobility, a pause in his ability to move and fight as he had be ustomed to. It was a humbling reminder of the price he paid for his determination and hismitment to the battle.


    The pain and difort he felt were not just the result of physical injuries but a reflection of the emotional and mental toll that battles of such intensity could exact.


    "It is rather boring here, but at least my arms are fine now," Rain said while he was punching the air with the weights on his wrists.


    "Four days had passed since the end of the battle¡­ we should return home soon since themander and the boss are finishing the guard on the border," Jori said.


    "We lost around seven thousand soldiers, around two hundred of the organization, but the enemy lost more than eleven thousand¡­ the clean-up job is almost over, but¡­" Reca said and then sighed. "I feel like I have seen enough war and bodies for a lifetime."


    Rain shared a simr sentiment with Reca. His strength had undeniably grown as a result of the countless battles he had fought. The experience and training he had gained were undeniable assets. Still, he didn''t want to attribute his strength solely to the chaos of war.


    There was a concern that his skills and abilities might be seen as a product of the conflict rather than a true reflection of his growth and dedication.


    While Rain appreciated his newfound strength, he held onto a desire for his abilities to be recognized for their inherent value, separate from the turmoil of battle. He wished for those in positions of authority to recognize the efforts andmitment he and hispanions had put into their training, irrespective of the war''s influence.


    Despite these feelings, Rain was acutely aware of the strategic opportunity at hand. With the enemy''s morale shaken and their forces in retreat, it was an opportune moment to take the initiative andunch an offensive. The idea of using this moment to sharpen their skills, refine their strategies, and potentially secure a decisive victory was enticing.


    Rain understood the significance of this moment and the potential impact it could have on the war''s oue.


    "I don''t feel like I want to keep working for this country if they insist on making the enemies payback for thest decade," Rain thought. "Still, my little sisters are going toe to the capital soon¡­ I can''t just leave them behind."


    "We should be rewarded well for our hard work," Asche said while grinning. "While we won''t be as rich as Rain, we will have enough to rx for a while. We should take at least one month off to rest."

 Chapter 200: Pause

    "Our skills will get rusty," Liss said and then frowned, but then she saw Rain''s condition. "Well, not like we have any other choice..."


    While the backline of the battle had managed torgely avoid direct harm, the frontlines, including Rain, had endured significant damage. The toll of continuousbat on the body was undeniable, even with the avability of healing magic that could mend wounds and regenerate even lost limbs. Rain couldn''t help but recognize the price that came with such intense and prolonged fighting.


    Healing magic was indeed a powerful tool capable of restoring the body to its optimal state. However, the frequency and intensity of the battles had taken a toll on his physical well-being. Rain couldn''t ignore the strain on his muscles, bones, and stamina, even if those wounds were promptly mended by the healing spells.


    As he pondered his skills, Rain''s thoughts turned to the healing abilities he possessed. While his physicalbat skills had significantly improved, he realized he had room to develop his healing skills further.


    In the end, Branden returned three dayster alongside Revan. It seemed that they worked well together and without any issues. At that point in time, it would be foolish to get on his bad side¡­ the organization was a force that couldn''t be ignored anymore, and with the aplishments in the war, they would probably be recognized as more than just a mercenary force.


    "We are going back, everyone," Branden said. "The soldiers stationed at the border will be able to stay there for weeks, and I received orders that we should return as well. His Majesty orders. In two weeks, we will receive our rewards from the King himself, so make sure to rest plenty until then."


    "Woooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"


    The mercenaries'' faces were a mixture of exhaustion, sorrow, and an unexpected glimmer of excitement. The battlefield was now strewn with the fallen, and the weight of theirrades'' sacrifices was heavy on their hearts. Thoughts of having to convey the tragic news to families and loved ones back home weighed heavily on their minds. It was a somber reminder of the brutal reality of war.


    Amidst the somber atmosphere, an unexpected development had ignited a spark of anticipation in the mercenaries. The invitation to enter the castle was akin to receiving a rare and treasured opportunity. For soldiers who often lived on the fringes of society and faced countless battles with little recognition, the prospect of entering the castle was a momentous event.


    The excitement in their eyes spoke volumes. Their battle-hardened faces were lit up with a newfound hope and curiosity. Even though they had just lost hundreds of their own in the fight, the chance to be acknowledged and weed within the castle walls was a reward that carried immense meaning.


    Rain heard all that from his room while he was lifting some weight with his arms. He didn''t recall taking so much time off, so he felt truly restless. While everyone was celebrating outside, Branden entered Rain''s room.


    "Hey, I heard about your wounds," Branden said. "It looks like the enemy forced you to show your real skills this time. Everyone still is talking about that fight, and most of them always say the word: legendary battle."


    "It was fun, but it wasn''t legendary," Rain shook his head. "The magic people still have a lot of tricks up their sleeve, right?"


    "Yeah¡­ we found them using tribes that we never heard of¡­ their skills aren''t just basic stuff like elemental magic," Branden said while he crossed his arms. "Elemental magic is actually the weakest type of abilities that they had, and they used that to defeat us for over a decade."


    Rain had spent considerable time pondering and experimenting with various approaches to uncover the technique employed by the second general. He had yet to unearth the key that would unlock its secrets despite his relentless efforts. It was as though the threads of his existing skills and abilities failed to intertwine with the enigmatic technique he had witnessed.


    Frustration and determination waged a battle within him. Each skill he possessed had its own niche and purpose, none of which seemed to align with the elusive technique that had left such an impression on him. Yet, Rain''s resolve burned brightly; he was not one to easily back down from a challenge.


    "Anyway, I want to keep that kind of stuff forter since we need to celebrate this victory, but there is still one problem," Branden said. "The final general apparently has a real story with you, right?


    She kept sending soldiers to attack us, and she forced them to gather Intel information about you while her minions were fighting¡­ I can tell that she is a crazy woman, so it is better for you toy low for a while. The whole enemy country knows about you, so they will try to get you in some way or another."


    The imminent danger thaty ahead didn''t stir apprehension within Rain. He understood that his pursuit could lead him to be a formidable adversary in the eyes of the magic wielders. However, his concern was more fixated on the impact this transformation could have on his family, particrly his younger sisters. Their safety and well-being were paramount in his mind.


    Rain recognized the need for his sisters to enjoy a life of rtive peace and security. In a world rife with uncertainty and conflict, he wished to shield them from the turmoil that often apanied the path he was treading. He understood that the choices he made could ripple out and influence the lives of those he cared for deeply.


    "That is fine by me," Rain replied, thinking that he would have to train his little sisters once they came to the capital. "I will be busy for a while with some personal matters."


    Rain decided to put his priority in his family and in this important period for his sisters since they will be away from their parents for a while.

 Chapter 201: Celebration

    "Speaking of personal matters, I will probably get married soon, so I won''t be able to be as active regarding the organization, and we will need a branch here as well," Branden said.


    "No," Rain replied.


    "At least let me finish¡­ in this kind of situation, I guess I can''t just use my authority since you are that against it," Branden showed a troubled expression. "In any case, from now on, if you n on living in the capital, you will have to deal with some other kinds of problems; I was thinking that working here would be better for you as well."


    "What kind of problems?" Rain asked.


    "You are famous, you look like a nobleman, and you are strong; many people will try to get on your good side," Branden said. "The easiest way for that is through marriage. While they are older than you, you probably should sort things out with Asche, Liss, and Terra."


    "We aren''t like that," Rain said.


    "And I keep wondering why they are still single despite that¡­ they are wasting their best years," Branden frowned. "Well, since they are working, perhaps it can''t be helped. But they also will be troubled by this to some extent since your group will be more famous as well. You all will have to deal with other kinds of battles as well."


    Rain''s thoughts drifted to the possibility of Branden''s potential marriage to the princess, a scenario that held a certain level of intrigue and uncertainty. Though Rain had never set eyes on the princess, he couldn''t help but think about the circumstances surrounding noble unions, especially as he recollected his own experiences at those high-society gatherings.


    The world he now inhabited was vastly different from the one he had known on Earth, and he was no stranger to the peculiar behaviors and customs of the nobility. Attending those opulent parties with Lorene had been a revtory experience, as he found himself immersed in a society that seemed to prioritize power, connections, and appearances above all else.


    Rain''s fame and wealth seemed to act as a maic force, drawing the attention of those who saw potential benefits in aligning themselves with him. He couldn''t help but recall the numerous asions where he noticed individuals showing interest in him only after he had be somebody of note.


    Families openly propositioned alliances, hoping to secure their future by joining forces with his rising prominence.


    In this world, the concept of love appears to be a rtively recent phenomenon, with historical practices centering more on strategic partnerships to ensure ess to resources and elevate one''s status. Rain found it baffling to witness how people were willing to set aside personalpatibility and genuine connection in favor of pragmatic considerations.


    The idea that individuals would readily ept such arrangements, seemingly valuing their partner''s potential to improve their lives above all else, left Rain both puzzled and somewhat disheartened.


    As he pondered theseplexities, Rain couldn''t help but be reminded of the intricate dance of politics and practicality that governed the lives of the nobility.


    Two dayster, the mercenaries and half of the army began to march back home. Rain was able to walk properly, but running was impossible¡­ he still could move much faster by using magic. Still, the whole group was taking it easy with their pace.


    "I want to send the message to everyone and tell them that I am alright as soon as possible, but I guess it would be rude to leave the main group like this," Rain thought.


    Rain was well aware that any inclination to act recklessly in matters of rtionships or partnerships would likely result in a stern earful from Terra. Her nagging words and unwavering principles were a constant reminder to him that his choices held consequences that reached beyond himself.


    Even something as seemingly innocuous as wearing his wrist weights could invite a chorus of sermons from the people who cared about him. Terra, of course, would lead the charge, ensuring he understood the importance of not inviting unnecessary trouble or risk while he was hurt.


    But it didn''t end there¡ªLiss and Asche would join the chorus as well, their voices ringing in his ears in harmony with Terra''s teachings.


    The trip to the capitalsted for one week, but at least it had been a fun and rxing one since the mood was quite festive. As if things weren''t good enough, they improved once they reached the capital.


    The army and the members of the organization strode side by side, their presencemanding attention as they traversed the bustling city streets. The air was filled with shouts of joy and congrattory cheers, a chorus of gratitude and relief from the people who had long yearned for the return of theirnds to safety.


    As the procession moved through the city, the faces of the citizens reflected a mix of emotions¡ªpride, tion, and a renewed sense of hope. People waved gs, held signs of appreciation, and raised their voices in admiration for those who had fought and sacrificed to reim their homnd.


    For the humans, the victory was more than just a triumph over the enemy. It symbolized the restoration of their lives, their livelihoods, and the return to a sense of normalcy that had been disrupted for far too long. The battle had been arduous, but the rewards were immeasurable.


    With the threat pushed back beyond their borders, the path to expansion and growthy before them. The presence of soldiers stationed near the border would not only ensure security but also stimte economic activity. Businesses that had suffered under the shadow of conflict could now flourish, confident in their ability to serve a thrivingmunity.


    "I suppose that this is a good thing, but I can''t get in the mood since I don''t know what will happen in the future... when did I be such a worrywart? I thought that having power would be enough in this world, but maybe I was wrong..."

 Chapter 202: Reasons

    Rain wanted to pass the message to Lotto that he was fine, but he should know since he probably had some spies on the support group that brought supplies to the battle.


    "Rest for one week, then we will all go together from here," Branden said when they arrived at the organization''s base. "You guys did well, and I am proud of all of you. We lost a lot of friends, but we will carry their spirits with us."


    The group split up, and Rain said bye to his friends and wondered what he should do¡­ he had talked with Branden earlier that he wanted to buy a good house since his sisters wereing to the capital. Still, then he said that he shouldn''t do that and he would solve that problem for him.


    "I just hope that he won''t do anything stupid¡­" Rain thought and then sighed while he looked for an inn.


    The next day, Rain received a letter from Ka that said that he had to head to a certain address. It was definitely from Branden, but Rain didn''t mind much since it wasn''t in the central area of the capital. It was close to the western gate, which he mostly used, and it was also quite close to the organization as well.


    Still, Rain was left speechless when he found the building and some workers repairing the ce. The old building stood at the intersection of grandeur and practicality, an architectural blend of a mansion and a fortified guard post. Its weathered stone walls bore the marks of time, telling stories of years gone by.


    The structure exuded an air of authority, yet it also carried the weight of history, evident in its elegant yet aged design.


    As the sun cast its golden rays upon the building, Branden, with an air of purpose, directed a group of workers who were diligently engaged in repairs. The mansion-guard post hybrid had seen its share of wear and tear, the toll of battles and the passage of time evident in its weary appearance. But now, under Branden''s watchful eye, it was receiving a new lease on life.


    Branden''s orders were clear and precise, a testament to his meticulous nature. He wanted this ce to be perfect, a fitting reward for Rain''s unwavering dedication and valor during the war. The old building was to be Rain''s home, a token of gratitude that echoed the importance of his role in reiming theirnds.


    Still, Rain''s future home might seem vast for him alone and perhaps even for his young sisters.


    "What do you think? Not too gaudy, just like you want, right?" Branden asked. "We are going to do the most repairs that the house needs, but you can change with your magicter."


    "... This doesn''t look like an ordinary house," Rain said while frowning. "How much does this ce cost?"


    "Around fifty tinum coins?" Branden replied. "Grandpa and Grandma''s house looked like this, remember? This house belonged to a family that worked guarding the western gate a long time ago. Still, that family ended up disappearing due to theck of heirs one hundred years ago. Since then, it has been left alone since it is expensive and too big considering the area."


    Rain watched as the workers went about fixing up the building that was going to be his new home. It had a mix of mansion and guard post vibes, sort of like Roswall and Melody''s ce. It was kind of cool how things connected in weird ways sometimes.


    The design had this military feel to it, probably because it used to be a training spot for soldiers. But Rain had some ideas. He knew he could use his magic to change things up, make it more cozy and less like a drill ground.


    He imagined infusing the ce with a sense offort and family. He could tweak the rooms to make them feel inviting and turn the tough exterior into a safe haven. Yeah, the outside might look all serious, but inside, it could be a space where his sisters could be happy.


    "This is a lot of money, even though I didn''t save that much money working for you for four years," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "The garden is big enough for training sessions, and the walls are tall enough for you to feel like rxing on it as well," Branden said. "I think that this ce needs some servants, but I imagined that you wouldn''t like that."


    "I can do that with my magic and save money," Rain thought.


    Rain thought about how he could involve his sisters in the process of making their new home. He knew that he could use his magic to clean the ce quickly. Still, he saw an opportunity to help them refine their own magical abilities and skills.


    Cleaning might seem like a simple task, but Rain understood that magic was in everything, even in the small actions. He could guide his sisters through the process of using their magic to clean, helping them gain better control over their abilities. It could be a fun and practical way for them to learn while also contributing to their new home.


    Rain was the type who liked to seize every chance to grow stronger and improve, and he wanted the same for his sisters. So, he envisioned them working together, using their magic to make their home shine.


    "I know that you are itching to go home, but try not to skip the ceremony; I don''t want to answer one hundred times the same thing when people ask about you," Branden said.


    Rain let out a slight sigh, feeling a mix of emotions about the attention he was receiving. Fame wasn''t something he actively sought or enjoyed. Still, he understood that it could open doors and opportunities that he might not have had otherwise. While he preferred to stay out of the spotlight, he also recognized the practical benefits that came with it.

 Chapter 203: New Gear

    The recognition he gained from his actions during the war had made him a prominent figure, and he knew that it could lead to connections, favors, and perhaps even a better quality of life. As he thought about it, he realized that if being in the public eye could improve his circumstances, he was willing to tolerate it, even if it wasn''t his preferred way of living.


    "By the way, did you do something about your equipment already?" Branden asked. "I think that I can find something good for you in the royal family vault. They have all kinds of relics there."


    "I will do something about that myself; I am nning to change things a bit regarding my fighting style, after all," Rain replied.


    Rain held a firm stance on his perspective regarding the royal family. While the house granted to him as a reward for his contributions was appreciated, he had no intention of seeking additional favors or privileges from them. To him, the house was a sufficient acknowledgment of his efforts in the war, and he didn''t wish to overstep that boundary.


    In fact, Rain had a cautious mindset when it came to epting any further assistance or benefits from powerful entities. He was acutely aware that epting too much from influential figures could potentially lead to strings attached, and he was determined to avoid any situations where he might find himself entangled in obligations or indebtedness.


    Rain''s experiences had taught him the value of independence and self-reliance. He didn''t want to owe anyone anything beyond what was already given to him for his services. He knew that navigating theplex world of politics and power could be treacherous, and he preferred to keep his distance from such entanglements.


    The next day, Rain went to talk with Lotto, and he confirmed that he had sent the news about the war to his grandfather. He also told him how Rain had gotten famous after defeating two of the enemy generals. His Intel didn''t make him learn that Rain had injured his body that much, so that helped as well in not worrying his family. Still, Lotto had good eyes¡­


    "Your forearm guards aren''t with you, and you are limping a bit," Lotto said while scratching his beard. "You are almost the size to use adult gear, so I assume that is why you are here."


    "Yes, what is the best material that you have?" Rain asked. "I have forearm guards, but I also want a pair of shin guards."


    "You are probably rich enough to buy from the most famous shops; why don''t you check things with them?" Lotto asked.


    "I want to avoid drawing too much attention, and people are starting to bother me a littletely," Rain said. "Coming here could be a good advertisement for your shop, so I was nning on getting some discount as well."


    "It seems that despite being a warrior, you also got the soul of a merchant from your grandfather," Lotto said while grinning. "I think that you would benefit a lot from magic items now, but it might take a while to make them. At the same time, I don''t have the materials, at least for now."


    "I am not going to fight anytime soon, so it is fine," Rain said. "How much do you need for the materials and for the production?"


    Lotto presented Rain with a promising proposition for his next equipment upgrade. The cksmith aimed to enhance the durability of Rain''s gear while also taking into consideration his unique skill set. Lotto''s creative suggestions included crafting the new equipment using either the scales of a colossal sea serpent or the hide of a formidable basilisk.


    Rain mused over how Lotto had discerned his proficiency in water magic, possibly having gleaned this information from Meiro, who was likely familiar with Rain''s frequent use of water magic to aid the local farms.


    After careful deliberation, Rain opted for thetter option¡ªthe hide of a basilisk¡ªfor his new gear. The materials required for such an endeavor came at a considerable cost, totaling forty gold coins. Lotto''s offer was apanied by the pledge to waive his usual working fee as long as Rain acknowledged Lotto as the artisan responsible for the creation of the gear.


    While this arrangement was advantageous, Rain couldn''t overlook the fact that it would entail parting with a substantial portion of his current financial reserves.


    As he contemted the decision, Rain recognized that this investment was a substantial one, equivalent to nearly half of his current wealth. Nevertheless, he weighed the potential benefits against the cost, acknowledging that this upgrade had the potential to significantly enhance hisbat capabilities and overall survivability.


    "I guess I can''t go cheap when my line is one the line," Rain thought.


    "I should get the materials in two weeks, and finishing it should take two more weeks since I want to make the best Weapons as possible," Lotto said.


    "I will be counting on you," Rain said.


    Over the following days, Rain''s focus shifted squarely onto his training and recovery. He dedicated himself to the art of elerating the healing process for his wounds,bining his innate understanding of his body with meditative practices. This disciplined routine allowed him to recuperate at a faster pace, regaining his strength and vitality.


    Amidst this period of physical convalescence, Rain''s thoughts remained consistently upied with the enigmatic technique demonstrated by the second general. The fact that Rain alone could ess this ability indicated its elevated level ofplexity. Yet, he wasn''t daunted by the prospect; instead, he saw it as a challenge worth exploring and conquering.


    As Rain deliberated over the potential capabilities of this technique, he began to piece together its fundamental mechanics. Through a blend of observation, deduction, and intuition, he gradually deciphered the core principles that underpin the technique''s manifestation. It was a lot more simple than he had imagined, he just need to keep going with the right type of training for a while.

 Chapter 204: Ceremony

    "Since it doesn''t use mana, it consumes stamina to enhance one''s physical parameters. Usually, one would need medicine to be able to increase their capabilities like that," Rain thought. "However, that guy had so much control over his body that he could push his body beyond its limits just like that with his own will. It is some kind of doping effect."


    Sports organizations and governing bodies often ban these substances or techniques due to the unfair advantage they can provide and potential health risks, such as Anabolic Steroids. These are synthetic variations of the male hormone testosterone. They can increase muscle mass, strength, and endurance, but they also have significant side effects.


    Stimnts as well. These substances, like amphetamines or caffeine, can boost alertness, energy, and focus. They may increase heart rate and blood pressure and can have dangerous effects on the cardiovascr system.


    There are also blood doping and beta blockers. The first involves increasing the number of red blood cells by infusing extra blood or red blood cell products into the body. It aims to enhance oxygen delivery to muscles, improving endurance. The second substance can help control heart rate and reduce anxiety.


    They are banned in some sports due to their potential to improve steadiness and uracy in activities that require precise control.


    Rain was well aware of them since he participated in somepetitions and knew people who used them and were banned.


    Rain could only think that doing that without help at first was impossible, and people would need some assistance of medicine or herbs to be able to pull that off. However, Rain couldn''t afford to do that.


    In the end, Rain had to try the hard way and try to obtain full control over his body, even on its most basic functions. To be able to do that, Rain added some new exercises to his training routine. Aside from a breathing technique in which he tried to feel his whole body receiving oxygen, he did some exercises that used all of his muscles.


    He would need all of them to avoid suffering damage by pushing himself to his limits.


    A few dayster, while Rain was engrossed in his tasks, there was a knock at the door of his new residence. Curious, he put down whatever he was working on and went to answer it. To his surprise, a messenger stood there, holding a carefully wrapped package.


    The messenger exined that it was a ceremonial armor meant for Rain and that all members of the organization were expected to wear something simr when attending official events at the castle.


    Rain took the package and thanked the messenger, closing the door behind them. As he unwrapped the package, he couldn''t help but marvel at the craftsmanship of the armor. It was intricately designed and adorned with ornate patterns and symbols that held significance to the organization and its history.


    The armor itself, however, was not meant forbat¡ªit was more like a symbol of status and unity among the members.


    The armor was a full te, one red and golden; the red could be found in most of it while the golden could be seen on the borders¡­ it was way too gaudy.


    "What a pain¡­" Rain thought after a long sigh. "Why only in moments of peace do I think of leaving the organization?"


    The next day, during the afternoon, all the mercenaries gathered at the organization''s headquarters. It had been a few days since Rain hadst seen his friends, and they were all buzzing with excitement and energy, dressed in the ceremonial armor that they now wore.


    As Rain looked around, he realized he might be feeling a bit oldpared to his younger friends. Their enthusiasm and vigor reminded him of his own youthful days. Their stories of recent battles filled the air, with animated voices sharing their victories and close calls. Rain joined in, sharing his own insights and experiences, feeling a strong bond with hisrades.


    Even though he felt a bit like a "mental boomer," Rain was proud to stand with his fellow mercenaries. They were a diverse group, each with their own strengths and perspectives. Despite any age differences, they were all united by theirmon goals, and today, they were going to celebrate their recent sess.


    "His Majesty didn''t make a public appearance in ten years, and we are going to see him and the entire royal family¡­ I can''t wait! Jori said.


    "I wonder if they will show up more often now that the war is over," Terra said while looking around. "The whole city is expecting that."


    Rain pondered the situation and found it quite logical. Despite their absence from the public eye for many years, the royal family still held a significant amount of respect from the people. It was interesting how that respect seemed to transcend time and circumstances.


    However, Rain couldn''t help but question this phenomenon. He mused about why people held such deep reverence for the royal family. After all, they were just individuals who happened to be born into a particr lineage. There wasn''t any inherent superiority that separated them from the rest of society.


    In Rain''s eyes, it seemed unjust that some individuals were elevated to a higher status based solely on their birthright. He believed that true worth and respect should be earned through actions and character rather than an ident of birth.


    In any case, when Branden showed up, wearing the same armor but also equipped with a blue cape, the group began to march toward the castle. Once again, a lot of people cheered for them.


    Jori and Reca nced around, their eyes meeting those of curious strangers. They exchanged friendly waves and warm smiles, embracing the attention they were receiving. Meanwhile, Liss, Asche, and Terra maintained theirposure. However, the appreciative whistles from a group of unknown men did catch their ears.


    A mix of amusement and bemusement danced across their faces as they processed the unexpected attention.

 Chapter 205: He likes them older

    It was clear that the group of admirers found the sight of the skilled fighters intriguing, a testament to their uniquebination of strength and grace. While the attention was both surprising and ttering, they managed to keep their cool.


    However, there was no denying that a part of them enjoyed the acknowledgment. The acknowledgment was like a silent nod to their capabilities, a subtle recognition of their dedication and hard work.


    Despite the sizable group of around five hundred people approaching, the imposing gates of the castle swung open to wee them. The sight was a testament to the significance of their victory and their contribution to reiming their homnd. As they passed through the gates, the members of the organization could feel the weight of the moment.


    The royal guards stationed at the entrance saluted, their formal gesture acknowledging the aplishment.


    However, a hint of solemnity lingered on the faces of the royal guards. Despite their participation in thest battle of the war, their contributions had seemingly gone unnoticed or underappreciated. Their expressions carried a mix of resignation and perhaps a touch of resentment, a reflection of their unspoken feelings regarding the recognition they receivedpared to the neers.


    The garden of the castle was pretty fancy. Still, instead of paying attention to that, Rain paid attention to the statues that were along the path that led to the castle.


    "They are sculptures of the previous kings," Branden said.


    Rain was pretty amazed by these gold statues at the castle. They weren''t just regr sculptures; they were big and shiny figures made entirely out of gold. The sunlight made them look even more dazzling.


    There were three new ones that caught his eye. The first was of a tough-looking warrior holding a spear like he was ready to fight. The details on his armor and his strong pose made it seem like he coulde to life at any moment.


    Right next to the warrior was an archer, posed like he was about to shoot an arrow from a longbow. The way the archer''s stance was captured in gold showed off the artist''s talent in making something look real and full of movement.


    Thest statue was of a mage, someone who could use magic. He held a staff that seemed to crackle with magic energy. The design of the staff and the mage''s confident stance made it clear that this was a person with some serious power.


    "I didn''t think that I heard anything about the kings being famous for their fighting skills; I guess they wanted to look cooler after that with this," Rain thought.


    Before long, the whole group began to enter the castle, and soon, they were greeted by arge hall filled with tables and people. The castle was bustling with activity as people from all over the country gathered for the ceremony. Rain could see the crowd growingrger by the minute, and it was clear that the throne room wouldn''t be able to hold everyone.


    The excitement and anticipation in the air were palpable, and it seemed like this event was drawing people from every corner of thend.


    "Enjoy the feast, His Majesty, and the royal family should arrive soon," Branden dered.


    Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra appeared a bit anxious, their stomachs tied in knots, but they managed to find an unupied table in the midst of the bustling crowd. Their n was simple: to enjoy their meal without too much interruption. Rain, though not particrly hungry himself, observed the many eyes fixed on him and the hushed conversations that apanied them.


    However, he decided to join his friends at the table, the anticipation of the uing event still hanging in the air.


    "Oops, we need to eat elegantly, guys; we can''t let people think that we are savages," Jori said after he grabbed two chicken legs.


    "You sound and look very convincing," Rain said. "Most people think of us like that anyway, so it doesn''t matter. Just make sure to clean his hands on the fabric of the table."


    "I see," Jori said while nodding.


    "No, you don''t see. You truly shouldn''t do that," Terra said. "Don''t say nonsense, Rain."


    "What a waste of a good scene to see," Rain shrugged.


    The rest of the mercenaries were eagerly savoring their meals, a mix of hearty appetite and asional attempts at refined table manners. It was amon trait among those who hailed from more rural regions. Amidst this scene, Rain''s gaze swept across the room, taking in the ambiance. It was then that he spotted Lorene and Orcis making their way towards him.


    Their arrival seemed to be perfectly timed for the celebration, a festive asion to mark the conclusion of the war.


    "My kids these days sure grow fast, but your growth is amazing," Lorene said while blinking several times. "I had to see up close to confirm that it was you."


    "It has been a long time, Rain," Orcis said while offering a handshake. "What do you eat to be this big and muscr?"


    "Veggies, veggies, and more veggies," Rain said while epting the handshake, and then he noticed those two looking at his friends. "These are my friends Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra. I joined their party a while ago."


    Rain gestured towards Lorene and Orcis as they approached, introducing them to his group of friends. The air around the table seemed to tense up slightly as those present recognized the renowned figures in their midst. Lorene, Branden''s older step-sister, was a well-known noble whose reputation carried weight.


    On the other hand, Orcis, with his vast wealth and influence in the northern region of the kingdom, was a figure whose name resonated across thosends. Their presence added an extrayer of significance to the gathering, creating a mix of curiosity and respect among those gathered at the table.


    "No need to get nervous, everyone," Orcis said. "We are here to celebrate your aplishments, after all. Thank you for your hard work in recovering ournds."


    "Still, I can see now you rejected the girls that introduced you¡­ It seems that you likes them a bit older," Lorene said while grinning. "Your group has some cuties. I suppose you would aim for me as well if I weren''t going to get married at that time."

 Chapter 206: King

    "If that is your image of me, you probably don''t know many good guys around my age," Rain said while looking to the side and seeing some weird movements. "You need to find better friends... I guess it would be weird if you tried to make friends around my age group."


    Thepliments from Rain''s introduction caused a bit of embarrassment among the girls in the group, excluding Reca, who seemed moreposed. The praise was unexpected, and it brought a warm blush to their cheeks.


    Rain''s attention was briefly drawn away from the table as he noticed Branden engaged in conversation with a group of familiar children. He recognized them as the kids he had encountered during his visits to his grandparents'' mansion for magic lessons. The passage of time had changed them, and Rain couldn''t help but wonder what they had been up to all these years.


    Among the children, Rain''s gaze fell upon a woman in her thirties who bore a strong resemnce to Branden. As their eyes met, the woman appeared taken aback, her reaction catching Rain''s attention. He couldn''t help but feel curious about her identity and the connection she might have with Branden and his family.


    "It seems that she doesn''t like your gaze," Lorene said. "I never saw her acting like that¡­"


    "This is the first time I saw her, so I have no idea why she is acting like that," Rain furrowed his eyebrows and said.


    Rain''s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he pondered the intricate web of connections that might have existed between his family and Branden''s. The possibility that Branden''s mother held some past ties with his own family left him unsettled. Given his newfound strength, he couldn''t shake the feeling that he might be seen as an inconvenience or even a potential threat in her eyes.


    Amidst their conversation, the atmosphere in the hall shifted as a hush fell over the crowd. All eyes turned expectantly toward the entrance, and the tension in the air was palpable. Soon enough, the King made his regal entrance, his authoritative presence filling the room.


    With hints of gray in his hair, he bore an uncanny resemnce to the swordsman depicted in the statues that adorned the kingdom. His strong build andmanding demeanor left an indelible impression on those in attendance.


    Following the King, the rest of the royal family entered the hall. The queen, radiating an air of youthful elegance despite her age, walked gracefully beside her daughter. The daughter herself, a woman in herte twenties, possessed the same strikingbination of blonde hair and green eyes. Both were draped in regal red attire, exuding a sense of refined nobility.


    Completing the family procession was a young boy, no more than a few years old. His appearance bore a resemnce to the King yetcked the same robustness and vitality. The contrast between them was undeniable, leaving a curious air of uncertainty about the young prince''s future.


    "I see¡­" Rain thought.


    The King grabbed a ss of wine and then raised it.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests and brave champions," With amanding presence, the King ascended a raised tform at the front of the hall, his voice resonating throughout the space as he began his address.


    His words carried an air of regal eloquence, "We gather here today not merely to celebrate victory in battle but to honor the valor, dedication, and indomitable spirit that have forged the path to our triumphant return."


    "Branden, your organization stands as a testament to the unwaveringmitment to our kingdom''s safety and prosperity. Your achievements in the face of adversity have not only bolstered our defenses but have also etched your names into the annals of our history." His voice held a rich timbre that captivated the attention of all present.


    "Valor knows no age, no station. The members of this organization exemplify the very essence of courage, proving that the heart of a warrior beats within each soul that chooses to stand up against tyranny and danger." The King''s words wereced with pride as he continued.


    "In the heat of battle, you have demonstrated not only the might of your arms but the strength of your character. Your efforts have brought us to this moment of jubtion, where the fruits of yourbor reverberate across thend." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled crowd before resting on Branden and hispanions.


    "It is my privilege to stand here today to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your valorous endeavors. Your actions reflect the very heart of our kingdom, where unity and courage intertwine to weave a tapestry of resilience that knows no bounds." The King''s voice rose, carrying a crescendo of admiration and gratitude.


    "Let this day stand as a beacon, a testament to the power of unity, courage, and the unyielding resolve of those who dare to rise above. To Branden and to every member of this esteemed organization, I offer my deepest gratitude and extend my warmest congrattions." He concluded with a flourish, his words echoing through the hall with an air of grandeur.


    The hall resonated with apuse, a thunderous acknowledgment of the King''s words and the triumphs of the organization.


    "We all forgot that, but he forbade Branden from going, and now he is ignoring that?" Rain asked.


    The apuse that erupted after the King''s speech was resounding, a harmonious symphony of approval and appreciation. Yet, the King''s intention wasn''t yet fully unveiled. With a subtle gesture, he beckoned Branden to step forward, and the assembled crowd''s attention shifted, their curiosity piqued. At his side, the princess, wearing a radiant smile, moved to join him.


    "In your courage, your wisdom, and your unyielding determination, I see a reflection of my own youth. The paths we tread may differ, but the spirit that propels us forward remains the same." The King''s voice held a paternal warmth as he resumed his address, a sense of familiarity tinged with admiration.

 Chapter 207: Kings Blade

    "My dear daughter," he said, his voice softening. His gaze held a certain fondness as it rested on Branden. "She has chosen her own path, as have you, Branden. And in observing your journey, I am reminded of the qualities that make a true leader, a true protector of our realm. I hope that you can find happiness with her.


    It is said that a ruler must seek counsel from those who embody the very principles that guide ournd. In this spirit, I find it fitting to recognize not only your valor but your unwaveringmitment to our kingdom." A hush fell over the hall as the King''s words carried a profound weight.


    "As a token of gratitude and admiration, I can think of no better honor than to wee you all into our ranks as knights, defenders of the realm. From this day forth, your organization shall bear the name ''The King''s de,'' an embodiment of your dedication to safeguarding ournd." The King''s voice swelled with authority and emotion, his words carrying a definitive decree.


    Once more, the hall reverberated with apuse, a thunderous ovation that echoed through the space. It was a tribute to the King''s announcement, a deration that resonated deeply with all present. The air was charged with an energy that spoke of camaraderie, shared purpose, and a collectivemitment to a brighter future.


    "... I don''t like this," Rain thought.


    The title "The King''s de" carried a certain weight, one that wasn''t lost on Rain. It implied a direct service to the King, which had its own set of responsibilities and expectations. While the recognition and honor were undeniable, the idea of being directly beholden to the King gave Rain a sense of unease.


    It wasn''t just about their prowess on the battlefield; it suggested a more intricate involvement in the politics and decisions of the kingdom.


    However, as Rain observed the jubnt celebration around him, he couldn''t deny that the majority saw this as a momentous asion, a validation of their efforts and sacrifices. The hall was alive with cheers, clinking sses, andughter. The atmosphere was electric with camaraderie, and Rain understood that his reservations were not shared by all.


    The title also hinted at the King''s intent to continue expanding the kingdom''s territories, an ambition that Rain found troubling. While he was more than willing to fight to protect theirnds or to regain what had been lost, he didn''t wish to partake in wars driven solely by greed and expansionist desires.


    Amid the festivities, Rain maintained a facade, a carefully crafted smile that concealed his inner thoughts. He mingled with the crowd, exchanged pleasantries, and joined in the celebration. A wine goblet in hand, he took measured sips, allowing the rich taste to wash over his senses, the alcohol providing a small reprieve from theplexities of the situation.


    Before long, night fell, and the party ended¡­ Some members of the organization went to some taverns to continue the party by themselves. Still, Rain split up from his friends and then headed home.


    "I have been pretty passive until now, but I can no longer keep things like this¡­ it is time to y the bigger game," Rain thought.


    With the ceremonial armor set aside, Rain retreated to his room, a simple space that held only the essentials¡ªa bed and a closet. It was a stark contrast to the opulence of the castle''s halls and the grandeur of the celebration outside. He closed the door behind him, shutting out the echoes ofughter and celebration, and let out a slow exhale.


    Rain''s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, each one more pressing than thest. As he sat down on the edge of the bed, he knew that he needed to shift his focus toward the future to the challenges thaty ahead. The title of "The King''s de" was a double-edged sword, one that brought honor and prestige but also carried obligations that could potentiallyplicate his life.


    Leaning back against the bed, Rain allowed his thoughts to unfurl. He knew that with this new recognition, he would be a more visible figure in the kingdom, a pawn in the political games of the royal court. He had seen it before, how those in power often sought to manipte and utilize those they deemed valuable.


    Rain''s gaze shifted to the window, the moon''s soft glow casting shadows across the room. He pondered how to navigate this new reality and how to use this recognition to his advantage without bing a puppet of the crown. There were decisions to be made, alliances to be formed, and caution to be exercised.


    "The King''s de¡­ I can''t exactly leave until my sisters'' education ispleted," Rain thought. "In the worst case scenario. I need to keep working with them for nine years until G bes fifteen."


    Rain''s thoughts were a tangle of considerations as he paced his room, his mind whirling with possibilities and potential paths. He knew that he held the power to elerate his sisters'' training, to mold them into formidable warriors faster than anyone could imagine. Yet, he hesitated.


    His sisters were still young, and despite their talents, Rain wished for them to experience a semnce of an everyday life, free from the pressures and dangers that often came with wielding extraordinary abilities.


    As he continued to ponder, Rain''s determination to avoid being solely defined by his title as "The King''s de" grew stronger. He was no pawn to be maneuvered by those with power, no mere tool for their ambitions. The idea of perpetually fighting to satisfy others'' greed didn''t resonate with him.


    He knew that there were other ways to make a difference and contribute to his world without being consumed by endless conflicts.


    The matter of his enemies among the magic people weighed heavily on his mind. He understood that his actions to recover theirnds had made him a target of their ire. It was very possible...

 Chapter 208: Poster boy

    But if he were to y a role in invading theirnds, his family could be coteral damage in the brewing animosity. Rain didn''t want his sisters or his family to suffer the consequences of his choices.


    Powerlessness was not an option in this world. Rain recognized that strength was essential for survival and for securing his family''s future. He had to be stronger, to hone his skills, to push his limits.


    The next day, Rain feltpletely healed, so he headed towards the East with all his might and ended up reaching the vige where his family was living before sunset. While he wanted to talk with his parents about his concerns, Rain decided to wait until the girls fell asleep. Rain''s parents and grandparents listened to what he said, and they didn''t seem surprised.


    "... I understand your concerns, but it isn''t like you have any other choice," Roan said.


    "Dear?" Leiah said while showing a cold smile. "How about you try to help with a solution instead of making the situation worse?"


    "I wish that I could, that anyone could, but it is impossible," Roan said. "We are proud of you. People are calling you a war hero, but you didn''t let that get to your head. At the same time, you don''t want to fight wars that humans might start out of greed¡­ However, we live in a period of strife; we either defend or attack. We can only attack in moments like these,"


    Rain really understood where his dad wasing from. He grew stronger during a time of war, which had both good and bad effects. Because he was so strong, he couldn''t just avoid fighting ¨C people depended on him to protect their cities. He also wanted to make sure his sisters stayed safe, so he had to think carefully about what to do.


    Rain realized he had to agree with his dad. He couldn''t just back down from his duty because he was powerful. But he also knew he had to be smart about it. It wasn''t only about fighting but also finding ways to keep the fights away from where his sisters lived. It was a tough job, but Rain understood that it was important to do more than fight.


    He needed to ensure his family and everyone in his realm stayed safe in the long run.


    "You have these problems because you fought to recover ournds, and that wasn''t the wrong thing to do," Roan said. "While it is all right for you to worry about battles that you shouldn''t fight in, you don''t have to worry about it alone. Just do whatever you think is right, and we will handle the oue together."


    "You are right¡­ Thanks, Dad," Rain said and then smiled.


    "I try to be as often as possible," Roan said.


    "Putting that aside, it would be nice if we could visit your home," Leiah said. "It seems a bit too soon for you to have one, though. The girls should be ready to move there in two months."


    "I should be able to finish the house and buy the necessary things for them," Rain said. "For now, it is probably impossible for you all to visit me, but I am working on something that will eventually make that possible. Just wait for a bit."


    Rain''s parents and grandparents couldn''t help but feel curious about Rain''s activities and intentions. Yet, they chose to embrace the anticipation of a surprise, refraining from prying into his ns prematurely.


    Initially, Rain had envisioned a week of rxation and leisure. However, his ns took an unexpected turn. Instead of lounging around, he found himself engaged in frequent sparring sessions with his father. Beyond this, he undertook the role of an instructor, revealing the art of magic tricks to his sisters.


    Rain''s teaching extended beyond mere entertainment. He diligently coached his sisters, guiding them to enhance their Impulse ¨C likely a skill crucial for self-improvement and control. Furthermore, he imparted the secrets of wind magic, enabling his sisters to perform an astonishing feat ¨C running through the air.


    Along this journey of guidance and growth, Rain embarked on a simr endeavor with his father. Despite the dyed initiation, he initiated his father into the intricacies of Impulse, recognizing the value of even a bted start.


    "There were those weird movements about the beast people on the mountains, but it looks like nothing happened since then¡­ still, if I were them, it would be the perfect moment to strike while the humans are focused in the opposite direction," Rain thought. "... Nothing is certain. These are all only spections."


    After Rain returned home, the next few weeks passed in the blink of an eye. The organization¡­ or the King''s, de received more members and a lot more work, but Rain only stayed in the city. Ka was always giving his jobs there since it looked like Branden wanted him to recoverpletely.


    Rain dedicated several days to a rather unexpected task ¨C fortifying the walls of the capital, even though the city was well beyond the perils of danger. It was a diligent effort on his part to bolster the city''s defenses, disying hismitment to its safety.


    Following this endeavor, Rain undertook another significant responsibility. He was entrusted with the mission of enhancing the capital''s water system. This task consumed a considerable amount of time. This undertaking further showcased his versatility andmitment to the city''s well-being and its inhabitants. At least, that was what people thought while watching him.


    "I guess Branden wants to use me as a poster boy for the organization¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows. "That is why these jobs are paying more than usual."


    For now, that wasn''t a real problem, but Rain knew that he had to put his feet down when it did. Otherwise, things will escte further. Branden was busy with a bunch of things now, so he might make some mistakes as well. Rain wasn''t willing to pay for them, though.

 Chapter 209: Finally

    Subsequently, Rain found himself in a role that was bothmendable and somewhat monotonous. He was tasked with tending to the healing of individuals who had not receivedplete treatment in the aftermath of the war. Although he received more than properpensation for his services, Rain admitted to a sense of ennui settling in. The repetitive nature of the work led to a touch of boredom.


    Still, his dedication to aiding those in need prevailed, highlighting his selflessness even in the face of tedium.


    In any case, the day to get his new equipment finally arrived, so Rain was really looking forward to it. When he went to Lotto''s shop, he had a smile filled with pride when he brought the forearm guards and the shin guards.


    "They are my best-forged item yet," Lotto dered. "They can absorb impact like nothing else, and only powerful attacks will be able to scratch them. They also will greatly enhance your magic when ites to earth magic."


    The forearm guards and shin guards crafted from basilisk hide possessed a striking and formidable appearance. The main material, the basilisk hide, was a testament to its source''s legendary strength and resilience. The surface of the guards bore intricate patterns, a testament to the hide''s natural texture, which seemed to capture the essence of both serpentine grace and potent protection.


    However, the true mastery of the craftsmanshipy in the base, which consisted of meticulouslyyered steel. This blend of materials created a remarkable synergy between the mystical properties of basilisk hide and the time-tested sturdiness of steel.


    The steel base contributed to the overall durability of the guards, enhancing their ability to withstand formidable forces while providing a solid foundation.


    Remarkably bnced, the guards didn''t exhibit a sense of excessive weight or an airy lightness; rather, they exuded a sensation of perfect equilibrium. This equilibrium enhanced the guards'' usability and made them feel like a natural extension of Rain''s own limbs.


    Upon equipping the guards, Rain experienced an unexpected surge of empowerment. It was as though a harmonious connection had been established between the relic and his essence. This newfound sensation of potency was striking, even though his physical attributes remained unchanged.


    "It is even better than I had expected; it also fits perfectly," Rain said and then tried a high kick.


    Rain''s kick made a wave of wind move around the shop, and while he kept his leg high, he didn''t feel any strain on it. Still, it was better to work on strengthening his legs a bit more, just in case.


    "I am d that you like it. This relic can probablyst for decades if you maintain it well," Lotto said.


    "I wille to do some maintenance before and after the missions," Rain dered.


    After that, Rain left the shop. Keeping the items equipped felt really good, but he decided to keep them hidden. It was better to make sure that information about him won''t spread that easily.


    Rain took a unique approach to his training regimen by gradually adding weights to his ankles. However, he pushed the limits to the point where, during less cautious moments, each step he took resonated with a noticeable tter. The added weight had transformed his footfalls into an audible announcement of his presence, both a testament to his dedication and an inadvertent warning of his approach.


    This innovation, while effective for his training, had its drawbacks. The weight he bore proved too much for the delicate wooden structure of the second floor of his home. The substantial load threatened the integrity of the wooden beams, leading Rain to avoid this area to prevent any unwanted damage.


    As he engaged in his training routines within the confines of his home''s garden, Rain discovered another consequence of his determined efforts. The increasing weight, coupled with his vigorous movements, began to leave deep imprints on the ground. Each step etched a mark into the earth, a testament to the intensity of his training. I


    "Well, I can always repair it or reinforce the ground with magic," Rain thought.


    In a seated position, focusing on the regtion of his breathing. This practice had be a significant aspect of his routine, and he was beginning to witness tangible advancements in this domain, too. As he inhaled and exhaled deliberately, he could perceive the sensation of his blood coursing through his veins, a sign of his growing mastery over his body''s inner workings.


    Encouraged by this progress, Rain resolved to challenge himself further. He decided to push his limits by attempting to manipte his breath in a manner that would elerate the flow of his blood. The hypothesis was that by influencing his breath, he could enhance the rhythm of his cirction. As he engaged in this deliberate experimentation, he observed that his assumption was proving correct.


    His breathing adjustments were indeed influencing the pace of his blood flow, and he could sense a more rapid and invigorating movement of life within him.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s Path obtained 700 experience points.


    "Hehehe, finally," Rain smirked. "I can''t wait to level this up and show who is the real boss in the next fights... in the next fights, huh?"


    With a faint smile on his lips, Rain was attuned to the heightened rhythm of his heartbeat, its tempo quickening in tandem with his exertion. His body responded to the demands he ced upon it, with his stamina depleting rapidly as a result. The euphoria of the moment was underscored by the realization that his physical limits were being tested and expanded.


    As he delved deeper into the technique he was employing, Rain couldn''t ignore the telltale signs of his effort. His legs and arms, under the stress of this specialized approach, began to exhibit a subtle yet perceptible increase in muscle definition ¨C a manifestation of the controlled strain he was subjecting them to.


    This sensation mirrored the effects he had observed when the second general, a master of this technique, had demonstrated it.

 Chapter 210: Burden

    Rain decided to check the results of the skill, and he was surprised to see what was happening. It was truly a skill like no other. Level: 88 (2100/8800)


    Current Path: Fighter''s Path (Lv 48 - 400/4800)


    Health: 11.320/11.320


    Mana: 13.330/13.330


    Stamina: 13.090/13.290


    Strength: 962 + 100


    Dexterity: 517 - 100


    Intelligence: 825 - 100


    Vitality: 1053 + 100


    Wisdom: 1243 - 100


    Endurance: 1081 + 100


    Luck: 227


    Free Points: 155


    Main Skills:


    [Punch Mastery Lv 67)


    [Iron Fist Lv 39]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 27]


    [Vitality Surge Lv 21 ]


    [Crushing Blow Lv 13]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 52]


    [Basic Training 98]


    [Language Lv 68]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 30]


    [Meditation Lv 73]


    "What the hell¡­ it didn''t affect my health, stamina, and mana, even though it affects all of my parameters," Rain thought.


    The technique should be at level one, but the bonus was already obvious. Rain could feel his body lighter, but his mind was a bit clouded as well¡­ it was a double-edged technique, but he already knew that.


    After a prolonged analysis of the technique, Rain''s deductions solidified: it exacted a cost of fifty stamina points every second he employed it. This assessment, he reckoned, wasn''t too shabby, considering the power it bestowed. However, Rain''s scrutiny also led him to recognize a more profound issue inherent to the technique.


    The true challenge didn''t solely lie in the stamina drain. Rather, it was the considerable strain the technique ced on his heart manifesting in its elerated pace. This, Rain deduced, was the underlying reason why the enemy general had judiciously reserved the technique for the climax of their battle. Its potency was matched by the taxing toll it took on the body.


    "Rain! We havee to y!"


    Rain frowned when he suddenly heard Jori''s voice¡­ it was about time for their time off as well, so they probably wanted to talk with him about future missions and ns.


    While he wanted to check more the effects of that technique, Rain decided to do thatter; he would have time, after all. In any case, Rain found the whole group waiting for him at the entrance of the mansion, and they sure looked impressed by it.


    "I told you that he would be training instead of enjoying the good life," Reca said and then shrugged.


    "This ce looks quite big for a person to live and maintain alone," Liss said once Rain opened the gates.


    "I can clean everything with magic. Besides, my little sisters wille to live here next month," Rain said.


    "Are they geniuses like you as well?" Liss asked.


    "They are hard-working, to some extent; they don''t want to get as strong as father or me since they don''t want to join any battles," Rain exined.


    Despite Rain''s confident words, he remained acutely aware of the uncertainty thaty ahead. Despite his best efforts to anticipate and n for the future, the future held its own set of surprises that he couldn''t fully predict.


    Rain''s teaching had undeniably endowed his sisters with skills beyond their years, setting them apart from their peers. This very fact could attract the attention of others ¨C those seeking skilled individuals for their own agendas. The possibility that his sisters might be targeted for recruitment wasn''t lost on Rain.


    However, Rain''s determination to protect his sisters was unwavering. The mere thought of anyone attempting to coerce or manipte them into unwanted roles stirred a fierce resolve within him. He was resolute that if faced with such a situation, he would ensure that those who sought to exploit his sisters woulde to fear the consequences.


    He wasmitted to shielding his sisters from the grim realities of violence and maniption. Rain''s protective stance was unyielding ¨C no one would force his beloved siblings topromise their innocence or partake in deeds that would taint their hands with blood.


    In any case, since it was about time for lunch, Rain invited his friends to eat with him. He had been cooking a bunch of things from Earth to get more experience even though he didn''t have the Cook or Chief path. Still, just making things like milkshakes or ice cream already granted Rain a bunch of experience. It was easy for him to make them with magic, after all.


    In any case, that day for lunch, Rain ended up making a lot of spaghetti with cheese filled with a lot of tomato sauce.


    "This tastes great! Asche said while she was stuffing her mouth. "You can probably earn a ton by selling this!"


    "No one would ever guess that you like to cook¡­" Terra frowned. "Is this just another method of training for you?"


    "My youngest sister likes to cook a lot, and I taught her a few things; she also likes to eat even more," Rain replied. "That is why I practice now and then."


    "You already said that, but since sometimes you act so aloof, it is hard to imagine you being an older brother who spoils his sisters," Terra said.


    Rain couldn''t deny the truth: whenever he wasn''t in the presence of his family, he found himself perpetually in a state of work mode. This relentless dedication to his responsibilities seemed to define his every moment away from them.


    As Rain contemted the prospect of his sisters residing with him, he couldn''t help but ponder how this would alter the dynamic. It was clear that their presence would demand an increasedmitment from him ¨C not just as a protector but also as a guide. The notion of this substantial responsibility loomedrge.


    Rain recognized that it would be a substantial undertaking, requiring him to foster their independence and self-sufficiency.


    The impending reality that he would need to leave for work periodically furtherplicated matters. Bncing his duties as a guardian and provider with his own obligations was a daunting challenge. Rain''s concern rested not only on the logistics of managing these responsibilities but also on ensuring his sisters'' well-being during his absences.


    The burden of guiding them towards independence would weigh heavily on his shoulders.

 Chapter 211: Next mission

    "It won''t be much of a problem with Impulse¡­" Rain thought. "Still, I shouldn''t let others know how much I can use that."


    "It will be hard to work like before, right?" Jori asked.


    "Not really; as long as it isn''t close to the borders, I can reach any area of the kingdom in a couple of hours," Rain replied.


    "That technique of yours is truly ridiculous¡­" Jori said. "Anyway, you already got your new gear, right? Perhaps it is about time for us to get our next job."


    "We have already received the order to move to the border and investigate the enemy''s movements there¡­ it looks like they are already up to something," Reca added.


    "Interesting¡­ I will have to check things tomorrow on the organization since I have been receiving a lot of work in the city recently," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I won''t depart with you guys if they have some job in store for me, but I should catch up with you soon enough."


    "All right, we will meet you tomorrow then," Jori said while he was patting his stomach. "Man, I am stuffed."


    The pressing issue that concerned Rain revolved around the duration of his impending absences. Leaving his house unattended for weeks at a stretch posed quite a logistical challenge, one that felt like a significant hassle. Nheless, he recognized the necessity of such extended departures.


    In a curious twist of convenience, Rain realized that embarking on an extended mission away from home would be well-timed. Not only would it grant him a valid reason for his presence when his sisters arrived, but it would also align with his responsibilities as a provider and protector.


    As if in confirmation of his expectations, the following day unfolded just as Rain had anticipated. A new job request arrived from Ka, presenting him with an assignment that seemed to align perfectly with his uing ns. He was tasked with aiding in the production of sizable stone bricks, an integral part of a fortress construction project near the border.


    "It seems that Lord Branden is trying to make Jori''s group gain some experience without you," Ka exined. "They aplished a lot in the war, but they can aplish more if you aren''t with them all the time."


    Rain recognized the potential challenge of his presence, causing Jori and the others to be overly dependent on him. While he understood their need for support, there was a fine line between assistance and stifling their growth. However, Branden''s attitude in this regard was proving to be quite a frustrating.


    Initially, Branden had urged Rain to aid their efforts by working alongside them. Yet, his stance had taken an abrupt turn, now demanding that Rain step back from direct involvement. This oscition was perplexing and a source of annoyance for Rain.


    After a series of negotiations and discussions, Rain finally obtained the permission he sought. The mission ahead was scheduled to span two weeks along the border, and Rain was granted the chance to join them during the final week. Thispromise would allow him to fulfill his responsibilities at home while still contributing to the mission.


    "I suppose that this is reasonable," Rain thought.


    That will be perfect since they will return just when Rain''s sisters will have toe. At the same time, Rain will have some extra time for training and to work on another project.


    Despite the potential advantages of producing the bricks closer to the construction site, Rain observed that the workforce responsible for that particr aspect hadn''t yet assembled. The team responsible for transportation and the specializedborers needed to operate in unison, a process that seemed to be underway but not yet fully operational.


    On the brighter side, Rain recognized that this situation offered him a unique opportunity. By participating in the brick-making process, he could also further develop his earth magic abilities. This dual purpose ¨C contributing to the project while enhancing his own skills ¨C left him with little reason toin. So, he chose to wait patiently for the two weeks to run their course.


    On the day before he went to the border, Rain received the visit of Branden in his home. He had been busytely; he rarely visited the organization.


    "It has been a while; I am here to listen to yourints," Branden said.


    "As long as I am being properly for my jobs, then you can use my image to promote the organization," Rain said. "Still, you should tell me directly the next time about your ns since it is annoying to think that perhaps you don''t have some consistent decision-making skills."


    "Ah, about that," Branden said. "While I do believe that Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra can improve without you from now on, I am also worried about something else. Do you remember thest general? She is close to the border. I was thinking that she might do something insane if she hears that you are there. That is why I came to warn you to keep a low profile while helping them."


    "I have some issues with her; I should just kill her instead," Rain said.


    "That won''t help you in the long run; she is rather popr, you know," Branden said. "Even with that failure, she didn''t lose her position in the army thanks to her poprity. If you kill her, you will be hunted by thousands of magic people who worship her."


    Rain felt a sigh building within him. All he desired was to exact his revenge, and yet the path ahead seemed inexplicablyplicated,den with unforeseen challenges.


    As he ruminated on the matter, Rain couldn''t help but reflect on the seemingly enigmatic allure of thedy Subus. Despite her physical beauty, he couldn''t shake the suspicion that beneath that exteriory a maniptive individual who enved minds and turned them into mere puppets. The question that nagged at him was how someone with such qualities could gain poprity and wield influence.

 Chapter 212: Next path

    After mulling over his thoughts for a while, Rain realized that his approach needed to be both careful and stealthy. He understood that taking down someone like her required a strategic approach. He contemted the possibility of orchestrating her demise in a way that appeared idental or tragic, leveraging her own fame to seal her fate.


    It was a calcted scheme that hinged on exploiting her reputation, a notion that held a certain poetic justice to Rain''s intentions.


    "That is all," Branden said. "I will be busy in the next few months, but I will be sure to pass the message in case I think we should change our next steps."


    "All right," Rain said while thinking about the iing future.


    After Branden left, Rain began to pack his things for the mission. He didn''t need much, but it was something that he had to do in order to make sure that he wouldn''t miss anything.


    "I don''t have issues with anyone in this world for now, but I truly feel like I should get rid of that woman¡­ the problem is what Branden said," Rain thought. "It might cause more problems than help."


    It dawned on Rain that he had forgotten to consult Branden for insights about the border situation. Despite his rtively young age, Branden''s role as a royal advisor could offer valuable information.


    Simultaneously, Rain recognized the potential drawbacks of his own growing reputation. He pondered how his consistent coboration with Jori''s group during the war might have raised eyebrows among those observant enough to notice. This newfound realization introduced an element ofplexity to their situation.


    With a somewhat weary exhale, Rain found himself grappling with the weight of his responsibilities. He acknowledged that his life in this world seemed increasingly defined by his concerns for others. While his intentions were pure, the consistent burden of caring for those around him wasn''t without its challenges.


    The next morning, when the sun was rising, Rain was already dashing toward the border even before the gates could have been opened. He smiled in satisfaction, knowing that no one could see him leaving and returning to the capital now. That sure will be an asset for him in the future.


    Level 30: Artisan''s Insight - Develops a deeper understanding of the craft, uncovering hidden techniques and methods, with a 5% per level chance to discover rare and valuable crafting secrets.


    Level 35: Coborative Projects - Enhances coborative skills and the ability to work with other artisans, fostering creativity and teamwork, providing a 5% bonus to cooperative projects per level.


    Level 40: Quality Assurance - Ensures the highest standards of quality in craftsmanship, reducing the chance of ws or imperfections in the artisan''s work by 5% per level.


    Level 45: Efficient Production - Increases production efficiency withoutpromising quality, enabling the artisan toplete tasks 10% faster per level.


    Although he did that only as an experiment, the results were better than Rain had expected. He got twenty levels in the Artisan Path in two weeks just because he was making something interesting under his home.


    It was a bitte for that, but after seeing his dexterity increase that much in a short window of time, Rain learned that it could improve his magic skills as well¡­ to the point that he could create things out of earth quite fast. Rain could even refine ores without using fire and then attach the minerals together to take the shape that he wanted.


    "cksmith path, here Ie¡­" Rain thought while smiling.


    Without a doubt, that would be the path he will unlock once the Artisan Path reaches level fifty. In any case, Rain''s good mood disappeared when he reached his destination when the sun was starting to set.


    "While I am called like this¡­ I really don''t like this kind of weather," Rain thought when he arrived at the border.


    The border region was shrouded in a cloak of overcast skies, lending an air of somber anticipation. In the distance, Rain''s sharp gaze caught sight of a storm rapidly advancing, its darkened clouds a harbinger of imminent turmoil.


    As he ventured closer, Rain''s attention was drawn to a camp that materialized against the backdrop of thendscape. Sturdy walls had been conjured through the mastery of earth magic, only on one side of the camp, though,plemented by bricks forming a protective barrier.


    Approaching the camp, Rain couldn''t help but notice the weariness etched across the faces of those within. A pall of subdued mood hung over the encampment, casting a shadow of despondency. The cumtive exhaustion seemed to have left its mark, perhaps indicating the toll of their recent struggles.


    The signs were unmistakable: these people had endured a significant amount of trouble, likely caused by the very magic wielders who were at the center of Rain''s concerns.


    "It seems that they aren''t around¡­ so I will have to look for the captain of the camp," Rain thought.


    Rain knew that there were several camps like that along the border since the war ended, and the people stationed there had to take constant scouting missions to make sure that all areas would be protected and free from enemies. Maybe the weather conditions and that kind of job have been. Wearing them down¡­ they have been doing that for almost two months already, after all.


    Some people recognized Rain, and most of them were too tired to care, but others didn''t look pleased when they saw him. Rain immediately realized that everyone there was a soldier, and not a single member of the organization was there¡­ while they had the title of knights, few people respected them as such.


    Rain made his way towards thergest tent situated prominently within the encampment. Upon entering, his gaze fell upon a rtively young captain,fortably seated in a chair, leisurely sipping from a goblet of wine. Despite the weariness that seemed to permeate the rest of the camp, this particr individual exuded an air of calm detachment.

 Chapter 213: Bad news

    The captain possessed a distinct air, marked by features that spoke of privilege and refinement. His appearance bore the hallmarks of someone who had rarely experienced the sting of a physical altercation or had been punched in the face. However, the absence of exhaustion in his demeanor was noteworthy.


    Unlike the others, he didn''t disy any visible signs of fatigue or the weight of their shared struggles.


    Brown hair, light brown eyes, showing an annoyed glint. The guy was tall, and he probably would have a good physic if he had trained enough, but his armor looked brand new. Maybe the human country lost a bunch of leaders in the war.


    "What?" The captain asked while furrowing his eyebrows in annoyance. "You don''t have any manners?"


    "My name is Rain, and I was sent to reinforce the investigation team that arrived one week ago," Rain said while ignoring the words of that guy. "Where are they?"


    "Is that how you talk to your currentmanding officer?" The captain asked.


    "I only respond to the king''s de," Rain replied. "I have work to do, so I would rather avoid wasting time here."


    "... I don''t know where they are; you can look for their bodies under the rain if you feel like it," the captain said.


    Rain''s frustration was palpable, making him feel like he just wanted to let out a big sigh. There were instances when certain individuals seemed to deserve a swift lesson in humility ¨C a solid punch to the mouth that could knock all their teeth out in one go. The entitled behavior of that captain had triggered this kind of response in Rain.


    With a resolve not to waste any more precious time, Rain exited the tent and cast his gaze around the camp. The urgency of gathering crucial informationpelled him to take charge and gather intel in a way that would encourage people to open up to him.


    Using his magical abilities, Rain embarked on a series of changes that significantly impacted thefort of the soldiers. Transforming the damp ground into a dry surface and providing makeshift roofs for the tents, he aimed to alleviate their difort during the rain.


    In this process, he struck up conversations with the soldiers, inquiring about Jori and herpanions while simultaneously offering his assistance. By intertwining his queries with genuine assistance, Rain sought to create an environment where they felt more inclined to share their experiences and insights.


    "That group? They left three days ago to keep an eye on an area where some monsters had been sighted. I can''t say if they received the order to do that."


    "The captain didn''t like them from the beginning, but then again, it doesn''t look like he likes anyone here. I don''t think that he would do something against Lord Branden, though."


    "They asked us a few things about the situation and the recent sight of enemies, and I think that they only talked with the captain two times. Still, he didn''t seem worried about their disappearance."


    Rain found the wagon and the horses that his friends used in the stable. They left a bunch of things in the wagon, so it didn''t look like they left nning to stay outside for long.


    "They also knew that I would arrive around today, and they didn''t have the need to investigate such an area¡­ apparently," Rain thought.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a sense of caution when it came to fully trusting the words of the soldiers he encountered. Theplexity of the situation and the potential for misinformation made him wary of taking everything he heard at face value.


    As night fell and darkness spread across the camp, Rain found himself contemting. While nibbling on his rations, he pondered the course of action he should take next. The vastness of the task ahead was underscored by the uncertainty that shrouded the situation he was investigating.


    Reflecting on the day''s activities, Rain noted that he had expended roughly half of his mana in his work. Fortunately, this expenditure wasn''t a significant concern for him. The mastery of his magic had granted him a measure of control and efficiency that enabled him to navigate such a mission without undue strain.


    "There are no people around watching the camp¡­" Rain thought while he was using Mana in his eyes to check for enemies. "Since that crazy bitch is around, people here are being cautious in order not to be captured, but those guys didn''t know much about the area since they just arrived."


    Rain felt like sighing; he was told not to do anything reckless and to keep a low profile. Now, he was considering looking for enemies and Jori''s group as well.


    In the end, Rain decided to check the area where Jori and the others should have been investigating¡­ while he couldn''t find traces of them at night, anything was better than nothing.


    Seizing a moment when no one was particrly focused on him, Rain quietly departed from the camp''s vicinity.


    Surprisingly, it took him a mere ten minutes to reach the designated area that had been mentioned by others. He relied on his Impulse a few times during his journey. However, the distance he covered ¨C around fifteen kilometers ¨C made it a rtively swift trip.


    Upon arrival, Rain observed his surroundings with the aid of his self-appointed technique, which he termed "Magic Eyes." Despite his scrutiny, he failed to discern any signs of individuals nearby. The area appeared devoid of activity, leaving Rain with a sense of intrigue and mystery as he pondered the nature of the situation he had ventured into.


    "Maybe I should have asked for the locations of the enemies as well," Rain thought while looking around for signs of camps and battles.


    The surroundings of the area were unremarkable, characterized by a stretch of ordinary innds. Rain mused this simplicity could work in his favor, as it would make any signs of battles or disturbances more noticeable.

 Chapter 214: Watch

    As he contemted the situation, Rain''s thoughts took a different turn. He considered the possibility that the perpetrators might not have employed magic to capture Jori and hispanions. Those who specialized in support magic or hand-to-handbat, he reasoned, might have been responsible.


    Unlike those reliant on overt magical disys, these individuals could potentially abduct others without leaving obvious traces behind. This notion added ayer ofplexity to his investigation, as he realized that the absence of magical residue might not necessarily mean there hadn''t been foul y.


    Rain decided to use earth magic to float in the air a bit and then check things from a distance, and it didn''t take long for Rain to see some lights and aura northwest of his position.


    "They are forty kilometers away, and their aura is different from those guys," Rain thought. "That woman must be there¡­ maybe she used her powers to capture them and lure me."


    All that was just spection, and Rain couldn''t help but consider that. In any case, Rain was unable to find any auras along the way, so he wondered if his magic vision had a limited range or if there were truly no enemies around.


    In the end, Rain confirmed that while approaching the enemy''s camp. Eventually, Rain was able to see the enemies in the camp, but their numbers weren''t high.


    "... It is almost like they are doing the same as us," Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    It seemed logical that the magic users would prioritize strengthening their defensive capabilities in the aftermath of their defeat in the war.


    However, Rain found it perplexing that such a focus on defense didn''t align with the information he had received regarding the woman who had influenced his father''s mind. The ability to manipte others suggested a proactive and potentially offensive stance.


    As Rain surveyed the enemy''s camp, he observed intriguing defenses in ce. The surroundings were dotted with multiple quicksand spots, a natural deterrent to potential invaders. Alongside these features were resting golems, constructs that would typically require constant mana to sustain. Surprisingly, these golems seemed to be in a state of readiness without immediate energy consumption.


    The presence of these stationary golems piqued Rain''s curiosity, indicating that their masters possessed a unique proficiency in maintaining their presence without expending excess energy.


    "Their defenses are solid against most people¡­ still, they aren''t acting like they have prisoners or that they are waiting for me," Rain thought.


    Rain contemted the possibility of enhancing his "Magic Eyes" ability to grant him the power to see through solid objects. The notion of such an improvement stirred his imagination, presenting the potential for a heightened level of perception.


    Recognizing the magnitude of this aspiration, Rain acknowledged that his desire was a substantial one. However, he also held the conviction that as long as he was willing to invest effort and determination, the realization of his goal wasn''t entirely out of reach. The prospect of expanding his magical capabilities fueled his resolve.


    As he considered his options for investigation, Rain toyed with the idea of creating a tunnel to gain deeper insight into the area. Yet, the presence of numerous quicksand pits acted as a formidable obstacle to this n.


    "I should watch things here for a while before deciding anything," Rain thought.


    The idea of being the spark of another war was a troublesome one; if Rain''s friends were killed, he would want to avenge them, but he didn''t want to risk getting the hatred of thousands of enemies. A hatred that eventually will reach his family.


    Rain observed that among the magic users, there were those who exhibited various changes in their physical appearances, while others appearedpletely human.


    Considering this diversity, Rain mused on the possibility that the enemies could have infiltrated the capital with spies who blended in seamlessly. He contemted the potential presence of individuals who bore the Aura of magic people yet concealed their true nature beneath human-like appearances.


    This suspicion prompted him to consider the necessity of verifying the safety of his home city, ensuring that no covert threats lurked within.


    As the night unfolded, Rain''s vignt observations of the enemy camp didn''t yield any peculiar or rming discoveries. The absence of anything out of the ordinary troubled him deeply. Theck of evidence or clues left him unsettled, worrying about his determination to uncover the truth.


    "Shit¡­ am I wasting time?" Rain thought while biting his nails. "I should return to the camp and see if anything different happened. The soldiers said that they came to this area to check for monsters, but there are no signs of them aside from the golems."


    Rain hurried back to the camp, only to discover that everything looked pretty much the same as when he had left.


    He asked the soldiers if anything strange had happened during the night. Still, they all shook their heads, indicating that nothing unusual had taken ce.


    Feeling somewhat stuck, Rain made up his mind to talk to the captain again. He wasn''t exactly thrilled about having to deal with someone he found irritating. Still, he understood it might be necessary to get the information he needed, even if it meant being polite to someone he didn''t particrly like.


    "Captain, I investigated the enemy''s camp, but I didn''t find any signs of the so-called monsters aside from the golems," Rain said when he entered the tent. "They don''t seem to be nning to do anything suspicious. They seem to be trusting a lot of the defense that the quicksand barriers and the golems provide them."


    "... You reached them that far without being noticed?" The Captain asked while frowning.


    The captain appeared genuinely taken aback by Rain''s skills and expertise, and his reaction gave no indication of doubting Rain''s words.


    It became evident that the captain''s knowledge about the enemies was limited, possibly due to the fact that both sides were primarily concerned with their own defenses. This realization presented an opportunity that Rain could potentially exploit.

 Chapter 215: Findings

    Rain took a deep breath and proceeded to provide aprehensive report of his observations during the night. He painted a detailed picture of the enemy forces ¨C their numbers, movements, and activities. He exined their routines, their patterns of behavior, and any signs of potential vulnerabilities he had noticed.


    Rain left no stone unturned as he shared every pertinent detail he had meticulously recorded during his vignt surveince. The narrative unfolded, capturing the captain''s attention and offering a vivid insight into the dynamics of the situation.


    "Their numbers don''t make them look like they are nning an invasion, but they used such tricks before to decrease our forces," Rain said. "I need to investigate the other areas for signs of monsters during the day, but I also need to know what kind of creatures have been sighted. I also didn''t find signs of the investigation team, so I need to know what you told them before they left."


    "... I told them that the monsters that had been sighted were werewolves and that they tend to hunt at night," the captain said. "Aside from that, I told them to look for vestiges of those creatures and that it would be helpful if they could bring a body of it since we need to study that kind of creature before they are used onrge scales."


    Rain had confidence that his friends wouldn''t engage in reckless behavior when facing unfamiliar adversaries like those beasts.


    He reasoned that the captain likely had no malicious intentions in asking the body of a werewolf to his friends. It was widely known that studying the biology of monsters could yield insights that could help in devising more effective strategies against them.


    Given the circumstances, Rain weighed the possibility that Jori and herpanions might still be engaged in the hunt for the werewolves. As a result, his decision not to act hastily but to exercise caution and patience seemed like the prudent course of action.


    He considered the potential implications of his choices within the broader context of the situation, mindful of the intricate bnce between urgency and careful consideration.


    "I will resume my investigation immediately," Rain dered and then left the tent.


    Although a hint of weariness clung to Rain, he recognized the urgency of the situation. Wasting daylight wasn''t an option ¨C it was his prime opportunity to uncover any traces of his missing friends.


    Quickly and quietly, Rain collected some rations from the camp''s supplies. The soldiers, it appeared, were averse to eating them, preferring to hunt and cook their own food instead.


    With a n forming in his mind, Rain opted to head south first. This particr region of the country had fewer nearby viges, making it an ideal target for potential monster invasions without arousing immediate suspicion.


    Rain''s strategic thinking guided his choices as he navigated thendscape with a mix of determination and anticipation, mindful of the pivotal role this day yed in his quest.


    "That seems kind of obvious, though¡­ still, it isn''t like we can put soldiers in every single corner of the border," Rain thought while he was using Impulse.


    Rain''s newly acquired equipment had dramatically enhanced his Impulse range, effectively doubling it to a remarkable one hundred and fifty meters with each stride.


    As Rain scouted the border area, his initial instinct was to focus on the areas that seemed easier to traverse. However, he was mindful of the unique abilities possessed by werewolves ¨C their acute sense of smell. This awareness prompted him to consider the possibility that these creatures could navigate at night while skillfully avoiding any scent trails left by pursuers.


    Before noon, Rain opted to halt his progress. A subtle scent of smoke lingered in the air, even though no visible signs of it were present. He paused, his senses on high alert as he scanned his surroundings. After a brief moment, his efforts bore fruit as he identified faint traces of a campfire, an indication that someone or something had recently passed through the area.


    "The enemies wouldn''t make campfires on this side of the border¡­ even less so if they are monsters," Rain thought while looking around. "They really came to this far south looking for monsters?"


    Although Rain hadn''t explicitly shared Branden''s intentions, he couldn''t discount the possibility that his friends had pieced together his ns. The fact that Branden initially hesitated to include Rain in their mission might have provided them with some insight.


    Rain considered hispanions, including Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra. Given their ages ¨C they were all neen ¨C and the confidence they had gained during the war, he suspected that they wouldn''t be overly concerned with proving themselves. Their experiences on the battlefield had likely contributed to their self-assuredness.


    Amidst his thoughts, the sky above began to release raindrops. Rain couldn''t help but emit a sigh, frustration evident on his face. It was almost ironic that the rain chose to arrive at such a crucial juncture, considering it hadn''t appeared the previous day or during the night. The timing of the weather seemed almost like a testament to the unpredictability of circumstances.


    "There are too many trees around¡­ even with the full capacity of my mana, I won''t be able to feel their presence through the ground."


    The unrelenting rain showed no signs of weakening, leaving Rain with no choice but to run ahead despite the weather''s harsh conditions. Undeterred by the elements, he resolved to rely on his own keen eyes to search for his friends.


    With determination fueling each step, Rain ventured forth, brushing off the difort of the rain soaking his clothes. His concentration remained fixed on utilizing his Impulse ability to its fullest potential. The raindrops that seemed determined to obscure his path were met with his unwaveringmitment to his purpose.


    After a persistent effort, Rain''s diligence bore fruit as he spotted a gathering of figures in the distance. Yet, his initial excitement gave way to a more tempered realization ¨C the group appearedrger than he had anticipated. Doubts crept in; this sizable group seemed unlikely to be his friends.

 Chapter 216: Act

    Rain found himself at a crossroads, uncertain about his next move. The sight of the distant cloaked figures presented a dilemma ¨C should he approach them to ascertain their identity or remain discreet and observe from a distance? The potential oues weighed heavily on his mind.


    After a moment of contemtion, Rain opted to exercise caution and bide his time. While the possibility that his friends might be among the figures tugged at him, he recognized the need to be circumspect. The idea that they could have fallen under the sway of an external force, such as mind control, was a sobering reality he couldn''t ignore.


    Rain settled into a position where he could maintain his observation, allowing events to unfold before making any decisive moves. He understood that patience was an asset in this situation, allowing him to gather more information before taking action.


    "What are you guys doing? I didn''t find signs of battles, and I don''t think that bitch is able to brainwash people from a distance¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    Despite his keen sense of hearing, the constant sound of the rain acted as a barrier, preventing Rain from catching any snippets of the conversation among the cloaked figures.


    While Rain''s hearing was limited, his visual observation remained unhindered. He noted that the figures were in motion, appearing to exchange nces and gestures as if engaged in a conversation. The bodynguage suggested some form of interaction or discussion, heightening Rain''s curiosity about their intent and purpose.


    As his thoughts churned, Rain entertained the notion of employing his magic to disperse the thick clouds overhead. With the reserves of mana at his disposal, he felt confident that he could aplish such a feat. The idea held promise ¨C clear skies would not only improve his visibility but also potentially reveal more about the situation at hand.


    "No¡­ my mana is lower than half. I can''t risk it," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain just silently followed the group. Considering their behavior, it didn''t look like a single person was being controlled. Still, when Rain went to use his Magic Eyes around, he found that aside from the auras of his friends that he recognized, he realized that the others were magic people auras.


    The unfolding scene before Rain left him utterly perplexed. There was no logical reason he could fathom for his friends to be walking alongside these individuals on this side of the border.


    He considered that perhaps his friends had been swayed by apelling narrative, which, while unsubstantiated, might have tugged at their more trusting nature. Jori and the others had demonstrated a certain innocence, an openness that made them susceptible to believing in sob stories without solid evidence.


    However, despite this possibility, something felt amiss. While Rain couldprehend Jori and Reca potentially falling for such maniptions due to their trusting dispositions, the inclusion of Liss, Asche, and Terra in the group struck him as incongruous. They possessed a different kind of skepticism, one that seemed less likely to be swayed by cheap or deceptive words.


    In the end, Rain followed the group the whole day. They didn''t do anything strange, but they were getting too far away from the camp¡­ if they continued with that for another day, they probably wouldn''t be able to return on time for thest day of the mission.


    "They must have a good reason for that¡­" Rain thought. "Or maybe not."


    As night settled in, the group found themselves in search of a suitable spot to set up camp. The continuing rain posed a challenge, preventing them from halting just anywhere.


    Liss, utilizing her earth magic, ingeniously fashioned a shelter for the group. Her powers deftly moved moisture from the ground, creating a dry space for them. As the shelter took shape, the others set about the task of establishing a campfire, a vital element for warmth and sustenance.


    Rain observed these activities unfold over the span of a few hours. His watchful gaze tracked their progress, noting how the cloaked figures seemed to seamlessly blend in with the group. Together, they prepared a meal and shared moments around the campfire.


    The semnce of camaraderie and shared purpose was palpable, leaving Rain to contemte theyers of deception and reality interwoven within this scenario.


    However, as the hours ticked by, a shift in the dynamics became evident. The enigmatic figures began to move, their actions prompting an air of unease. Gradually, the group transformed, leaving only Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra to keep vigil over the campsite.


    After a long sigh, Rain decided to approach the camp, and it didn''t take long for Asche to notice his approach. Rain wasn''t trying to hide, after all. Besides, he wasn''t that good at Stealth without magic. Before long, everyone could see Rain approaching.


    "Hey, Rain¡­ it has been a while," Jori said while looking away.


    "The heck are you guys doing?" Rain asked.


    "We are helping some refugees," Reca replied. "They are from some tribes that aren''t taking part in the war, and the other tribes began to harass them after thest battle, to the point that they decided to leave their country before things could escte further."


    "And you guys believed it that easily?" Rain asked.


    "We saw them being chased and attacked by some other soldiers from their side," Terra asked.


    "It could have been just an act," Rain said.


    "They fought back and killed some of the enemies. I confirmed that," Liss exined.


    "That could be an act, too; who knows what kind of skills these people have?" Rain asked.


    "I guess we can be as suspicious as we want, but we have a gut feeling that we are right in this one," Asche said. "We are going to escort them until they reach the sea, and then they will look for another ce to live. Apparently, there are some inhabited inds in the south that they can use. Don''t worry about it."

 Chapter 217: Right and wrong

    A sense of exasperation welled up within Rain as he observed the unfolding events. The naivety of his friends struck him like a weight, for they seemed to be unknowingly aiding those dwelling on the enemies'' side. Such actions could easily be interpreted as a form of treason for many, a realization that drew a heavy sigh from Rain.


    The consequences extended beyond mere misjudgment. Jori and herpanions were inadvertently sowing discord and animosity on the other side of the border by aligning themselves with individuals who sought to avoid the conflict. It was an alliance that fueled resentment and hostility, leaving Rain to contemte the choices his friends had made.


    In the grand scheme, it was difficult for Rain to discern any tangible gain from their involvement. Their actions seemed to serve their conscience more than any strategic purpose, raising questions about the reasoning behind their decisions. Rain found himself wrestling with a mixture of emotions ¨C from concern for their well-being to frustration at their seemingck of foresight.


    As he considered these thoughts, he questioned whether his perspective had been shaped by the harsh realities of war, wondering if his cynicism had been a byproduct of those experiences.


    "It is all right, Rain," Jori said. "We will reach the beach in two days, and then we will dash back to the camp. We should arrive back a dayte, but it will be fine."


    "Are you also thinking that lying to your currentmanding officer isn''t a big deal?" Rain asked.


    "He won''t mind that much considering what we learned from them," Jori exined. "The magic people''s country is in total chaos. Aside from the lossst month, it seems that they are facing some dragon warriors on the other side of their borders.


    The leaders most famous of the tribes don''t have a high opinion thanks to the end of the war, so there are some talks that they might send an ambassador for peace talks."


    A nearly incredulous chuckle nearly escaped Rain''s lips as the notion of peace was floated in his mind. The idea seemed almost surreal, especially in the wake of the ongoing conflicts he had witnessed.


    He understood that peace treaties were typically brokered when both sides found themselves on rtively equal ground, each recognizing the potential losses if the fighting persisted. The bnce of power yed a pivotal role in such negotiations, dictating the terms and conditions of any potential ord.


    In this context, the magic users seemed tock the necessary leverage for such negotiations. With the looming threat of battles on two fronts, their position was inherently weakened. Rain recognized that the humans, in contrast, might find a persuasive pretext for invading, given the strategic circumstances.


    However, the situation was a delicate one. Proceeding without due consideration could potentially escte tensions with the dragons, an oue fraught with its own set of risks and implications. Theplexities of the geopoliticalndscape were not lost on Rain.


    "I am not sure that this is the best kind of information that we could have gained, but hiding things will also be troublesome," Rain said. "Even though¡­"


    "It could be a trap as well¡­ we know," Terra said. "We learned from them that the werewolves are heading north since there are more targets in that direction. That is why we think that you should head there. The leaders of the magic people might try to show their might using those monsters before the peace talks, and it is hard to imagine that things will end without blood being shed."


    Rain found himself in agreement with the thought ¨C employing the werewolves as a means to instill fear could potentially bnce the scales for the uing peace negotiations. The element of fear and unpredictability could provide the magic users with an edge in their bargaining position.


    However, the situation was far from simple. While curbing the threat posed by the monsters might save a handful of lives, it also carried the potential to ignite another cycle of conflict and bloodshed. Rain found himself caught in a quandary, grappling with the weight of his decision.


    This moral dilemma was unlike any he had encountered before. The stark reality was that sometimes, the "right" course of action didn''t necessarily align with what was "best" for everyone involved. Rain was confronted with the intricate web of consequences that arose from choices in a fantasy world, a realm where moral choices could be paradoxicallyplex.


    As he navigated these dilemmas, Rain recognized the sobering truth ¨C the path of honor and ethical decisions could be strewn withplexities and contradictions, echoing the intricate intery of right and wrong within the fantastical realm he now traversed.


    "... Are you guys hiding something?" Rain asked. "Now that I think about it, you guys could have waited for me or split the group to send a message, but you took some unnecessary risks with all this. Even now, you aren''t trying to convince me to help."


    "Well, there are the werewolves who need to be taken care of¡­ besides, it would be difficult to involve you in this situation when you are trying so hard to prepare a good life for your sisters," Jori replied while forcing a smile.


    "Very thoughtful of you," Rain asked. "What else?"


    "... We heard rumors about the general that survived the war, and she is crazy about you," Terra replied. "We actually faced some of the soldiers that were chasing the refugees, and once they found us, they fought like madmen while asking questions about you."


    "I want to kill her so much as well¡­ but the situation for now doesn''t allow me to do that," Rain said and then sighed. "Although, despite your stupid actions, I guess you guys understand that another confrontation now would spark another war."


    It seemed logical for Rain to exercise caution in the region due to the presence of the woman who had manipted his father''s mind. The potential danger associated with encountering her made discretion a prudent choice.

 Chapter 218: Weather control

    Simultaneously, the urgency of addressing the werewolf threat also made sense. Tackling this problem head-on could potentially tip the scales in favor of his friends during the impending peace talks. The strategic value of this move was undeniable.


    Yet, beneath these apparent motives, Rain felt an unsettling intuition that there was more to the situation than met the eye. A gnawing suspicion lingered, suggesting that his friends might be concealing something. This unspoken secret left Rain grappling with uncertainty, his quest burdened by an enigma he struggled to decipher.


    Rain couldn''t deny the disquiet that gnawed at him, stemming from his growing bond with Jori and the rest of hispanions. The sense of camaraderie he felt made him view them as true friends, which intensified the sting of feeling as though they were concealing something from him. It was a sentiment that teetered on the edge of betrayal.


    Still, he recognized the importance of not dwelling too heavily on it.


    Understanding that friendships had their boundaries, Rain grappled with the idea that there were aspects his friends chose to keep private. He reasoned that they were under no obligation to divulge every detail, and he respected that autonomy. This perspective served as a reminder that even among friends, certain matters could remain shrouded in secrecy.


    Furthermore, Rain entertained the thought that perhaps his involvement in their missions had be customary ¨C an arrangement designed to avoid being overshadowed by his extraordinary abilities. This contemtion reflected the delicate bnce that friendships often navigated, where the dynamics could be shaped by both shared purpose and individual aspirations.


    "Well, I am going then," Rain said. "Try not to make any weird choices again."


    Rain turned around and then began to run toward the North. While he needed a break and rest a bit, time was of the essence.


    "... Don''t you think that we should have been more honest with him?" Terra asked. "He isn''t dumb, and he realized that we are hiding something else."


    "... it can''t be helped; orders are orders," Jori said after a long sigh, and then he began to scratch his head.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Around midnight, Rain returned to the camp. Since the rain got worse, he decided to take a break since using Impulse while it was raining was likending on a pool after jumping from a ten-meter trampoline¡­ and alwaysnding with his chest.


    As the evening progressed, Rain noticed that no one in the camp had approached him for conversation or rification as to where he had been. Deciding to rest, he retreated to his tent, allowing himself to unwind and recover before the new day.


    Lying there, Rain''s thoughts wandered to werewolves. He wondered how the ones he encountered might differ from the ones he had read about or seen in his own world. This line of thinking led him to ponder their potential variations in behavior, strengths, and weaknesses.


    Morning arrived, and Rain woke up, ready to pack up and continue his journey. However, a surprise awaited him as the captain requested his presence. This unexpected twist temporarily halted his ns, introducing an element of intrigue and uncertainty to the next events.


    "Did you find any signs of them?" The Captain asked.


    "No sir," Rain replied.


    "I see¡­ You will have to stop the search in the south since a vige up north was attacked, most likely by werewolves," the captain said. "A merchant found signs of smoke in the distance yesterday, but no one investigated things further yet. You are fast, so I want you to investigate it and bring me the information that you find."


    Rain hesitated momentarily, tempted to assert his independence and disregard the captain''s request. However, he recognized that his ongoing mission to investigate the monsters aligned with the captain''s call. Without conflicting motives, Rain epted the summons andplied.


    As he mulled over the situation, Rain found himself intrigued by the unexpected turn of events. He hadn''t initially considered the possibility of monstersunching an attack on the central border area. The choice seemed unusual, prompting him to wonder about its significance and implications.


    Despite contemting the matter, Rain couldn''t piece together a logical exnation. The puzzle remained unsolved, leaving him to grapple with the potential reasons behind this unconventional move. He considered the idea that the woman who had manipted his father might be orchestrating chaos to draw him into a confrontation.


    However, the notion that she knew he was in the vicinity seemed imusible.


    "Understood, I will depart immediately," Rain said.


    "Here is a map of the area and the location of the vige," The captain said.


    Rain received the map and confirmed that it was fifty kilometers away. It should be a quick trip. Still, it was only forty kilometers away from Retia, the city that they recoveredst month.


    The weather had taken a turn for the better, easing Rain''s movements considerably. As he prepared to depart, he was met with improved conditions that promised a smoother journey ahead.


    However, as he started to leave the camp, an unanticipated hesitation overcame Rain. He came to an abrupt stop at the camp''s exit, a thought seizing his attention. Could the change in weather, particrly the rain that had hindered visibility, have been orchestrated deliberately?


    He wondered about the possibility that the enemies might have manipted the weather using their magic, casting a rain spell to obscure their movements and make tracking and detection more difficult.


    The notion lingered briefly, only to dissipate as Rain mulled it over. He reasoned that even if such an ability existed, controlling rain clouds from kilometers away seemed a stretch. The practicality of such a feat appeared limited.


    "The wind came from their direction, and while they won''t be able to control it, they can tell for how long the rain clouds willst¡­ still, how much people would need to cast so many rain clouds over the area of the border?" Rain thought. "Not a small amount, that is for sure."

 Chapter 219: The monsters identity

    The magic people, Rain knew, weren''t particrly adept at handling unforeseen circumstances or adapting swiftly. However, their array of techniques and tricks made them formidable opponents, even in situations where they struggled to improvise.


    With these considerations in mind, Rain resumed his departure from the camp, his thoughts in a whirl. He embarked on his journey at a brisk pace, the events of the morning lingering in his mind. He had regained some mana through the night. However, he refrained from frequently using Impulse due to the proximity of the nearby vige.


    As Rain traversed the path, his thoughts turned to the captain''s summons. He spected that the captain''s directive might have stemmed from the limited manpower avable, especially given the circumstances. There was also the lingering notion that the enemies could potentially be observing the camp, prompting the decision to send Rain on the mission.


    In any case, It didn''t take long for Rain to find some smoke in the distance. Rain assumed that the ce had been burned down quite a lot since the firested through the night.


    When Rain found the vige, he confirmed that all of the thirty or so buildings had been burned down. The ce worked breeding and raising horses, so maybe it had been targeted because of it.


    "Even though they had the horses, the rain didn''t let them realize the enemies were approaching¡­" Rain thought when he arrived at the vige.


    Rain cast his gaze across thendscape, searching for any telltale signs of bodies or remnants of battles. The area appeared eerily devoid of such indicators, prompting Rain''s curiosity to deepen as he proceeded with caution.


    As he explored further, Rain''s attention was drawn to the stables. What he discovered within sent a chill down his spine ¨C the remains of the horses were strewn about, bearing evidence of having been sliced apart by a force incredibly sharp and powerful. The grisly scene raised questions; horses possessed keen senses, even in the dark of night.


    It seemed inconceivable that all of them could have fallen victim without any warning.


    Rain''s brows furrowed in contemtion as he surveyed the scene. His instincts urged him to investigate further, leading him to employ his earth magic to survey the area. He chose to start with the burned-down houses, understanding that there was little hope of finding survivors.


    "Shit¡­" Rain muttered when he found the first bodies.


    The first bodies had been burned to a crisp¡­ Some of them were even separated from each other as if they had been split in half before being killed.


    Rain''s careful examination of the bodies buried beneath the rubble left no room for doubt ¨C the werewolves were formidable adversaries, possessing a level of danger beyond what he had anticipated. The w marks he discovered spoke volumes, suggesting that their w were as sharp as swords, capable of inflicting devastating damage.


    Rain''s understanding of werewolf behavior led him to a troubling realization. These creatures were known to feed on their victims, but the absence of such signs raised unsettling questions. It was a stark reminder that these beings were not merely mindless beasts; their actions held an intention that eluded easy exnation.


    As he grappled with the grim scene before him, Rain felt a heavy weight settle in his heart. While he had witnessed the brutality of war and the loss of lives in battles, the sight of civilian and innocent victims affected him in a profoundly different manner.


    Summoning his earth magic once more, Rain undertook the somber task of burying the bodies. This process consumed the entirety of the day. The hours spent in this solemn endeavor afforded him the opportunity to scour the surroundings for any remnants of the monsters responsible.


    "The rain erased all traces¡­" Rain thought and then sighed. "Still, it didn''t look like they tried to take anything¡­ they only wanted to kill and destroy.


    While the werewolves may have intended to disy their capabilities, Rain struggled to ept that their motives were limited to this singr demonstration. The extent of destruction he encountered spoke of a moreplex agenda at y.


    Persisting in his search for further clues, Rain continued to scan the surroundings, yet his efforts yielded little. Faced with the choices ahead, he contemted his options ¨C whether to retreat and report the grim findings of destruction and death or to press on in pursuit of the enemies near the border.


    After careful consideration, Rain resolved to follow the path of a thorough investigation. His n involved examining the other viges in the vicinity, believing that he could piece together a broader understanding of the situation by doing so. While he recognized the task would be time-consuming, he was undeterred by the challenge it presented.


    "Well, well¡­ what do we have here¡­" Rain thought when he found the nearest vige after he passed by Retia.


    Concealed by the undting hills, Rain''s gaze settled on a peculiar sight in the distance ¨C a group of approximately ten magic users. What struck him as truly unusual was the distinctive aura enveloping them. Unlike any he had encountered before, their aura possessed an eeriebination of calmness and tension, akin to a gathering storm on the brink of eruption.


    Rain''s gaze remained fixed on these enigmatic figures, his intrigue growing as he realized that their aura defied conventional categorization. The uniqueness of their energy patterns raised questions, challenging his assumptions about the nature of magic in this world.


    In a sudden realization, Rain''s perspective shifted. It dawned on him that the creatures he had initially identified as mere monsters were more than they seemed. These beings possessed the ability to transform between their monstrous and humanoid forms, revealing that they were, in fact, magic users with the capacity to take on the appearance and power of werewolves.


    "It all makes sense now¡­" Rain thought. "Monsters alone, even if they are being controlled, wouldn''t be able to destroy an entire vi and burn it down that easily. Still¡­ those guys didn''t tell Jori and the others that the Monsters were magic people."

 Chapter 220: Transformation

    Rain reasoned that the refugees likely remained unaware of the true identities of the werewolves as their fellow countrymen. This realization led him to consider that the werewolves might constitute a concealed tribe, adept at ndestine operations and remaining out of the public eye. Alternatively, their numbers might be more limited, contributing to their covert nature.


    Given the unique circumstances, Rain grappled with the possibility of capturing one of these enigmatic beings. However, the challenge was formidable. With a group of around ten individuals on their side, the odds were stacked against Rain. The question of feasibility loomed, prompting him to weigh the risks and rewards of such an endeavor.


    As he stood at this pivotal juncture, Rain''s strategic mind worked overtime, deliberating the best course of action to unravel the mysteries surrounding these elusive adversaries.


    "It will be useful if I could capture one of them, but I doubt that they will fall that easily¡­ and I can''t take any chances either," Rain thought.


    Before the enemies could transform and find him by his scent, Rain decided to charge toward them. The enemies noticed his approach when he was half of the distance, but a single extra path had been enough to reach them.


    Rain''s arrival had been a shift as it had been destructive; with two kick punches, he smashed the heads of two enemies, and while all the others were transforming, he kicked another in the neck and finished him off.


    The skill Iron Fists skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s path received 390 experience points.


    The skill Iron Fists skill leveled up.


    The Fighter''s path received 400 experience points.


    ¡­


    The other enemies jumped away while they were transforming. Under the luminous glow of the full moon, the enemy''s bodies begin to shift and writhe, muscles contracting as an unseen force takesmand. A grimace of agony etches across their faces, beads of sweat forming on their furrowed brow.


    The transformation takes root at their fingertips, where nails thicken and curve into menacing ws, piercing through flesh and skin.


    Theirplexion pales, a glisteningyer of perspiration giving their skin an ethereal sheen. A primal warmth emanates from within as bones snap and stretch, elongating gradually. The spine arches imperceptibly, shoulders slumping forward as though bearing an invisible weight.


    A guttural sound escapes their lips, a mixture of pain and transformation, as their facial structure reshapes itself; the nose extends into a snout with a fierce jut. Teeth protrude into elongated canines, filling their mouth with predatory weaponry.


    A surge of hair bursts from beneath their skin, coarsening and darkening rapidly. It spreads fervently, matting into a shaggy pelt that envelops their form, originating from deep within and bursting outward. Limbs tremble and convulse, adopting a more robust and powerful form. Fingers and toes elongate, nails fully transitioning into formidable ws.


    The spine cracks a final time, the tailbone elongating to form a bushy appendage that twitches and sways involuntarily. Their ears remodel, stretching upwards into pointed tips, incredibly mobile and responsive, attuned to even the slightest of sounds. The person''s eyes ignite with an eerie luminosity, pupils narrowing into vertical slits.


    A final, intense shiver courses through their frame as the transformation culminates. In the ce of the human stands a creature of myth and dread¡ªa werewolf. Its physique radiates raw power, each sinew and muscle delineated beneath the newly grown fur. Poised with the stance of a natural predator, it embodies the fusion of human and wolf, an entity driven solely by primal urges and base instincts.


    Rain was surprised. Their transformation was a lot more intense than he had predicted¡­ he even watched the whole thing since he was so caught off guard. He thought that they would transform in a less bizarre way¡­ considering that they were magic people.


    "I guess magic doesn''t make everything that convenient¡­" Rain thought.


    The aura of the enemies changed from light blue to orange¡­ they weren''t as dangerous as the generals since their goal was only to destroy viges, but Rain didn''t drop his guard.


    The werewolves charged toward him and shed their ws from all directions. Still, Rain blocked two of them with his forearm guards and avoided the others by lowering his stance. The impact made his arm move a bit, but he didn''t feel that much weight or pressure. The enemies were surprised by that and stared at him for a moment, but soon they charged once again.


    Rain did the same and then smashed the face of one of the enemies with his forearm guards before turning and then snapping the neck of another one with a roundhouse kick.


    After losing their allies that fast, the other werewolves raised their guard¡­ losing half of their forces wasn''t something that they expected, after all, so soon they began to take steps back.


    When that happened, Rain kicked the ground and then made several earth spikes emerge from the ground and then impale the enemy''s legs. He didn''t try to hold back, but the spikes didn''t pass through their legs, even with the reinforcement of his items.


    "Their fur and skin are surprisingly tough¡­" Rain thought.


    The enemies grunted in agony but soon recovered and tried to run away in different directions. Still, Rain didn''t hold back while using Impulse, and while the enemies could run at one hundred meters per second, he could almost three times faster. Rain quickly reached them, kicked their sides, and punched their heads.


    "Ouch, hot, hot¡­" Rain thought when the final enemy was killed. "This was surprisingly easy¡­"


    Rain knew that the enemies wouldn''t send the best warriors to attack viges. Still, even so¡­ that was a bit disappointing. In any case, Rain looked at the bodies and saw them returning to normal. It will be hard to convince the Captain that they were true werewolves¡­ in any case, that will stop the attacks for a while, and that should be enough.


    Regardless, that wasn''t the only surprise of the night.

 Chapter 221: Mutation

    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 50: Fists of Fury - Channel your inner fury, temporarily increasing punch speed and damage.


    Path of the Martial Artist: The Way of Strikes and Kicks (Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 06 per level.)


    Embark on the Path of the Martial Artist, a realm of virtualbat mastery where your fists and kicks turn into lethal instruments, and your spirit evolves into an unbreakable fortress. Advance through levels, gaining skills to shape your warrior into an unstoppable dynamo, wielding strength, agility, and inner power to triumph over all challenges.


    Level 1: Basic Strikes and Kicks Master the fundamentals of both striking and kicking. Your attacks be more potent and precise, causing three points more damage per level.


    "Hmm¡­ I guess this is the path those guys used," Rain thought. "Still, is that all?"


    Rain wondered if that tribe that fought unarmed would only reach that far using the system¡­ it was also weird since all paths that led to that one were physical¡­ then Rain recalled that he was nowhere near their level in terms of healing skills.


    Considering the bonuses in parameters, it made sense that such a path wouldn''t grant him those crazy healing skills. In any case, Rain decided to equip that path and train it as soon as possible. Also, considering its current level, he could only assume that the technique that he learned recently wasn''t part of it.


    "No traces of their previous appearance¡­. Well, let''s see if some people can check their blood or something for any signs of the transformation," Rain thought and then erected an earth block to put the bodies in.


    Since his Mana won''tst long to transport that many bodies, Rain decided to use his own strength to do that. At first, he didn''t realize how much stronger he had gotten. His punches caused shockwaves during the war, but he was too busy to talk about that.


    Still, now that he could carry over a ton on his back and not feel that bothered about it, he couldn''t help but think that he had truly gotten inhumanly strong.


    In any case, Rain returned to the camp when the sun was rising, and while he didn''t feel that bothered at first, he sure got tired after doing so much heavybor. At least he got some experience in that path.


    As one would expect, Rain''s arrival made quite the fuss. The Captain was still sleeping, but he was forced to wake up when he heard the fuss. He looked like the type who wouldn''t show himself wearing nothing but his armor, but he ignored that when he heard that Rain brought some corpses with him.


    "What is this?" The Captain asked.


    Rain proceeded to exin what had happened after he left the camp. The vige and then finding the enemies at night. Everyone looked suspicious when they heard that the magic people could transform into werewolves. However, Rain had reason to lie for fame; he was already well-known in the realm.


    "... I see," the Captain said. "We don''t have the right people to check the bodies, but some people can probably do that in Retia. I will give you a wagon and some soldiers to head there and analyze the bodies. Once that is done, the soldiers will bring me the information that the doctors found, and you will bring the same to your leader."


    "All right," Rain said.


    The investigation was still continuing, and while it was supposed to end for him in three days, it was fine. Rain''s sisters will only arrive in ten days, and he could return to the capital in one.


    After resting for a bit and eating something, Rain was informed that the horses and the wagon were ready, and soon, he traveled to Retia alongside some soldiers. He thought that he had gotten closer to the soldiers stationed there, but they looked at him like he was some sort of weird creature.


    "Well, it is fine¡­ more time for me to meditate and recover my mana, anyway," Rain thought.


    The group reached Retia in the middle of the night, but since the Captain sent the word ahead through a raven, they still entered the city. The guards opened the gate, and they were guided to the building where a healer lived.


    "Now that I think about it, I wonder if they will make a mess out of the Bodies¡­ medicine in this world shouldn''t be that advanced, so the autopsy will be a bloody mess," Rain thought.


    Just as Rain expected, the doctor who was going to do the autopsy was an old man who had a look in his eyes that showed that he had the worst job in the world. At least it looked like that¡­ Rain wondered if he always had that look or if it was thanks to the war.


    A bunch of the bodies of the magic people were studied during and after the war; seeing corpses day and night shouldn''t be that good for one''s mental health. Opening and closing them should make things even worse.


    In any case, Rain and the soldiers were guided to the nearest inn, where they had to wait until the autopsy was finished. When morning came, Rain confirmed that the job was far from over, so he decided to look around the city¡­ a good part of the ce had been destroyedst month. Still, not it was mainly back to normal. Some houses were empty, but people were slowly moving in.


    In the end, Rain had to wait for two days for the autopsy to end. Still, it looked like they got some results.


    "Their bodies, at first nce, don''t look like they have anything special, but I found signs of some sort of mutation in some of them. It seems that they can''t maintain that form for long without bing real beasts." The doctor exined. "It is quite risky considering the power that they obtained."

 Chapter 222: Report

    Rain wondered the meaning behind that¡­ why would they transform into monsters, and their abilities had a time limit?


    "Do you think that their abilities aren''t natural?" Rain asked.


    "It is very possible, but I can''t tell how they would obtain an unnatural ability like that," The doctor said. "I read your report, and considering it, I can''t imagine how their bodies can transform like that. They didn''t use conventional magic, that is for sure."


    That was worrisome¡­ Rain didn''t want to raise such possibilities, but perhaps that tribe had that kind of ability because they are monsters like that. At first, Rain thought that they would be simr to druids, but his guess was really wrong or looked like it was.


    "We will report the findings to our captain," the soldiers said.


    Rain nodded, and he prepared to leave as well. The news could change the future in many ways, and he knew that the magic people could use that as a bargaining chip in order to make things more even on the geopolitical stage.


    Once he finished his preparations, Rain dashed toward the capital and reached it when the sun was about to set. He went to the headquarters and then asked Ka for Branden, but it seemed that he stayed at home all day preparing for his marriage. Still, Rain gave his report to Ka as well to save time since she was on par with all the information about the king''s de.


    "I see¡­ such a possibility is rather unnerving," Ka said. "You should be careful, Rain. There are numerous types of monsters in their territory that we aren''t aware of; even if they are nning some peace talks, I think that they still have to bnce things out a bit, and taking you down would help their cause a lot."


    "I will keep that in mind," Rain said.


    Rain dashed toward Branden''s house, and then he was instantly granted the chance to enter. Rain found Branden and the princess having dinner.


    "What was her name again? Esmeralda Rosalis?" Rain thought.


    "Join us, Rain," Branden said with a smile on his face.


    The princess appeared genuinely happy, sporting a warm smile that could easily deceive most observers. However, Rain, keenly observant, discerned a different narrative in her eyes¡ªa subtle glimmer of unease. This fleeting shadow hinted at concealed emotions. It was as though her cheerful exterior concealed a reservoir of hidden feelings.


    In his thoughts, Rain yearned for Branden, their gracious host, to be more perceptive to these subtle cues. He couldn''t help but feel like an outsider, intruding into a situation moreplex than it appeared. A silent hope rested within him that Branden might sense the unspoken tension in the room and perhaps even regret his dinner invitation.


    As the lively dinner conversation continued around him, Rain grappled with growing self-consciousness. Tiny droplets of sweat formed on his forehead, tracing ufortable paths down his temples. His clothes adhered ufortably to his body, damp and sticky from the day''s earlier exertions.


    "I will have to refuse since I like to rx in a bath before having dinner," Rain said. "In any case, this kind of information might not be so good to be delivered at the dinner table."


    "It is fine; I know that you are in a hurry, and I don''t want to take too much more of your time," Branden said.


    Rain exined what he had learned; he kept hidden the fact that he found Jori and the others, though. At the same time, Branden didn''t look surprised for a moment that they were gone missing¡­ Maybe he gave them another secret job, but Rain couldn''t ask him about that. It would make him look suspicious.


    "I see¡­ so it is like that," Branden said while looking at the ceiling, thoughtful. "I will pass the news to His Majesty myself tonight. In any case, you sure are good at gathering Intel as well, Rain. Maybe we could give you that kind of mission now and then."


    Rain had serious doubts about taking on the job of gathering information behind enemy lines. He understood the mission''s importance, but he had concerns. It wasn''t just about the extended time the task would require; it was the emotional toll it could take on him.


    The woman who had manipted his father was a prime target. The temptation to confront her, to seek justice for the harm she had caused his family, loomedrge in his thoughts. He worried that while he was gathering information, his emotions might take control, leading him to act impulsively.


    Avoiding those missions seemed like the smarter choice. It would reduce his exposure to enemy territory and decrease the chances of him giving in to his overwhelming desire for retribution.


    "Don''t worry, it won''tst for long, and it won''t get in the way of your goals," Branden said while trying to keep hidden the existence of Rain''s sisters. "Anyway, you should rest for a few days; I will send the word to your house if we get any news regarding Jori and the others and if we have another job for you."


    Rain nodded and then left the building as fast as he could. He had work to do since he stayed away from his home for a week.


    "I also have to level up the Martial Artist path as soon as possible to use all of the slots of the path," Rain thought while he was heading home.


    Along the way, Rain couldn''t help but think about the enemies and their new strange technique for a while. He considered that for a while, but maybe they also could harness the power of the dragons as well¡­ that would tip the scales of the peace talks more than a little bit.


    "I just hope that the peace willst for a while¡­" Rain thought when he arrived home and then headed to the cer of the house, where he opened a secret entrance on the floor.

 Chapter 223: Force of Nature

    The hidden passage had led Rain to an unexpected discovery. It guided him down a staircase carved right into the earth, extending beneath his own house. As he descended, the tunnels stretched deep below the city''s sewer system. However, there was an issue - a lingering, unpleasant smell hung in the air.


    Quick-thinking as always, Rain put his earth magic to work. He strengthened the tunnel''s ceiling, sessfully neutralizing the odor. It was a testament to his growing mastery of magic, a skill he continued to refine.


    As he explored further, Rain stumbled upon a fascinating sight: a rail constructed entirely from earth magic alongside a cart made from the same magical material. It was evident that these magical constructs were designed for transportation. An idea sparked in Rain''s mind, fueled by his ambition and the desire to use his mana more efficiently.


    With unwavering determination, Rain decided to embark on an ambitious projectst month. He began carving a tunnel, using his earth magic to create a pathway that would eventually connect to his grandparents'' house. It was a significant undertaking that would require time, but Rain remained resolute. He envisioned establishing a magical bullet train system in this world,


    "I still need to think of something about the fuel source for the cart while I am away, but I will have time, so it is fine," Rain thought.


    The tunnel was already two kilometers long, even though Rain had only worked on it in his spare time for two weeks. However, it still had a long way ahead¡­ only around 0.3% of the tunnel waspleted, after all. Hopefully, Rain''s little sisters would speed things up.


    "I can already imagine themining about that," Rain thought andughed.


    While Rain diligently carved the tunnel, his mind wandered. He questioned whether it was truly the best idea to relocate his entire family to the bustling capital. Among his siblings, only Dana was of an age to enter the prestigious school. It seemed likely that his parents believed Kei and G would benefit from living with him, a chance to learn magic more effectively under his guidance.


    Rain couldn''t help but specte if his parents had further ns. Perhaps they were preparing for the arrival of more siblings. After all, their family''s exceptional talent in the rabbit path had reached an impressive level, a gift running through their bloodline.


    Amidst the rhythmic clinks of his magical tools and the tunnel''s gradual progress, Rain contemted the future. Guiding and teaching his sisters was a significant responsibility. Still, it also underscored his parents'' trust in his abilities and the unique potential inherent in their family.


    In the end, five dayster, Rain went to pick up his sisters at his grandparent''s home. While he arrived at sunrise to make them arrive in the capital by nightfall. They were all still sleeping¡­ they were kids, so it couldn''t be helped.


    Rain watched as his sisters prepared for the uing trip, each disying their own distinct reactions. Dana, the eldest, wore an infectious grin and hummed joyfully as she packed her things. Her excitement was palpable, and she was clearly looking forward to the adventure in the capital.


    Kei, the middle child, appeared less enthusiastic. She had a furrowed brow and sighed as she tackled the task of packing. It was apparent that she found the process a bit of a chore.


    G, the youngest, had brought an abundance of items and was struggling to organize them all. Leiah, their dependable older sister, stepped in to help G sort through her belongings. It was quite a task, given the array of items G had brought with her.


    In the midst of this lively scene, Rain couldn''t help but appreciate the diverse personalities within their family. It was a reminder of the unique dynamics that made their family close-knit, with each member contributing their own quirks and qualities to the family tapestry.


    "You are worrying too much as usual," Roan said when Rain exined to him the events of thest mission. "A lot of people died in the war, and they need time to recover now that the dragon people are on the move. Besides, even if there are some lunatics on the other side, they won''t target kids to get to you."


    "What about the woman that brainwashed you?" Rain asked.


    "She is a screw loose, and I can''t say what she might do in the future, but she didn''t look at the time someone who would fall that low," Roan replied. "I think that you are worrying too much, but if you can''t be helped, you can always hire your friends to guard them while they are outside or when you are away."


    "I guess that is also one option¡­" Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "By the way, the new equipment sure looks awesome. Do you want to spar a bit?" Roan asked. "I want to see the punch that you did to defeat the second general."


    "...Your sword probably won''t be able to handle it," Rain said.


    "That powerful, huh?" Roan asked. "I guess it can''t be helped."


    "I would rather not punch you with all my might, but there are other ways to show the power of that attack," Rain said. "Hopefully, I won''t hurt my leg again."


    Rain apanied his father to a secluded spot away from the farms. In this open space, he put his magical abilities to the test by conjuring a massive boulder, ten times his height and equally wide.


    With a deep breath, he focused his energies and tapped into his skills, drawing upon his magical talents. His concentration was unwavering as he harnessed the full extent of his abilities.


    Then, like a force of nature, Rain charged toward the colossal boulder. His initial step alone cracked the ground, creating a small crater. His punch was an explosion of power and precision, and the impact was immense. Roan was left inspired by the strength of his own son.

 Chapter 224: Older brother worries

    The massive boulder disintegrated under Rain''s mighty strike, turning into a cloud of fine dust that dispersed into the distance. Not a single pebble remained in its wake. Rain stood triumphant, his father watching with pride, a testament to the incredible potential that resided within him.


    "Ouch¡­ my body isn''t strong enough to handle this, I guess," Rain said while feeling some pain in his calves.


    "... That was more than impressive; I can tell now why, even here, people call you a hero," Roan said after he recovered from the shock.


    "Nah, I am still a long way to go," Rain said. "The second general would have defeated me if I hadn''t used some magic to surprise him."


    "Wasn''t he the one that could use insane healing magic as well? I guess you two used the same basic tricks," Roan said.


    "I wanted to defeat him without using magic," Rain exined.


    "Well, you sure aim high for your age¡­ when I was your age, I was justpeting with my brothers who would get most girls at the parties," Roan said and thenughed.


    "A lovely past for a twelve-year-old," Rain said. "Anyway, I also learned the technique that he used. I think it would benefit you as well."


    Rain unleashed the technique of the second general, a move known for its sheer potency but also its inherent risks. The transformation was striking. Rain''s muscles swelled, his body bulging with newfound power, a testament to his physical prowess.


    However, this remarkable transformation came at a cost. As Rain continued to channel his energy, a visible change overcame him. His face contorted, and his expression shifted, almost like he was on the verge of losing his grip on reason. It was a stark reminder of the toll that harnessing such extraordinary power exacted.


    "... I wonder if I have this much martial talent as well, maybe I cked a lot more than I imagined," Roan said. "You should know the risks of that, but you are right; it could help me as well."


    "Do you think I should teach this to the girls?" Rain asked.


    "I am not sure¡­ their bodies won''t handle it," Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That kind of technique is too much even for the bodies of adults, even more so for girls at their age. They need to grow a bit more."


    That made sense¡­ It was a pity, but it couldn''t be helped. Dana, Kei, and G were focusing a lot more on the magic side, so Rain wanted to cover for their weaknesses with that technique, so he would have to find another way.


    Rain and his father returned home, a blend of pride and apprehension in their steps. Upon arrival, they found their sisters ready for their journey, and the atmosphere was filled with mixed emotions.


    Dana, who had been exuberantly happy earlier, now appeared to hesitate. As she bid farewell to their parents and grandparents, her eyes welled with tears, and she sniffled, her emotions surfacing.


    Kei, in her own way, made sure to extend her goodbyes, holding onto each family member a bit longer. Her actions revealed a lingering attachment and a desire to savor these moments before their departure.


    Surprisingly, G, the youngest among them, seemed the mostposed. She assured everyone that she would return soon,den with delicious food to share. Her optimism and determination shone brightly amidst the bittersweet farewells.


    With their Impulse skills, the journey back to the vige would take approximately a day and a half. While not a great distance, they recognized that chances to return home would be infrequent.


    "Are you all ready?" Rain asked. "We should get going. Don''t worry, you will see them soon."


    With bittersweet farewells, they waved goodbye and invoked Impulse to propel themselves toward the distant capital. The necessity of their journey weighed heavily on Rain''s mind, causing him to reflect on how different this world''s culture was from Earth''s.


    Although his parents had entrusted him with immense responsibility at such a young age, it still felt unusual to let their daughters go at such a tender age. The shared desire for their daughters to achieve greatness was evident, but the separation tugged at their hearts.


    Rain shared his equipment with Dana and Kei to expedite their journey, and he frequently carried G on his back when her energy waned. G, being the youngest and less experienced in using magic, required the additional support.


    Initially, it appeared they might regret their decision and long for theforts of home. However, their moods took a drastic turn for the better as soon as the sprawling capital came into view on the horizon. The bustling city rekindled their hope and excitement, reminding them of the adventures that awaited in their new chapter of life.


    "It is gettingte. We should head home first, and then I will take you all to look around the city tomorrow," Rain said since the sun was already setting.


    The tripsted one day and a half. Still, even though they were around four times slower than him, Rain was proud of his sisters since the first time he learned Impulse, it took him three days to reach the capital.


    Despite their initial reservations, Dana, Kei, and G couldn''t conceal their amazement as they passed through the city gate and ventured into the bustling streets. Even at night, the capital retained its vibrant energy, a stark contrast to their previous, quieter life.


    Their astonishment continued as they arrived at their new home. It was significantlyrger than their old dwelling, a fact that wasn''t lost on Rain either. Despite his grandparents'' hard work and the age difference between him and them, the new house was undeniably spacious. This led Rain to ponder whether his sisters might misconstrue this abundance as a quick path to wealth due to the war.


    "I guess in this new chapter of my life, I will learn the skill endless worry and I will probably max it out in a couple of weeks," Rain thought.

 Chapter 225: Latest project

    Upon entering the house, the sisters'' surprise was palpable. The rooms were generously sized, with simple yet sufficient furnishings. There was a spacious kitchen, a roomy living area, and a sizable dining room, all of which seemed almost too grand for their current possessions. The house exuded an air of grandeur that contrasted starkly with their previous way of life.


    "My room is on the first floor, and your rooms are right above on the second floor," Rain said. "The bedrooms are quite big, and you can sleep together in the same room if you want. I am going to prepare dinner."


    Rain pondered how his younger sisters would adapt to the idea of sleeping alone in their spacious rooms. He had his concerns, but the multitude of tasks and new experiences awaiting them in their new home would likely keep them busy and distracted.


    However, Rain found sce in the belief that once they discovered the secret tunnel connecting their new residence to their parents'' ce, their perspective might shift.


    The prospect of working together to bridge the physical distance between their homes would serve as a powerful motivator and bring aforting sense of closeness to their parents despite the unfamiliarity of their new surroundings.


    "Big bro, how much was this house?" Dana asked when they came to have dinner.


    "It was free¡­ kind of," Rain replied. "I managed to help in the war quite a bit, and Branden decided to give me the house instead of filling my pocket with coins."


    Rain prepared a delightful dinner of spaghetti coated in rich cheese and tomato sauce. His younger sisters devoured it hungrily, empty tes attesting to their hearty appetites. They even requested seconds. As their full bellies and youth took their toll, Rain gently suggested they head to their room for a good night''s sleep.


    Come morning, Dana was the first to wake, eager to explore the city. Though Kei seemed initially less interested, the allure of visiting bookstores won her over. G, however, looked a bit apprehensive once they stepped outside. The bustling city streets, crowded with people, overwhelmed her, prompting Rain to hold her hand for reassurance.


    Dana, always the adventurous one, raced ahead, her eyes scanning the various shops they passed. Her curiosity asionally led to a stumble, much to Kei''s audible frustration. Rain couldn''t help but wonder if he could gain their respect by being more cautious and less prone to mishaps.


    Kei, usually aloof, revealed a more childlike side of herself when Rain took them to explore some bookstores. Here, her passion for books truly ignited. Rain paid close attention to the kinds of books that captured her interest. Still, it became apparent that Kei had an insatiable appetite for reading, devouring anything she could find.


    Conversely, Dana seemed notably uninterested during their library visit. Her typical adventurous spirit appeared stifled within the quiet confines of the book-lined shelves, and she appeared somewhat bored, longing for more engaging and lively activities.


    "Ugh¡­ their prices," Kei said and then sighed.


    Rain knew that his sisters had earned some money back home through their magical help with household chores. However, he also understood that prices in the capital could be quite high. This left him pondering whether he should pamper Kei a bit, but he couldn''t shake the belief that true satisfaction woulde from Kei buying what she wanted with her own earnings.


    Nheless, Rain remained ready to offer assistance, whether in the form of work or guidance, should Kei require it. He believed that while he could provide support, allowing her the independence to earn and choose her own purchases would ultimately be more fulfilling for Kei.


    "I bought some things that I thought that you all would need at home, but I am not a girl, so let''s buy some other things that you will need," Rain said. "You guys will stay here for a while, so you shouldn''t shy away."


    Initially, Rain had sent his sisters on a mission to procure essential household items. Still, as they ventured through the city''s shops, their priorities seemed to shift. Instead of focusing on practical necessities, their attention was captivated by the allure of clothing stores.


    After browsing through the racks and aisles for a while, a subtle sense of unease began to creep into their minds. They couldn''t help but wonder if their attire made them stand out as rural neers in the sophisticated urban atmosphere of the capital. This self-consciousness was a familiar concern that seemed to affect people of all ages when they found themselves in a new ce.


    Ultimately, it was a vivid reminder of how fashion held a significant ce in the lives of girls, regardless of their age. As Rain observed their growing preupation with their appearance, he couldn''t help but feel a mild sense of exasperation, almost tempted to let out a sigh at their unwavering focus on their fashion choices.


    "Are you going to leave for work often?" Kei suddenly asked when they were returning home.


    "asionally, but I will focus on the capital," Rain replied. "Even if I were to go to far away areas, I can reach them in half a day if I am serious."


    Even though Kei didn''t vocalize her concerns, Rain sensed her worry about his job and the inevitable times when he would have to leave them alone in the house. It left Rain contemting how he could address her unease.


    Among the array of potential solutions that crossed his mind, one option shone the brightest: creating a connection between their new home and his grandparents'' residence. This could serve as a weing haven for his parents when they visited the city or when Rain had to embark on work-rted journeys.


    It appeared to be a practical and reassuring way to ensure that they wouldn''t be left entirely on their own and to maintain strong family ties despite the physical distance that would decrease significantly.


    "Let me show you all mytest projects," Rain said while smirking.

 Chapter 226: Duty

    Rain guided his sisters into the tunnel he had been diligently carving out. Initially, their difort was evident, stemming from their unease with the underground, dimly lit environment. However, as Rain unveiled his ambitious vision, a gradual understanding washed over them.


    The concept Rain put forth was undeniably bold. He aimed to create a tunnel stretching over a thousand kilometers in length. While it may have sounded insane initially, his sisters soon grasped the significance of such an undertaking and the immense potential it held.


    "Can we go to Papa and Mama through here?" G asked.


    "Not now, but eventually¡­ I will have to count on your help to make that happen sooner," Rain said.


    Rain harnessed his magical abilities topress the earth at the tunnel''s terminus, solidifying it into a stable foundation. With unwavering focus, he sculpted thepacted earth, fashioning it into a level and robust surface ideal for their purpose.


    Then, Rain''s magic flowed into a more intricate task as he forged the rails for their underground passage. He manipted the earth''s essence with precision and finesse, shaping it into robust, polished tracks. These rails, formed through his skilled maniption of magic, were now ready to support their ambitious project.


    Starting the very next morning, Rain instated a new regimen. He would call his sisters early in the day, ushering them into a rigorous routine that epassed both magical training andbat practice. Rain recognized that knowledge of magic alone wouldn''t suffice; practical experience was equally vital, and he was resolute about providing both.


    Dana, with her palpable enthusiasm, eagerly embraced these sessions. Her eagerness radiated through her every gesture. On the flip side, Kei seemed to harbor a more reserved disposition, suggesting an inner dialogue she had yet to articte. Meanwhile, G consistently appeared half-awake as they assembled in the garden for their early training sessions.


    "I guess I am expecting a bit too much from kids of their age," Rain thought. "This level of discipline would only make them hate training¡­ I guess I will have to make it more fun for them."


    Rain possessed an intimate understanding of his sisters'' preferences, both what they liked and disliked. This familiarity prompted him to tailor their training sessions ordingly, capitalizing on their individual tastes and inclinations.


    "Let''s do this. If you manage to hit me even once, then you can decide what we will have for breakfast," Rain said. "Mom and Dad aren''t around, so you can have as much pudding as you want."


    "Sounds good to me!" Dana said while smiling.


    "... Don''t go back on your wordter," Kei said after she closed her book and showed a serious expression.


    "I want a strawberry sundae," G said.


    "You have to hit me first," Rain shrugged.


    Rain wondered who was the guy who invented the strawberry sundae in that world since that was an unusual request¡­ but he was the culprit. He should also invent pizza since that would make the perfectbination for some devil hunters.


    Rain was well aware that his younger sisters had an undeniable fondness for sweets. In their case, it seemed that one of the most effective ways to nurture and toughen up a group of kids was through the enticing allure of food.


    However, Rain had no intention of making things a cakewalk for them, despite their perhaps overly optimistic expectations of indulging in pudding every day now that their parents were absent.


    In the beginning, the girls made a conscious effort to hold back during their training, not wanting to inadvertently hurt their older brother. However, they soon discovered that the challenge was considerably more demanding than they had initially imagined.


    Dana focused onunching earth bullets from the ground. Still, Rain promptly countered with identical projectiles, causing them to disintegrate mid-air. Kei tried to catch Rain off guard with water arrows descending from above, but her efforts were somewhat conspicuous; her frequent aim adjustments and her straining expression gave away her intentions, allowing Rain to easily sidestep the arrows.


    G, using her wind magic, unleashed nearly invisible bullets at Rain. Still, his heightened senses allowed him to detect their faint sounds, rendering her efforts ineffective.


    Despite their earnest efforts, the girls couldn''tnd a single hit on Rain. Nheless, he decided to reward their determination with a delectable batch of pancakes, a sweet treat that held a special ce in all their hearts.


    Aside from training with them in the morning, Rain also worked in thete afternoon in the tunnel. It seemed that being skilled with earth magic runs in the family since they improved the digging speed since they could copy Rain quite well. Speaking of which, none of them were good at fire magic.


    "Hey, Rain. We havee to¡­ did wee at a bad time?" Jori asked when he saw Rain''s sisters trying to hit him with magic.


    "It is a bit too early for you guys to be here," Rain said when he saw the whole group.


    "We just arrived and thought that we should let you know. Are these your sisters?" Jori asked.


    "Aww¡­ they are so cute!" Terra said when the girls turned around. "I thought that everyone in Rain''s family would be muscr giants."


    "Perhaps they will if they train as hard as me," Rain said.


    With the exception of Reca, the girls at the party found immense joy in meeting Rain''s younger sisters. Dana, in particr, reveled in the pampering and affectionate attention she received, wearing a noticeable expression of pure delight as Terra patted her.


    Though not as openly expressive as Dana, G didn''t seem to mind the attention and quietly epted it.


    However, Kei, the more reserved of the trio, opted to take shelter behind Rain. She appeared to prefer staying out of the spotlight, keeping her distance from the girls and their attentiveness.


    "We are going to take a week break after this mission, so we wille to visit again when you are less busy," Jori said.


    "You guys can have breakfast here if you want," Rain said.

 Chapter 227: Advice

    Rain felt that it was essential for his sisters to quickly be ustomed to the presence of Jori and the others, as they would be frequent guests. He recognized the value of cultivating strong bonds with trusted individuals and wanted his sisters to share in those connections.


    Furthermore, Rain believed in the importance of his sisters interacting with a wider range of people, particrly those he trusted. His demanding routine of work and training had left him with a limited social life, with only a few people he could truly rely on.


    Therefore, he saw the benefit of his sisters engaging with a broaderwork of individuals, providing them with opportunities for personal growth within a supportivemunity.


    "We will ept the offer," Jori readily said.


    It seemed as if they had been eagerly anticipating the invitation, but Rain didn''t allow that to trouble him. He was confident in his culinary skills, after all.


    Following the meal, at least Jori and Reca lent Rain a hand with the post-dinner cleaning. In contrast, the others continued to engage with his sisters, forging connections and building rapport.


    "Dana is ten years old, right?" Jori asked. "So, she is going to enter the academy? I suppose you have noble blood, but they truly look like noble kids."


    "I guess you don''t see many jacked nobles nowadays," Rain said.


    "They can use magic already; what is the point of them going there?" Reca asked.


    "Interacting with other kids of their age will be good for them," Rain replied. "We were part of a militaristic family once, but we don''t have to be anymore, so they can do whatever they want, and going to the academy will help them with that."


    "Being able to use magic at their age¡­ You must be quite the good teacher," Rose said.


    "I could be better, but I am not good at understanding kids," Rain said.


    Jori and Reca exchanged frowns, a subtle acknowledgment that it was difficult to perceive Rain as a child, even though he was of that age.


    As the conversation continued, they gradually came to realize that Rain was quite peculiar. His sisters, despite being his contemporaries, appeared much younger.


    Initially, they assumed Rain was being humble in his abilities as a teacher. Still, they soon grasped that his assessment was genuine. After all, the levels of his path spoke for themselves, leaving no room for doubt about his expertise.


    Human Path - Lv Max


    (Physical Path Lv 60 - Strength, Vitality, and Endurance + 02 per level.)


    (The Apprentice Path Lv 21 - Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 02 per level up.)


    (Student Path Lv 29 - + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.)


    (Artisan Path Lv 45 - Dexterity + 04, Luck + 02 per level up.)


    Once they finished the cleanup, they found the girls in the garden, still hugging Rain''s sisters. Rain could understand Liss doing that, but Asche and Terra were weird since they looked after the kids in the orphanage. In any case, Dana, Kei, and G didn''t look that bothered anymore.


    "We wille again," Jori said when the group left the house.


    Rain couldn''t shake the peculiar feeling that their recent conversation had conspicuously omitted any mention of their next job. Despite their talk of taking a week off, he couldn''t help but sense something suspicious lingering in the air.


    Driven by curiosity, Rain couldn''t avoid wondering if Jori and the others had also received an assignment from Branden. It had been weeks since he had been entrusted with any significant missions, and while the break was a weed relief, it also raised doubts.


    Despite these lingering uncertainties, Rain chose not to dwell on them too heavily. However, his musings were abruptly interrupted the following day when a servant from Branden''s household arrived. The servant presented Dana with a meticulously tailored uniform that belonged to a female student attending a magic academy.


    The female uniform for the magic academy was a finely crafted attire. It consisted of a knee-length pleated skirt in a rich navy blue adorned with intricate silver embroidery along the hem. Completing the upper portion of the outfit was a navy zer featuringpels trimmed with silver, which added a touch of sophistication.


    Beneath the zer, a crisp white blouse was meticulously tucked into the skirt, creating a striking visual contrast. The blouse boasted a high cor and was fastened with silver buttons, lending an aura of formality. A slim, well-knotted silver tie adorned the neckline, contributing an element of grace.


    Designed with both style and practicality in mind, the ensemble wasplemented byfortable, low-heeled navy blue shoes. It was a uniform that seamlessly melded tradition with contemporary elegance, suitable attire for any student of a prestigious magic academy.


    "You are going to start going to the academy the day after tomorrow; what did Mom and Dad tell you?" Branden asked while Dana was dancing around after she wore her uniform.


    "Some kids might try to pick on me because I am not from an unknown family, but I shouldn''t fight them," Dana said.


    "That is right, fighting is no good," Rain said and then showed a smile. "That is why it is fine to mess with them without fighting. Drench the soles of their boots with water magic and make them slip. That should be enough. If they insist on bothering you, I will teach you some other tricks."


    "Okay," Dana said while smiling as well since she was a bit mischievous.


    While Rain couldn''t directly intervene if his younger sisters faced bullying, he found sce in knowing he was doing the minimum by teaching them how to defend themselves.


    As he mulled over this, Rain''s thoughts shifted to the future and the potential challenge of dealing with prospective boyfriends. He pondered how he could employ simr tactics to deter unwee suitors. Eventually, he concluded that he might have to take matters into his own hands. He firmly believed that only someone as strong as himself would be deserving of dating his adorable younger sisters.


    That was the duty of the older brother, to protect the younger siblings from all kinds of insects.

 Chapter 228: Call

    Rain had a strong inclination to escort Dana on her first day at the academy, partly to discourage any potential bullies with his imposing presence. However, Dana had her own ns and firmly asserted that she could handle them independently. Despite Rain''s attempts to persuade her otherwise, Dana remained resolute, refusing to back down.


    Ultimately, Rain reluctantly relented, recognizing that it might be a tad premature for her to enter a rebellious phase. Still, he couldn''t ignore her growing independence.


    "Dana, I need you to truly understand how cautious I am. I know you possess strength and resilience, but the world can be a challenging ce. There are individuals out there with less-than-noble intentions, and the thought of anyone causing you harm is a genuine concern. You''re my little sister, and that holds a special ce in my heart.


    I''ve witnessed your growth, and it feels like just yesterday you were a tiny bundle in my arms," Rain said. "Now, as you prepare to embark on your journey at the academy, it''s a source of genuine anxiety for me. It''s not because I doubt your capabilities; rather, it''s because I deeply care about your safety, and the mere notion of anything untoward happening to you fills me with dread.


    Try to be nice to everyone, polite, focus on your studies, and try not to catch a cold while you are there."


    Initially, Dana listened with a look of understanding as Rain expressed his concerns. However, as he continued, she began to appear increasingly exasperated. It was clear to Rain that he might have been a tad excessive in conveying his worries.


    Just as Rain was watching Dana going to school alone, a messenger from the organization arrived. It has been a while since he did any work, so that didn''t surprise him. The guy didn''t waste time talking and just delivered Rain a letter and a piece of o paper that wasmonly used to put the jobs on the board.


    "... It seems that Ka wants me to do some work," Rain thought after he read the letter.


    Rain found himself facing another demanding task: the need to redirect a river. A town located to the north had been grappling with a severe water shortage, and they were relying on Rain''s magical expertise to alleviate their woes.


    As he contemted the mission ahead, Rain calcted that, thanks to his formidable magic, he could potentiallye and go within six hours - three hours for the journey there and another three for the return trip, provided he worked diligently for four hours each day. Time constraints were not a concern, but what troubled him was the knowledge that he would not be present when Dana returned.


    Additionally, there was the matter of Kei and G. Although he could bring them along, Rain reasoned that it would inevitably slow him down. Thus, he decided it was more practical to leave them behind and patiently await Dana''s safe return.


    "Fuck it, I will just exhaust my mana and work two hours a day," Rain said and then went to talk with his little sisters.


    "... Okay, what will we have for lunch?" Kei asked.


    "Okay, I am going to bed again," G said.


    Rain''s heart sank as he observed that his imminent departure didn''t seem to be a matter of great concern to his little sisters. Kei remained engrossed in her book, utterly absorbed in its pages, while G, like Rain himself, appeared to be a fan of extended naps.


    Nevertheless, Rain''smitment to taking care of them remained unwavering. He took it upon himself to prepare a pot of soup for their lunch, a meal that could be effortlessly reheated whenever their hunger struck. With their midday sustenance secured, Rain headed off to tackle his demanding work.


    Uponpleting his first day ofborious toil, Rain hastened back home, anxious to check on his sisters. To his surprise, he discovered Kei and G lounging in the garden, seemingly unperturbed by his absence.


    "I guess I was just overthinking," Rain shrugged.


    The next month flew by in the blink of an eye for Rain. He took on several jobs that asionally required him to be away from home for half a day or so, but life at home remainedrgely unchanged.


    Dana, for her part, appeared to be in high spirits throughout, which put Rain''s concerns at ease. However, in the back of his mind, he couldn''t help but wonder if Branden had a hand in her perpetual good mood. They were unofficially cousins, so he probably pulled some strings to make sure that no one would bother her at the academy.


    On those asions when he had jobs that took him far from home, Rain found it oddly convenient that Jori and the others would often be in the capital. They kept his sisterspany during his absences and ensured they weren''t left alone. It was almost too convenient to be a mere coincidence.


    Still, such conveniences ended around one month after the girls came to live in the capital. Another messenger came to Rain''s house, but he just delivered a message that Branden wanted to talk with him.


    "I guess this is some serious business¡­" Rain thought. "News about the border didn''t reach me all this time¡­ and that is weirdly suspicious."


    Rain had a lingering worry about his next mission, suspecting it might be tied to the troublesome border regions. The challengey in the fact that even with his exceptional abilities, reaching those distant areas and returning on the same day seemed nearly impossible.


    Despite this concern, Rain set off for Branden House. Thankfully, his ongoing tunnel project, which aimed to connect his residence with his grandparents'', had made significant headway. With his sisters pitching in, it was now approximately twenty percentplete, considerably reducing the travel time between the two houses.


    Rain took sce in the fact that he no longer had to grapple with transportation logistics when he wasn''t present. He had a solid n in ce, and his sisters had yed a crucial role in advancing it.

 Chapter 229: Truce

    Rain had made significant improvements to his cart, providing it with two distinct methods of propulsion: wind and electricity. These options catered to different needs and circumstances.


    Wind-Powered Mode: Using the power of the wind was the simpler of the two. Rain employed his wind magic to manipte a sail attached to the cart. By controlling the direction and strength of the wind, he could push the cart forward. While this method was reliable, itcked the speed required for certain journeys.


    Electricity-Powered Mode: The second mode, driven by electricity, was more advanced and demanded a deeper understanding of magic. Rain had modified the cart to include aponent that, when activated, converted magical energy into a force that propelled the wheels.


    To set this in motion, Rain had to channel his mana into a specific part of the cart, essentially turning it into a conduit for magical energy. This energy then moved the wheels.


    However, Rain faced a significant challenge with this method. Precisely controlling his mana to be electricity required finesse and practice. While he had made progress, he recognized the need for further training to master this aspect of his magic. He just had to use more mana when using wind magic, but the control was still difficult.


    Rain did some research on lightning magic but felt people actually had used it in the history of the human kingdom.


    In any case, when Rain arrived at Branden''s house, he confirmed that he didn''t interrupt another time that he was with his fiancee. It was mid-morning, so it made sense. Regardless, Branden showed a difficult expression when he arrived in his office.


    "What is wrong?" Rain asked. "It is rare to see you so troubled."


    "... You should sit down first," Branden said while pointing to a chair in front of his table. "I have had news."


    "Bad news to whom?" Rain asked.


    "For both of us," Branden replied and then looked to the side. "Recently, word about a new tribe of magic people began to spread¡­ People call them dracos. Humanoid beings of the size of humans that look like dragons. They showed up near the border where our fortresses are being constructed."


    "So they are like werewolves?" Rain asked.


    "Most likely¡­ they didn''t show their power yet, but it is clear that they know that we know that they must be strong since, thanks to you, we found them," Branden replied. "There are also rumors about the fact that the dragons are having a hard time facing the magic people about them."


    Rain mulled over the possibility that if the same method used to grant draconic abilities were replicated, it might lead to dire consequences. He couldn''t shake the concern that those affected might lose control, eventually transforming into rampaging dragons.


    The uncertain factor was whether these transformed individuals could retain their self-control. Nevertheless, the chilling reality was that if they were to lose control near the border, the results could be catastrophic. The enemy forces would seize upon any opportunity for widespread destruction.


    "I take it that the top brass isn''t that Willing to invade the magic people''snds any more thanks to this," Rain said.


    "That is right, but that isn''t all," Branden said. "The magic people sent an emissary two days ago with the terms of a truce that will make both of our countries unable to attack each other. However, they demand a few things in exchange for that since they think that they still have the upper hand."


    "Let me guess, my head?" Rain asked.


    "My head, too," Branden added.


    Rain was acutely aware of the ironic fate that often befell wartime heroes, only to be branded as mass murderers in times of peace. He had already anticipated such a scenario and had formted contingency ns. However, with Branden''s imminent inclusion in the royal family, the likelihood of them epting the magic people''s terms grew increasingly slim.


    Rain also grasped the grim reality that negotiating on this front was an uphill battle with the magic people. It became clear that, in their eyes, achieving a truce would necessitate the removal of both Rain and Branden from the equation.


    "His Majesty wouldn''t ept this for many reasons. That is why the magic people sent two other offers," Branden said.


    "I will pretend that he considered that my life was worth keeping," Rain said.


    "... The next offer was that someone from the royal family had to go to their capital and sign the papers," Branden said after a long sigh. "They knew that His Majesty or Her Majesty wouldn''t go. The prince is too young, and he is the future king as well, so they know that Esmeralda will go. They also demanded that only two escorts could go with her."


    "When did they be that cunning?" Rain asked. "I suspect the smart ones from their side didn''t join the war in the frontlines."


    In recent times, Rain had be something of a celebrated hero in the capital. His noteworthy feats and formidable skills had earned him respect and admiration from many quarters, elevating his status as a prominent figure in the city. During his stay in the capital, there were few others who could boast a simr level of recognition.


    Branden, always the shrewd strategist, saw the potential in Rain''s newfound fame. As he made preparations to apany his fianc¨¦e on her journey, he recognized an opportunity to capitalize on Rain''s heroic reputation.


    Branden intended to request Rain''s presence as an escort, knowing full well that having such a renowned hero at their side would not only boost their prestige but also enhance their safety.


    In contrast, despite holding a high-ranking position as a member of the royal guard, Revan might not possess the same physical prowess as Rain. His years of service might have steered him more towards ceremonial duties and administrative responsibilities rather than maintainingbat proficiency.


    Rain, on the other hand, had diligently continued his training, ensuring that he remained a formidablebatant.


    "What is the third option?" Rain asked.


    "... What is the best way to forge alliances?" Branden asked.


    "... marriage¡­ oh, boy¡­" Rain said.

 Chapter 230: Insanity

    "That is right, they want to marry you to thest general¡­ the one who brainwashed your father," Branden said. "Sorry for bringing this up, but I thought that I should be the one to say this to you."


    "What a married life, huh?" Rain asked. "We will see every day who is going to seed in stabbing each other in the back first. I never knew marriage was so thrilling."


    The audacious proposal from the magic people left Rain in disbelief. They suggested that Rain should marry none other than the infamous "Bitch of the Night," the woman who had once brainwashed his father. This suggestion defied all logic, considering Rain''s pivotal role in defeating her and rescuing his father several years ago.


    Faced with such a proposition, Rain found himself pondering the state of affairs. Despite its inevitable bloodshed and turmoil, the idea of reigniting the war didn''t seem as unattractive as it once had. The magic people had disyed cunning and treacherous tactics, making them formidable adversaries. Rain couldn''t help but consider the prospect of putting an end to their relentless scheming.


    "Naturally, His Majesty is aware of her powers and the possibility that they want to brainwash you," Branden said. "We can''t risk letting someone like you join their side. So, our only option is the number two."


    Rain empathized with Branden''s frustration. The mere possibility that their enemies might target his fiancee was enraging. The thought of any harming to her was enough to stoke the mes of anger within him.


    It was a challenging predicament to gauge whether their enemies would take any hostile action when they reached their destination. Even with their newfound strength, reigniting a war with the humans was a risky endeavor, as it could potentially draw the dragons into the conflict, adding anotheryer of danger to an alreadyplex situation.


    After pondering the situation for a while, Rain considered that escaping any perilous situation would likely be manageable for him alone. However, the challengey in safeguarding two others: Branden, while skilled in magic, required time to execute his most powerful spells. Relying solely on Branden might prove to be a daunting task.


    Failure to protect them could potentially ce not only him but also his family in an exceedingly precarious position.


    "How much time do we have?" Rain asked.


    "One month¡­ the trip to their capital will take three weeks, so one week left to the decide," Branden replied.


    "With my magic, we can reach the border on a single day, but we won''t be able to move freely once we cross it," Rain said. "It would be suspicious if we suddenlynded on their capital on a random day."


    "So¡­ two weeks," Branden said while looking at the ceiling. "His Majesty isn''t sure yet, though. "If we sign the truce, that could improve our image to themon people since they have to pay more taxes in times of war, but some of the nobles won''t like it."


    "I will help you if you decide on going, but I need to prepare a few things as well," Rain said. "You need to give the answer at least one week before the departure."


    "I will do that," Branden said.


    Rain went to his home while considering what he should do. In the end, he started by making up his mind to train harder. He had been cking a bit since the war started.


    In the depths of the tunnel beneath their house, Rain was wholly engrossed in the monumental task at hand. His hands, ready and determined,menced the manual excavation, employing a technique that elerated his stamina consumption. Also, with each burst of magical energy, the earth transformed into the rail system that would one day facilitate their underground transit.


    Rain''s burgeoning strength shielded him from immediate difort, allowing him to push forward without sumbing to physical strain. Yet, as his stamina gradually dwindled, the dull ache began to creep into his fingers. The thought did cross his mind that he could employ his potent punches to carve through the tunnel walls more efficiently.


    However, he hesitated, mindful of the potential repercussions like unintended seismic disturbances.


    Dana, Kei, and G observed their elder brother''s unwavering determination and his unorthodox excavation method with a mix of admiration and incredulity. It appeared as though Rain had embarked on a seemingly crazy venture, albeit one that was undeniably productive. To prevent his younger siblings from attempting to replicate his unique approach, Rain promptly discouraged them from doing so.


    "Did something happen?" Dana asked.


    "... I am going on a long mission soon, so I figured out that I should work on the tunnel as much as I can," Rain replied. "Don''t worry, I will do something for you three not to stay here alone."


    Bncing hismitment to duty with his sisters'' longing for their absent parents weighed heavily on Rain. Dana, Kei, and G, his younger siblings, would often request hisforting presence until they went to sleep at night. The idea of embarking on a month-long mission while they yearned for their parents tugged at his heart.


    However, the weight of responsibility meant he couldn''t simply decline the assignment.


    The girls, initially baffled by their older brother''s impending absence, soon grappled with the harsh reality of his leaving. They missing from their parents became increasingly evident. About a weekter, Leiah, their mother, appeared back home in a manner that left the girls astonished and bewildered.


    The iplete state of the tunnel, at just thirty percent, meant they hadn''t anticipated her return.


    Upon receiving the news of the mission, Rain sprang into action. Despite the tunnel''s unfinished status, he knew it was essential to ensure his mother''s safe passage. With nimbleness born of necessity, he created an opening in the middle of the path leading to their grandparents'' home. This solution not only facilitated Leiah''s return but also provided sce to his longing sisters.


    "Mama!" Dana, Kei, and G said at the same time and hugged Leiah.

 Chapter 231: The Start of the Journey

    "I missed you all too," Leiah said while patting them. "You said that you were working on something, but I didn''t think that it was something like that¡­ you never stop surprising us."


    "Well¡­ anyway, sorry about this, Mom," Rain said after he scratched his head. "I told my friends that I would be away for a while and that someone would stay with the girls, but I didn''t tell them. Still, I think it would be better if you don''t show yourself outside."


    "Don''t worry, I got this," Leiah said and then took some maid clothes from her luggage. "It will be fine if everyone thinks that I am a servant right?"


    Rain had a burning curiosity about why his mother was attired in a maid uniform. Yet, he couldn''t muster the courage to seek an exnation, fearing that the answer might scar him for life. Sometimes, it is better to let certain mysteries lie dormant.


    Roan, eager to apany Leiah , had expressed his desire toe. However, the precarious state of affairs in their region made his absence from guard duty for a whole month a risky proposition. Duty and responsibilities weighed heavily on his decision.


    Rain had already shared the news of the impending mission with his family. Despite their natural apprehensions about his safety, they ced unwavering faith in his skills and abilities. The potential threat posed by the magic people, as ryed by Branden, didn''t deter their confidence in Rain''s capability to ovee adversity.


    In any case, on the day of the departure, Rain woke up when it was still dark since he had to leave with Braden and his fiancee before sunrise. It was better to leave without letting anyone notice since some spies could be nearby.


    Rain looked for spies for weeks, but he didn''t find anyone with the magic people''s aura. Still, there was a chance that some inhabitants were selling information to the magic people while carrying favor in case the humans were defeated.


    In times of war, it wasmon for some people to y on both teams while thinking only of serving themselves. In any case, Rain said goodbye to his mother and sisters, but since they didn''t have to see him off and he was moving incognito, they soon returned to their beds.


    Using his magic, Rain flew toward Branden''s house, and thanks to that, not even the guards noticed when he passed above the area and then entered the building through an open window and then found Branden and Esmeralda waiting for him. They had a lot of luggage with them¡­ now that Rain thought about it, were they expecting that he would act like their servant?


    "... That is a lot of stuff," Rain said while looking at the five bags.


    "Three of them are filled with spiritual potions for us; don''t worry about it," Branden said.


    Rain nodded as he pondered whether there would be opportunities to use potions during a battle. Nevertheless, both Branden and Esmeralda quickly hopped onto the Earth tform Rain had conjured. It seemed a bit slender, prompting them to wonder if it could endure the weight of all their luggage.


    Despite their initial concerns, the tform exhibited no signs of cracking as it soared through the sky. Branden had always considered Earth magic to be the least practical of all the magical disciplines, as Earth mages hadn''t garnered much fame in their world''s history. However, during their flight, he couldn''t help but feel that Rain might change that perception.


    Before long, the group caught sight of the sun rising on the horizon. Its brilliance was a bit blinding as they continued in the same direction.


    "Rain, can you slow down a bit? It is hard to keep our eyes open moving this fast," Branden said. "We have four days to reach the border, after all."


    Turning around to not deal with the wind at this point was an option, but it seemed like a daunting prospect for all of them. After all, they were soaring a kilometer above the ground at a blistering speed of two hundred kilometers per hour. The idea of moving with their backs in the same direction wasn''t particrlyforting.


    With some time to spare, Rain opted to slow down their pace. This not only eased their anxiety but also conserved his mana. Speaking of mana conservation, Rain calcted that he could manage to transport both Branden, Esmeralda and their luggage for approximately three hours before needing to take a break.


    "To obtain even more mana and mana regeneration, perhaps I should focus on leveling up the Sage''s path," Rain thought. "Once I reach the max level, I should get a new ss that will have simr skills."


    As Rain approached the point of mana exhaustion, Branden handed him a set of potions designed to restore his mana. It was evident that Branden was determined to reach the border quickly, and this moment was the perfect opportunity to make use of these revitalizing elixirs.


    Their journey ended up taking a bit longer than expected, primarily because Branden and his future wife weren''t ustomed to traveling at such high speeds. They finally arrived around midnight, their swift flight leaving their hair tousled and unkempt.


    "We can stop at Retia to rest¡­ but I guess you are afraid of spies there as well?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, it is better if we camp elsewhere," Branden said.


    Rain scanned the surroundings, searching for a suitable ce to set up camp for the night. Part of him wished they could just rent some rooms for the group, as he didn''t want to feel like a third wheel on this journey. Yet, observing Branden and Esmeralda, he realized they weren''t indulging in romantic distractions as he had imagined. Maybe he was overthinking things after all.


    The group established their camp beneath a sturdy tree situated near a gentle hill. Rain skillfully manipted the earth, creating a shallow depression to serve as a makeshift shelter. However, he couldn''t fully enclose it; he needed to maintain a vignt watch over the surrounding area.


    Rain employed abination of wind and fire magic to ensure that the camp remained warm andfortable. As the others rested, he assumed his position on guard duty, ready to protect them through the night.

 Chapter 232: Not an option

    As the morning sun ascended, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling that Esmeralda might have an inkling about his true identity and his connection to Branden. It was increasingly apparent that those who harbored a certain fear of him probably had more knowledge about his background than he''d prefer.


    Rain mulled over whether this newfound awareness stemmed from Branden''s actions or his own inadvertent disclosure. He also exchanged a subtle nce with his father. Still, their disparity in hair color made it challenging to draw any definitive conclusions.


    "You guys sure know how to make this trip awkward," Branden said.


    "I am not doing anything. She is just being overly careful of looking at me since I am more handsome than you," Rain said while they were preparing to move when the sun began to rise.


    "Yeah, right¡­" Braden chuckled. "... he is wrong, right?"


    "Nothing more handsome than a guy insecure about his appearance," Rain shrugged.


    As the group pressed forward, Esmeralda leaned closer to Branden and whispered something in his ear. A noticeable transformation swept across Branden''s face, moving from a worried expression to one of relief. Rain found it intriguing that even someone as renowned as Branden sought the approval of others.


    They continued their journey on foot, with Rain shouldering the burden of their belongings. He had opted to forgo his usual weights, leaving him feeling somewhat uneasy. Despite the need for vignce, Rain couldn''t shake this sense of restlessness that seemed to bother him.


    "How are we going to proceed from here?" Rain asked.


    "We will walk like normal until someone at the border finds us. We have a document with the royal crest, and Esmeralda also has one. She just has to sign the truce with it," Branden said. "We should be sure not to lose it, though."


    In this world, family crests served not only as symbols of lineage and status but also yed a crucial role in legal matters, especially for authenticating signatures on important documents. Faking a family crest was a serious offense. Still, the gravest crime of all, one punishable by death, involved attempting to forge or use the royal crest when one had no rightful im to it.


    Rain fully grasped the significance of thesews, and it struck him as peculiar that their adversaries were insistent on having a member of the royal family present.


    As for Esmeralda, Rain couldn''t help but notice her determination. She didn''te across as entitled or spoiled, and her resolutemitment to this journey hinted at a strong character. Nevertheless, it didn''t necessarily imply that shecked naivety or had no regard for her own safety.


    Around noon, the group reached the border between the nations, and Rain looked around for possible scouts. He didn''t find any, even with his magic eyes. That made him think that some people in their country truly were working for the magic people as well. Thanks to that, they will be able to avoid ambushes for a while.


    "I don''t know much about the magic people''s country now that I think about it. Where is their closest city or vige?" Rain asked.


    "It should be two days away. Thanks to their tradition, the weakest tribes leave further from the central area of their country," Branden exined.


    "Is it more fertile or something?" Rain asked.


    "That is right, even though they can control the weather, only a few tribes can do that and even turn barrennds into ces where something can grow," Branden exined. "In the past, they fought each other for the central areas since that caused too many deaths. Eventually, only the tribe leaders would fight for the territories.


    Even if one of them won and, they could only challenge one monthter to maintain some semnce of order."


    "You are well informed," Rain said. "I guess I should broaden the types of books that I read."


    "You only studied in the school of Tristan for two months, right?" Branden asked. "I guess it can''t be helped since this kind of lesson ismon knowledge in the capital academy."


    "My little sisters will learn for me," Rain shrugged.


    As the group traveled throughout the day, nightfall eventuallypelled them to establish their camp. After contributing to the camp preparations, Rain decided to take a brief nap to replenish his energy. During his short slumber beneath the night sky, he found himself engaged in apelling conversation upon awakening.


    In this conversation, Rain and Branden delved into the history of the magic people. They discussed how, over the past century, these magicalmunities had be increasingly interconnected. Their poption had expanded significantly, but they still maintained a strict homogenous structure, forbidding inter-tribal marriages.


    That puzzled Rain since they wanted to marry him with that crazy bitch. It only made it more obvious that they wanted to brainwash him. In recent decades, the various magic tribes have begun trading with each other, fostering increased cooperation among them. Each tribe possessed its own viges and towns, and the size of their territories generally corrted with their poptions.


    Nevertheless, theirnds were somewhat less fertile than those inhabited by humans. This resource discrepancy likely yed a role in their attempts to encroach upon human territories over the past decade.


    Due to their increased contact, the magic tribes established a councilprising leaders from each tribe. They implemented a system where leaders could gain more influence based on their achievements and the prosperity of their tribes. In times of crisis, some leaders could evenmand other tribes if a leader was incapacitated or died and a new leader couldn''t be promptly selected.


    "I guess that means that their chain ofmand will never be destroyed," Rain said and then sighed. "That is why they only retreated after two out of the three generals retreated¡­ they have too much autonomy in times of war, the guys the upper echelon."


    "That is right, assassination isn''t an option against them, not like we have many people good at that," Branden said. "Not that I know, at least."

 Chapter 233: The first village

    While they journeyed through what could be deemed enemy territory, the group managed to evade detection, and Rain''s senses didn''t pick up any signs of surveince. This led them to specte that the magic people had their hands full dealing with the ongoing dragon conflict.


    Their assumption was that the magic people might have utilized individuals who could transform into humanoid dragons as a means to dissuade humans from prying into their affairs or conducting investigations. This appeared to be a usible reason for theck of encounters or any indications that they were being watched.


    In the end, they found the first vige of the enemy territory. As Rain and hispanions approached the vige, it became clear that this settlement belonged to the Water Snipers, as Branden had mentioned. These magic people had ingeniously rerouted nearby rivers to flow around their vige, creating a dual advantage.


    The redirected waters not only provided a consistent source of food through fishing but also irrigated the adjacentnds, enabling the cultivation of crops right along the riverbanks. It was a testament to their resourcefulness and ability to harmonize with nature.


    Thework of canals and water channels that wove through the vige showcased the vigers'' clever engineering. The fertile fields, nourished by the proximity of the river, flourished with crops. It was a striking example of how magic and nature could coborate to sustain a thrivingmunity.


    However, as Rain and his group neared the vige, the peaceful scene gave way to tension. The vigers, who had been peacefully fishing moments earlier, quickly shifted into a state of alertness. Most of the people they could see appeared to be children or elderly individuals, implying that the vige''s capable defenders were likely away at the moment.


    This sudden change in atmosphere hinted that the vigers had faced previous threats or intruders, leading them to be cautious about outsiders.


    "If they attack, only focus on defense, we can''t mess up here," Branden said.


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ being attacked and being unable to retaliate was more than he could handle. Still, it was a part of the job, so it couldn''t be helped.


    Fortunately, no fight broke out, but a lot of vigers moved to face them if they had to. They soon realized that they could have been ambushed, but that didn''t happen for whatever reason.


    "My name is Brandon Corsalis, and I am an emissary of the human kingdom," Branden stepped forward and dered. "We are here to negotiate the terms of the truce. We aren''t here to fight."


    The arrival of Rain and his group stirred whispers among the vigers of the Water Snipers. They conversed quietly among themselves, not taken aback by the mention of a truce but rather surprised by the suddenness of this visit.


    After several minutes of murmured discussion, a figure stepped forward from the vigers. He was a tall man with an air of authority, apanied by younger recruits or trainees. As Rain observed them up close, what stood out about this group was their strikingmonality: brilliant blue eyes and an innate chill in their presence.


    This discovery perplexed Rain. He hadn''t noticed this trait before, perhaps because it was unique to the Water Snipers. It seemed likely that these characteristics were linked to their magical abilities or their affiliation with the water element.


    The fact that these traits vanished upon death might exin why Rain hadn''t recognized them sooner, as such details were hard to discern with lifeless bodies.


    "... We weren''t informed that you woulde," The tall man said.


    "Is that so?" Branden asked. "We came as fast as we could to avoid future problems between our countries."


    "... We will have to confirm with the council of the area about the veracity of this fact," The tall man said. "A message should arrive in two days. Until then, you are free to stay here."


    Considering the magic people''s extensive territory, it was logical to assume that the main council had set up smaller outposts to manage everyday issues. These smaller centers likely served as regional hubs where the subordinates of high-ranking leaders handled minor problems and disputes. This decentralized structure allowed the magic people to govern their vastnds efficiently.


    The group faced an unsettling prospect: a two-day hiatus. This break wasn''t ideal, given the mission''s importance. Yet, their choices were limited, and they had no alternative but to wait until they could meet with the higher authorities for the truce negotiations.


    Branden gave an approving nod, and the tall man assumed the role of their guide. He led the group to a central vige building. This ce served as temporary amodation for visiting soldiers and messengers from other tribes. In a society like that of the magic people, where coboration and cooperation were crucial, traditional inns were unnecessary, even in remote viges.


    The building they entered turned out to be well-kept and more than adequate. It was clean and organized, sparing the group from the usual worries of checking their luggage. Outside, a group of vigers had congregated, casting cautious nces towards the neers. Rain mirrored their vignce, positioning himself by a window in their room to keep a watchful eye on the vigers outside.


    "They aren''t strong, and the captain is just a bit average. He is more like a teacher for the recruits of the vige," Rain said.


    "Let''s not think about fighting them for the time being," Branden said. "Although I am worried that an army mighte in two days to surround us¡­ I am just joking, rx."


    Esmeralda appeared a touch nervous after Branden''s jest, and her unease didn''t go unnoticed. The sudden shift in his tone and demeanor had raised suspicions. It seemed like he might be considering the situation more seriously since he raised the possibility, and he realized that he shouldn''t have voiced that.


    "I don''t think that they had an army big enough to stop us. It will be too risky," Rain said. "If they are going to try anything, they will wait until we are further in their territory."

 Chapter 234: Poison

    "... Some of them looked at you with a lot of animosity. How could you ignore that?" Esmeralda asked.


    Both Rain and Branden were caught off guard by the sudden question. It was the first time Esmeralda had made an effort to engage in conversation with Rain, which made the situation even more surprising for both of them.


    "Their anger is lukewarmpared to the rage and bloodlust of people in a war that had been away from their homes for months," Rain replied. "It also helps that I don''t care if they hate me since I never caused problems for them. They always start fights with me, so I am automatically in the right all the time."


    "I don''t think that it is that simple¡­" Braden furrowed his eyebrows.


    With some spare time and a well of mana at his disposal, Rain decided to engage in an experiment involving his water magic. His initial step involved meticulously gathering all the moisture present in the room''s atmosphere. As he concentrated, the room''s temperature gradually increased, clearly demonstrating his ability to manipte the water molecules for heating purposes.


    Executing this process with precision, he then reversed the procedure, deftly transforming the collected moisture into suspended droplets throughout the room. As a result, the room''s temperature began to drop, sending a palpable chill through the space.


    This experiment allowed Rain not only to refine his control over water magic but also to assess his capacity to manipte temperature with precision.


    "The others said that you were a training freak, but don''t go overboard¡­ we can''t afford to get sick here," Branden said while trembling a bit.


    "My bad," Rain said.


    Pleased with his initial experiment''s sess, Rain marveled at the control he exhibited over his water magic. It was surprising, given that he hadn''t devoted as much time to honing his water-based abilitiespared to other elemental powers. He wondered if his proficiency was somehow linked to his name.


    With newfound confidence, Rain decided to push the boundaries of his capabilities further. He extended his magical influence beyond the room, summoning a small rain cloud. In a matter of moments, the once-clear sky darkened, and raindrops began to fall.


    His ability to replicate the natural phenomenon of rain underscored his impressive mastery of water magic, even though he hadn''t practiced it as frequently as other elements. It was thanks to his past knowledge and a bit of science.


    Amid the vignt gazes of the vigers, none of them discerned that Rain had conjured the rain cloud. He quietly assessed his newfound control over his water magic, keeping hisposure intact.


    In the meantime, the towering guard overseeing their stay instructed a group of young recruits to supply them with food. Though Rain and hispanions had their own rations, they epted the offered meal, appreciating thefort and warmth it provided during the truce negotiations.


    "... Is it safe to eat?" Esmeralda asked. "Maybe this is rude, but..."


    "It is fine, I can use healing magic and Rain should be even more proficient about that," Branden said.


    "What if they want to put us to sleep instead of poisoning us?" Rain asked.


    "To knock down someone like you, they would need a lot of drugs, and that would affect the taste of the food," Branden said and then began to eat. "You can cancel the effects of the drugs on us before they can affect you."


    It was apparent that Rain''s robust physique grants him a considerable resilience to the effects of drugs. His body, a testament to years of strenuous training and exposure to magical energies, exhibits a high resistance to the adverse consequences of substances that would incapacitate a less hardy individual.


    Rain can scarcely recall ever suffering frommon ailments like the flu or other typical mdies that afflict most people. His body operates at such an elevated level of vitality that illnesses seem to steer clear of him. This remarkable immunity isn''t solely attributable to his physical fortitude; it is intricately tied to his mastery of magic.


    Rain''s well-honed magical abilities appear to bolster his overall health, providing a safeguard against the myriad of misceneous health issues that typically gue others. Colds, stomach bugs, and othermonce ailments seldom make an appearance in Rain''s life, and when they do, they are usually swiftly repelled.


    It transpired that their apprehensions had been unwarranted, and their suspicions regarding the food being tainted with poison were baseless. Over the course of the following two days, nothing untoward urred, and their health remained unaffected.


    Rain, in the end, couldn''t shake off the suspicion that a remote vige like this possessed such a potent and specialized drug would be weird. However, it did pique his interest in the idea of establishing awork of water channels within the Capital, allowing people to navigate the city by boat ¨C a concept reminiscent of the enchanting boat trips one can experience in the city of Venice.


    In Venice, these boat journeys provide a one-of-a-kind and unforgettable experience. Passengers are guided through an intricate maze of canals on elegant gonds. These charming waterways wind beneath picturesque bridges and past centuries-old buildings adorned with captivating architectural designs.


    Venice''s boat rides are renowned for their serene and romantic ambiance, making them a beloved attraction for tourists. They offer a unique and enchanting way to explore the city, granting a fresh perspective on its rich history and culture.


    On the morning of the third day of their stay in the vige, Rain finally could see a toon of around thirty soldiersing from the distance. When he told the others about that, they raised their guards, but soon Rain informed them that he could see two carriages as well.


    "One of them must be for us. Another one should be a big shot of the area who will guide us to their capital," Branden said.


    "And the guards are to make sure that we will walk in a straight line toward their trap," Rain said.

 Chapter 235: Introductions

    "Your sense of humor is too dreadful, Rain," Branden said.


    The group gathered in the room, awaiting the arrival of the vige leader. Despite their critical mission, they understood the importance of adhering to etiquette and diplomatic protocols.


    Rain, ustomed to the straightforwardness of soldiers or perhaps guided by his pragmatic nature, couldn''t help but view these formalities as somewhat superfluous.


    The moment arrived when the leader of the group, nked by two guards, knocked on the door and made a formal entrance. He introduced himself with an air of gravity, a disy of courtesy that Rain found surprising given their current surroundings and the urgency of their mission.


    "Good day, my lord and mydy," The man said while bowing. "My name is Geio, vice leader of the Goleans tribes. I hope that you find suitable my position given that I was given the escort of your entourage to the capital."


    Geio, the vice leader of the golem masters, held a position in theory somewhat akin to individuals like Roan, those who were rted to someone important but didn''t wield substantial influence themselves.


    Geio has a tall and lean build, often with a rugged aura. His hair, graying at the temples, is usually styled short and neatlybed. He sports a chiseled jawline and a pair of intense, piercing eyes. He typically exudes an air of tough confidence, often seen in action-packed roles.


    Despite his position as the vice leader of the golem masters, Geio appeared much younger than expected, perhaps in his thirties. This observation led the group to realize that the aging process among the magic people differed significantly from that of humans, granting them longer lifespans.


    However, Geio''s initial demeanor was less than weing to Rain since he stood somewhat apart from the group during the introductions, seemingly disinterested or even dismissive. Branden shot Rain a puzzled nce, but Rain subtly shook his head, suggesting they not make too much of Geio''s aloofness.


    "My name is Branden Corsalis, and this is my fiancee, Esmeralda Rosalis," Branden said, realizing that it was better to keep Rain''s name hidden in order not to let the magic people confirm who he was or not. "We will be counting on you to reach the capital and then sign the truce."


    "Certainly, we have provided a carriage for your entourage," Geio said and then bowed again.


    Rain grabbed their things, and then the group headed toward the carriages. Although Rain felt some hostility from the vigers, he didn''t feel anything from the soldiers. They were wearing ordinary armor, but they still had the aura of golem masters, so they had plenty of reasons to hate him.


    "Why are they trying to look what they aren''t?" Rain wondered.


    While the group traveled in the carriage, Rain pondered the need for a secure means ofmunication, considering the sensitivity of their mission. The importance of privacy in discussions was evident.


    Rain noted that the magic people had limitations in sensing magic. This sparked an idea ¨C a way tomunicate discreetly without arousing suspicion.


    Rain conducted an experiment during their journey, confirming that while their conversation might be overheard, the closed carriage doors and windows shielded their actions from prying eyes outside. This understanding led Rain to a clever n.


    He harnessed his control over the minuscule particles in the air, manipting them with precision. This enabled him to transmit a secret message to Branden and Esmeralda, meant exclusively for theirprehension: "All Golem Masters." It served as a covert means of confirming their shared identity without alerting anyone else in the carriage.


    Branden and Esmeralda were surprised that Rain could tell that much, but Rain was a bit bothered by the fact that he couldn''t show many letters at once with the bit of dust that he could control inside.


    As their journey continued, it settled into a somewhat predictable routine. Days passed without any noteworthy incidents as they made steady progress toward their destination. However, one aspect of their trip struck Rain as rather peculiar ¨C the constant motion, even during the nighttime.


    Rain couldn''t help but notice that the carriages were being pulled by golems, remarkable creations of magical engineering. What puzzled him was the soldiers'' seemingly boundless stamina, as they showed no signs of weariness despite the relentless pace.


    This went on day and night, and after several days, Rain found himself pondering whether there was a hidden secret or method behind the soldiers'' enduring endurance during this demanding journey.


    After two days of travel, the group arrived in a bustling and expansive city. It was evident that this city held significant importance, possibly serving as the center of governance for the eastern region of the magic people''s territory.


    Through the carriage window, they observed a hive of activity, with golems diligently engaged in various tasks, whether it was carrying heavy loads or pulling carriages.


    The city had a distinct earthy tone, with most structures seemingly crafted using earth magic, often with the assistance of golems. Rain couldn''t help but marvel at the sheer number of golem masters present in this city, a testament to their prominence within the magic people''s society.


    "We are going to stay here for the night and change the guard," Geio dered. "The inn that we are going to use is already reserved. Please use this chance to rx since we are going to travel in a carriage for one more week before reaching the capital."


    Remaining confined in a carriage for an extended period was undeniably arduous, and both Branden and Esmeralda were feeling the toll. Carriages, no matter how well-designed, inherently had limited space. Being cooped up for such an extended duration led to a sense of ustrophobia.


    Inside a carriage, movement was restricted. Branden and Esmeralda couldn''t stretch their legs or shift positions as freely as they could outside. Roads, especially those traversed by carriages, weren''t always smooth. Constant jolts and bumps from the uneven terrain caused physical difort.


    Those two felt a sense of freedom like never before once they left the vehicle. As for Rain, he was fine since he treated the whole thing like a training session to forge his willpower.

 Chapter 236: Greenhorn

    As they approached the inn, the entire city seemed to have its gaze fixed upon them. It was quite evident that the magic people hadn''t hosted many human visitorstely. Despite her best efforts to maintain herposure, Esmeralda couldn''t help but break into a light sweat under the weight of the intense scrutiny.


    On the other hand, Branden''s countenance remained severe as he carefully surveyed their surroundings.


    For Rain, a rush of memories came flooding back. He recalled the grim significance of Branden''s actions¡­ Leo was somewhere in that country. He was the cause of many deaths in their families, and there was a chance that they could find him.


    Rain couldn''t help but wonder how Branden would react if they were to encounter Leo, the infamous traitor who held the dubious distinction of being the worst in the history of their human country. Leo''s actions had led to the tragic demise of their grandparents and Branden''s father. The potential for such a reunion weighed heavily on Rain''s mind as they made their way through the city.


    "He also caused me a lot of trouble, but¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Leo caused too many problems for Rain''s family, so he wondered why he was so calm about all that¡­ he thought of having his revenge for a while. Still, soon, he focused on more productive matters.


    In any case, the group soon reached the inn, and Geio also took a room on the side. Rain also wished that he had a room for himself. He was a bodyguard now, but he was starting to get annoyed by the atmosphere of the other two lovebirds.


    When the atmosphere started to get weird, he would exercise a little, and that would be enough to stop those two from thinking of making out.


    "You are with your weights again¡­ howe you are not sweating?" Branden asked.


    "I sweat, but I use magic to get rid of it before it bes apparent," Rain replied.


    Branden and Esmeralda found themselves utterly astonished by Rain''s revtion. The idea of having such a precise control over sweat to prevent it from appearing during their journey left them truly amazed. It underscored the level of mastery Rain had attained through his rigorous training and showcased his exceptional abilities.


    Sweat is formed as a natural bodily response to regte temperature and cool down our bodies. It is primarilyposed of water, with small amounts of dissolved salts and trace amounts of otherpounds. The process of sweating begins when the body''s internal temperature rises, typically due to physical exertion, high ambient temperatures, or emotional stress.


    Sweat itself is usually odorless, but when it remains on your skin, it can mix with bacteria present on your skin''s surface. These bacteria break down certainponents of sweat, leading to the creation of odor.


    Rain also used his magic to get rid of the smell, but to do that, he used the moisture in the air to clean himselfpletely. He didn''t have to take a bath anymore if he wanted, but he liked to soak in a warm bath for half an hour.


    "I never heard of someone that trained their magic like that," Branden said while frowning.


    "You don''t have to follow everything that others did. You can also forge your own path," Rain said.


    That kind of training started just as a way for Rain to use his magic in thest few days and improve his control over water magic, but it reached a high level pretty fast. That wasn''t all¡­


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Martial Artist path received 300 experience points.


    Once again, Rain recognized the importance of experimentation and the need to explore various training methods to enhance his strength. He realized that continuous experimentation was the key to making progress.


    As night descended, Geio gathered them for dinner in the inn''s lobby, where the entire space had been reserved exclusively for their group. The absence of other guests was conspicuous. However, Rain''s heightened awareness, assisted by his earth magic, allowed him to detect numerous individuals stationed around the building.


    They seemed ready to spring into action at a moment''s notice, creating a palpable tension in the air and highlighting the cautious approach of their hosts.


    "We didn''t have time to talk until now, but shall we?" Geio asked. "I hope that someone like me isn''t thinking too highly of himself for having dinner with you two and the serious looking gentleman."


    "I asionally call some subordinates to have dinner at my home. We also celebrate often together," Branden said. "To be rather frank, I am not a fan of too much etiquette when eating."


    "We heard a lot of you. Despite your young age, you are quite the talentedmander and genius tactician," Geio said.


    "There are others who are better than me. I am still a greenhorn in that aspect," Branden said. "I only learned most of the things that I known from books and got lucky in some situations, nothing more."


    After extending hispliments to Branden, Geio briefly considered offering simr praise to Esmeralda but decided against it. He felt it might be inappropriate toment on the attractiveness of an already engaged woman.


    Continuing their conversation, Rain seized the opportunity to enjoy the piping hot,plimentary meal before him, savoring each bite as he satisfied his hunger.


    While Rain had a fondness for Earth-style cuisine, he also relished the chance to sample new dishes. In the city, they encountered a unique culinary experience¡ªresembling pasta in appearance, yet distinct in vor. These dishes featured white, doughy pockets generously filled with a tantalizing blend of meat and vegetables, a delightful departure from his usual fare.


    "Come to think of it, I didn''t hear your name until now, did I?" Geio asked while looking at Rain and smiling, a smile that didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Why the sudden interest?" Rain asked. "Besides, you already know who I am."


    "Well, introductions are important," Geio said, still smiling.

 Chapter 237: History

    "Do you really want to tell me our grudges while we eat?" Rain asked. "I can tell that some people close to you died in the war, but getting pissed won''t change a thing. Remember who started the war."


    The room''s atmosphere took an awkward turn after Rain''s straightforward remark. While his logic was sound, his no-nonsense approach left the conversation feeling somewhat tense. Rain had little patience for pleasantries and preferred to get straight to the point, which sometimes rubbed people the wrong way.


    Geio let out a weary sigh. He wasn''t entirely unsympathetic to Rain''s perspective; there was a valid point to be made. However, Rain''s unflinchingly calm demeanor when presenting his argument seemed to irk him. Branden and Esmeralda, while trying to maintainposure, couldn''tpletely hide their difort either.


    "You are quite different than the rumors say¡­ some people believe that you are a giant that only bathes in the blood of your enemies," Geio said.


    "That doesn''t sound very hygienic," Rain said. "We were talking about baths earlier, remember? Did we talk about blood as well?"


    "It wasn''t about baths. It was how you don''t show your sweat," Branden corrected. "Speaking of which, you look pretty well educated, even though you only went to school for two months. I heard that Roan wasn''t a fan of etiquette, so I didn''t imagine that he taught you a lot."


    "No, he didn''t," Rain said. "Anyway, what else do people say about me around these parts?"


    "... That your punches can make the ground tremble," Geio said. "Some people still don''t believe that you defeated Master Rosh¡­ he was so famous that even people from other tribes begged to be trained by him."


    "The second general?" Rain asked. "He was strong indeed. In a normal fight, I would have lost. My magic saved my ass."


    "Is that so¡­ I thought that considering your age, you would be more boastful as well," Geio said while studying Rain.


    "The only thing that I can boast about myself is my good looks," Rain shrugged.


    Rain considered the possibility of visiting and sparring with the Martial Artists if the truce were to be signed. Despite defeating their previous leader, he believed there was still much he could learn from them. They probably would hate his guts to their very souls, though.


    As the night fell, Rain took up his guard duty. His ability to stay awake for extended periods had improved over time, making his naps more effective. Fortunately, the night passed without any incidents. Still, that didn''t make Branden and Esmeralda feel more at ease.


    Morning came, and a new set of guards took over. Their group now consisted of forty people, and Rain sensed a difference in their auras. Using his magic sight, he shared his observations with the others: among the guards were ten Mercury Warriors, ten Quicksand Executioners, ten Golem Masters, and ten unknown soldiers.


    Thisst category of unknown soldiers raised concerns for Branden and Esmeralda. Rain had not encountered them during the war, and their presence was unsettling. It would be hard to do anything on time and avoid trouble if they start a fight, after all.


    As the group continued their journey across the country, they were met with a striking transformation in thendscape. The scenery unfolded before them, revealing a multitude of trees, each adorned with leaves of different hues. These trees ranged from deep greens to fiery reds and bright yellows, painting the surroundings with a vivid and captivating palette of colors.


    The path they were traveling along revealed a striking showcase of nature''s wonders. Various nts lined the route, some of which appeared to be unique to the magic people''s territory. These remarkable nts flourished here, adding vibrant sshes of color and life to thendscape.


    The thriving wildlife in this area contributed to the sense of wonder. Birds with vibrant plumage flitted about, serenading the surroundings with their melodious songs. Small creatures scuttled among the underbrush, and now and then, glimpses of graceful deer or inquisitive foxes served as a testament to the thriving ecosystem of thisnd.


    It was increasingly apparent to the group that their previous information about the magic people''s territory had grown outdated. The fertility and vibrancy of thisnd far exceeded their expectations,


    "I thought that we would see a lot more green, but only further in the territory," Branden said while his voice seemed surprised; he was looking at Rain with serious eyes.


    "It can''t be helped since the countries have been at odds for who knows how many decades?" Rain asked while understanding the message. "When was thest time the humans sent an entourage to the demi-humans'' territory?"


    "Fifty years ago?" Branden asked while looking at Esmeralda, and she nodded.


    "I suppose we should try that again soon¡­" Esmeralda said. "I will talk with my father, that country also has arge diversity in terms of wildlife and nts."


    "In that case, I will organize some people that are suited for diplomacy. I also know a bit about the terrain of their country, so maybe I should go as well," Branden said.


    Just like that, Branden decided to take mental notes about the geography of the magic people''s territory while Esmeralda tried to recall the nts and creatures they would see as much as possible. That kind of knowledge cane in handy in the future."


    As days flowed seamlessly, the group traversed this vivid and mesmerizing terrain. They passed by several towns en route, but their journey remained uninterrupted. It was evident that the magic-wielding escorts were in a hurry.


    Their carriages were well-stocked with an abundance of food and water, ensuring theycked neither sustenance nor refreshment. Yet, the magic people apanying them were resolute in their desire to maintain their swift pace.


    Thendscape continued to transform with every mile they covered, unveiling fresh marvels along their path. This expedition was a blend of natural splendor and enigma, underscored by an unswervingmitment to reach their destination without dy.

 Chapter 238: Dragons magic

    Branden and Esmeralda grew increasingly restless after a week of confinement within the carriages. They asionally took short walks in an attempt to break the monotony of their journey. However, these strolls were cut short whenever they spotted something unusual in the distance.


    These oddities often took the form of flying creatures or massive reptiles roaming thendscape. For the sake of safety, they were quickly ushered back into the carriages whenever these mysterious beings appeared on the horizon.


    "How curious¡­ why wouldn''t they just kill them all?" Rain thought.


    It shouldn''t be difficult, given that they can mobilize all the tribes to start a war of conquest. They should be able to use them as well to hunt monsters.


    In any case, Rain forgot about that when he finally could see the capital of the Magic People country. Branden and Esmeralda could see it as well, and they were left speechless.


    The capital of the magic people''s country was a breathtaking sight to behold. It stood tall, resembling a colossal structure with multipleyers that seemed to reach for the sky. When viewed from a distance, the city appeared as a magnificent and vibrant castle adorned with a plethora of trees, nts, and flowers that added a burst of color to its facade.


    From the upper levels of the city, cascading fountains and winding canals snaked their way down, creating a picturesque and majestic scene. The entire city seemed to harmonize with nature, blending the elements seamlessly into its design.


    It was a ce of wonder and enchantment, where the beauty of the natural world coexisted gracefully with the architectural marvels of the magic people''s civilization.


    It looked like the ce could keep expanding and it resembled a bit of a pyramid with several levels.


    "Wee to our capital," Geio said when the carriage showed down, and he decided to stretch his legs a bit as well. "I hope that the journey wasn''t that harsh on you all."


    "It was fine," Branden said while rotating his upper body once he left the vehicle. "What should we do from here onward?"


    "You all can just wait while I inform the council about your arrival. You should have a chance to meet them soon enough," Geio replied.


    Soon enough wasn''t enough for Rain. He wanted a clear date; otherwise, they might stay there for weeks since their soon enough probably wasn''t the same as humans.


    In any case, the group eventually reached the city after crossing the entrance, and while they saw a lot of people along the way, it was the first time they saw so many magic people without wearing hoods.


    The magic people hailed from a myriad of tribes, each bearing a distinctive and unique appearance that set them apart from one another. Their diversity was a testament to the rich tapestry of cultures within their civilization. Mercury Warriors tended to be shorter in stature but had incredibly well-defined muscles, a testament to their physical prowess.


    They were often adorned with intricate tattoos and body paint, showcasing their tribal affiliations. Their eyes were keen and sharp, reflecting their vignt nature.


    Members of the Fire Dancer tribe exuded an aura of fiery passion. They often had striking red or auburn hair reminiscent of flickering mes. Their eyes held a glint of determination, mirroring their fervor for mastering fire magic. Fire Dancers wore clothing adorned with intricate patterns resembling mes and embers.


    These magic people had a close bond with nature, and it showed in their appearance. They were often covered in earthy, leafy garments, blending seamlessly into wooded environments. Their hair was adorned with flowers and vines, and their eyes sparkled with the wisdom of the forests.


    The Air Nomads possessed an ethereal and otherworldly appearance. They were often slender and graceful, with flowing garments that seemed to defy gravity as they fluttered in the wind. Their eyes appeared dreamy and distant, symbolizing their deep connection to the skies and the wind.


    As expected, those drew a lot of attention, even more so since they were surprised that a lot of people from different tribes lived in harmony and managed to build a city like that. It was a clear sign that required the cooperation of numerous tribes.


    As the group ventured further into the capital city, they encountered its unique architecturalyout. The city was divided into distinct sectors, each stacked atop the other, creating a multi-tiered metropolis. To navigate between these sectors, they found themselves ascending numerous flights of stairs, which connected the bustlingyers of the city.


    The vignt guards guided their journey through the city''splex geography. These guardians of the magic people civilization led them to a quiet and vacant inn, signaling a temporary respite from their travels. Here, the group would find a moment of rest. Geio parted ways with them to fulfill his own duties.


    Upon entering their room, the group refrained from immediately unpacking their belongings. Branden and Esmeralda, their weariness evident, opted to take a moment''s respite by sitting on the room''s beds. In contrast, Rain, vignt as ever, began a thorough survey of their immediate surroundings.


    With his keen perception and heightened sensitivity to magic, Rain silently indicated various points within the room. His gestures revealed that he could detect the presence of magic people not just around them but also above and below.


    At the same time, Branden sighed¡­ it was difficult not to do anything about that, but it couldn''t be helped. As for Rain, he equipped a cloak and hid the best potions on his back. He didn''t like cloaks since they hindered his movements a bit, but that was necessary.


    "The atmosphere of the city seemed pretty peaceful. I thought that things would be more intense since the dragons are threatening them," Esmeralda said.


    "Indeed, but for us who live in the capital, it is difficult to grasp dangerous situations when they are too far away from us," Branden said. "A lot of tribes live here, but I imagine those are the upper echelon''s servants and family."


    "I thought that they didn''t have servants," Rain said.

 Chapter 239: Situation

    "Sometimes, it is the only solution to have them for numerous reasons," Branden said. "When people here have too much debt, they be servants of others for a determined period of time. Still, it is rare for them to serve other tribes, and the conditions are much better than inside the dragon''s country since they either kill or enve those who they want with their magic."


    Rain''s apparentck of surprise regarding the existence of very in this world reflected his pragmatic outlook on reality. Through his diverse experiences and travels, he hade to understand that very was an unfortunate feature of many societies. This oppressive institution had endured in various forms and manifestations in their world and throughout Earth''s history.


    It served as a somber testament to the darker aspects of humanity, highlighting how individuals could exploit and dominate others for personal gain.


    While some societies had made efforts to abolish very and rectify this historical injustice, Rain had observed firsthand that it still persisted in the shadows. This reality was a stark reminder that the pursuit of justice and equality was an ongoing challenge. Hisck of astonishment stemmed from a sober recognition of the world''splexities.


    It underscored how oppression and exploitation could endure, even in the midst of societal progress and enlightenment.


    "Dragons magic?" Rain asked.


    "This is kept as a secret for many reasons and not to spread panic, but I guess it is fine if you learn about that," Branden said. "While dragons also can use high-level elemental magic, they can also use something like authority magic. It has many applications, but one of them is to magically bind someone or something to obey their will."


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a sense of puzzlement. During his time at Tristan School, he had delved into various texts and materials, including those rted to magical creatures. Yet, he had nevere across any records or mentions of authority magic being employed by dragons.


    This new revtion added yet anotheryer ofplexity to the world of magic and its applications that he was only just beginning to explore.


    "Dragons are wild creatures that live for their desires, and they are the purest manifestation of the seven deadly sins," Branden added. "They are greedy, so they attacked many kingdoms throughout history to steal their riches, and they also took the woman they liked."


    Dragons are born with a fiery rage that fuels their territorial disputes and conflicts. They fiercely protect their nests and hoards, often engaging in battles over dominance. Their wrath is a driving force throughout their lives, especially in their youth.


    As dragons mature, they be beings of intense desire. This desire can lead to intense conflicts and rivalries, driven by their insatiable lust. In their early adulthood, dragons sumb to Sloth. They prefer lounging by moltenva pools, taking long naps, and conserving energy. Their once-fiery natures be lethargic, and they exert minimal effort unless provoked.


    Dragons amass vast hoards of treasure, from gold to precious gems. They guard these riches zealously and will often raid nearby settlements for more plunder. Their desire for wealth and material possessions is insatiable.


    Dragons have an enormous appetite, consuming entire herds of livestock and vast swaths of natural resources. Their consumption disrupts ecosystems and leaves barrenndscapes in their wake, driven by an endless hunger.


    As dragons age, they be envious of younger, more powerful dragons. They may conspire and plot to undermine their rivals'' dominance, seeking to elevate their own status. Envy often leads to maniption and treachery. While it wasn''tmon for that kind of thing to seed, it certainly happens.


    In their twilight years, dragons be consumed by Pride. They see themselves as the supreme beings and demand respect from all creatures. Their pride is unwavering, leading to arrogance and a refusal to yield to others.


    "Is it somehow connected the existence of the dragons'' habits with the birth of the demi-humans?" Rain asked.


    "It isn''t confirmed yet, but many think that is true. When they impregnate females from other species, they give birth to demi-humans as well, but most of them are half-dragons. It is rare for their traits not to surpass the ones from the other parent¡­" Branden said and then realized Esmeralda''s difort thanks to that topic. "Anyway, they aren''t a problem for now."


    Rain wondered about that¡­ Branden was pretty much raising a red g right there. In any case, Rain wondered if he could face a dragon now or if he was getting carried away for thinking of that.


    In any case, soon night fell, and the group didn''t hear anything from Geio. Still, some people brought food to them and left at the door. Rain was starting to get addicted to the pasta filled with meat and veggies. Still, the pasta wasn''t something that they produced in their territory¡­ it was probably thanks to some grain that only existed in the magic people''s country.


    Esmeralda couldn''t help but be astonished at Rain''s capacity to eat and not to worry about anything. She often would leave a lot of food behind and Rain would chew down without reservations.


    "He is a growing boy. It can''t be helped," Branden said.


    In the end, it took two days of waiting for them to finally see Geio again, but it seemed like he had brought good news. Rain wondered if the guy was acting or something since they didn''t have time to waste. Maybe they were having a hard time calling their forces to ambush them, or perhaps they were making it look like they captured those three to the humans.


    "My sincerest apologies. The council has been rather busy in thest few days, so I ask you to wait a bit longer for the meeting," Geio said while bowing deeply.


    "I suppose since you work as a council, you can''t make a decision without the agreement of most members, and we can''t just meet a few of them," Branden said. "... Are the dragons causing trouble to you all?"


    "That is¡­" Geio said while looking around. "Something that I can''t disclose."

 Chapter 240: Weird atmosphere

    Dealing with councils often proved to be quite a hassle due to the multitude of individuals involved. The task of convincing or achieving a unanimous agreement among arge group with varied opinions and interests was frequently a painstaking ordeal.


    Each council member typically had their own personal agenda, priorities, or viewpoints, whichplicated the process of reaching efficient and effective decisions.


    Thisplexity frequently resulted in protracted debates, negotiations, and the need for numerouspromises. Navigating through the bureaucratic intricacies of council governance could indeed be a trying experience.


    Geio refrained from confirming whether the dragons were causing difficulties. This uncertainty arose from their concern that openly acknowledging dragon-rted issues could be seen as a sign of weakness. In the intricate realm of politics and diplomacy, disying vulnerability or admitting to challenges might jeopardize their negotiating position.


    Therefore, Geio and the council exercised caution when it came to divulging any vulnerabilities or problems linked to the dragons, as this could significantly impact their interactions with other factions and nations.


    "We should be able to sort things out in the next few days," Geio said. "Once, I apologize.


    "It is fine. This is a master that we should discuss when all the members of the council are ready to talk," Branden said while forcing a smile. "You must be busy as well, so we won''t take much more of your time."


    Geio bowed and then left the ce. In the end, the group looked at each other without knowing what to say. The situation was weird and suspicious, and they were starting to feel restless since they couldn''t move that much.


    "Do you guys want to look around the city?" Rain asked. "If we walk like we own the ce, we might make the people here work faster, either to work faster on the meeting of the truce or to ambush us."


    "Again, with your grim sense of humor¡­" Branden said and then sighed. "We should avoid incidents in order to avoid wasting time."


    "Avoiding incidents is my forte. It isn''t like I have a long history fighting with the magic people," Rain shrugged. "In any case, you guys are in charge, so it''s your choice."


    Rain equipped his weights again and then began to train by doing some handstands. In the end, it didn''t take long for Branden and Esmeralda to get bored and sick of waiting, and then they left the inn.


    The group''s presence in the area drew the attention of the locals, but Rain sensed no immediate threat or hostility. It seemed that many of the onlookers were likely seasoned soldiers or warriors who understood the importance of maintaining a peaceful demeanor in diverse territories.


    While exploring the city, they couldn''t help but notice numerous jewelry shops disying an abundance of gemstones. This unexpected profusion of precious stones raised questions about their source and avability in this magical society.


    Their exploration also unveiled a currency system akin to that of humans, consisting of copper coins, silver coins, gold coins, tinum coins, and even diamond coins. This indicated a well-developed and intricate economic structure within the magic people''s society.


    Although the merchants weed them when they noticed that Brandon and Esmeralda were rich, they frowned when Rain checked their jewelry. They looked away when he looked at them, though. They could recognize the eye of a soldier.


    "I feel a lot of magic in it¡­ are they made through magic, or are they part of some monsters?" Rain asked.


    "They are too clean to be the case. There are no scratches, and their shape is too perfect," Branden replied while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "This kind of thing is too valuable to be sculpted¡­ at least that normally would be the case, but considering the number of gems around."


    "Hey, where did you guys find the gems?" Rain asked the merchant.


    "Rain¡­" Branden said and then facepalmed. "My apologies, he is a bit harsh, but you don''t have to answer if you don''t want to."


    The merchant nodded, so Rain assumed that they were produced by some tribes, and that was a secret. The group checked around other shops, and Rain checked if he could force some merchants to spill the beans, but they didn''t say a thing.


    "You will be even more infamous at this rate¡­ the famous tourist who tried to shake down the merchants of the capital," Branden said. "Anyway, why don''t you buy some things for Liss, Asche and Terra."


    "I told you, we aren''t like that, and I am not going to look for women when my sisters start to live with me¡­" Rain said, and then he raised his guard when he felt something on his back. "... Maybe I said too much."


    "What is wrong?" Branden asked when he saw Rain looking around.


    "I think I felt something¡­ maybe it was one of the guys who are keeping an eye on us," Rain said. "Maybe they got pissed since we looked too rxed.


    It struck Rain as odd that the individuals who had been shadowing them earlier, lurking in the shadows, hadn''t disyed any overt hostility or emitted an aura of malice. Rain contemted that the recent shift in escorts might have introduced some neers who harbored personal grudges, whether directed at him or possibly stemming from their encounter with Branden during the war.


    "Anyway, their bloodlust isn''t that intense¡­ if they wanted to kill us, the hair on my back would stand. You can rx. They know that they can''t defeat me. At least they are smart enough not to try given the circumstances and thanks to the reason why we are here. "


    "I would rx better knowing that there isn''t any chance of fighting breaking out," Branden said.


    "It won''t be a fight, it will be so one-sided that it can''t be called a fight," Rain said. "Not many strong people are left in this city¡­ they must be fighting the dragons on the other side of their borders.

 Chapter 241: Council

    In the end, nothing happened to the group over the next three days, even though they walked around plenty of times. Rain also didn''t feel any bloodlust anymore, but he could tell that they were being watched by a lot of people who could hide rtively well. Too bad for them, but Rain could feel anyone around, thanks to his earth magic.


    "Rain, how fast do you think you can return home?" Branden asked.


    "With enough mana and without stopping to rest, perhaps a day and a half," Rain replied. "I will leave traces behind, though. Anyone with decent eyes will be able to see me moving, and plenty of people know that I can do that, so leaving you guys isn''t an option."


    "Well, it will take years to rebuild the smallest amount of trust to sign a truce if we fail here," Branden said. "Besides, even if they are in a bad spot, I don''t want to let another war start with the magic people."


    Rain harbored a deep reluctance towards the prospect of another war. He knew that wars were protracted affairs, consuming vast amounts of time and resources. Moreover, there was the ominous possibility of encountering dragons in the midst of territorial and resource disputes.


    The thought of such a sh was unsettling, as it could escte into a long and devastating conflict, iming numerous lives and resources over time.


    Such an oue, Rain realized, would be nothing short of disastrous. A war of that magnitude could easily stretch on for decades, breeding a new generation of heroes on both sides. While some individuals might rise to greatness during the conflict, the toll it would take on the masses was unthinkable.


    Too many would be forced to bear the burdens of such a prolonged struggle, and the cost in terms of human lives, resources, and societal well-being would be immeasurable.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel that the magic people had a hidden agenda for keeping them waiting. It seemed like they were stalling, waiting for some unknown event or circumstance to work in their favor. However, the exact nature of this mysterious event remained a puzzle to Rain and the group.


    This uncertainty was unsettling, as it hinted at a concealed motive or a carefully thought-out strategy that could disrupt the delicate bnce between humans and magic people.


    "How much time do we have before people back home start to make a fuss?" Rain asked. "I also don''t want to worry my family too much since I said that we would be away for at least two months."


    "Well, we were supposed to start the negotiations, so it was supposed that we would stay here for a few weeks if nothing happened," Branden replied.


    "We walked around the city a lot of times. Did you notice that a lot of the biggest houses werepletely empty?" Esmeralda asked.


    "It must be because their owners were protecting their Western border," Branden said. "I thought that too, but the garden of those ces looks like they had been abandoned for close to a year. Even if the people that died in the war lived in those ces, the timing is off."


    Branden looked at Rain, but he just shrugged. He wasn''t good at thinking about that kind of stuff. One thing that he found weird was the fact that not many things left the capital, like supplies for the war¡­ plenty of things came, though.


    While the group was thinking about that, someone knocked on the door, and when Rain raised his guard. Geio presented himself on the other side of the door. He sounded pretty excited, so it looked like the wait was over.


    "Good day, I have brought some good news," Geio said while smiling. "The council is finally ready to meet you."


    "I see. When are the meetings supposed to start?" Branden asked.


    "Today, two hours after lunch," Geio replied.


    Everyone nodded since it was betterte than never. Branden assumed that the talks were supposed tost two weeks, and Rain would have to think of ways to kill time while they talked about the boring stuff.


    "I guess using my magic will be too much, but I can start a new training regimen, I guess," Rain thought.


    After lunch, the group began to prepare to leave for the meeting. Branden and Esmeralda put on some fancy clothes while Rain kept wearing the same clothes: the cloak, his forearm guards, and shin guards. He wondered if they would ask him to take out those. While they weren''t weapons per se, they were magic relics.


    When the appointed time came, Geio arrived with ten guards to escort them, and then the group began to climb the city and eventually reached the highest section of the city. Rain thought that the city had five sections, but it actually had six. The final one only had the council building.


    The council building of the magic people was a magnificent blend of nature and architecture. It stood tall and imposing, immediately catching the eye from a distance. Its design was a testament to the fusion of magic and the environment around it.


    On the outside, the building was covered in a tapestry of living nts. Ivy gracefully climbed its walls, breathing life into the structure. Flowers, both ordinary and magical, adorned the facade, painting a dynamic picture that shifted with the changing seasons.


    Approaching the entrance, a grand staircase led to towering wooden doors intricately carved with scenes from the history of the magic people. Periods where the tribes waged war against each other and cooperated.


    Inside, the council chamber was equally awe-inspiring. The ceiling, a masterpiece of enchantment, disyed magical constetions that mimicked the night sky. The heart of the chamber was an ancient tree that had grown from the ground up, its branches forming a canopy over the meeting area. This tree symbolizes unity among the diverse magic people tribes.


    Seating encircled the room, with each tribe leader upying a chair made from the sacred wood of different trees. This arrangement emphasized equality and cooperation among the tribes. Natural light streamed into the chamber, filtering through the leaves of the central tree.


    The air carried the pleasant fragrances of flowers and nts, creating a soothing ambiance conducive to open and peaceful discussions.


    The leaders of the tribes were wearing blue robes, and their faces were being covered by yellow veils. Only their eyes could be seen slightly through the veils. Rain could sense a lot of them ring at him.

 Chapter 242: Tough spot

    "Good afternoon, honorable members of the council," Branden said while slightly bowing his head. "My name is Branden Corsalis, and this is my fiancee, the Princess Esmeralda Rosalis, and this is our bodyguard Rainendall. It is an honor to have the chance to meet you all in this utmost auspicious of days."


    Rain wondered why he was being introduced as well; his name wasn''t important for the negotiations, and he couldn''t imagine the point of confirming his identity to those who wanted him dead. Rain didn''t know if it was rted to diplomacy, or maybe he was considered to be a diplomat as well in the situation.


    "It is an honor to meet you all," Esmeralda said while showing the female greeting while pulling her skirt slightly to the sides.


    "My name is Josar, leader of the Geminis tribe, and today, to keep order, I will act as the representative of the council," A man in the middle of the seats said. "I hope that you won''t find trouble in this."


    All of the leaders were sitting close to each other on a tform in the shape of half a circle, so the group was facing all of the tribe leaders.


    "Certainly," Esmeralda said.


    "Our countries have been at odds for many years, so we are thankful that you answered our call for a meeting so fast," Josar said.


    Rain found it hard to stifle hisughter, as describing the rtionship between their two countries as merely being "at odds for years" was a significant understatement.


    To rify, it was their side that initiated thest decade of conflicts. However, Rain couldn''t say for sure if the magic people harbored even older grievances or if humans had provoked them in the past as well.


    Rain pointed out that while they might have been trying to settle debts from centuries ago, their intentions and reasoning didn''t seem sound. After all, they should have addressed these issues with those responsible in the past rather than involving the present generation.


    Rain contemted that maybe, from the standpoint of the magic people, their timing appeared justified. Given their longer lifespanspared to humans, they might not have felt the need to swiftly address past grievances.


    "First of all, let''s hear what the other members think that this truce should involve," Josar said.


    "The truce must guarantee the cessation of all hostilities, including military actions, skirmishes, and any other form of aggression."


    "A clear demarcation of borders and territories must be included to prevent future disputes and conflicts."


    "Trade agreements, including the establishment of trade routes and tariffs, should be outlined to foster economic cooperation and prosperity for both parties."


    "Both nations must agree to the exchange of cultural and educational initiatives, promoting mutual understanding and tolerance."


    "Humanitarian uses should be incorporated to ensure the well-being and rights of all citizens, regardless of their origin."


    "Environmental preservation and conservation agreements should be established to protect the natural resources of ournds."


    "A mechanism for dispute resolution, including a neutral mediation process, should be avable to address future disagreements."


    "Regr diplomatic exchanges andmunication channels should be maintained to promote transparency and trust."


    "Cultural exchanges and joint celebrations should be encouraged to foster goodwill among our citizens."


    "It is imperative that both sidesmit to assisting each other in times of external threats or invasion. Mutual defense uses should be incorporated to ensure our collective security."


    Rain was a bit surprised since all that stuff seemed reasonable. Still, thest one was a bit dubious, but it made sense, even though it changed the atmosphere.


    "Impose restrictions on human ess to certain magical goods and services, allowing the magic people to maintain apetitive edge in magical markets."


    "Magical Creature Protection: Implement stringent regtions to protect magical creatures and ecosystems vital to the magic people''s way of life, potentially limiting human activities in these areas."


    "Majority Representation: Ensure that the magic people hold a majority of seats in joint councils and decision-making bodies, ensuring their cultural and political dominance within the truce agreement."


    "It seems that is most of it. What do you think, Lady Esmeralda?" Josar asked.


    "Most of them are understandable, but some of them seem a bit too hard on the human side," Esmeralda said. "While I understand that our side would benefit more from the trade between our nations, it will cause problems among the poption if our side has too many limitations. Do you have something to add, Branden?"


    "The question about military aid is also difficult. Right now, you are fighting the dragon people, am I right?" Branden asked. "If we sign the truce and we are immediately obligated to send troops to help in the battles, it will cause unrest since we are still recovering from thest ten years.


    Also, it would take time to return, prepare an army, and thene to join in this current situation, several months at least. We would be spending a lot of resources, time, and lives without receiving anything in exchange so soon. I suggest that the use about military cooperation should take at least one year to be effective."


    "I believe that it would be more beneficial to both parties if we kept an army that would be ready to move when a situation like that happens," Esmeralda said. "I am not familiar with military matters, but each side should keep an army of five thousand ready at any moment to assist each other."


    "Understandable, but your sooner cooperation would put our people at ease and make them feel more confident in the alliance," Josar said. "Both of you hold immense power when ites to controlling military might of your country, so I believe that you can make that decision."


    Josar put Branden and Esmeralda in a tough spot. They might have that kind of influence, but not that much. The king''s de was increasing in number again, but Branden was cautious with the new member. They barely had recovered what they had lost, after all.

 Chapter 243: Experiments

    During the initial truce negotiation meeting, both sides engaged in discussions about the proposed uses. The first few uses, like stopping hostilities and defining borders, gained easy approval. These seemed like a good starting point for a potential truce.


    However, as the discussions continued, things got moreplicated. Some uses started to emerge that posed significant challenges for the human delegation. These included ims to exclusive ess to magical resources, cultural preservation measures that would affect human practices, and restrictions on human ess to certain magical items.


    There were also demands to protect magical creatures and ecosystems within the magic people''s territory.


    These demands were met with resistance and skepticism from the human representatives. Branden and Esmeralda felt increasingly fatigued as the negotiations went on. The difficult discussions and the stark differences in priorities between the two sides took a toll on their energy and patience.


    They returned to the inn, visibly exhausted, realizing that achieving a truce with the magic people was going to be a far more challenging task than they had initially thought.


    "Good work, as expected. I am not fit to be a diplomat," Rain said. "I felt that you guys wasted too much time and energy being nice and using bubbly words."


    "Hahaha, well, at least the majority of the council members weren''t that demanding," Branden said. "There is a group among them that was quite harsh and greedy, though."


    "Do you think that they are part of a more difficult faction, or were they ying a role predetermined by the whole council?" Esmeralda asked.


    "I don''t think that they can be that unified, not after losing the war," Branden replied. "What do you think, Rain?"


    "Those guys seem genuinely greedy and harsh. I am surprised that they didn''t demand my neck on the spot," Rain replied.


    "I see¡­ anyway, the negotiations might take some time," Branden said while massaging his shoulders. "We need to find a way to send a message to home. They won''t trust us if we ask the people here to do that."


    Rain had been pondering the need for bettermunication options. The ongoing negotiations with the magic people had highlighted the importance of swift and versatile information exchange. He couldn''t do a single thing about that, unfortunately. Rain felt that he needed to improve his magic further and control instead of just using the elements every day.


    His magical tunnel, though handy, had limitations. It was essentially a one-way connection, linking only his home to his grandparents'' ce. For the current situation, they required a more versatile method to enable quick, two-waymunication between various locations. This was particrly crucial as they navigated the intricate negotiations for the truce since they had to give reports back home.


    Rain couldn''t help but think about the convenience of cell phones in their world, but he realized that such an invention was still a distant dream. There were numerous other technological advancements that were needed to ur before cell phones could even be considered.


    Cell phones require a stable and portable power source. In their world, they were still working on harnessing magic effectively for such purposes. To enable wirelessmunication, they needed to set up awork of signal towers. This would require advanced infrastructure and significant resources.


    Creating small and efficientponents like microprocessors, antennas, and screens was beyond their current technological capabilities.


    "I guess I will have to think of something with magic, but that is easier said than done," Rain thought. "I am experiencing a few things with raw mana, but it is still in the beginning stages. We also can''t say that we might have to use spies here to deliver the message¡­ it will take too long even if we could."


    "Do you think that they will give in on those difficult uses after a while?" Branden asked. "Only if we somehow prove to them that we have the upper hand, but considering their newest force¡­"


    "Rain, those ten guys that guarded us, do you think that they were the dracos?" Branden asked.


    "No," Rain replied. "I can''t exin why, but I am certain of it."


    Rain acted cautiously. He understood that revealing too much about his unique skills and abilities could pose a potential risk to himself and the group. After all, one could never be too sure who might be listening in on their conversations.


    However, Rain also acknowledged the necessity of openly discussing these matters with Branden and Esmeralda. It was crucial to maintain an appearance of cooperation and transparency in the eyes of the magic people. They anticipated a certain level of discourse and information exchange.


    Striking the right bnce between revealing enough to appear forting while safeguarding strategic secrets was paramount to sessfully navigating the intricate negotiations and preserving trust with their hosts.


    Rain couldn''t help but think back about the crazy woman known as the "Bitch of the Night." Rumor had it that she held a seat on the council. Still, given the ongoing conflict with the dragons, it was likely she was engaged in the front lines, battling these formidable foes.


    Adding to the intrigue, Rain couldn''t sense any unusual auras within the council''s vicinity. Notably absent was the distinct aura he associated with Leo, the former traitor who had achieved prominence among the magic people. This curious absence raised questions about why Leo was not present in this crucial gathering, leaving Rain to wonder about the underlying reasons.


    "I wonder if Branden will ask eventually if our countries be allies for Leo''s head¡­ that will make him indebted to the people there, but it seemed a small price," Rain thought. "It also seems that he would go that far to deal with the person that started the Downfall of the Lonard family."


    Rain couldn''t help but notice moments when Branden''s expression turned pensive, his face etched with a blend of seriousness and a hint of fierceness. It became evident that beneath his outwardly gentle demeanor, Branden possessed a steely resolve and a determination that ran deep.

 Chapter 244: Choices

    In the days that followed, Rain, Branden, and Esmeralda tirelessly engaged in negotiations with the council. However, progress was frustratingly slow, and it felt like a tug-of-war with neither side willing to give in too much.


    As they readied themselves for their fourth meeting with the council, they couldn''t help but notice an unusualmotion in the city. Crowds of magic people were converging on one side of the city. Intrigued, the trio decided to investigate further.


    Upon reaching a vantage point at the city''s peak, they were greeted by a remarkable sight. Coming from the west, a group of individuals was solemnly transporting not one but three lifeless dragon bodies. These once-majestic creaturesy still and lifeless on massive tforms.


    "Ah, I get it now¡­" Rain said. "They wanted us to see this."


    "... They wanted us to see their might in action," Branden said while furrowing his eyebrows.


    Esmeralda couldn''t help but gulp audibly at the sight of the dragons. The mere presence of these colossal creatures, even in death, sent shivers down her spine. These earth dragons, distinguished by their earthy-toned scales, were an embodiment of natural grandeur.


    Their scales, resemblingrge shields, covered their bodies, forming an imprable armor that spoke of countless battles and unwavering resilience.


    Enormous limbs, as sturdy as tree trunks, extended from their colossal frames, each terminating in formidable ws designed for earth-shaking digs and formidablebat. Their long, sinuous tails coiled gracefully by their sides, a stark reminder of their capacity to unleash devastating earthquakes with a mere flick in times of fury.


    While life had left their once-fiery eyes, they retained a hauntingly captivating quality. Rows of serrated teeth lined their powerful jaws, frozen eternally in a fearsome, menacing snarl.


    Rain couldn''t help but recall that, during his time in the city, he hadn''te across a single item that appeared to be crafted from dragon materials. This observation intrigued him. While he had anticipated some remnants of the dragons'' presence in the form of valuable artifacts, it seemed as though the magic people had meticulously removed any such traces from the public eye.


    Rain suspected that dragon-rted items had been acquired early on by those with sufficient resources. However, he couldn''t identify anyone among the magic people who would likely possess or employ such unique items.


    The absence of these dragon-based artifacts during the war puzzled him, raising questions about the magic people''s connection with these formidable beings and their willingness to utilize such materials.


    "Do you know why people around here don''t use relics?" Rain asked. "It should be easy to make them with the bodies of dragons, right?"


    "I have no idea, but you have a point," Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "At first, I imagined that they didn''t defeat many dragons, but their timing is quite good to show off when we are here."


    "... What do you think we should do now?" Esmeralda asked. "They will be even more assertive trying to add uses to the truce that will benefit them."


    "We will have to endure and find reasons to keep reasoning against all that," Branden replied.


    Rain spected that the creation of magic relics from the body parts of monsters could be tied to the magic people''s intention to safeguard certain species and grant them the freedom to exist without harm.


    Based on Rain''s observations, it was clear that the magic people had a close connection with nature. This deep affinity with the natural world led Rain to believe that the magic people might find it ethically unsettling to use the body parts of monsters in crafting weapons. To them, such practices could be perceived as unnatural and inharmonious with their reverence for the environment.


    "I need to investigate this more, I guess," Rain thought.


    Just as they had expected, the council was a lot more insistent on thest few uses thanks to the dragons. Thanks to that, Branden and Esmeralda were suffering a lot.


    Despite that, they looked a bit satisfied since it looked like the magic people truly wanted for some peace¡­ Rain couldn''t help but think that they either wanted to rebuild their strength to attack them again or get them by surprise.


    At first, Rain had a hard time enduring all of the meetings, but things started to get easier. The reason for that was the fact that he was getting the hang of meditating even while he was standing, and that wasn''t all¡­


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Martial Artist path received 300 experience points.


    "Hehehe, now we are talking about," Rain thought while smirking.


    Rain''s sudden smile during the meeting caught the attention of the council members. This unexpected expression seemed to irk some of them, creating a subtle air of difort in the room.


    Rain had delved deep into the art of meditation, uncovering its secrets to enhance his mana regeneration. One crucial lesson he had learned was that rxation was the key. By calming both body and mind, he could effectively speed up the replenishment of his mana reserves.


    The lotus position, with its unique posture, acted like a ma, drawing in the spiritual energy from the surrounding air and channeling it into his core.


    However, Rain had also explored the more challenging path of standing meditation. Unlike the seated lotus position, standing meditation requires a more deliberate effort. He had to actively make his body receptive to the spiritual energy and then absorb it. What he had found intriguing was that focusing on his belly button seemed to facilitate the absorption process.


    It was an unconventional discovery, but it worked for him.


    "This technique should be connected to the next level of the Sage''s path¡­ I should try to keep using it, perhaps with that path as well, since the new one will alreadye at a higher level," Rain thought.


    Rain checked the martial artist''s path and couldn''t help but sigh¡­ just like the previous one, the skills increased the right parameters for him¡­ Now he didn''t feel that eager to level up the Sage''s path.

 Chapter 245: Night attack

    Seeing dragons up close only made Rain feel more eager to be tougher and stronger physically, so he opted to keep leveling up the Martial Artist path.


    Level 5: Iron Limbs Channel your inner energy to reinforce your limbs, dealing extra damage with both punches and kicks. Five more extra points of damage per level


    Level 10: Endurance Training Push your body to endure longer battles, gaining +05 endurance per level and surpassing your limits.


    Level 15: Vital Surge Tap into your vital energy to surge your health. Elevate your health pool by +05 per level, reinforcing your stamina.


    Level 20: Precise Strikes Focus your strikes and kicks on weak points, bypassing a portion of enemy defenses. Ignore three points of endurance per level.


    "Earth dragons'' main weapon should be their defense since they can''t fly," Rain thought. "I can''t train my vitality here without hurting myself since I need to protect them, but it will be fine if I train my stamina."


    As Rain contemted these newfound meditation insights, he nced over at Branden and Esmeralda, who were sound asleep on their respective beds. It was well past midnight, and three days had passed since the awe-inspiring sight of the dragons.


    Outside, the colossal bodies of the earth dragons had been left exposed for all to see. This disy was intended to serve as a symbol of the magic people''s strength and their ability to confront and ovee such formidable creatures, prompting a city-wide celebration of their collective prowess.


    Rain couldn''t help but ponder the possibilities. As he gazed upon the immense bodies of the earth dragons, he wondered if these formidable creatures would be used in the creation of more dracos. Such a move could potentially enhance the Draco''s power significantly.


    He contemted the idea that, for efficiency''s sake, it might be advantageous if all the dracos possessed the abilities of fire dragons. The thought of having a unified and powerful force of dracos, each wielding the formidable powers of fire, danced in his mind as he considered the strategic advantages it could offer to the magic people.


    While Rain was thinking about that and watching the city through the window of the room, he suddenly noticed the atmosphere changing. Still, he didn''t notice anything happening or the guys that were watching them moving.


    Rain was already ready to fight if he had to since he kept his forearm guards and shin guards equipped at all times, after all. Still, despite all that, he was caught off guard when a loud screeching sound echoed in the dark sky.


    "Hiiiiiiioooooooooohhhhhhhh!"


    Rain opened his eyes widely¡­ that had to be the scream of a dragon. Branden slowly got up from his bed since he heard that, but he wasn''t sure of what he heard since he was still half asleep.


    "Wake her up. It seems that we have some visitors," Rain said.


    Branden opened his eyes widely and began to wake Esmeralda. Before long, they heard an explosion in the city, and the ground began to tremble. On the other side of the city, Rain could see a sh of light glowing in Orange red¡­ There was no doubt of what was happening.


    "We are leaving," Branden said. "Sorry, but you will have to carry our stuff."


    Esmeralda was wide awake as well, and while she knew that time was of the essence, she still felt troubled that she would have to walk outside with her bed hair and with her pajamas, which were just a long sleep dress. She didn''t say anything, though.


    Under the cover of the night, the dragons'' rageful screams tore through the silence, their shouts echoing ominously across the city. These anguished wails, filled with pain and despair, reached deep into the hearts of all who heard them.


    Amidst this chaotic soundscape, fiery explosions illuminated the darkness, punctuating the sky with bursts of brilliant light and thunderous detonations. The cacophony of magical shes filled the night air, creating an ominous backdrop.


    Down on the city''s streets, the once-peaceful urban scene had transformed into a scene of pandemonium. Panic-stricken citizens added their voices to the chaos, their urgent shouts blending with the general tumult. The city, once known for its tranquility, had descended into a state of utter disorder.


    In their haste to escape, Rain, Branden, and Esmeralda chose an unconventional exit strategy from the inn: they slipped out through a window. They used an earth tform to lower themselves to the ground. Little did they know that the city outside had transformed into a scene of chaos and peril.


    A colossal fire dragon, its scales aglow with zing intensity, had unleashed a ferocious torrent of mes from its gaping jaws. This searing inferno tore through the night sky, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that consumed multiple buildings in its fiery wrath.


    Realizing the immediate danger, the trio had no choice but to swiftly leap away from the tform, desperate to avoid drawing any unwanted attention. Their escape, initially discreet, now had the added urgency of evading the destructive fury of the fire-breathing behemoth.


    "Why? Why?" Esmeralda asked when they began to rub and joined arge number of people who were heading to the main path that would lead to the exit of the city.


    "Most likely, bringing the bodies of the dragons here wasn''t the best thing that they did in the recent years," Rain replied. "It seems that some dragons got enraged thanks to it¡­"


    Therge number of people was getting in the way, so Rain considered flying again. Still, soon he looked over his shoulder and then saw a fire dragon flying toward them¡­ it seemed that the beast wanted to kill as many people as possible, and the main path to the exit was the best option for that.


    "Just my luck¡­" Rain said.


    Branden looked over his shoulder and gulped¡­ he tried to stop his fiancee, but Esmeralda didn''t resist the temptation, and thanks to that, the blood drained from her face.


    "Rain, buy me some time," Branden said. "I will erase arge mist that will hide us."


    "That will only make the dragon target you more¡­" Rain said and then sighed. "I guess I jinxed myself when I wondered if I could face a dragon¡­ it is time to satisfy my curiosity in a very dangerous way."

 Chapter 246: [Bonus chapter]Fight

    "Head straight into the exit of the city and wait for me there. Don''t hesitate in attacking anyone approaching you who looks suspicious," Rain said.


    "Wait, Rain!" Branden said. "This is insane."


    "Hoping that the monster will stop before reaching us is even more insane," Rain said.


    The group had already reached the main path that was going down to the exit of the city, and the dragon was already burning the stairs two hundred meters above¡­ they didn''t have time to talk anymore.


    Rain touched the ground and then made an earth spear emerge from it and fly at Sonic speeds toward the enemy. The fire dragon blocked the attack with its cheek after closing its mouth, and that was what Rain had hoped for¡­


    Rain used Impulse and kicked the ground toward all his might before propelling himself toward the fire dragon. Before the creature could reach, Rain kicked his nose.


    Arge impact echoed in the area and the body of the dragon trembled as its massive weight encountered Rain''s fist. Rain also felt his bones cracking thanks to the massive weight of a flying dragon moving toward him, but he ignored that and kicked the face of the beast tond below.


    The fire dragon was a terrifying sight to behold. Its enormous body was covered in fiery red scales, emanating intense heat. These scales bore scars from countless battles and testaments to their long life of conflict.


    Its eyes glowed with a malevolent intelligence, matching the fiery power it could unleash. The dragon''s immense wings, resembling tattered gs of me, stretched high above the city''s tallest buildings. Their shadow seemed to devour everything in their path.


    Rain felt a mix of awe and terror as he stared at this colossal creature. It was a stark reminder of the raw, primal forces that existed in this world, capable of reducing cities to rubble and lives to ashes with a single breath.


    "My attacks stopped its advance, but I can''t see much damage¡­" Rain thought. "Still, I should gain a shit ton of experience if I were to defeat this."


    It seemed that Rain was getting carried away, and soon he realized that when he heard more explosions in the distance¡­ not just one dragon came to attack the city.


    Rain locked eyes with the fire dragon, and an icy chill ran down his spine. The dragon''s gaze was nothing short of mesmerizing and terrifying. Its eyes were twin infernos, aze with an otherworldly rage and fury.


    At that moment, Rain sensed an ancient and overwhelming power within those eyes. It was as if he was staring into the very heart of elemental destruction, and the dragon''s gaze pierced through him with a searing, malevolent intent.


    The fury radiating from those eyes was tangible, a force of nature that could annihte everything in its path. Rain, inparison, felt like a mere mortal in the presence of an immortal, and the gravity of this realization weighed heavily upon him.


    While Rain felt a bit bad for the dragon and could understand that the creature failed to stop one of its allies from being humiliated further, he wasn''t understanding enough to risk his life to let the beast do what it came to do at his expense.


    The monster opened its mouth again and used Fire Breath insanely fast, making the stairs that Rain had a moment ago melt. Still, he used Impulse to escape below the dragon, and then Rain punched the creature''s stomach.


    The whole body of the monster convulsed in pain. It seemed that Rain was actually causing damage, even though he couldn''t see blood. Still, he was expecting that much since he was also using the technique that he learned from the second general that he killed.


    The monster soon recovered when Rainnded, and then the beast did the same, trying to crush him with its massive weight, but Rain escaped once again with Impulse.


    "It is trying to hide its weaker areas¡­" Rain thought.


    The only area of the monster that wasn''t covered in scales was the chest, and that was also the only area that Rain punched, which he didn''t feel his fists cracking when he attacked.


    While Rain was thinking about that, the monster opened its mouth again, and when Rain thought of running away, he saw a Barrage of Fireballs being fired at him.


    "Shit!" Rain thought.


    Realizing the imminent danger posed by the approaching fireballs, Rain swiftly took action. He knew that both innocent bystanders and hispanions, Branden and Esmeralda, were still behind him, vulnerable to the impending attack.


    Rain harnessed the power of the earth element in a remarkable disy of his elemental mastery. He conjured a sturdy wall of earth from the ground, forming an imposing barricade right in the path of the fiery projectiles. But he didn''t stop there. In one fluid and precise motion, he called upon the water element.


    A colossal wave of water surged forth, cascading down upon the earthen barrier. This ingeniousbination of earth and water created a formidable defense, a fusion of elements that offered both solidity and protection. As the fireballs made contact, they were met with this unyielding shield.


    The intense heat of the mes was immediately countered by the cooling presence of the water. It hissed and evaporated upon impact, enveloping Rain and those sheltered behind him in a protective veil of steam. The powerful synergy of earth and water absorbed the fiery assault, diverting the mes harmlessly away from their position.


    The area trembled while the barrage of Fireballs was hitting the mudwall, but at least since Rian kept feeding it with mana, there were no signs of the wall cracking.


    Before long, the fire dragon began to fly again while studying the small creature in front of him. Rain could see the confusion in its eyes. Maybe if the dragon had good senses, it could tell that Rain wasn''t a magic person, and that only made things more puzzling.

 Chapter 247: Adapting

    "Yeah, keep wasting time admiring my good looks," Rain thought.


    Despite his curiosity and the unresolved truce negotiations, Rain knew that confronting two fire dragons at once was an exceedingly perilous proposition. While he might have entertained the idea of testing his abilities against a single dragon, facing two of these formidable creatures was simply too great a risk.


    The priorities now shifted towards ensuring the safety of himself and hispanions, Branden and Esmeralda, in the face of such a daunting threat. The truce talks would have to be revisited at a more opportune and less dangerous moment.


    The thunderous explosions echoing from the distant part of the city continued unabated. Rain couldn''t help but wonder if the city guards were locked in a fierce battle with the second-fire dragon. The idea briefly crossed his mind: With one dragon potentially upied elsewhere, was there a chance, with careful nning and determination, to confront the remaining dragon?


    But he knew all too well that this was a risky and perilous gambit. Before making any hasty decisions, he needed to carefully assess the odds and potential oues. Or maybe not.


    "Hehehe, maybe it is time for my first international match," Rain thought while smiling.


    Rain touched the ground and then used a bunch of magic to reinforce his arms with extra hardened earth. He hardened andpressed a lot of earth thanks to his relics, and his arms were a bit heavy. Even more than when he used the weights.


    The dragon looked even more confused. The creature had never seen someone using magic like that. His arms were bigger and heavier, but that made him slower, too. Still, the dragon was left astonished when Rain jumped by using Impulse and crossed two hundred Meters of height in a single moment and pinched the face of the monster.


    The st of the impact echoed in the whole city, and the people who were running away turned around only to see the head of the dragon moving to the side and then a mouthful of blood falling from its mouth.


    "This is my Earth Magic Straight. It is a pity that I can''t name my own skills," Rain thought when hended.


    "HYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH." The fire dragon roared in anger, and the atmosphere trembled as if it was responding to it.


    The enormous fire dragon exuded a scorching heat that rippled through the air, causing its crimson scales to radiate with a fiery, red glow. Every inch of its body pulsed with an intense, searing energy as it readied itself for the next devastating assault.


    The surrounding atmosphere quivered and distorted from the dragon''s extreme heat, making it seem like the very embodiment of a raging inferno. Its appearance was nothing short of terrifying as if it had be a living avatar of destruction, poised to unleash its devastating power upon anything unfortunate enough to cross its path.


    Rain couldn''t help but wonder if the fire dragon was utilizing something akin to what he''d encountered in certain video games ¨C a phenomenon often dubbed "dragon rage." However, what truly caught his attention was that this wasn''t merely a skill or a move.


    It felt more like an intrinsic part of the dragon''s essence, a manifestation of its unbridled fury and might that transcended the boundaries of any gaming system.


    It was as if the dragon had tapped into a primal force, something that exceeded the limitations of conventional game mechanics. This revtion sent a shiver down Rain''s spine, making him realize that this world harbored profound mysteries and abilities that stretched far beyond the boundaries of his familiar gaming experiences.


    "Well, I guess they can learn that through the dragon''s path¡­ what a cheating bastard," Rain thought.


    Rain wondered if he shouldin when he kind of cheated as well by being reincarnated with his memories¡­ in any case, he didn''t have time to think about that since the monsternded again and began to melt the ground around. The air around the monster was vibrating thanks to the heat, and even looking at it made Rain flinch.


    "Even with that technique¡­ my endurance and Vitality can''t endure this¡­" Rain thought while clicking his tongue.


    The fire dragon''s approach was nothing short of terrifying. Each heavy step it took drew it closer to Rain, causing the ground to tremble beneath its colossal frame. Its eyes zed with unquenchable fury, and its scales emitted an intense crimson glow, radiating an almost blinding heat.


    As it closed in on Rain, the dragon''s wrathful gaze remained fixated solely on him. The intensity of its rage was palpable as if the very air around it had ignited in response.


    Approaching the stairs leading to Rain''s position, the dragon unleashed a deafening roar, sending forth a torrent of scorching mes from its gaping maw. These mes engulfed the stone steps, reducing them to a molten mess as if they were made of wax. The searing heat emanating from the ze made Rain''s skin prickle with difort, even from a distance.


    With methodical and terrifying precision, the dragon continued its relentless advance. Each fiery breath turned the once-sturdy staircase into molten ruins, leaving escape or pursuit impossible. Gathering momentum, the colossal creature moved with increasing speed.


    Rain used Impulse to stop the charge of the beast, but then the dragon used Fire Breath. Rain felt his skin melting when he was engulfed by the mes, but then he eventually punched the chin of the monster and then closed its mouth. That slowed down the beast a bit, but not for long.


    Rain kicked the monster''s face and propelled himself backward. After spinning in the air several times, hended one hundred Meters away from the beast. His clothes were on fire, but he extinguished the mes by summoning some water on them. At the same time, he grabbed the potions behind his back and drank them before the monster could reach him.


    "I guess blunt Damage can only cause so much damage against a thing of that size," Rain thought.

 Chapter 248: It might be bad

    Rain concentrated his magical energy, directing it into the giant earth gloves that encased his hands. With a determined thought, he reshaped them into long, pointed ws. Each w gleamed with a sharpness that demonstrated Rain''s mastery over earth magic.


    Flexing his fingers, he tested the newfound weaponry. It was unconventional for boxing, but Rain had long abandoned the idea thatbat was confined to fists. Adaptability was the core of his fighting philosophy. Whether it involved punching, kicking, or employing magic, he embraced all techniques to emerge victorious.


    With his earth ws ready, Rain prepared to confront the imminent threat, acknowledging that true martial prowess came from being versatile and resourceful inbat.


    The fire dragon slowed down since it recognized that Rain wasn''t an easy enemy, and the change in his weapons could spell trouble. Still, that didn''t change a thing¡­ Rain used Impulse toward the monster, and while the fire dragon swung its left paw to block his attack, it was pushed away by the punch¡­ it stopped Rain''s charge, but blood gushed from its paw.


    The fire dragon looked to the side and was surprised to see its arm hurt¡­ a single human hurt its arm. That was impossible¡­ even the magic people had to face a single dragon with dozens of them against one. Even the tribe leaders needed some help.


    The monster looked at Rainnding nearby and then saw the serious look on his face. It was the look of someone who wasn''t satisfied with that much, and he wanted to do more¡­


    The Dragon Rage intensified, causing the ground to tremble. The fire dragon''s colossal form radiated intense heat, its fiery aura growing even more ferocious by the second. It was on the verge of unleashing its devastating Fire Breath attack.


    Undeterred, Rain sprinted towards the dragon with remarkable speed. His earth ws gleamed in the blistering atmosphere as he closed the distance in an instant. With unwavering determination, heunched a powerful punch directly at the dragon''s face. The impact of the blow sent the massive creature tumbling to the side, disrupting its focus and preventing the imminent Fire Breath attack.


    While the monster was showing an astonished expression, blood began to gush from the interior and the side of the mouth of the fire dragon.


    "HYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH." The fire dragon roared in anger, and the atmosphere trembled while even the buildings around began to crack in response.


    The fire dragon took flight quite fast since it could tell that Rain would be able to stop it if it tried to attack while on the ground. Still, the beast didn''t try to go too far away. It just kept a certain distance away from Rain and soon unleashed its fire breath.


    The mes erupted from the dragon''s mouth and made the area around it explode. Huge buildings began to fall, andrge chunks of the stairs began to roll down the city. Amidst that, there were no signs of Rain in any direction. The dragon was certain that Rain was hit directly, and a few seconds under the st would turn him into charcoal.


    Still, when the mes dissipated, the monster was shocked to see a single spot in the areapletely free of the destruction of the mes¡­ Rain was there. He conjured a water sphere to resist the attack while he prepared his counter. While that worked, the water boiled so much that it burned Rain''s body in many ces. He had several bubbles on his flesh, and his whole skin was red¡­


    Still, Rain ignored that and then charged toward the dragon with all his might. Using Impulse to propel both of his legs and kicking the ground with both of them as well, Rain flew toward the enemy and then punched the forehead of the dragon.


    The thunderous impact was felt throughout the city, and then the skull of the dragon cracked, but before the beast could die, Rain attacked the same spot with a torrent of punches. The ws reached the brain of the dragon and destroyed it before the creature began to fall.


    The skill basic Strikes and Kicks received 50.000 experience points.


    The skill Precise Strikes received 50.000 experience points.


    The skill Iron Fists received 50.000 experience points.


    The skill Punch Mastery received 50.000 experience points.


    ¡­


    The fire dragony sprawled on the ground, its once mighty form now a motionless mass. Rain,nding atop the defeated beast, couldn''t help but wince as pain shot through his legs. His previously injured muscles protested thending with a vengeance. He panted heavily, his heart racing from the adrenaline rush of the battle. Victory was his, but it was a bittersweet one.


    This battle had proven far less challenging than Rain had envisioned, leaving him with a sense of unmet expectations. He had always held dragons in the highest regard, creatures with the wisdom of millennia and the power to match, yet this one had sumbed rather swiftly.


    Amidst his reflections, the ominous presence of the second dragon made its arrival known. The colossal creature descended upon the same side of the city, its enormous wings beating with a rhythmic force that sent shivers through the onlookers below. Its eyes, akin to molten embers, scanned the surroundings with a fiery intensity. Then, like a thunderbolt, its gaze locked onto Rain.


    The second dragon had found its next target, and the battle was far from over.


    "Round two, huh?" Rain thought. "I guess I should have known that things wouldn''t be so simple for me."


    While Rain had used 75 percent of his total mana, he still had plenty of stamina and health left. Considering how many times he leveled up and his path, he was willing to keep it up and then unlock a new path. Still, much to his surprise, the fire dragon turned and flew away.


    "This might be bad¡­ let''s hope that dragons don''t have a good memory," Rain thought.

 Chapter 249: Clauses

    "You don''t look very proud," Branden said when morning came while showing some bags under his eyes.


    "... something felt odd. The dragon was strong, but it wasn''t something that two or three tribe leaders wouldn''t have a hard time taking down," Rain replied.


    "It is probably because these dragons were young¡­ they should be around fifty years old," Branden said. "Even if they are dragons, and their potential is insane, they can only be so much stronger in fifty years of life. Dragons are violent, but they are wise and proud as well. Only the young ones would act rashly like that.


    Speaking of which, the oldest known dragon is supposed to be three thousand years old."


    It started to make sense; if the dragons they had encountered were rtively young, it exined how Rain managed to defeat them. Youth often came with inexperience, even for powerful creatures like dragons.


    After the intense battle, they hastily made their way back to the inn. On their return, they couldn''t help but notice the curious gazes of the city''s residents. Many were likely wondering why their leaders had extended an invitation to someone as formidable as Rain.


    The city''s inhabitants had witnessed Rain skillfully blocking the devastating attacks of the dragon, showcasing his incredible power. It was clear to them that he possessed the ability to easily topple buildings if he wished. This disy of might left asting impression on the onlookers.


    There was no immediate need to evacuate the city. Still, it appeared likely that the negotiations would be prolonged due to the unfortunate deaths of several council members in the recent dragon attack. Esmeralda, who had spent most of her life sheltered in her hometown and was now exposed to the harsh realities of the outside world, had only managed to fall asleep a short while ago.


    The close encounter with a dragon had stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her, making it challenging for her to rest peacefully.


    "Should we use the dragon as a bargain to make them give up on their crazy demands, or should we take the body back with us?" Rain asked.


    "Is that even possible?" Branden asked.


    "I will do something about it. Not like I need the parts of a dragon, but if it can sell for a lot, then it is worth the hassle," Rain replied.


    Dragon materials held significant value for those who practiced fire magic or had an affinity for it, as they could harness the inherent properties of these materials to enhance their abilities. However, dragon materials held little relevance for Rain, whose magic was primarily Earth-based.


    Fire magic users could forge potent weapons and artifacts from dragon scales and bones, utilizing their fiery attributes to devastating effect.


    Nevertheless, Rain couldn''t help but imagine how cool it would be of having dragon-based relics. Imagined all kinds of them¡­ Dragonbone Sword: A de forged from the bones of a fire dragon, it could ignite in mes uponmand, delivering fiery strikes inbat.


    Dragonhide Armor, crafted from the resilient scales of a dragon, this armor not only provided exceptional protection but also granted the wearer resistance to fire-based attacks.


    Dragon''s Eye Amulet: This amulet, embedded with a dragon''s eye gemstone, grants its wearer the ability to see through illusions and perceive hidden truths. While he only imagined those effects, he began to wonder if he could get an item that would enhance his mana recovery rate¡­ he needed to investigate that.


    In the end, it took three long days for the negotiations to be resumed. Although the council members survived the dragon attack, the toll on the city was heavy. Many lives were lost, and the extent of the destruction far exceeded what the city''s inhabitants alone could repair.


    The scars left by the dragon''s rampage would serve as a grim reminder of the perilous times they lived in, and the urgent need for a truce became all the more evident.


    Branden raised the possibility of leaving the dragon''s body behind to the members of the council, and they liked that since they could study more how to deal with fire dragons. They also began to be more lenient with their unreasonable demands, thanks to it.


    Branden approached Rain, offering to craft a special item for him using the core of the fire dragon. After some consideration, Rain decided against it. He understood that possessing such a relic might draw unwanted attention from other dragons. With enough challenges on his te, he felt it was best not to further entangle himself in dragon-rted matters.


    Besides, few people could stop the dragons while they were in the air. They basically couldn''t care less about physical barriers while flying, so it wouldn''t be weird for them to easily track Rain while they travel like that.


    As things began to settle down for the group and they became more epted in the city, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling that he was being watched by an unseen presence. It wasn''t the usual sensation of imminent danger; instead, it felt like a subtle surveince devoid of any overt hostility.


    Rain suspected it might be Leo, but despite his efforts to locate him, the enigmatic figure remained elusive, leaving Rain with an eerie sense of being observed from the shadows.


    "Since you showed your generosity and helped protect our city while it was attacked by surprise, we are willing to listen to your points and adjust the uses of the truce," Josar said. "This is the final document that we all agree."


    "The truce must guarantee the cessation of all hostilities, including military actions, skirmishes, and any other form of aggression."


    "To prevent future disputes and conflicts, there should be a clear demarcation of borders and territories."


    "Economic cooperation and prosperity for both parties will be fostered through outlined trade agreements, including the establishment of trade routes and tariffs."


    "Promoting mutual understanding and tolerance, both nations must agree to the exchange of cultural and educational initiatives."


    "Ensuring the well-being and rights of all citizens, regardless of their origin, humanitarian uses should be incorporated."


    "To protect our shared natural resources, we shall establish environmental preservation and conservation agreements."


    "In the event of future disagreements, there must be a mechanism for dispute resolution, including a neutral mediation process."


    "To promote transparency and trust, we shall maintain regr diplomatic exchanges andmunication channels."


    "Fostering goodwill among our citizens, cultural exchanges, and joint celebrations should be encouraged."


    "For collective security, both sidesmit to assisting each other in times of external threats or invasion. An armyposed of soldiers from both sides will be formed over the next year. However, in emergencies, assistance from small teams can be demanded to aid each other in specific situations."


    "The truce shall remain in effect for twenty years, and any breach shall result in dire consequences for the offending party."

 Chapter 250: Final offer

    The group observed that while the truce uses had seen improvements, the council''s underlying intentions weren''t entirely veiled. In particr, thest two uses raised some concerns. The twelfth use, which dealt with the consequences of breaking the truce, remained somewhat unclear, leaving questions about the severity of potential punishments.


    As for the eleventh use, it was crystal clear. The council seemed eager to have the option of requesting Rain''s assistance, likely due to his unique abilities. If the need arose for a small team, the humans could swiftly respond, as it wouldn''t necessitate arge-scale effort. This use hinted at a certain reliance on Rain''s powers, which the group found somewhat disconcerting.


    "This is¡­" Esmeralda said while hesitating. "We don''t n on forcing you to bring the people that we want, but we don''t want to waste time," Josar said. "It will be better if both sides cooperate with the best warriors of both sides."


    While Rain didn''t like the roundabout way, he could see that Josar made sense. Without sending the best people to help, they will essentially be sending people to their deaths. However, there was always the chance that the reinforcements would be brainwashed and forced to join the other sides.


    "May I add something?" Rain asked.


    Branden and Esmeralda exchanged astonished nces as Rain, who had maintained a mostly quiet demeanor throughout their numerous meetings with the council, abruptly broke his silence. His voice, filled with newfound determination, sliced through the tense atmosphere in the chamber like a sharp knife.


    The council members themselves also redirected their attention towards Rain, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. Rain''s words had clearly disrupted the established rhythm of their discussions, and the importance of his unanticipated input lingered in the air as an unspoken query, waiting for acknowledgment and response.


    "... Yes?" Esmeralda asked.


    "It will be fair if they ask for some reinforcements, but those they can should have some authority during the battle and stay on the same level as themanders as themanders," Rain said.


    "That makes sense, but I wonder if it will work¡­" Branden said while frowning. "The people of the tribes won''t follow themand of those who aren''t their leaders, right?"


    "... They will if the reinforcements show their worth," Josar replied. "We are willing to ept those conditions."


    Esmeralda and Branden looked at each other and nodded. While it was a bit risky, it was also a good chance for their nation to get on their hands on some rare materials. Still, they wondered if Rain would be fine.


    Branden had shared with Jori and theirpanions his n to assign Rain individual missions to evaluate the full extent of Rain''s capabilities. Despite nearing his thirteenth year, Rain remained a mysterious figure when it came to his potential. His rapid progress often left Jori and the others feeling like they couldn''t keep up.


    epting this reality, they dedicated themselves to improving their own skills, determined not tog behind their exceptionally giftedrade.


    The mission involving the surveince of refugees was a legitimate assignment, undertaken with the aim of gathering essential intelligence from the magic people. It served as an opportunity to contribute to the group''s objectives while also providing a tform to assess their abilities and adaptability in various scenarios.


    Thisprehensive approach to their missions reflected Branden''s careful nning and the collectivemitment of the group to their goals.


    "We ept the terms," Esmeralda said.


    In the end, on that very same day, the council members signed a paper after Esmeralda in which the truce was sealed. At that point in time, both sides couldn''t feel any more animosities between them, so they felt confident about the truce.


    "Ah¡­ this was exhausting," Branden said and then fell on his bed when they returned to the inn. "We can finally return home tomorrow¡­"


    "Can we feel that rxed yet?" Esmeralda asked while showing aplicated expression.


    "No, this is just the start," Rain replied. "Even if this alliancests for a while, both sides will look for opportunities to weaken the other in one way or another. Some people unsatisfied by the truce might also cause problems."


    "Yeah¡­ by the way, why did you say that?" Branden asked. "About epting the missions and giving the reinforcements the chance tomand some of the magic people."


    "I was just thinking that it would be fine if I couldmand some of them to learn the secrets of their techniques," Rain replied.


    "... You really like to train," Branden said while he watched Rain doing some handstands. "That exins why I am not a match for your magic, even though you are mainly a warrior. Still, there is always the chance that something might happen, and some people will treat it as an ident."


    "It will be fine. All treat all attempts for my life as good lessons as well to keep my guard always on guard," Rain said.


    Before considering helping the magic people, Rain needed toplete his tunnel project, a task he estimated would take a few more weeks of focused effort.


    Now, some might question why Rain was so willing to assist those who had once posed a significant threat to him and manipted his father. The reason was quite clear in his mind. This opportunity was a means to enhance his own strength.


    By doing so, he aimed to discourage potential adversaries from ever considering a confrontation with him. This decision wasn''t just about aiding others; it was also a way to safeguard his own interests and establish a firm position in this intricate world.


    "Well, nothing is certain for now¡­ a few days have passed since the attack, and the dragons didn''t do anything," Branden said. "I don''t think that the magic people will ask for help in a month or two¡­ that would be too desperate of them. By the way, how fast can we return home?"


    "If I drink the potions like there is no tomorrow and you guys don''t whine about the wind, about three days," Rain replied.

 Chapter 251: Return

    A journey that shouldst three weeks willst three days¡­ Branden and Esmeralda sure were impressed. Still, Rain could be even faster if he were to travel alone. There was too much luggage, but it couldn''t be helped.


    In any case, when the following day came, Geio showed up, offering the chance to drive them back to their territory, but they refused since Rain could solve that. At the same time, Josar showed up and then took out his veil, and showed his face before offering a handshake.


    Josar looked to be in his forties since he had some strains of gray hair. He also looked well-built. Rain had no idea what he could do in terms of magic, but he felt that he was a hybrid fighter. Regardless, he had short ck hair brushed back, and it seemed neat enough to the point that it looked like he spent many hours doing that.


    Still, what was truly surprising was the fact that he didn''t look like someone who fought many times, which was weird since he was supposed to be the strongest of his tribe.


    "Despite the past, I hope that we will be able to work with each other in the future," Josar said.


    "Certainly," Branden said and then epted the handshake.


    In the next moment, Josar bowed a bit after looking at Esmeralda. Finally, he looked at Rain and stayed silent for a while.


    "You saved a lot of people here, so we will try to help you avoid her in case youe to help again," Josar said.


    "Even though you guys tried to make me marry her?" Rain asked.


    "... that situation was a bitplicated, and I believe you will be better off not knowing the full details of it," Josar said after showing a tired expression.


    Rain couldn''t help but ponder theplexities surrounding the situation that the magic people had presented. It was indeed an unusual predicament, one that left him intrigued yet cautious.


    However, Rain didn''t hold high expectations for the magic people. His actions and decisions were primarily driven by self-interest. He was well aware that, sooner orter, he would find himself in a confrontation with them once more. When that day came, he wanted to be in a position of strength, ready to decisively defeat any threats they posed.


    It was a matter of personal survival and ensuring that he could protect those he cared about.


    Rain swiftly crafted an earth tform beneath his feet, a familiar technique he had mastered. As Branden and Esmeralda joined him, he infused it with his magic, causing the tform to soar through the air at an impressive speed. They had used this method on the night of the dragon attack, and there was no longer a need to conceal it.


    Silence enveloped the trio initially as they distanced themselves from the chaos below. The recent events had left them all deep in thought. However, as the minutes passed, the tension slowly dissipated, and conversation began to flow more freely among them.


    "I don''t think that they will spark another war while they are busy with the dragons," Branden said. "Still, as soon as they solve that issue, they will make their move once we see some sort of weakness when that is solved."


    "If they use dragon-based relics, they will be more than able to start another war, and we won''t be able to stop them anytime soon," Esmeralda said. "There is a possibility that they will stack materials for that¡­ I don''t believe that they will watch theirnds burn and avoid using them."


    That was quite worrisome, but Rain had other things in his mind aside from that. He wasn''t going to lose to those who were willing to use cheap tricks to win against him, after all. Although it seemed a bit too much to call the use of the relics cheap tricks. He had some of them, after all.


    The journey back home was considerably quicker, taking only two and a half days this time as Rain used the Sage path to increase his magic powers and mana regeneration. However, the swiftness of their return came at a cost. Branden and Esmeralda bore the brunt of the exhausting travel conditions, with little time to rest or shield themselves from the relentless cold and gusty winds.


    Despite their weary appearance, they couldn''t help but be grateful for their speedy arrival back home.


    "Thanks to your hard work," Branden said when theynded on the garden of his house and while he was fixing his hair that was standing. "I will send a message with the reward for your mission as soon as possible. I guess we owe you a lot more since you protected us from a dragon."


    "... I was a bit scared of you, since I heard a lot of things from you, but you are just like Branden described," Esmeralda said. "I hope that someday I can repay the favor."


    "Did he say that I was astonishingly good-looking, humble, and brave?" Rain asked.


    "Not quite," Esmeralda giggled. "Is there anything that we can do to repay you for all of your hard work?"


    "A lot of mana potions will do the trick," Rain replied.


    "Mana potions? It is quite shocking how strong you are and how much you still want to improve," Esmeralda said. "I will do something about that."


    "Alrighty," Rain said. "I have to report home as well, but I will pass the message to the organization that we are back. Until next time."


    Rain dashed from the house and then headed to the organization. A lot of people were surprised by his arrival since they only heardter about the mission, and they also didn''t receive news about them for weeks. Still, they were relieved once they confirmed that Branden and Esmeralda were fine.


    Upon arriving home, Rain was surprised to find his mother and sisters sleeping in the garden¡­ they were fine, and that was great, but their sense of urgency wascking a lot.

 Chapter 252: Lv 99

    After reporting to his family, Rain went to sleep. He was nning to work on the tunnel as soon as he woke up. Still, his sisters began to pester him¡­ in the end, Rain had to tell them about the fight that he had with the dragon in detail for them while they began to work on the tunnel.


    Dana, Kei, and G looked like they wanted to see a dragon up close, but Rain didn''t want such dangerous creatures close to his little sisters. It was different imagining one and seeing what they could do in action¡­


    "You didn''t say how hurt you got during the fight¡­" Leiah said while furrowing her eyebrows.


    "It was nothing serious, I used water magic to protect myself from the fire breath," Rain replied. "It was only a fifty-year-old dragon. It could barely be considered an adult.


    Leiah sighed¡­ Rain was hiding a lot of details in order not to worry them. A fifty-year-old dragon still was the size of an adult one, after all. Still, at least he looked way better than when he showed up after the war.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 99 (4100/9900)


    Current Path: Martial Artist''s Path (Lv 45 (220/4500)


    Health: 14.970/14.970


    Mana: 18.330/18.330


    Stamina: 16.990/16.990


    Strength: 1302


    Dexterity: 717


    Intelligence: 865


    Vitality: 1428


    Wisdom: 1833


    Endurance: 1456


    Luck: 307


    Free Points: 250


    Main Skills:


    [Basic Strikes and Kicks Lv 52)


    [Iron Limbs Lv 45]


    [Endurance Training Lv 05]


    [Vital Surge Lv 05]


    [Precise Strikes Lv 41]


    Support Skills:


    [Health Bonus Lv 72]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 27]


    [Language Lv 88]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 50]


    [Meditation Lv 83]


    Rain was also satisfied. While he faced a crazy foe, he got very strong¡­ Perhaps facing dragons wasn''t a bad way to get stronger. That way of thinking probably would lead him to an early grave, though and he knew that very well.


    "That doesn''t hurt?" Leiah asked while seeing Rain digging the tunnel with his hands, and she thought that her son''s hands were made of iron or something.


    "No, it is fine, see?" Rain said while showing his hands covered in dirt and then cleaning them and showing his red fingers. "One of the techniques of a certain tribe of magic people is quite good to enhance strength and vitality."


    "Is that the one you taught your father?" Leiah asked. "It is weird to see his body turning red and him sweating that much while sitting down."


    "He is probably trying to get used to the effects," Rain exined. "Anyway, I want to finish this before the next mission arrives, so I need to do this much to make you all travel faster."


    Rain still had to do something about the cart and the lightning magic¡­ in the end, he decided to use only magic at one moment and then only his hands in the other. Naturally, he changed his path from Martial Artist path to Mage''s path.


    While the Enchanter path granted more bonuses, it didn''t grant him skills that would improve his magic control that much.


    Fortunately, such a thing improved a lot more when the next day, several boxes were delivered from the castle, and they were filled with mana potions. All of them could recover his mana by ten thousand points, so Rain couldn''t help but smirk.


    "A gift from the castle¡­ did you get close to the princess?" Leiah asked.


    "No more than I had to," Rain replied.


    Leiah''s apprehensions about Rain''s involvement in coboration with the magic people tobat dragons were rooted in several legitimate concerns. First and foremost, she recognized the formidable and unpredictable nature of dragons as adversaries.


    Even with the magic people''s support, taking on these creatures was an undeniably hazardous undertaking. Dragons were renowned for their immense power, cunning, and a formidable array of destructive abilities, making any encounter a high-stakes and perilous affair.


    Moreover, Leiah was acutely aware of the strained history between Rain and the magic people. Having previously been their captive and witnessing his father''s maniption at their hands, Rain''s interactions with this group had been marred by deception and animosity.


    cing trust in them now, especially for a mission of such paramount importance, carried significant risks. Leiah feared that the magic people might harbor ulterior motives or, worse yet, could potentially betray Rain, thus exposing him to even greater danger.


    Furthermore, the prospect of Rain working closely with the magic people raised concerns about his overall well-being. Leiah couldn''t shake the worry that he might be exposed to perils beyond the dragons themselves. Engaging with a group he had every reason to mistrust might thrust him into morally ambiguous situations or lead to unanticipated and adverse consequences.


    Despite her concerns, Leiah found herself in a challenging predicament. Rain radiated a strong sense of self-assuredness and determination when discussing his coboration with the magic people and the impending dragon confrontations. He fullyprehended the dangers andplexities involved.


    Yet, he appeared unwavering in his pursuit of adventure and the chance to both test and elevate his capabilities.


    Leiah recognized Rain as a young man in his prime, propelled by a thirst for adventure and a yearning to prove himself. She grasped that his journey wasn''t merely about confronting peril but also a quest for self-discovery and personal development. Rain''s natural curiosity and his desire to push the boundaries of his abilities were potent driving forces behind his decisions.


    In any case, all those potions sure increased Rain''s work. The mage''s path was also leveling up pretty fast, so he was truly looking forward to the next branch in that path.


    In the end, the tunnel was finished in two weeks, so the whole family was surprised to see if it was finished.


    "You actually did it, huh?" Roan said when they began to explore the whole tunnel. "I knew that you had talents for many things but not for digging."


    "Now I just need to do something about moving the cart through the rails," Rain said.

 Chapter 253: Same as usual

    "The carts don''t move from them, right? These rails things," Roan said. "Wouldn''t it be better if I just pulled it? That should save some of your time and do something else. You need a hobby, Rain. Something that isn''t training."


    "It would be too much for everyone to pull the cart for hundreds of kilometers," Rain said. "It also will be troublesome if it has to use the magic of the girls to move all the time."


    Rain grappled with the predicament of the cart''s mobility for several days. While diligently honing his earth-based magic skills, he encountered a roadblock in his progress with lightning magic. Frustration asionally clouded his thoughts as he searched for a solution to the cart''s movement challenge.


    After days of contemtion, a novel idea illuminated his mind: employing spiritual potions. He realized that the cart''s engine had the remarkable capacity to absorb the magical energy contained within these elixirs, akin to a sponge-absorbing liquid. This revtion ignited a spark of hope as it presented a potential remedy for the cart''s mobility issues.


    Following a series of experimental trials, Rain made an intriguing discovery: spiritual potions could serve as a potent form of fuel. This realization unveiled a new realm of possibilities in which these elixirs could be harnessed to power various mechanisms.


    Moreover, Rain observed that items crafted from magical creatures exhibited a unique susceptibility to alternative forms of energy. They appeared responsive to forces beyond their magical origins, such as electricity and kic energy. This revtion hinted at the profound interconnectedness of magical and non-magical energies.


    Still, Rain could check all thatter and find other ways to explore it. He put the final phase of his n into action and soon confirmed that one spiritual potion that costs one gold coin could make the cart reach the other side of the tunnel in twenty-four hours while also only using eighty percent of its total.


    "I can make the potions myself, so the money isn''t a problem. Maybe I should try to improve the speed of the cart¡­ but it could be dangerous if something happens," Rain thought.


    Now that such a problem had been dealt with, Rain finally could rx a bit. It had been three weeks since he worked for the organization, so he was starting to feel a bit restless, even though Branden paid him ten tinum coins¡­


    "My money is piling up again¡­ what should I buy?" Rain thought when he went to the garden and then saw his little sisters training their magic by firing water balls at each other.


    Those didn''t cause much damage, so it was fine¡­ in any case, Rain could see Dana grinning quite a lot since she avoided most of the attacks and could easily hit Kei and G. She was getting overconfident, so Rain wondered if he should help her fix her long nose.


    "How has the academy been?" Rain asked.


    "Same as usual," Dana replied.


    "What is the same as usual?" Rain asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "I am studying magic, military, history, and etiquette. I am doing fine with magic and the military, and some kids ask me for tips. At the same time, they also help me with history and etiquette," Dana replied.


    It seemed that Dana had some friends since he had some experience by training with Rain and learning from him as well. Rain never told her to hide Impulse, so he wondered if she was spreading that knowledge¡­ still, her version was weaker since she only used magic to propel herself forward.


    Rain couldn''t help but ponder the potential repercussions of Dana interacting extensively with other noble children. He recognized that within their kingdom, there existed individuals who held allegiance to both the magic people and the humans. This dual loyalty might lead toplications and conflicts, especially if Dana was perceived as forming close ties with those from the magicmunity.


    He harbored concerns about the delicate bnce of power and influence in their society, fearing that Dana''s associations could inadvertently provoke discord or resentment among certain factions.


    It was aplex web of alliances and rivalries, and Rain was determined to ensure that Dana remained safe and shielded from any political or ideological entanglements that might arise from her interactions with nobles. He already had some ins in mind of what he should do, make their literal fall look like an ident and with his earth magic, that was easy pickings.


    Rumors began to circte throughout the kingdom, suggesting that Rain had in the formidable fire dragon. While these stories found eager ears among some, a good number of people remained skeptical. The tale was certainly captivating, fueled by the ounts of Branden and Esmeralda, who had ryed the events.


    Still, despite his considerable height of 1.75 meters, the very idea of a young boy single-handedly vanquishing such a formidable foe seemed too fantastical for many to readily ept. The incredulity persisted, leaving room for doubt even as the narrative gained traction.


    "Speaking of which, Jori and the others didn''t show up until now¡­ are they on a long mission somewhere?" Rain wondered.


    Rain didn''t know of the situation in other areas, even though the border was mostly fine. Maybe he should go to the organization and ask around¡­ still, Rain felt that they would be fine, and he would have heard if something truly dangerous had happened.


    In the end, Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra visited his house one monthter, and they all looked a bit different since they got a lot of tan.


    "Were you guys rxing on the beach or something?" Rain asked.


    "Oh, if it isn''t Rain, the dragon yer," Jori said. "While you were away, we went fish hunting in the South. Some rich folks asked the organization for the body of a giant octopus¡­ it took us three weeks to find one."


    "Did you really endure the fire breath of a dragon head-on?" Terra asked. "With only minor burn wounds? I don''t want to doubt Lord Branden''s words, but¡­"

 Chapter 254: Magic nerves

    "It was a young dragon, and I used water magic to cover myself with it¡­ I also tried to cool down the water, but it hadn''t been enough," Rain said. "Anyway, it seems kind of fun to work on the sea."


    "Only if you don''t get seasick¡­ that is horrible," Asche said. "You can''t sleep on a bad that moves and some times knock you on the floor, that is if you are lucky enough to fall asleep."


    "Anyway, Lord Branden said that we should take a break for a while since he wants us to go with you if you are called by the magic people," Jori suddenly said. "Fighting dragons seems a bit too much for us right now, so we want to train with you daily. No need to hold back."


    Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra all bore grave expressions on their faces. The prospect of embarking on an international mission with the potential of facing fearsome dragons didn''t seem to deter them. Rain couldn''t quite determine if they were extraordinarily brave or perhaps a touch reckless. Still, their collective seriousness made it evident that they took their role seriously.


    "I see, Imend your bravery¡­ not many people are brave enough to decide to live hard and die young," Rain said.


    "Don''t kill us off yet," Reca said. "We will train hard with you and get the same results."


    Rain stopped to think for a moment. Maybe that could work. Their paths were more obvious, so they could show more results if they kept doing the same things. They were different from Rain. In any case, training with others andparing their growth was also a good motivator.


    Still¡­ Rain wondered when those kids would settle down; they were almost twenty, and it didn''t look like they were nning to stop working for the organization anytime soon. Even Jori and Reca, who had been going out for a while.


    "All right, show up tomorrow at sunrise, then I will show you guys true hell," Rain said while smirking.


    Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra wore expressions of unease as they witnessed Rain''s unusual excitement. It was a rare sight for them to see him so enthusiastic about something, which left them feeling somewhat apprehensive about the uing days.


    The following morning, the group gathered in the serene garden of Rain''s house. Alongside Rain, Dana, G, and Kei were present. However, they had already begun their training to master the art of meditation in any circumstance. Rain was still refining this technique, but he had progressed to a point where he could instruct others in what he had learned.


    "For now, you two should run around the garden," Rain said and then put the weights on Jori and Reca''s wrists. "While I am going to teach you something I learned from the second general that can boost your endurance, vitality, and strength, you guys still need to focus on the basics."


    "Is this the same weight that you are with?" Jori asked while feeling a lot of pressure in his limbs.


    "It is about half. We can increase the weights every single day, for now, just get used to it," Rain said. "As for you guys, you should know that meditating can be bothersome since you have to sit down and can''t do anything else. I am trying to ignore that demerit."


    Rain guided Liss, Asche, and Terra through a process that involved depleting all of their mana before embarking on the journey to enhance their meditation skills. It was a critical step since trying to refine their meditation abilities with full mana reserves would be ineffective.


    Initially, Liss, Asche, and Terra were skeptical about improving such a fundamental and seemingly straightforward technique as meditation. However, as they delved deeper into this uncharted territory and gained experience, they came to realize that there was much more to meditation than meets the eye.


    It became evident that meditation was not just a standalone practice but rather an integral part of a broader path to enhancing their magical abilities.


    "I guess I am a really good teacher since you guys are already making progress," Rain said.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Mage''s path gained 50 experience points.


    As Rain dedicated himself to teaching others and guiding them in their meditation journey, he didn''t neglect his own magical training. It came as no surprise when he confirmed the existence of the teacher''s path, a path that allowed him to grow and refine his own magical abilities while imparting knowledge to hispanions.


    Rain continued to hone his magical skills, and one of his training exercises involved creating a protective wind barrier around his garden. This shield not only ensured their privacy by muffling any sounds from within but also allowed them to carry on with their discussions without fear of eavesdroppers.


    "When did you thought that it was possible to learn another version of meditation?" Liss asked. "Is it another thing you learned from the magic people?"


    "No, I did this when I was bored during the meetings with their council," Rain replied.


    "... You are something else," Liss said and then facepalmed.


    "I guess we can multitask with this kind of technique. Shouldn''t we train our bodies as well while we use it?" Terra asked.


    "I tried that, and it didn''t work. I actually felt like I was about to die," Rain replied. "To be able to draw the mana, your body needs to be rxed to some extent. If you try to force your body too much while doing that, the mana that you will draw will make you feel like your magic nerves will explode."


    "Magic nerves?" Terra asked.


    Rain contemted his own magical development and realized that while nobody had explicitly talked about something like "magic nerves," he consistently felt his mana flowing through particr pathways within his body.


    To make sense of this phenomenon, he began to refer to these channels as "magic nerves." It was his way of understanding and conceptualizing the pathways that mana followed within him.

 Chapter 255: I dont run away

    Rain also took it upon himself to teach the girls some techniques for harnessing magic to enhance their physical speed. He knew that improving their agility would not only make them faster but also enhance the effectiveness of their magic attacks. Although their bodies were robust enough to attempt using Impulse, their affinity for earth magic wasn''t particrly strong.


    Hence, Rain decided to start with techniques that wouldplement their existing skills and gradually build from there.


    "Liss and Asche can use wind magic, so you two can practice this," Rain said and then raised his calves and then used a st of wind to propel himself forward. "It is a bit hard to control, but you won''t have to use too much physical strength. Terra is the problem here."


    "I am sorry for being a problem," Terra said while looking away, a bit annoyed.


    "It seems that you are only good at healing magic and not at elemental magic. We will have to think of something for that," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Having some extra mobility might save you one day."


    Rain contemted the challenge of enhancing Terra''s speed with raw mana. He knew that, theoretically, raw mana maniption might provide a solution. Still, he hadn''t made significant progress in that field yet. Unlike those for whom magic was a primary focus, Rain primarily viewed magic as a supporting element in his abilities.


    Consequently, he had fewer ideas on how to tackle this issuepared to those who were more deeply entrenched in the study of magic.


    "You are good at healing magic, so you should try to use your raw mana in other ways. You should be good with that since most healing magic isn''t elemental," Rain said. "I can show you the non-elemental spells that I have, and I can tell you my opinion when you ask about something, but I have no idea how to develop a technique that only uses raw mana."


    "What about the training that Jori and Reca are doing? That will improve their physical abilities, right?" Terra asked.


    "Yeah, but I wouldn''t rmend it to you. You trained your body a bit for meleebat, but that technique is a lot more intense," Rain replied.


    Rain unleashed the second general''s technique, resulting in a dramatic transformation. His muscles swelled beneath his skin, which took on a reddish tint. His face tightened with determination and fury, and instead of regr sweat, his body emitted steam. This showcased his mastery and the immense power hemanded, making it clear just how formidable he had be.


    Still, it was clear he was having difficulty keeping his mind clear. Only those who had experience controlling their anger in most situations would be able to use that technique. Rain still didn''t know if Jori and Reca would be able to pull it off after all.


    "I can see your point¡­ I wonder if there will be a technique like that along the paths connected to the healer''s path," Terra said. "I don''t think that I can learn a new technique, and I want to make my healing skills reach the level of those guys, so I think it would be better if I improved my melee skills instead.


    I might not be able to run away super fast like you do, but I will be able to hold my ground and heal my wounds. I will have the advantage in a battle of attrition."


    "I don''t run away super fast. I charge in super fast," Rain said and then realized Terra''s point. "... Still, I suppose you have a point. You should follow Jori and Reca for starters, then."


    Rain crafted forearm guards and shin guards from solid earth for Terra. Although they were somewhat weighty, Terra''s face lit up with an odd sense of contentment as she received them. She eagerly strapped them on, and without further ado, she joined Jori and Reca in runningps around the garden.


    The earth-made protective gear not only bolstered her defenses but also seemed to invigorate her as if she had found a new source of strength and motivation.


    "I am going to school, and I guess I will begging behind at this rate¡­" Dana said while seeing everyone training hard.


    "Don''t worry about that. Just push your limits every day, and then you will eventually be satisfied with your progress," Rain said while messing with Dana''s hair. "You two should take a break as well. You two are too young to train this hard when you are that young."


    "Okay," Kei said, looking a bit unmotivated.


    "What about breakfast? Can I make it?" G asked.


    "I will keep an eye, just to be safe," Rain replied.


    From that point onward, Rain''s household was a hive of activity. Training sessions became rigorous and persistent, extending throughout the day. While Rain initially considered restricting them until noon, hispanions, Jori, and the others, were resolute in their determination to expand their limits daily in anticipation of their next mission.


    Rain began to contemte whether their unwaveringmitment to training might eventually lead to burnout.


    Rain''s interactions with Terra were particrly noteworthy. He engaged in sparring sessions with her, sharing invaluable insights into close-rangebat. Terra absorbed his teachings about optimal stances for offense and defense, techniques for swiftly assessing adversaries to avoid potential threats, and diverse strategies for refining herbat skills.


    Each day presented new lessons and challenges, allowing Terra to absorb knowledge and refine her abilities.


    One day, a noticeable shift in demeanor was observed among the group. Liss appeared downcast, her mood clearly affected. In contrast, Terra was beaming with unbridled enthusiasm. Initially, they kept the cause of this disparity to themselves, leaving others to specte. However, Jori managed to overhear a conversation between the two, shedding light on the situation.


    It appeared that Terra''s enthusiasm was a result of her training efforts, which had led to the development of well-defined abdominal muscles. Reca and Asche, too, had sessfully cultivated their own impressive abs.

 Chapter 256: Progress

    Unfortunately, Liss found herself in a different predicament, as her abdominal muscles remained elusive, making her the only one in the group without visible abs. This disparity had left her feeling somewhat disheartened amidst the camaraderie of her toned friends.


    "What the hell.. what a stupid reason," Rain facepalmed.


    Over several weeks of dedicated training, the group made remarkable progress. Terra''s physical endurance had grown substantially. While Rain was holding back, they were still heavy since he was even wearing the weights.


    Meanwhile, Liss and Asche harnessed the power of wind magic, using it to execute rapid movements in all directions. They employed gusts of wind to propel themselves to the front, back, and sides. Although there was room for improvement, their mastery of this technique was evident.


    Jori and Reca focused on breath control techniques, emting the approach of the second general. Through precise regtion of their breath, they experienced a significant boost in their physical capabilities and strength. Recognizing that he needed to call this technique something else, Rain decided to call it "Limit Breaker."


    "I see¡­ it is amazing that you managed to keep up with the general when he used this," Jori said while clenching his teeth. "I can feel the anger and power building inside me.


    "Raw power isn''t everything," Rain said. "At first, I thought that he paced himself, not using the technique often in order to fight for longer periods of time. However, one''s judgment also gets clouded after using Limit Breaker for too long. That was why he got my counterattack and died."


    Rain recognized that the "Limit Breaker" technique held a special appeal for martial artists like himself, primarily because they relied on their limbs as their main tools ofbat. What set martial artists apart was their exceptional precision and control, developed through rigorous training.


    This expertise allowed them to deliver powerful blows while minimizing the risk of self-inflicted injuries or the loss of limbs during intensebat situations. As a result, integrating the "Limit Breaker" technique into their skill set proved to be a natural and highly effective choice, further enhancing their martial prowess.


    "I rmend using Limit Breaker only to surprise your enemies when running away or when to finish them off," Rain said. "This technique probably can cause harm to your bodies if you use it for long, after all."


    Over the past few weeks, the group has made significant progress in their training. Asche had developed the ability to infuse her arrows with wind magic, adding a new dimension to her archery skills. Meanwhile, Liss had been making strides in controlling lightning magic, a remarkable achievement.


    This newfound expertise not only improved their overallbat abilities but also opened up new possibilities for the group.


    Rain was particrly interested in Liss''s lightning magic control. Her insights and guidance were proving invaluable in helping him grasp this challenging aspect of magic. With her assistance, he, too, was making notable progress, further broadening his magical repertoire.


    "I guess we will just have to keep it up for a while now," Rain suddenly dered.


    "What about improving meditation? Didn''t you have any other ideas?" Liss asked.


    "No, but I guess it is fine for now," Rain replied. "As long as we work together, we will be able to use the current version well. Maybe you guys will have the surge of inspiration before me to keep the technique active at all times."


    Rain was about to level up the mage''s path, but soon, the sunset and the group split up. While he preferred not to continue in order not to show his sisters that he didn''t follow his own advice of resting properly and not pushing their bodies too much, he decided to spend his mana as soon as possible before they could realize that.


    Rain honed his skills, wrapping his fists in the swirling wind before infusing them with crackling lightning. In the past, such attempts had been painful misadventures, leaving him shocked and his arm temporarily paralyzed. Thanks to Liss''s guidance and helpful advice, he had made significant strides.


    Now, he could maintain the spell without harm, even in motion. The surge of power flowing through his fists was electrifying, but the cost was steep. This technique demanded an enormous amount of mana, instilling in him a newfound respect for the intricacies of lightning magic.


    Rain extended his experimentation to water magic, envisioning a crystallineyer enveloping his arms. He manipted the water''s properties with intense concentration, gradually transmuting it into a solid, jewel-like substance. This was no easy feat, as it required a delicate bnce between maintaining the water''s form and preventing it from freezing.


    As the transformation took hold, his arms became encased in a transparent, glimmering sheen, resembling a crystal that emitted a powerfulyer of cold.


    "This should be useful against fire dragons¡­ but I am feeling shivers," Rain thought. "I need to learn some defensive elemental spells."


    Combining that with earth magic would be a better option, even though it would consume some more mana. A de made of ice against a fire dragon certainly will cause a disgusting amount of damage.


    Rain already knew what he could do with earth magic and his arms, so he didn''t do that. Instead, he used his magic on the ground and focused his senses on it. Before long, he began to raise a bunch of minerals from the ground¡­ they were only small particles. Still, with his skill, he could control them and separate them from the ground.


    The next step will be if Rain can refine ores by himself. Still, he was nning to start training on the creation of earth with magic and then proceed with whether he could do the same with ores or minerals, which seemed more useful in the long run.


    As for fire magic, Rain decided not to try to use it. Just as usual, he was really bad at controlling it, so it was better to use it only for misceneous stuff.

 Chapter 257: [Bonus chapter]Wizards path

    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 80: mestorm - Unleash a raging storm of fire, scorching all enemies in a ten meters radius. Cost 2000 mana Cast Time: 10 seconds.


    Level 85: Blizzard - Summon a blizzard that chills and slows enemies within a ten meters range. Cost 2000 mana Cast Time: 10 seconds.


    Level 90: Cyclone Tempest - Create a powerful whirlwind, lifting and tossing enemies around. Cost 3000 mana Cast Time: 10 seconds.


    Level 95: Earthquake - Generate a ground-shaking tremor that disrupts enemy formations in a twenty-meter radius for ten seconds. Cost 2000 mana Cast Time: 10 seconds.


    Level 100: Elemental Cataclysm - Combine all four elements into a devastating spell, unleashing chaos and massive damage to all foes in the area. Cost 5000 mana Cast Time: 20 seconds.


    The Wizard''s Path is a voyage into the arcane depths, delving into the intricacies of spellcasting and the maniption of magical energies. Those who embark on this path be adept sorcerers, wielding their mystical powers with precision and finesse. Intelligence and Wisdom + 06 per level.


    Level 1: Arcane Initiation - Begin your journey into the arcane arts, gaining basic proficiency in spellcasting. You gain three percent more experience when using spells per level.


    "... That was disappointing, but I guess this skill will gain experience the more I use magic, and then it will increase the experience of other spells," Rain thought.


    Rain immediately equipped the new skill and then returned to his home feeling that he had done enough in thest month when ites to training. While Rain could use some crazy spells, he didn''t like them since they took time to cast and consumed way too much mana. Any decent fighter could avoid them¡­ their power was insane, though.


    In the end, Rain and the others had exactly one week of extra time before Branden and Esmeralda suddenly paid him a visit while they were training. Rain wished that he had avoided that since it would draw unwanted attention to him and his family¡­ he could understand that they did that out of respect, but it still was troublesome.


    "Sorry for stopping you all," Branden said.


    Upon catching sight of the princess, Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra reacted swiftly and respectfully. Almost instinctively, they dropped to their knees as a show of deference and courtesy. It was a clear disy of acknowledgment and respect for her royal status.


    Rain, on the other hand, contemted doing the same, understanding the protocol, but found it to be quite a hassle. The formalities involved in such gestures could be cumbersome, and he was inclined to ignore them.


    "Please, stand up," Esmeralda said. "You don''t have to be so stiff, even more so when we interrupted your training sessions. Anyway, it has been raining for a while. Did you make good use of the potions?"


    "Yes, it helped a lot. I am grateful," Rain replied. "Just a bit more than two months had passed since the truce was signed. Did they already send a request for help?"


    "Yes and no, it is a long story," Esmeralda forced a smile.


    While Rain wasn''t that good at that yet, he used his magic to create some stone chairs and a round table for them. Might as well sit down while they talk. While he wasn''t good at that, all that looked spotless, like it had been carved out of some brownstone. That only showed how skilled he was with Earth Magic.


    "While the magic people didn''t ask for assistance yet, there is a n to sell arge amount of meat for them¡­ and they want that to be delivered to their Eastern border," Branden said. "My guess is that they will probably ask for your help."


    "But they don''t know if I do that kind of delivery job," Rain said.


    "They assumed that someone who is strong will since their people need supplies and since it is close to the border, it is dangerous," Branden exined.


    "They don''t produce enough food for them?" Jori asked.


    "They do, but they don''t hunt or raise cattle for food. It is more or less against their culture. Only a few tribes do that," Branden exined. "Still, it is different if they buy it from outside. Probably because they treat the animals and monsters on their territories with more respect."


    In addition to hunting and raising cattle, the magic people have notably abstained from fishing, and they don''t possess any boats or maritime presence. This deliberate avoidance of fishing activities is rooted in a longstanding feud between the magic people and the sea folk, a distinct group with a deep connection to the seas.


    As a result of this aversion to fishing, the meat that Rain, Branden, and Esmeralda had ess to was primarily sourced from the few tribes within the magic people''smunity that do consume meat. This dietary choice aligns with the broader culinary preferences of the magic people, who predominantly rely on vegetarian and grain-based dishes.


    The inclusion of meat in their cuisine remains a rtively rare and specialized aspect of their diet.


    "It would be easier to just fly there, but do we have to escort a whole convoy of food? It will take weeks," Rain said.


    "That can''t be helped. While the borders are open, few merchants are using them. This will be a good sign that the truce is in effect," Branden said. "To avoid problems, it is better if we send someone like you who is already known by them. Naturally, Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra will also assist you since there is a chance that the convoy will be attacked¡­ by one of the two sides."


    "So, you guys didn''t sniff out anyone from our side that might cause problems to end the truce?" Rain asked.


    "That is quite hard to do since nothing happened so far, and we can''t start a witch hunt without any proof," Branden replied.


    "Once both sides begin to negotiate, we will be able to tell those who will benefit less, and we will be able to keep surveince on them while investigating them as well," Esmeralda added.

 Chapter 258: New mission

    Rain found himself in a somewhat resigned state of mind. It appeared that a mission loomed on the horizon, one that would likely demand his attention for an arduous three months or perhaps even more. He mused that he might as well consider give his house to his family, as he had been spending so little time theretely. Comining, however, was not an option.


    However, this mission did present an intriguing opportunity. It would afford him the chance to closely observe the ways of the magic people, gaining valuable insights along the way. Additionally, there was the tantalizing possibility of facing the formidable challenge of battling dragons.


    For Rain, the allure of learning and growing through these experiences overshadowed any inconvenience that came with an extended absence from home.


    "When do we have to leave?" Rain asked. "I guess a long trip won''t be so bad since we will have the chance to train along the way as well."


    "I wish I had that much willpower. After realizing that I am less skilled in magic than a melee fighter like you, I lost all the drive to improve my magic," Branden said. "I guess it is because I was praised for many years thanks to my talent. Anyway, the preparations shouldn''t take more than three days."


    "You guys heard him. You have three days to prepare for a mission that willst for at least two months," Rain said. "If you finish your preparations before that, use the rest of the time to rest and rx. I dare say that we won''t have time for that for a while."


    "Roger," Jori said.


    "Hehehe, I have been waiting for this," Reca grinned from ear to ear.


    "We will work as escorts. You need to fix that bad habit of yours in front of others," Terra said while frowning.


    The group split after that, and they seemed way too excited while Rain was worried. In the end, Branden and Esmeralda left as well since they didn''t have that much time to begin with.


    "Well then¡­ I guess I will buy some potions just in case," Rain thought.


    Considering Rain wouldn''t be tackling this mission on his own, it was only right to think about how the rewards would be shared among the team. Nevertheless, Rain remained hopeful about the potential earnings, especially since the idea of taking down dragons offered a tantalizing opportunity for substantial rewards.


    Rain couldn''t simply overlook the risk that older dragons mighte after him, especially if the one that had survived had managed to spread the word about him. This made him realize the need for more thorough preparations.


    Therefore, he called his family together once more to exin the situation. While there was some concern among them, it wasn''t entirely surprising, as they had been bracing themselves for something like this.


    "I thought that life would be more interesting at school, but it seems that Big Bro''s life is a lot more fun," Dana said.


    "It isn''t fun. It is work," Rain said and then messed up Dana''s hairstyle.


    "It must be a pain to have to leave all the time to work for others," Kei said while showing a bored expression.


    "I want to experiment with the food of the magic people, so work hard to seed on the mission, brother," G added.


    Rain''s sisters were the same as always, a lot less worried than he wished that they were. Still, that was probably for the best. In any case, since he had the chance since work had been pretty dulltely, Roan decided to see Rain''s house for the first time, but soon he lost interest and then used Limit Breaker.


    "Hey, Rain, look at this," Roan said.


    Rain couldn''t use Impulse, but it seemed that he could control the limit breaker better than Rain since he just Enhanced his legs and then kicked the ground. Rain him across the entire garden in a moment. It was two hundred meters long, after all.


    "So, it can be used like that, huh?" Rain asked while he fixed the hole that his father left behind. "How many times can you use that?"


    "You already found the weakness?" Roan asked, and his smile vanished. "Ten times before my leg muscles start to bother me."


    "Well, it is still good enough to be used sporadically," Rain said. "I can''t copy that since my body is still growing. Thest time I did that, I messed up my leg."


    "I am still experimenting with a bunch of things, so I will show you the results once you return," Roan said. "Try not to pick too many fights with the dragons."


    Rain shrugged. That wasn''t his intention¡­ even though he wouldn''tin about it since he would gain a lot of experience. At the same time, it was quite exciting to face dragons. If Rain had topare with something, it was like going on a rollercoaster¡­ one that could eat him alive.


    Regardless, three days after bidding farewell to his family, Rain met up with hispanions at the city''s exit. His group consisted of Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra. However, what surprised them all was the sight that awaited them there. A massive convoy stood before them, boasting thirty wagons loaded to the brim with meat.


    These wagons weren''t your typical ones; they were uniquely crafted using various monster parts. What truly set them apart was their interior design, which was optimized for preserving the meat for an extended period, possibly weeks. In any case, with this valuable cargo and their convoy, Rain and hisrades were ready for their journey. It was a moment teeming with excitement and anticipation, a


    "Shall we go then?" Jori asked while taking the lead since the drivers were waiting for the departure.


    The convoy was quite long, and the roads were only sorge, so the group split up to give a sense of security to the drivers. While they just started the trip, they were weirdly nervous.

 Chapter 259: Night raid

    In the initial days of their mission, Rain and hisrades made an effort to engage in conversations with the drivers assigned to transport them. Recognizing the importance of building a connection with these drivers, the team aimed to ensure the smooth execution of their mission.


    However, the drivers proved to be notably reserved, causing Rain''s group to feel discouraged. It appeared that the drivers considered them too young for this vital mission despite their track record of surviving and actively participating in numerous battles throughout the ongoing war.


    Despite these early challenges in establishing rapport with the drivers, Rain, and their fellow team members remainedmitted to their mission''s sess.


    Rain quickly picked up on something significant. Their initial attempts at friendly conversation with the drivers not only fell t but also seemed to irk them. It was clear that the drivers found Rain and their team''s rxed approach somewhat irritating.


    These reactions prompted Rain to ponder a series of questions. They began to wonder whether these drivers were in any way connected to a rival family or faction that opposed Brandon, their own family''s leader. The thought crossed their mind that these drivers might have ties to apeting family or even harbored a personal grudge against the Lonard family.


    "From what I heard, they don''t have those political ties," Asche said when Rain asked her about it. "Still, a lot of lords wanted to make a profit out of this trip, so the drivers work for many families since His Majesty decided to give enough chances for everyone."


    If that was the case, Rain found it hard to believe that they would be attacked, so the drivers didn''t have any reasons to be afraid¡­ unless they would be attacked, but not all of the drivers would be targeted. That seemed usible.


    "Politics and schemes¡­ so boring," Rain thought while rolling his eyes.


    The first few days of the mission were quite smooth. Rain and the others had plenty of chances to train their bodies and skills since they ran with the weights instead of using the vehicles. The girls also used magic to propel their movements. They needed to get used to that by practicing, after all.


    Still, the drivers looked even more tense when they left Retia city¡­ it was thest stop on their territory, after all. They will have to move for another day to cross the border, so the drivers truly look restless. Rain didn''t confirm anything since the drivers also didn''t talk with each other, not even during the meals.


    The group stopped to camp near the border when night fell, and then Rain realized that some were more tense than usual. Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra also realized that, so they silently nodded to each other to keep their guards up. There will be no training session during the night from now on.


    Some of the drivers went to sleep as soon as they had their meals, but others stayed up until midnight. They were so afraid that when they needed to attend the call of nature, they did it very close to the camp, which made the girls camp.


    Still, their fear wasn''t unfounded. While Rain was checking the area around with Magic Eyes, he saw some shadows approaching through the darkness.


    "Their auras aren''t from the magic people¡­ I guess some people in our country sure are insane," Rain thought.


    The enemies'' aura didn''t exude an overwhelming sense of threat, which put Rain at ease to some extent. However, the sheer number of foes approaching was significant, nearing fifty in total, and they were converging on Rain''s position from various directions.


    A quick nce exchanged between Rain and theirradesmunicated a silent understanding. There was no need for words; they knew it was time for Rain to take action. With a nod of agreement from their friends, Rain prepared to make their move.


    Without hesitation, Rain jumped from the wagon''s roof,nding gracefully on the ground. He used Impulse and then immediately stopped in front of the enemies, and he was met with a surprising response from the enemies. The adversaries, as if expecting Rain''s move, threw a series of peculiar spheres toward him.


    These spheres weren''t your typical projectiles; they carried a mysterious payload. Rain, sharp and quick-witted, recognized the danger and swiftly conjured a protective wind barrier. The spheres collided with the barrier, triggering a violent explosion that released an unusual gas. The gas dissipated Rain''s protective shield almost instantly.


    "Anti-magic bombs?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "Is this a thing in this world?"


    Rain found himself taken aback by the sudden appearance of these anti-magic bombs. This was a weapon or tactic that he had never encountered or even heard of before. The very concept of such devices designed to nullify magical abilities was entirely new to him.


    As Rain considered it, he couldn''t help but recognize the strategic advantage these anti-magic bombs held, particrly against opponents who relied on magical powers. It was a formidable tool that, if widely employed, could turn the tide of battles involving magic people.


    The revtion of these devices left Rain pondering the evolving dynamics of warfare and the ever-shifting tactics of his possible adversaries.


    Rain attempted to use Impulse. However, he soon realized that something was terribly wrong. In this particr area, his mana, the source of his magical abilities, seemed inexplicably absent.


    Rain''s brows furrowed as he grappled with this unexpected situation. It was as though his magical energy had beenpletely drained, leaving him defenseless.


    All of a sudden, the cloaked and concealed enemies seized the opportunity. They charged at Rain with wickedly curved knives, their intentions clear. Rain found himself in a perilous situation, not really, those guys were slow¡­ it seemed that some people assumed that all of his strength came from mana¡­


    When the enemies swung their des at him, Rain blocked them with his forearm guards and then kicked them in their stomachs.

 Chapter 260: Identity

    As the adversaries closed in on Rain, his quick reflexes andbat skills came to the forefront. He executed a swift and well-aimed kick that sent the first group of enemies tumbling to the ground, the unsettling sound of bones cracking filling the air. These opponents proved to be surprisingly fragile, copsing unconscious upon impact.


    Despite this initial setback, the remaining foes continued their relentless charge, undeterred by the fate of theirrades. Rain''s primary concern, however, was the safety of his friends who stood behind him.


    Driven by a mix of anxiety and determination, Rain shifted his focus swiftly. Without hesitation, he delivered a powerful punch that found its mark, knocking down the advancing adversaries.


    Rain took some steps backward and confirmed that he could use his magic as well, so he half-buried the enemies before returning to the convoy.


    When he returned, Rain saw two assassins trying to attack Terra from behind. Still, they underestimated her because of her typical Healer clothes. When they got close enough, she kicked one on the side and made it fall over the other before she approached and then kicked their faces to knock them down.


    Liss, a bit further ahead, was trying to hit the enemies that were surrounding Reca and Jori with Fireballs. Still, the projectiles dissipated before they could reach them. Still, Jori and Reca didn''t need much help. They used Limit Breaker and impaled and shed the enemies with ease, destroying their weapons alongside them.


    Asche was looking around and then putting arrows in the legs of the enemies who tried to run away. When Rain was about to ask her to stop, he clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    The skill Punch Mastery received 100 experience points.


    The skill Punch Mastery received 100 experience points.


    The skill Punch Mastery received 100 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain wasn''t killing anyone, he could only confirm that the enemies that he knocked down woke up and finished them off, or someone else finished them off. Still, when he saw some of the enemies with arrows on their legs slicing their own throats, it became clear that they wouldn''t keep any prisoners.


    "I hate this kind of enemy¡­" Rain said when he approached the others, and he checked the appearance of the enemies.


    The group of assants who hadunched the attack against Rain and hisrades disyed a striking diversity. Among them were several tanned humans, their sun-kissed skin marking them as the more conventional members of the hostile party.


    In addition to these humans, a number of beastmen were interspersed throughout the attackers. These beastmen bore a notable resemnce to the magic people, at least those that could turn into werewolves. However, some of them seemed to take on the characteristics of animals, with fur reminiscent of bears or foxes.


    Furtherplicating the mix were the demi-humans, a unique group that appeared to be a fusion of humans and beastmen. He sported distinct gray hair and nose with a distinctly dog-like appearance, embodying a curious blend of characteristics from both species. The sight of such a diverse and enigmatic assembly of adversaries only deepened the intrigue andplexity of the situation.


    "... They are pirates," Reca said.


    "You can tell, huh?" Rain asked. "Is it because yourst mission involved them, kind of?"


    "Yep," Reca replied. "They are usually criminals who escaped their countries, so it isn''t weird for them to team up like this."


    "Still¡­ their targets usually are merchant ships and those who transport goods in the areas that the sea folk don''t act," Jori added. "It is weird for them to be hundreds of kilometers away from the sea."


    Rain couldn''t shake the eerie feeling that the pirates hade prepared to counter their magical skills. This raised a troubling question: How did the pirates possess this knowledge unless someone had leaked it to them? Alternatively, had they received insider information about Rain and their team''s magical abilities? That was too suspicious, it was also weird that they attacked at such a ce.


    The possibility that their adversaries had ess to such specific details about their strengths added ayer of suspicion to the situation. It hinted at the unsettling prospect of espionage or potential betrayal within their own ranks, potentially leading to the pirates gaining the upper hand.


    Rain''s suspicion deepened as he pondered another perplexing aspect of the situation: the presence of those anti-magic bombs. Crafting these sophisticated devices required not only specialized knowledge but also ess to substantial resources. Moreover, it was unlikely to be a budget-friendly endeavor.


    This led Rain to a troubling realization: the individual behind this attack had ess to significant financial means and resources. The intricate operation involving the creation and deployment of anti-magic weaponry suggested a well-funded and highly organized force.


    It was evident that the orchestrator of this assault possessed not only substantial financial backing but also a level of influence and resources that set them apart from ordinary adversaries.


    "It is the first time that I see beastmen and demi-humans, but I don''t have time to think too much about it in this situation," Rain thought.


    Following a thorough examination of the fallen adversaries, Rain made a strategic choice. He decided to transport the bodies back to Retia, leaving his friends behind at the scene. His reasoning was clear: he hoped that authorities in the human kingdom would be able to analyze the bodies and potentially uncover vital clues.


    By bringing the bodies to Retia, Rain aimed to contribute to the ongoing investigation and shed light on the mystery surrounding their attackers. The goal was to assist in understanding the motives and origins of these assants. It was a calcted move, one that carried some risk. Still, Rain believed it was a necessary step in untangling therger puzzle they found themselves wrapped up in.


    In the end, Rain returned before sunrise, much to the driver''s relief¡­ while it was obvious that such an attack couldn''t happen often, they were still worried.

 Chapter 261: Suspicions

    Two dayster, the group arrived at the water snipers'' vige, and while at first the inhabitants frowned at them since they had armed people with them, they rxed a bit when they recognized Rain. It was a bitte, and it would be suspicious if they kept crossing the territory of the magic people at night, so they decided to take a break.


    As Rain and their group arrived at the first vige belonging to the water snipers, an undeniable sense of curiosity washed over them all. The vige''s distinguishing feature, aplexwork of canals, immediately captured their attention.


    Rain''s vignt friends, who had remained alert throughout their journey, found themselves inexplicably drawn to the sight of the canals. These waterways crisscrossed the vige like a lifeline, offering a serene and picturesque scene that stood in stark contrast to the harsh realities of the war-torn world they had traversed.


    This unexpected beauty momentarily diverted their attention from their usual state of high alert.


    Even the typically reserved and cautious drivers were unable to resist the allure of the vige''s aquatic charm. The canals symbolized a departure from the relentless demands of their mission, offering a glimpse into the distinct way of life in this water-centricmunity.


    "This ce is a lot prettier than I expected¡­ the vegetation is also thriving," Terra said while looking around. "Weren''t they trying to invade us because we have more fertilends?"


    "That is what we all thought," Rain replied while shrugging. "Anyway, we are guests, but this ce doesn''t have an inn big enough for all of us, so we are going to camp outside."


    As the rest of their group diligently set up camp, Rain, and Jori took it upon themselves to greet the man in charge of the vige''s security and training for new recruits. While Rain had encountered this individual on several prior asions, there was a puzzling detail that caught his attention¡ªhe couldn''t quite recall the man''s name.


    Their previous interactions had been brief, and it appeared that the man had never shared his name during those encounters. Still, he didn''t make a fuss about that since Rain stayed silent since Jori was the leader of the team.


    "This ce is a bit cold, don''t you think?" Jori asked.


    "It is their aura, the stronger they are, the more they emit this cold aura," Rain exined. "It seems that most of the soldiers are still fighting on the borders, so it is a lot less cold than it should be."


    "Still? They weren''t here three months ago?" Jori asked.


    "That is right¡­ I guess with the truce, they can focus on facing the dragons," Rain said. "Or maybe they didn''t have any other choice, and we lost the chance to shake them off to gain a lot from the truce."


    "Lord Branden said that you turned quite dark after crossing the border, but we didn''t expect that you would say such things again," Jori furrowed his eyebrows after he said it.


    In any case, the group kept their guard up throughout the night and they split the guard duty in pairs. It has been a while since they did that, but it was necessary to avoid surprises. Since the guys who attacked had magic people, there was a chance that the magic people were involved¡­ Rain didn''t share those thoughts with the others, but the tribe of the crazy woman could have brainwashed them.


    Otherwise, it was hard to imagine pirates taking their own lives for failing at the ambush.


    In any case, the group resumed their journey on the next day, but soon, they realized that the trip would be pretty calm. Once they arrived where Geio lived, he also provided them a small guard to avoid problems.


    "You guys think that something can happen to us as well?" Rain asked.


    "As well?" Geio asked. "We are just trying to be sure since the frontline truly needs supplies."


    "We were attacked just before we crossed the border, and the enemies looked like pirates," Rain said.


    "What else can you say about them?" Geio asked.


    "Nothing¡­ aside from the fact that they used anti-magic bombs," Rain replied.


    Rain decided to keep hidden the fact that the enemies killed themselves, at least half of them. Still, now that he thought about it. Why would the magic people have anti-magic bombs? That would be suspicious. It was also dangerous for them since their magic would be sealed in an area for a time.


    Developing such technology and showing it to the others would be the same as telling their enemies that they just created the perfect tools against themselves.


    "I heard that the beastmen are good at producing medicine, their sense of smell insane to pick up the scent of herbs is unrivaled," Geio said. "Still, I guess it is too soon to assume anything regarding that."


    The guard that Geio sent with them was made of golem masters, so He didn''t feel that apprehensive. Now and then, the golem masters used their skills to make themselves move faster, and while Rain kept a close look at that, he didn''t understand the process. It would be nice if he could make golems and make them work for him.


    In any case, nothing major happened until they reached the capital of the magic people, and much more than before, Rain''s friends and the drivers looked surprised when they could see the city in the distance and itsyers. They didn''t have time to stop, though, since they would have to split into numerous inns.


    "I can''t see the signs of the attacks of the dragons," Jori said. "I guess it was weird to wait to see a half destroyed city after being attacked only by two dragons, right?"


    "It was probably repaired, two months have passed since then, after all," Rain replied. "To avoid unrest, it is better to erase that kind of mark in their history to avoid countless problems.

 Chapter 262: Borders

    "Hey, Rain. Look at this," Liss said.


    As Liss channeled her magical energy and summoned a fireball, it expanded in size and grew more intense. The heat emanating from it spread in every direction, causing the surrounding air to shimmer and ripple from the extreme temperature. The fireball pulsated with inner energy.


    With focus etched across her face, Liss exercised control over the fireball''s movements. She willed it to spin, and the mes began an elegant dance within the sphere in response to hermand. The rotation was mesmerizing, akin to a fiery ballet, as the fire swirled within the fiery globe.


    With a purposeful motion, Lissunched the fireball forward. It streaked through the air like a zinget, leaving behind a trail of shimmering embers. The spinning motion she had imparted to it allowed the fireball to maintain its shape, transforming it into a formidable and lethal projectile.


    "You used wind magic as well?" Rain asked.


    "Sometimes, you are annoyingly perceptive," Liss forced a smile. "That is right, that way, it also increases its firing speed and explosion range."


    "Do you control the wind around the fireball or inside?" Rain asked.


    "Outside¡­ I would have to use more mana to create wind inside the fireball," Liss replied while understanding what Rain was thinking. "Still, that will increase the speed and the explosion range, right?"


    "That is right. The wind inside will disperse upon impact, spreading the mes," Rain replied.


    "That seems interesting¡­ but now that I think about it¡­ It won''t be very useful against fire dragons," Liss furrowed her eyebrows.


    "No one said that we will," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, you are getting smarter, good girl."


    "... You are also starting to get annoyingly condescending with your half-assed praises," Liss frowned. "Just because you are taller than us now."


    "My bad," Rain said.


    After the group passed by the capital, the group met a lot more peopleing and going while following the main path. Some people showed some disdain at them, even though the guards that Geio chose to escort them were leading the group.


    Rain assumed that it was because of the war¡­ a lot of wagons carrying stuff for the soldiers were heading in the same direction, and Rain could smell the scent of potionsing from them.


    "The smell is quite strong¡­" Rain said. "I remember that the highest quality spiritual potion had a strong smell, but not as much as this."


    "It must be a more potent version," Terra said. "From what I have seen so far, the magic people have a lot of nts that we don''t have, so they must have created better versions of that."


    "Good, I will be able to use them without having to pay if they ask for help," Rain said and then grinned. "Hehehe, this will be fun."


    "Aren''t you rich?" Jori asked. "You should be able to buy that kind of thing with ease."


    "I am not as rich as I am stingy," Rain said. "Besides, few things are more delicious than free food."


    "I guess you have a point," Jori said while recalling the meals that his group had at Rain''s house.


    Jori and the others couldn''t help but notice a significant change in Rain. In a rather unconventional way, Rain was evolving into someone quite different from the person they had known. Rain had been single-mindedly focused on training and work in the past, presenting a reserved and disciplined demeanor.


    However, recent times have brought about a surprising transformation in Rain''s character. He was beginning to exhibit a newfound depth and personality that had remained hidden before. It was as if Rain had uncovered a previously concealed aspect of themselves, and this transformation intrigued those who had only known him in a more one-dimensional way.


    Intrigued by Rain''s changing demeanor, the group also found themselves wrestling with some apprehensions. Rain had achieved a heroic status and was highly regarded by many. Still, there was a lingering worry that his reputation might take a negative turn if he didn''t exercise caution with his words and actions.


    Beingbeled a hero came with certain responsibilities and expectations. Any inadvertent missteps or thoughtless remarks had the potential to tarnish the positive image he had built over time. The group was acutely aware that preserving a sterling reputation demanded more than just heroic deeds; it required careful conduct and diplomatic choices.


    In any case, the journey for the next few days had been a very pleasant one, to the point that Rain felt odd. Maybe he was being overly suspicious of thinking that the magic people would target them when they came to help.


    Still, he was going to see a bunch of the top dogs of the country soon enough, and they should have lost plenty of people at Rain''s hands during the war. They also should have plenty of reservations about him¡­


    After another five days on their journey, the group couldn''t help but notice a decline in the number of tribes they encountered along their route. The frequency of these encounters gradually diminished, leaving them with a growing sense of solitude.


    As they pressed onward, a massive mountain range came into view on the distant horizon. The towering peaks created an imposing natural barrier, signifying a significant milestone in their expedition.


    Rain and Asche, both possessing sharp eyesight, made a fascinating discovery against the backdrop of these towering mountains. In the distance, they spotted colossal creatures gracefully soaring through the sky. These majestic beings, their outlines etched against the mountain peaks, added an element of awe and intrigue to their journey.


    "It is them¡­ I didn''t know that the magic people also shared a border with the dragons using some mountains," Rain said.


    As Jori, Reca, Liss, and Terra continued their journey, an air of tension gradually enveloped them. The realization that they were drawing nearer to their destination weighed heavily on their minds. However, when they finally spotted the dragons soaring in the distance, their reaction was nothing short of astonishing.

 Chapter 263: Tricks

    Their initial response was a mixture of shock and awe. Their eyes widened, and their mouths hung agape as they gazed upon these magnificent creatures gracefully gliding through the sky. With their colossal wingspans andmanding presence, the dragons left an indelible impression. Witnessing such majestic beings was an awe-inspiring experience that sent shivers down their spines.


    As the dragons got bigger, the initial shock gave way to a growing sense of trepidation. The tension that had simmered within the group now surged to the forefront of their emotions. The realization that they were getting closer to these formidable creatures, whose presence was both breathtaking and intimidating, amplified the gravity of their journey.


    "... Their numbers aren''t that high," Jori said.


    "The mountain range stretches endlessly, so there must be others in other points," Rain exined. "Or maybe they think that they don''t need that many of them to keep the magic people at bay."


    "After all this training, do you think that we can face one of them?" Reca asked.


    "If you face the same level of the dragon I faced, you should be able to pull that off if you work together¡­ it will be a pity if one of you ends up being devoured. That won''t give any room for Terra to use her healing magic, after all," Rain said.


    As the group drew nearer to their destination, they spotted a sprawling camp in the distance. However, this was no ordinary campsite with the usual tents or makeshift shelters. Instead, whaty before them were humble yet robust earth-built houses that seamlessly blended into the natural surroundings.


    What truly caught their attention, though, were the scores of golems bustling about the camp. These mechanical beings were a hive of activity, transporting a wide array of supplies and materials to various locations. It was as if an entire workforce of golems had been mobilized to manage the camp''s logistics.


    The golems, however, were not justborers; they also stood as a formidable line of defense. Hundreds of them were strategically stationed around the camp, ready to react swiftly, especially if the dragons ventured too close.


    "It seems that your guess was right. We might have to deliver the goods to many camps," Asche said when she found some marks of wagons marking a path to the sides of the area.


    "You said that one dragon took a good look at you. Shouldn''t you hide your appearance then?" Jori asked.


    "It will be fine¡­ I think," Rain replied. "Besides, I don''t think that dragons can be fooled with a low-level disguise.


    Rain told the other guards to go ahead and then alert the magic people at the nearest camp. Thest thing that they needed now was to be attacked by them¡­ the guards nodded, and then they dashed ahead while using some customized golems that had wheels in ce of legs.


    It didn''t matter how many times he saw that Rain couldn''t understand how golems were crafted. Still, he was starting to develop some theories.


    After encountering the magic people on numerous asions, Rain began to form a theory about their societal structure. Their specialization appeared to be a longstanding tradition passed down from one generation to the next.


    In Rain''s eyes, this arrangement hinted at a structured society where individuals focused their magical talents exclusively within their chosen tribe, specializing in a specific aspect of magic. This division by magical expertise intrigued him and prompted questions about the history and dynamics of the magic people''s culture.


    Rain''s observations led him to specte on the origins of the magic people''s specialized techniques. He assumed that in the past, a few lucky individuals among the magic people may have stumbled upon these unique magical paths by chance. Armed with rare and potent abilities, these pioneers likely took it upon themselves to share their newfound knowledge with theirrades.


    However, Rain believed there was a crucial distinction to be made. While these pioneers may have taught others the practical applications of their magic, they probably held back from passing on the deeper, more esoteric aspects of these techniques. In essence, they shared the "how" but kept the "why" and the profound intricacies of these magical paths to themselves.


    Rain spected that acquiring these unique magical abilities likely involved a history of experimentation within the magic people''s society. It seemed probable that individuals had conducted various experiments to discover paths that aligned with their innate talents.


    Once these paths were unlocked, individuals would experience a substantial increase in their magical prowess, granting them remarkable strength.


    The idea that the magic people were selective in sharing such specialized knowledge made this scenario even more captivating. They appeared to limit the transmission of these paths exclusively to their offspring, ensuring that their exceptional magical abilities were inherited across generations.


    This deliberate choice indicated an intention to preserve and safeguard their extraordinary talents within their own family lines.


    All in all, they learned a few tricks that made them skip the journey of the paths¡­ just like when Rain learned that he could use the weather conditions to save mana and gain more experience when using magic or when he used magic to create the rails and also leveled up his magic and the Artisan''s path.


    Still, it seemed that doing the same thing over and over again wasn''t the best way to gain experience since the Artisan path was still at level forty-five.


    In any case, when Rain and the others arrived at the camp. A lot of the people there approached to receive them, mainly because Josar was the leader there. At the same time, Rain realized that all of them had an aura simr to him, but he had no idea what they could do yet.


    "Thank you foring to help us," Josar said and slightly bowed. "I didn''t expect to see you so soon, Rainendall. Still, we all share the same thoughts when I say that it is reassuring your presence here."


    "Yeah, right," Rain said.

 Chapter 264: Changes

    As expected, the group was tasked with distributing the cargo among several camps upon their arrival. However, Josar surprised them by readily providing a map pinpointing the precise locations of these camps.


    This act of sharing the map had multiple advantages. Firstly, it streamlined the cargo distribution process, making their mission more efficient. Secondly, and perhaps even more intriguingly, it offered the humans a clear view of the geography and terrain of the magic people''s country.


    This openness could hold significance for the future, as it allowed the humans to gain valuable geographical insights about the region. The map now served as a point of reference, providing valuable information about thendscape that might prove beneficial in future interactions or endeavors. Even wars¡­


    "There are eight more camps aside from this one. You don''t have to deliver the cargo to the ones in the extreme north and extreme south. We will do that," Josar said.


    "And why would you go to such lengths?" Rain asked.


    "Some people that you might not want to see are there. We also want to avoid problems by making you interact with them," Josar said. "Still, if you think that you can hold back against them, we won''t stop you."


    "No, I will skip on that, and I will be thankful for the chance of saving time," Rain said. "Anything we should be wary of along the way? It will be better if you don''t try to hide anything that could trouble uster."


    "No, all themanders of the camps are already aware of your arrival, so you don''t have to worry about that," Josar replied.


    It would have been amazing if the group could split up to make the job end faster, but the drivers wouldn''t feel that confident. It also would be dangerous for the group as a whole since they wouldn''t be able tomunicate if something happened. Their mission was to protect the cargo and the drivers, so Rain wouldn''t have the chance to move freely, and he would worry a lot about his friends.


    "The left side needs more supplies, so I will ask you to head in that direction first," Josar added.


    "Roger," Rain said. "Let''s get going. The horses rested for a bit, and it seems that we can reach the next camp a few hours after nightfall."


    Now that the group thought about it, it usually would be pretty scary to worry about dragons at night, even more so on a cloudy night. There was no telling when the enemies mighte.


    Regardless, the group began to move while looking toward the West, and they still could see some dragons flying over the mountains. They seemed pretty unfazed, considering that they had lost a bunch of them to the magic people already¡­ Rain wondered what was the score In that war.


    "Should we talk about what we should do if something happens?" Jori asked.


    "I guess we can¡­ Branden imagined that the magic people would find a way to make us join the fight if something happened. Still, maybe their timing was bad, and the dragons aren''t that active for one reason or the other," Rain replied.


    "I see¡­ anyway, in case they attack us while we are between camps, should we dy them while the drivers run away?'' Jori asked. "They won''t follow us that far, right?"


    "It is hard to say, I don''t know how tasty humans look from their perspective," Rain replied. "Still, a good attack to stun them should do the trick. Then we will just have to buy time until we reach the next camp."


    "What about if one of the camps is attacked while we are there? In one of the camps?" Reca asked.


    "We are supposed to be working on the transportation of the goods, but it might give us a bad image if we ignore them, and they get better anyway," Terra said.


    "You have a point¡­" Rain said. "We just focus on attacking from a distance and it will be fine."


    The group was caught off guard by Rain''s unexpected behavior. They had invested significant time and effort into their training, eagerly awaiting the moment when Rain would face a formidable adversary like the dragon. Their anticipation showed on their faces, ranging from surprise to excitement.


    Rain''s transformation was evident, as he exuded a newfound seriousness and focus that contrasted with his usual carefree demeanor. This change piqued the group''s curiosity and heightened their eagerness to witness Rain''s true capabilities.


    Although the group was a bit tense while we were moving, nothing major happened, and even though they kept moving at night, they eventually got used to the atmosphere.


    Around three hours after sunset, the group could see the next camp in the distance, and while Rain felt some guys hidden around, they didn''t do anything suspicious. Their auras were simr to the water snipers, and it seemed that they were allocated there because there was a river passing nearby.


    On the first camp, they left six wagons worth of food, but on that one, they left four. At that point in time, they could send ten drivers away, but they wouldn''t feel confident returning home by themselves and while that could lead them to finding some dragonster, they decided to remain with the group.


    After the group set their camp behind the water snipers, they began to cook their meal. Since Rain was bored out of his mind and he had a lot of mana to spare, he decided to try some experiments.


    Rain crafted intricate figurines from the earth, pouring his craftsmanship into their creation. These small sculptures depicted human forms with remarkable detail etched into their earthen bodies. Each rough surface bore witness to Rain''s meticulous work.


    He endeavored to animate these figures with unwavering focus, infusing them with his magical energy. Initially, his efforts yielded stationary results, leaving the earth dolls unresponsive to hismands. While frustration knitted his brows, it couldn''t deter his determination.

 Chapter 265: Atmosphere

    Undeterred, Rain persisted in his experimentation. He soon realized that while he could grant them levitation akin to flight, but that was the same as controlling them like other projectiles. Endowing them with lifelike, fluid movements akin to golems remained a formidable challenge.


    Rain diligently followed the techniques employed by the golem masters. He initiated the creation of his earth dolls by shaping their heads, bringing them forth from the earthen material. Then, with meticulous care, he meticulously formed the remaining portions of their bodies, crafting remarkably lifelike human features with remarkable precision.


    As he continued to hone his craft, Rain couldn''t help but ponder the elusive concept of golem cores. This crucial element of golem animation, responsible for granting them autonomous function, remained shrouded in mystery. Despite his faithful replication of the golem-building process, Rain wondered about questions of core creation, an aspect that continued to escape hisprehension.


    "It is better if you don''t try to copy them when they aren''t here¡­ even if they belong to another tribe, they are still allies," Terra said.


    "They aren''t watching us, even if they were, there are too many people around," Rain replied.


    Rain found himself deep in thought, his mind consumed by the process of core creation mastered by the golem master. He couldn''t help but wonder about the secret behind crafting these cores, which breathed life into their otherwise inert creations. It seemed reasonable to assume that once a core was integrated, golems could function independently, adhering to the desires of their maker.


    Rain contemted the logistics of managing the golems remotely, realizing that it would require a substantial reserve of mana. Even the golem masters, who were well-versed in their craft, typically found themselves limited to summoning a maximum of three golems at a time in most cases. This limitation hinted at the considerable mana consumption associated with their creation.


    For Rain to remotely control these golems, he assumed they would need a considerable infusion of mana to remain responsive and obedient. It was a practical consideration, as controlling multiple golems simultaneously would demand a significant expenditure of magical energy.


    "Using that much mana during missions might be too risky," Rain thought. "But I am too curious for my own good."


    After thinking for a while, Rain had another idea¡­ while everyone was eating, he closed his eyes and began to focus while imagining that whole process dozens, hundreds of times. After seeing all that in his head and thinking of how it could work, he decided to put it into practice.


    Rain pointed the palm of his hand toward the ground, and then he tried to emit his mana while also trying to control the ground without touching it. It took a while and some focus, but eventually, a bit of the ground began to float and then move to a single spot.


    It assumed the form of a small sphere that was floating while following Rain''s will¡­ it was far from perfect, but the first step waspleted and the system recognized it.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Martial Artist path received 1,000 experience points.


    "I guess it is like that¡­ they gather their mana in the air and make it attract the earth," Rain thought. "With enough mana and control, I will be able to make a real golem and control it, but I guess I can make other things that cost less mana."


    Although Rain tried to control it, he still used a lot of mana, so he decided to stop with the experiments and then go eat.


    The next day, the group departed as soon as the sun rose and it seemed like things would be fine since both camps that they visited were fairly rxed¡­ It seems that the dragons haven''t attacked in a while.


    "The next camp is one day away, and the other is two days away from that one¡­ it seems that we will spend around ten days traveling around the border," Jori said. "Shouldn''t we make our own map of this area?"


    "The drivers are probably memorizing everything, so don''t bother, some of them must be working for Branden," Rain replied.


    The border separating the magic people''s territory from the domain of the dragons presented a captivating scene. It featured a picturesquendscape adorned with lush green hues that stretched across rolling hills and fertile valleys. This vibrant, natural scenery stood in stark contrast to the distant, formidable mountain range that served as amanding backdrop.


    This region was teeming with life, and the air resounded with the melodious calls of birds. Wildlife of various kinds thrived, forming a diverse ecosystem that painted a vivid portrait of nature''s vitality.


    However, as the group ventured deeper into this alluring wilderness, they gradually became aware of an unusual quietude. The customary sights and sounds of wildlife began to diminish, and a hushed atmosphere settled over thend. It became evident that the animals had grown scarce.


    The reason for this scarcity soon became apparent: the presence of the dragons. The local wildlife had likely sensed the looming danger posed by these colossal creatures. It had retreated deeper into the territory or sought refuge in more secluded areas.


    "This is a bad sign¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain looked around and wondered if the others had realized that change as well. Asche apparently had it¡­ she was the one who always observed things the most from the group, after all.


    In any case, sharing that with the others might make the drivers worry about it, so perhaps they shouldn''t say anything. Besides, it could be a coincidence¡­


    "Well, knowing my luck¡­" Rain thought. "In any case, I shouldn''t say anything."


    Rain decided to stay on guard without alerting the others. Still, nothing happened during the day or when they camped at night. At that point in time, the whole group noticed theck of sounds of birds and other animals, so they raised their guards as well until the next day arrived.

 Chapter 266: Roar

    The group had to move for three hours after sunrise to reach the next camp. Since they stayed on alert during the whole night, they were a bit tired. Still, their exhaustion soon vanished wh they saw something flying in the distance.


    They spotted something immse taking flight in the distance. They were initially reluctant to ept their ill luck. Still, an unsettling feeling settled in their hearts as they focused on the distant figure.


    There, against the expansive sky and in the direction of their travel, a colossal creature gracefully ascded into the heavs. Its wings unfurled wide, momtarily blotting out the sun as it soared through the air. The sheer size and majestic outline of the creature left no room for doubt.


    A sse of foreboding washed over the group as they exchanged anxious nces. They had fervtly hoped to avoid any counters with dragons on this journey, but it seemed that fate had differt ns. The realization gradually sank in, and they could hardly dy their unfortunate circumstances.


    Topound their fears, a deep, thunderous roar resonated through the atmosphere. The unmistakable, bone-chilling sound of a dragon''s roar reverberated across thendscape. The group stood froz for a momt, caught betwe wonder and apprehsion, as the colossal creature made its presce undiably clear.


    The instant the deafing roars of the dragon pierced the air, the group''s horses reacted with sheer terror. Their mighty bodies trembled uncontrobly, and their wide eyes betrayed their intse fear. The typicallyposed and depdable animals were now in op rebellion, vehemtly protesting the looming danger.


    Their protests took various forms of wild, frzied movemts. Some reared up on their hind legs, front hooves pawing at the air, while others attempted to bolt away in a desperate bid to escape the looming threat. The group struggled to maintain control, their hands gripping the reins tightly.


    "Is the camp being attacked? What should we do?" Jori asked, and th he gulped nervously.


    "We have to keep the cargo and the drivers safe, but it will be annoying if the magic people learned that we were here and just watched," Rain replied. "Stay here. I will deal with this."


    In theory, Jori was the group''s leader, so Rain couldn''t decide that by himself. Still, he knew that it was better to follow his lead since his reasoning was sound.


    Without wasting time, Rain used Impulse in that direction and reached the post in no time. He evtually could find the fire dragon flying in the sky while there was an earth dragon on the g, making the g shake¡­


    Alongside that, Rain saw a bunch of quicksand mages trying to make the earth dragon sink, but their quicksand quickly disappeared wh the dragon touched it. The mons knew how to counter that.


    Aside from the quicksand executioners, Rain could see a bunch of heat sorcerers without knowing what to do¡­ they probably couldn''t use their attacks that well without risking the fire dragon using that against them.


    "They are pretty smart¡­ these dragons," Rain thought.


    Rain couldn''t tell if that fire dragon was the same as the other that escaped, and he didn''t have time to check it. At the same time, he knew that a flying dragon that could use fire breath was too dangerous¡­ for now, it seemed like the beast was joying bullying the magic people, so Rain had to deal with it. He will leave the earth dragon to the magical people.


    Wh Rain made up his mind, it looked like the fire dragon noticed his bloodlust and looked in his direction. he had nned to add the ice de to his hanced forearm guards. Still, he didn''t have time for that¡­ he barely had time to cover his arms with earth and th use Impulse before jumping toward the beast.


    Rain punched the left cheek of the fire dragon, and the creature was pushed to the side while a powerful st echoed in the area.


    The fire dragon caught off guard, expericed a sudd jolt of amazemt as it was struck by an unexpected attack. Its colossal form writhed in a chaotic disy of mes and sparks, disrupting its fiery aura. The dragon''s eyes wided, reflecting a mix of surprise and annoyance, momtarily rattled by the unforese assault.


    Meanwhile, the earth dragon, witnessing its ally''s abrupt distress, responded with a bld of astonishmt and determination. Its typically unyielding and sturdy form quivered with a mixture of confusion and righteous indignation. The earth dragon shifted its atttion to the unse assant, narrowing its gaze on the unknown adversary who had dared to target itsrade.


    On the other side, the magic people, who had be observing the unfolding spectacle, were left utterly dumbfounded by the audacity of the individual who dared to approach a dragon. Their eyes wided in sheer disbelief, their mouths hanging op in shock.


    In their society, dragons were both revered and feared as extraordinarily powerful beings, and the notion of anyone getting too close to one was considered an act of sheer recklessness.


    "This still hurts¡­ just how much training do I need to be able to dure this?" Rain thought wh hended.


    The fire dragon looked at Rain, and the surprise gave room to anger¡­ Rain couldn''t tell how old the dragon was either. Still, it was probably not that much since the beast was joying the fight earlier without doing anything.


    The fire dragon, driv by fury and resolve, unleashed a reltless ze upon the g beath it. As its fiery breath surged forth, it triggered a cataclysmic disy of power. The very earth quaked in response to the searing heat and formidable force. At the same time, a deafing roar reverberated through the air.


    The mes swept voraciously over the terrain, transforming it into a blistering inferno that crackled and roared. The g trembled in submission, unable to withstand the intsity of the heat. The sheer might of the fire breath st shockwaves rippling through thendscape.

 Chapter 267: Here we go again

    In the midst of this fiery chaos, fragmts of scorched earth were catapulted into the air, propelled by the explosive ergy of the dragon''s attack. These burning fragmts arced through the sky before plummeting back to the g, leaving smoldering embers in their wake.


    However, as the g continued to smolder and smolder, the fire dragon''s assault abruptly ceased. Its atttion had be captured by a new threat¡ªRain. Emerging from concealmt, Rain sprinted toward the dragon''s territory, desperate to escape. The dragon, momtarily redirecting its fury, fixated on the audacious human as he fled.


    The fire dragon began to chase him and so tried the earth dragon. Still, th numerous fire tornadoes veloped the creature and forced the monster to stop and focus on them instead.


    "It seemed that they took the hint," Rain thought while looking over his shoulder.


    Rain ran away for a couple of kilometers in order to have the chance to fight without being bothered. Wh he used Impulse, ev the fire dragon had a hard time keeping up with him.


    Still, evtually, Rain turned a wh he finished adding the ice des to his fists. Wh he did that, he turned a and th attacked the emy.


    Rain punched the face of the creature, and its whole body came to a half. The ice de pierced the scales and the flesh of the monster, making blood gush from the wound, but it also broke after a single use¡­ and Rain had used five hundred points of mana to create that.


    "Ugh," Rain grunted in pain.


    The sudd impact of Rain''s punch had a profound effect on both the dragon and Rain. The colossal creature, momtarily thrown off bnce by the force of Rain''s attack, expericed a dizzying momt.


    At the same time, Rain felt the consequces of the impact kely. He bore an overwhelming weight on his shoulders. It was as though the sheer power of the dragon''s assault had materialized as a physical burd, pressing down upon him.


    Despite employing the pott Limit Breaker technique to hance his strgth, Rain ssed his arm trembling with each step. The single hit had ced an immse load on him, causing his tire arm to quake under the crushing force.


    The intsity of the situation, with the dragon thrown off bnce and Rain grappling with the formidable weight on his shoulders, heighted the palpable tsion in the face of the dragon''s continuing wrath.


    "I can''t stop the monster like that. While good hits on their chin make their brain spin, it has no meaning if I hurt myself in the process," Rain thought.


    Once Rain healed his shoulder, the monster also recovered from the attack to some extt. Its face was still bleeding a lot, ev though the area a it was froz. Since Rain put a lot of mana in it, the emy looked in pain, thanks to the ice on its face.


    With reltless determination, the dragon pursued Rain, its scorching Fire Breath unceasingly searing the g behind him. Rain zigzagged desperately, using Impulse intermitttly to propel himself out of harm''s way. However, it became increasingly clear that the monstrous creature had no inttion of relting.


    What was most astonishing was the dragon''s seemingly boundless well of mana. It continued to spew forth mes with unbridled fury as though its magical reservoir knew no d. The ceaseless stream of fire followed Rain reltlessly, leaving little room for escape.


    As Rain darted through the area, he couldn''t help but notice that thendscape bore the telltale signs of a cataclysmic battle. The gy scorched and strewn with debris, resembling the aftermath of a titanic sh. It seemed as though the very earth had dured the fury of elemtal forces in an epic struggle.


    "I think that the guys on the camp can deal with one earth dragon, so I don''t have to rush¡­ but it will be bad if they let that one escape and join here," Rain thought.


    Rain already confirmed that the dragon he was facing was stronger than the one he killed, so taking his time to finish it off might be dangerous¡­ in the d, he had to hurry up before other dragons noticed themotion.


    After stopping running, Rain turned to face the creature, and the dragon showed a bit of surprise while it was using Fire breath. Still, the surprise gave room to shock wh the monster was fifty meters away, and th Rain just stepped ahead. In the next momt, the dragon was forced to close its mouth wh an earth pir emerged from the g and hit its chin.


    As the earth pir forcefully sealed the dragon''s colossal jaws shut, a sudd and violt explosion rocked the interior of the creature''s mouth. It was a ferocious burst of fiery ergy, a tumultuous spectacle that exposed the dragon''s susceptibility from within.


    At that momt, the dragon''s eyes contorted in agony, its countance twisted in pain. It became unmistakably clear that the creature''s inner anatomycked the resilice of its formidable exterior. The searing heat and pressure gerated within its own mouth had triggered a vtile reaction, causing the dragon to recoil in sheer tormt.


    As the monstrous creature regained itsposure, it found itself in a state of bewildermt. Rain had seemingly vanished into thin air, leaving the dragon to nce a in search of its elusive prey.


    But just as the dragon''s uncertainty mounted, a sudd impact struck the top of its head. Rain descded from the sky like a falling star, crashing into the beast with astonishing force. The collision st shockwaves rippling through the dragon''s colossal frame, causing it to stagger and ultimately crash to the g.


    Rain''s abrupt and unexpected return, hurtling from the heavs to deliver a devastating blow, was a shocking twist in the unfolding confrontation. It left the once-dominant dragon momtarily incapacitated.


    The desct of the monstrous creature was nothing short of cataclysmic. As it crashed to the g, the very earth beath it trembled and cracked, sding shockwaves rippling through the terrain.

 Chapter 268: Reinforcements

    Without a momt''s hesitation, Rain ascded to the top of the fall monster''s head with resolute determination. There, at the pinnacle of the creature''s massive form, he unleashed a reltless barrage of strikes. Each blow was calcted and unwavering, targeting the dragon''s once-impetrable scales.


    Under Rain''s ceaseless assault, the dragon''s formidable scales began to splinter and fracture. The sound of cracking scales reverberated through the air, a testamt to the sheer force and determination behind Rain''s attack.


    Wh Rain was about to Summon the ice de, he heard a powerful roar that made him feel like his eardrums were about to explode alongside the g, trembling. Rain barely had time to jump away wh a giant bolt was fired toward him.


    Wh Rain looked to the side, he saw the earth dragon dashing toward him and making several giant bolts emerge from the g while the beast kept screaming.


    "This can''t be good¡­" Rain thought wh hended. "Do your job properly¡­"


    A sudd, oppressive coldness descded upon the atmosphere, transforming the once-dramatic battlefield. It was as if an eerie shadow had gulfed the sce, sding a shiver down the spines of those prest.


    Amid this eerie shift, the fire dragon, recovering from its initial surprise, zed back to life with rewed determination. Its fiery eyes burned with a fervor that matched the intsity of the battle.


    Yet, the situation grew ev more daunting as the earth dragon tered the fray. The colossal earth dragon''s imposing form now stood alongside its fiery counterpart, adding an overwhelming presce to the already tse atmosphere.


    "I need to get rid of the fire dragon as soon as possible, and th the earth dragon¡­" Rain thought.


    As soon as he made up his mind, the fire dragon ssed Rain''s resolve, and the creature decided to fly to the sky and escape from him. Too bad for the beast, but Rain could use magic to help with that¡­ still before he could do that, the earth dragon charged toward Rain.


    The dragon fired those giant bolts, and Rain blocked them with his forearm guards. Although they had high resistance against earth magic, Rain was still pushed backward several meters. Still, wh the monster was about to headbutt him, Rain used Impulse to the side and th returned while punching the left cheek of the beast.


    The impact made the g tremble and crack. The monster also flinched and was pushed away, but only a couple of ctimeters.


    "This one is a lot tougher," Rain thought while he felt his right fist troubling. "Physical attacks only won''t work, ev though I hanced my attack power to the limits."


    The colossal earth dragon swung its massive tail towards Rain with thunderous force. Rain leaped into the air in a split-second reaction, narrowly evading the devastating strike. But the dragon''s onught didn''t cease there. It lunged forward, aiming to crush Rain with a fierce headbutt.


    With agility and skill, Rain''s expertise came into y. He executed a swift and pott kick, squarely connecting with the dragon''s face. The force of his blow not only halted the beast''s charge a bit but also propelled Rain backward through the air. He spun gracefully beforending firmly on the g, poised to confront the unrelting earth dragon once more.


    "It charges in fast, and it has some tricks up its sleeve aside from magic¡­" Rain thought. "This one perhaps should be a one hundred years old. It is hard to say¡­ I need to find a way to measure their age."


    Rain remembered that he possessed the ability to use his Magic Eyes to perceive the auras of creatures, allowing him topare the currt earth dragon''s aura with that of the one he had previously countered. As he focused his gaze, a distinct and formidable aura veloped the monster, exuding a sse of sheer power and dominance.


    Recalling his counter with the fire dragon, Rain noted a striking contrast in auras. While the fire dragon''s aura had danced and flickered like mes, the earth dragon''s aura was notably thicker and more imposing, like a rock, hinting at the immse strgth and resilice possessed by this colossal beast.


    Rain was well aware that creatures'' elemtal affinities could significantly influce their auras'' appearance. However, this knowledge didn''t deter him from taking precise measuremts.


    His Magic Eyes allowed him to scrutinize andpare the auras of both the earth and fire dragons, abling him to discern not only the elemtal nuances but also the distinct characteristics that set these creatures apart.


    "A two times more intse¡­ I guess I was right," Rain thought.


    The earth dragon charged again, and Rain could see that the monster was pissed¡­ he could use that in his favor. Since it was a species much stronger than humans, it didn''t feel the need to use its head and wanted to overpower him through and through.


    While he was formting his n in mind, Rain kept using Impulse to the sides to avoid the charges of the earth dragon, but that only made the beast more raged.


    All of a sudd, the monster stopped moving and stepped on the g several times. The g began to shake, and th Rain was unable to use Impulse the way he wanted. Still, wh the monster charged it, Rain jumped over the monster andnded behind it. However, while he was in the air, Rain saw something worrisome¡­


    Wh Rainnded, he looked in the distance, and th he saw another dragon approaching from the south¡­ it wasn''t the fire dragon from earlier. As if that wasn''t troublesome ough, Rain heard another roaring from the opposite direction, and he saw another in the distance.


    "That earlier scream was one for help¡­ shit," Rain thought. "Of all things that could happ..."


    The second one was heading in the direction of Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra, so Rain couldn''t waste his time. Ev if it was risky, he had to finish that battle faster.

 Chapter 269: Anger

    Taking a deep breath, Rain readied himself for the uing challge. He adjusted his stance, lowering it for better stability. His gaze remained fixed on the approaching earth dragon. It was time to put his n into action.


    The earth dragon acknowledged Rain''s challge with a macing growl. Like a bull preparing to charge, it scraped the g with its massive ws, creating deep furrows in the earth. With a resounding roar, the colossal creature surged forward, charging at Rain with unrelting power, its eyes locked on its adversary.


    As the earth dragon bore down on him, Rain maintained a patit vigil, waiting for that critical instant he couldn''t afford to miss. His years of training and mastery over both martial and magical skills had finely tuned his ability to seize the perfect momt in the midst of battle.


    Rain''s heart raced with every thunderous step of the approaching dragon, and his focus sharped. The opportunity was fleeting, and there was no room for error.


    Th, with a swift and subtle movemt, Rain summoned his earth magic. In an instant, his Earth gauntlets transformed into a single, razor-sharp earth de seamlessly attached to his right forearm guard. It was an extsion of his own body, ready to deliver a decisive strike.


    With the precision of a seasoned fighter, Rain directed his newly formed earth de toward the earth dragon''s massive head with a powerful punch. The collision was immint, a sh of unyielding force and unbreakable resolve. The momt had arrived, and Rain unleashed his strike with unwavering determination and unparalleled skill.


    The de pierced through the scales, the hide, and the skull of the monster and reached the brain. Rain used a twty perct of his mana, four times more than he used to create the giant earth gauntlets, but at least that worked.


    The skill Punch Mastery received 50,000 experice points.


    The skill HP Bonus received 50,000 experice points.


    The skill Precise Strikes received 50,000 experice points.


    ¡­


    The Martial Artist path reached level 49.


    The Martial Artist path reached level 50.


    Level 50: Swift Harmony Enter a state of harmonized agility, increasing the speed and power of both strikes and kicks for a short duration.


    The Champion''s path is a journey through the realm where your years of training and experice be your greatest assets. As a seasoned martial artist, youmand a mastery of techniques, precision, andbat wisdom that few can match. Progress through these levels, honing your skills to be a true virtuoso of martial arts, capable of oveing any adversary.


    (Strgth, Vitality, and Endurance + 07 per level.)


    Level : Wisdom of the strikes. Begin your journey by mastering the foundational techniques of martial arts. The skills of simr paths gain five perct more experice per level.


    Rain didn''t ev have time to check the new path further because he suddly felt a shiver¡­ the first dragon that came from the south had arrived and pped its wings, firing massive wind des.


    Rain sidestepped them, but he oped his eyes widely wh he saw them piercing the g for dozs of meters¡­ they probably could cut steel with ease.


    "A wind dragon, huh?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "This will be a pain."


    The wind dragonmanded atttion with its breathtaking presce. Its body was covered in an array of scales, resembling sharp, pointed leaves in a vibrant emerald-gre hue. These scales glisted in the sunlight, capturing its radiance like precious gemstones.


    With wings that stretched gracefully, the dragon possessed a transluct quality in its membranes, reminisct of delicate stained ss. These wings seemed to shimmer, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow on the g as they moved.


    Atop its regal head, a series of elegantly curved horns added to its majestic appearance. Its eyes, a striking sapphire blue, held the wisdom of ages and a deep connection to the boundless skies it traversed.


    The dragon''s sinuous tail extded gracefully, adorned with spiky, leaf-like extsions that created a captivating disy as it moved through the air. Every motion of this magnifict creature spoke to its harmonious bond with the natural elemts.


    While Rain was dodging the wind des, he looked in the opposite direction, and th he saw another dragon stopping in the area where Jori and the others were¡­ it was a blue dragon.


    The water dragon emerged as a mesmerizing symbol of aquatic grace, captivating all who gazed upon it. Its undting body was sheathed in iridesct scales that mirrored the myriad hues of ocean depths. These scales seamlessly transitioned from deep sapphire blues to lush emerald gres, casting a dazzling disy of light and color with each fluid motion.


    Delicate and ethereal, the dragon''s wings resembled the transluct membranes found in the aquatic world. They evoked the image of a majestic sea creature, allowing the dragon to glide effortlessly through the air while leaving behind a trail of glisting droplets.


    The dragon''s long, sinuous tail mirrored the graceful swaying of seaweed in a gtle currt. It culminated in an intricate fin adorned with delicate web-like patterns reminisct of underwater flora.


    "I can''t head there and try to help them¡­ this guy would only follow me," Rain thought and th clicked his tongue. "It is time to make quick work of this guy here, th."


    Rain prepared to face the beast, but th he saw a toon of magic people approaching¡­ they sure were slow. Still, the wind dragon saw them as easier targets and soon fired Numerous wind des toward them.


    After having Impulse in their direction, Rain erected an earth wall and blocked the attacks¡­ he barely pulled that off ev though he used one thousand points of mana.


    "Go face the other dragon. I will handle this one," Rain dered.


    The magic people nodded since they had bad memories of facing wind dragons. They left in a hurry once they realized that the dragon was really pissed. As for Rain, he only showed his focus to the creature, which angered the dragon ev more.

 Chapter 270: Wind Breath

    Rain began to run around the area while keeping an eye on the enemy. He was trying to save some mana while he tried to learn the patterns of the monster, but the beast was smart enough to keep its distance while not showing any of its powers aside from the wind de.


    "I guess I will have to force it to show its cards¡­" Rain thought. "I can''t take my time when the others are fighting¡­ those two dragons are stronger than the one I faced before."


    Rain jumped with all his might and reached two hundred meters of height, but the wind dragon pped its wings away to build some distance. Still, when the creature was about to attack again, Rain created a st of wind under his feet and propelled himself toward the dragon.


    The creature was caught off guard, but when Rain was about tond the punch, it created a wind barrier. The impact made the dragon tremble, and its head was pushed to the side, but before Rain could do anything else, the wind pushed him away in a massive st¡­ It was a defensive spell that was activated when the enemy attacked.


    Rain spun in the air a couple of times, but he still managed tond on his feet. However, he soon began to fly again by controlling the dirt on the ground to propel himself forward¡­ it consumed a bit of mana every second, so he didn''t have time to waste.


    The wind dragon recovered from the attack but soon saw Rain getting closer. Without wasting time, the dragon used its mouth to fire a st of wind¡­ it was a wind breath. So, maybe just calling breath would be enough¡­ regardless, Rain tried to approach the enemy. Still near the wind dragon, he felt as if he stood at the precipice of a fierce tornado.


    The dragon''s breath was an invisible hurricane, pushing against him with an unstoppable force. It seemed as though he were attempting to step into the heart of a raging storm, where the relentless winds threatened to toss him about like a feather.


    The atmosphere around Rain quivered and swirled as the dragon''s breath enveloped him. It was a sensation entirely unique, a vivid reminder of the staggering elemental potency harnessed by the wind dragon. This breath acted as an unyielding force, pushing him back and creating a tumultuous whirlwind of sensations.


    Despite his resolve, Rain found himself slowly but steadily forced backward by the unbridled power of the wind dragon''s breath. It felt akin to trying to breach an insurmountable barrier.


    "What is the point? You aren''t causing damage!" Rain thought.


    Rain soon found the point¡­ the dragon began to increase the distance between them. After clicking his tongue, Rain began to fly to the sides, and the enemy tried to follow him with the attack. Still, the dragon was unable to since Rain used more mana.


    Just when Rain was about to get closer, the dragon decided to go all out and summon three massive cyclones that began to dance around the creature. Rain began to feel their pull, and while he knew that he would survive the pull, all of his hair would be pulled out. He wanted to avoid that if possible.


    In the end, Rain moved away andnded on the ground before using his earth magic to erect some pirs at the base of the cyclones, which made them lose power and eventually dissipate.


    The wind dragon showed some annoyance in its face, but as soon as Rain was about to take the next step, he heard a powerful scream in the distance. A dragon''s scream¡­


    Rain looked to the side for a moment, and then soon, he found a weird st of ice in the area where he left his friends. The magic people should have arrived there, and they would be a good match against the water dragon, but he couldn''t see any signs of their magic.


    "Shit¡­ it can''t be helped," Rain thought.


    Rain used Impulse with all his might and then dashed toward that area. It didn''t take long for him to see a bunch of magic people being sted away by super-concentrated water cannons.


    The attack soon reached Jori and the others, who tried to block it with their weapons. Asche and Liss used wind magic to weaken the episode a bit, but their wind barrier onlysted for a second. At least the st only knocked them to the ground.


    Terra approached to heal them since she could see them coughing blood, but then the monster targeted her as well with another water cannon. Fortunately, she raised her arms and blocked the attack with the forearm guards that Rain made of Reinforced earth to her, but she was knocked down as well, and her guards broke.


    The monster could have attacked them with another water cannon to finish them off. Still, the dragon approached Terra instead to eat her alive. She was lucky that she didn''t see that massive mouth closing in¡­


    Still, before the monster could eat her, Rain arrived and punched the face of the beast. The attack had been so powerful that it emitted a st of wind upon impact that made the area tremble and even made the dragon roll on the ground before coughing a mouthful of blood.


    Rain charged again and then punched the monster with all his all his might, pushing the face of the beast from one side to the other. In contrast, the monster was semi-unconscious and unable to react. Still, when Rain went for the kill, the wind dragon arrived and pushed him away with another dragon breath¡­


    Rain crossed his arms in front of his face to avoid being knocked down, and he also summoned an earth wall to protect the others. Before long, he clicked his tongue in annoyance when he saw the water dragon starting to fly again, but soon the creature began to fly away, and the wind dragon covered their retreat¡­

 Chapter 271: Challenge

    Rain approached his friends and began to heal them, and slowly, they began to wake up. He started with Terra to help him with that since, in his charge, he messed up his leg again by using all his might with a step in.


    "That was nightmarish¡­ we must have gone insane thinking that we could have fought that," Terra said when she got up.


    "You guys did well since these ones were stronger than the one I defeated," Rain said and then pointed to his leg and his disheveled hair.


    Rain earnestly attempted to lift his friends'' spirits, but their faces still bore the weight of disappointment and frustration. Despite their rigorous training in the past months, the presence of the dragons had left them feeling disheartened, as if they were facing an insurmountable obstacle that no amount of preparation could conquer.


    Rain offered words of encouragement, reminding them of the progress they had made and their unwavering determination. However, the dragons'' imposing presence had cast a shadow of doubt over their efforts. The sheer magnitude of the challenge ahead had left them grappling with uncertainty.


    Their unyielding dedication to training had not prepared them for the overwhelming might of the dragons. It was a stark realization that threatened to diminish their confidence and test their resolve.


    Rain acknowledged his own limitations when it came to providing emotional support, and he decided to give his friends some space. They were all twenty years old, so they could handle that much.


    Terra appeared to be handling the situation with greaterposure. Her role as a healer likely contributed to her ability to endure the water dragon''s breath attack and boost her confidence. Herposed demeanor served as a source offort amid the prevailing unease.


    Rain respected the fact that everyone had their own way of coping with challenges, and he understood the importance of allowing his friends the time and space to process their emotions.


    The group checked the drivers, and a lot of them ran away thanks to the chaos¡­ a lot of the merchandise was also knocked down from the wagons, but it was mostly intact. It was amazing, but no one died in that fight¡­


    "... It looks like you messed up your leg to save our asses," Jori said after a long sigh. "Sorry about that."


    "You are too old to act all gloomy. Deal with those feelings properly if they are bothering you," Rain said.


    "... What are we going to do about the dragon that you defeated?" Jori asked.


    "Sell or take it back home after dismantling it. We have plenty of room, after all," Rain replied. "Hey, who is your leader here?"


    Rain decided to approach the magic people stationed at the post to discuss the body of the earth dragon. Unfortunately, their leader wasn''t there.. Although the leader wasn''t present, they did not refuse Rain''s request to retrieve the defeated dragon.


    While the idea of bringing the dragon back for potentially more profit crossed Rain''s mind, he understood the importance of negotiating with Josar to ensure a smooth and mutually beneficial arrangement. This cautionary approach aimed to guarantee the satisfaction of all parties involved.


    The group decided to only depart the next day in order to recover from the surprise. Rain''s leg was already healed, but they needed some to put their minds in the game again.


    Although it cost a bit of mana, Rain transported the dragon''s body to the magic people''s military post. They also said that they could ask for some vehicles to transport the dragon to the human country if Rain wishes for it.


    Rain couldn''t help but notice that the magic people were being surprisingly nice, especially considering that just six months ago, they had been locked in deadlybat with him and his group.


    Rain could only specte that the change in the magic people''s attitude stemmed from viewing humans not as mere weaklings but as another formidable species. It seemed that they hade to respect the humans'' strength and capabilities, leading to a shift in their approach.


    "Although we had our ass kicked, I guess we can brag about seeing four dragons on a single day," Jori said when the group was having dinner.


    "Rain, don''t you think that you would have defeated all of them if you had trained with a sword or something?" Reca asked. "I think that you would truly be something else if you used your magic skills with a sword."


    "I highly doubt it," Rain said. "I feel morefortable fighting like I do."


    Rain wondered if they would ask where he got the inspiration to fight like that¡­ until recently, the martial artists of the magic people weren''t known, so it was really weird for Rain to pick that kind of fighting style.


    Rain also realized that his n to use the martial artists of that country to learn a bit more probably wasn''t going to work¡­ Josar said that they didn''t have to go to two posts, and there was a chance that they would be one of those since Rain killed their previous leader.


    "Rain, can you increase the weight on my legs? I don''t want to have my ass kicked like that again," Jori suddenly said after he pped his cheeks. "I guess the only way to deal with this is to train more than you."


    "That seems like a challenge," Rain said. "Still, I can''t respect your foolishness for thinking that you can train harder than me."


    To uplift the group''s spirits and fuel their determination, Rain introduced a rigorous training regimen. He made their weights even heavier, intensifying their workouts to push the boundaries of their physical capabilities.


    It felt like he was molding a squad of elite warriors that were actually people who had muscle for brains, each member dedicated to reaching their maximum strength and endurance, much like Rain himself. That seemed like something interesting, so Rain wondered what would be the final result.

 Chapter 272: Alert

    Recognizing that not everyone in the group could handle heavy weights, Rain also incorporated training for the magic users. He encouraged them to harness minimal reserves of magic to create projectiles and then focus on increasing the speed at which they couldunch them.


    He exined that refining their control over these magical projectiles would not only enhance their precision but also unlock theirtent magical potential to a significant degree.


    The next day, everyone resumed their journey while putting the new training regimen into practice. Since they had to get used to that, Rain had to focus on the surroundings while his friends were getting used to it. Fortunately, the atmosphere seemed fine, and he could hear the sound of birds again¡­ it seemed like they wouldn''t see the dragons in the next few days.


    "It seems the varieties of dragons are quite numerous¡­ I didn''t expect to see a wind and water dragon," Rain thought while looking around. "I wonder if the magic people have some books that have information about the dragons that they faced."


    Rain realized that he had a hard time facing those dragons for many reasons. First of all, his physical strength was enough against dragons of that level, but his magic power wasn''t. Considering that he also got hurt two times in the shoulder and leg, Rain also knew that he wascking in the endurance and Vitality department¡­ but all that made sense considering the enemies.


    They had at least five decades worth more experience and training than him, after all.


    "You look troubled. Did you perhaps n to defeat all of the four dragons?" Terra asked.


    "Yes, to avoid more information about me spreading among them," Rain replied. "Not like they look like they care since they didn''t even say anything during the fights."


    "Can they even understand ournguage?" Terra asked. "I always thought that they had their own."


    "I would bet that they do," Rain replied. "Anyway, I guess I will buy potions with the dragon''s money to speed up my training."


    "Hahaha, now you truly look like a noble kid," Jori said. "Well, not like you need anything else in your life when you have a house like that."


    Rain thought that he had trained his magic enough, but he would have to spend more money to help him with that.


    In any case, the group traveled for three days before they reached thest Military post on that side, and soon, they turned to head in the opposite direction. Their speed increased a bit since the horses were pulling less weight.


    After a week of swift travel, the group finally arrived back at the military post led by Josar. Despite their urgency toplete the mission, Josar called them to provide a detailed ount of what had transpired. He had already received reports, but he wanted to hear the story directly from them, seeking their firsthand perspective on the events.


    "I am grateful for your assistance," Josar said. "Well then, what are you nning to do about the body of the earth dragon?"


    "How much do you want to offer for the body?" Rain asked.


    "That is a difficult question. It isn''t usually something we buy¡­ we are also redirecting the resources of our country to the war," Josar replied while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    Rain had made the decision to sell the earth dragon''s body, a choice he had discussed with his friends. There were several reasons for this decision.


    Foremost among these was the concern that transporting the dragon''s carcass could attract other dragons, putting the group in peril, even the human country as well. While the materials from the dragon''s body were undoubtedly valuable, the potential risks far outweighed the benefits.


    After investing a considerable amount of effort into their mission, the group was not willing to jeopardize their progress by provoking further encounters with these formidable creatures. They reached a consensus that selling the dragon''s body was the safest way to secure their rewards without taking unnecessary risks.


    "How much does the best spiritual potion that you can make cost?" Rain asked.


    "We don''t usually sell them, and each tribe usually produces their own," Josar replied. "Still, considering your country''s prices, the highest spiritual potion costs around fifty gold coins, right? I suppose ours should cost around three times that."


    "If you give me one hundred of those, you can keep the body then," Rain said.


    "One hundred¡­" Josar said while frowning. "Not even the tribe leaders have ess to so many, but¡­ I suppose I can contact others and share the body of the creature with them. Once you return to the capital, you will receive the potions."


    The group had collectively agreed to set the price for their top-tier spiritual potion at three times the rate of their standard offerings. Despite this decision, they had reservations about whether this premium product delivered three times their regr potions'' effectiveness.


    Surprisingly, Josar quickly agreed to the proposed price, signifying that the deal was exceptionally advantageous. In retrospect, Rain pondered whether he had undervalued their product. Perhaps there was room for further negotiation to secure an even better deal, given the evident demand for such potent elixirs.


    Nevertheless, Rain acknowledged this experience as an opportunity to refine his negotiation skills for future business dealings.


    "All right, we will continue with the job," Rain dered.


    "You all should return here just in case something else happens again," Josar added. "It is rare for the dragons to attack several times a week, though. It is just for the appearances and formalities."


    More than one week had already passed since the fight, so Rain wondered if that was Josar''s way of alerting him. Still, Rain imagined that the situation would be far worse; he was even prepared to fight dragons every day. Still, if possible, he wanted that to not happen. He was certain that the dragons wouldn''t underestimate him the next time, after all. Maybe that was actually a good thing...

 Chapter 273: Teachers

    While the group concentrated on refining their fundamental skills, Terra pursued a different path¡ªshe aimed to enhance her healing abilities. She understood that improving her healing skills required a gradual process and couldn''t be mastered solely through precision and control. Nheless, Terra remained unwavering in hermitment to bing a more proficient healer.


    Putting her abilities into practice, Terra began tending to the group''s weary and strained muscles. Rain recognized the immense value of this task. Healing the body''s muscles not only offered immediate relief but also represented a long-term investment in their overall strength.


    This meticulous approach to muscle recovery held the potential to yield substantial benefits in their quest for improvement, even in the short term.


    "What do you think I should do here?" Terra asked. "Your healing skills aren''t better than mine, but you should have some ideas."


    "Bragging, aren''t we?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Rain began to wonder if he could apply his modern knowledge to enhance his healing skills. He believed that sharing this knowledge could also help Terra. While standard healing skills aimed to restore health, they often required more time for damaged tissues to fully regenerate. The severity of a wound determined the length of the healing process, with deeper wounds taking longer to heal.


    Considering these factors, Rain contemted the idea of incorporating magic into their healing techniques, essentially using it as a magical equivalent of sutures to expedite the healing of wounds. However, he acknowledged that his current control over raw mana might not be refined enough for such precise applications.


    Nheless, he found the concept intriguing and contemted conducting further research and experimentation to unlock this potential aspect of their magical abilities.


    "How about starting to use your mana to check the wound with more precision instead of just using it to restore health?" Rain asked. "Once youpletely confirm the wounds'' severitypletely, you can focus your mana on the right spots to improve the healing speeds."


    "That was something that my teacher could do¡­ but no one could," Terra said after she recalled something. "I forgot about that since I always thought that it was impossible for me."


    "Come to think of it, you guys were trained by someone when you were younger, right?" Rain asked.


    Terra exined that each member of the group hadn''t undergone formal training; instead, they had received valuable guidance from retired adventurers during their childhood. This unique experience had urred when they were around ten years old, all residing in the same orphanage. However, it appeared that Jori and the others had lost touch with these mysterious mentors over the years.


    Rain couldn''t help but specte that these teachers were likely legendary adventurers in their own right. Despite their legendary status, very few people knew about them. This was because they deliberately chose to live their lives away from the spotlight, opting for a more discreet existence.


    "You know," Jori said, "my teacher once told me that I should focus on training for bigger swings in my martial arts practice."


    "Why did she emphasize that?" Rain asked,


    "Well," Jori nodded, remembering the exnation vividly, "she said that bigger swings can make our strikes more powerful and versatile inbat. They allow us to generate greater force and reach, which, in turn, makes us more effective in both offense and defense. It''s an essential aspect of martial arts, she used to say."


    "She also said that you were too stupid to think of doing anything else," Reca smirked. "Bigger swings can give room for counters, but she also said that you had the potential to avoid that for some reason.


    "What about you?" Rain asked.


    "I remember my teacher emphasizing the importance of training quick thrusts in our training sessions," Reca shared.


    "Quick thrusts? What was the reasoning behind that?" Rain asked. "It is starting to sound like they all wanted to only teach you a single thing."


    "Well, my teacher believed that quick thrusts are crucial because they can catch opponents off guard and create openings in their defenses," Reflecting on her teacher''s teachings, Reca borated, "She used to say that precision and speed in our strikes make it difficult for enemies to react in time, making quick thrusts a valuable skill inbat."


    "My teacher didn''t say anything aside from the fact that I should wind and fire since they were the easiest for me to learn," Liss said and then sighed. "I asked him countless times to teach me other things, but he didn''t want to¡­ even though he could createrge explosions away from him with a snap of his fingers."


    That sounded like a really powerful technique of a character that Rain saw a long time ago¡­ in any case, those teachers sure liked to do things in a half-assed way. Rain couldn''tin much since he was only teaching his sisters, but¡­


    "Our teachers apparently knew our parents. That was why they decided to teach us," Asche said. "They also said that they couldn''t adopt us since it would feel like it was out of pity, and they didn''t want to feel that way toward the children of their friends. Anyway, my master just watched my shooting form and corrected it a few times."


    "Mine made me meditate a lot until I could control my mana to make potions," Terra said. "Thanks to that, I might be able to do this."


    Actually, Rain was pretty sure that Terra''s teacher made her do that because he wanted her to eventually learn the same technique on her own¡­ probably because he believed that would make her reach new heights as well. Maybe it was the same thing that the others felt, and that was why they didn''t teach that much aside from the very basics. Or maybe Rain was just thinking about it too much.


    It was hard to say. Maybe he was also overestimating Terra since he had been teaching her some self defense skills for a while, he also often spoils his sisters, after all.

 Chapter 274: Chase

    The group encountered no significant challenges or threats the following week, allowing them to concentrate on their training. Despite Terra''s initial struggles in her new training regimen, Rain remained confident that she would eventually master it with time and dedication.


    The final camp they visited appeared deceptively peaceful. Still, Rain couldn''t help but notice that the camp''s leaders were avoiding direct contact with him. It dawned on him that these leaders were likely members of the council and were intentionally concealing their identities, perhaps to maintain their secrecy and avoid revealing their affiliations.


    "I guess this is it," Rain said. "We can rerun to the main post and then head home after that."


    It waste afternoon, so it was better if the group let the horses rest for a bit. Actually, Rain was nning to return as soon as possible since the drivers looked like they wanted to run away from that area. Still, the soldiers in that camp asked him to stay with them for the night since they sent some scouts to the mountains, and there were no signs of them for thest three days.


    "We are doing more than we are supposed to, aren''t we?" Reca asked.


    "This much is fine. We might also gain something in exchange by making the people here owe us a bit," Rain exined.


    Rain demonstrated that when he went to talk with some of the magic people leading the camp, and he asked them for spiritual potions. He told them that they didn''t have much mana thanks to the fight with the dragons, so he readily gave them those. Rain exined the situation to his friends with a grin on his face.


    "People call you a hero, you know," Terra said. "You shouldn''t try to scam others."


    "It is not a scam. It is an equivalent exchange; they asked us for help, and we are receiving appropriate payment for it," Rain exined.


    "Potions of this level cost one gold coin, and we are supposed to be gaining half of that per day of work," Asche said.


    "These are just small details," Rain said. "If you don''t want to use them to train, then I will happily do."


    Ultimately, the group decided to heed Rain''s rationale and make use of the potions to enhance their training and skills, acknowledging the potential benefits they could gain from these elixirs.


    The group dedicated themselves to their training for a couple of hours. Still, soon after, Rain couldn''t help but regret his earlier decision. The atmosphere in the surroundings began to change, growing increasingly oppressive, which set off rm bells in his mind. It was an ominous sign, and he knew they might be in for trouble.


    The magic people in the group also recognized the shift in the atmosphere. They were ustomed to these signs, as they often preceded a dragon attack. Rain couldn''t help but wonder if the dragons had somehow predicted their actions, but he dismissed the idea as too far-fetched.


    "I wonder how the hell they can change the atmosphere so much even before they can arrive in the area¡­" Rain thought. "This is truly mysterious."


    Jori, Reca, Liss, and Terra felt shivers down their spines as the group sensed the tense atmosphere. They immediately readied themselves for battle, their instincts kicking in. The entire camp around them sprang into action, hastily preparing for the imminent threat.


    As they waited, the magic users among them suddenly noticed a distant light on the ground, steadily approaching. It was an unusual sight amidst the growing tension. While Rain and Asche tried to check what was that red thing approaching, they suddenly heard a roar that made everyone feel shivers. They couldn''t see anything, thanks to the darkness of the night, but it was clearly a dragon.


    "It is an ally!" One of the magic people shouted. "A carriage with allies is being chased by a dragon!"


    The red light came from a torch, and it was approaching in a carriage¡­ Rain wondered why a dragon was chasing a carriage, but he didn''t have time to think about it. They had to defeat the dragon and protect the carriage.


    Rain and his friends readied themselves for the sight. Still, then they saw a me falling from the sky that illuminated the dark blue sky of the night¡­ a fire dragon just illuminated the area and revealed itself while it was trying to burn the carriage, but that wasn''t all¡­ the mes revealed two other dragonsing from behind the fire dragon.


    "Oh boy¡­" Rain said. "Cover me from a distance and focus on defending the carriage. We are going."


    Gulps resonated in the tense atmosphere as Jori, Reca, Liss, and Terra exchanged worried nces. They had witnessed Rain''s incredible feats in the past, but facing multiple dragons simultaneously was a whole new level of challenge. Their collective fear hung in the air, unspoken yet palpable.


    Memories of their recent narrow escape raced through their minds, reinforcing the gravity of their current predicament. They hadn''t fully recovered from that harrowing experience, and now, they were thrust into another life-threatening encounter. With shared nods, they acknowledged that their only option was to follow Rain''s lead.


    Rain used Impulse and quickly approached the enemies and the carriage. As Rain approached the carriage, his brow furrowed in concern when heid eyes on the driver. The man was drenched in blood, and his left arm was conspicuously missing. Despite the gruesome sight, Rain admirably managed to maintain hisposure and unwavering focus on the task at hand.


    As the fiery breath of the dragon drew dangerously close to the carriage, panic rippled through the onlookers, fearing the impending disaster.


    However, Rain sprang into action at just the right moment. He made contact with the ground, summoning a colossal stone pir that erupted from the ground. This pir struck the dragon''s chin forcefully, abruptly halting its fiery assault and leaving the colossal creature momentarily stunned and disoriented.

 Chapter 275: You dont

    Without hesitation, Rain vaulted toward the bewildered beast, disying remarkable agility. His fistnded squarely on the dragon''s face, the powerful impact slowing down the creature. The dragon''s head jerked to the side in astonishment, throwing it off bnce and leaving it struggling to regain itsposure in the face of Rain''s formidable strike.


    Based on the formidable aura emanating from the trio of dragons, Rain swiftly assumed that they were of a simr caliber to the Earth Dragon he had recently defeated. Despite the daunting challenge they presented, Rain''s belief in the collective strength of his friends and the magic people fueled his determination. They could defeat them if they work together.


    However, a sudden twist in fate disrupted his ns. A powerful jet stream of water, unleashed from another dragon, hurtled toward Rain with unrelenting force. Reacting with lightning speed, Rain raised his forearm guards to shield himself from the impending st.


    Although he initially managed to stop the assault, the sheer might of the water attack proved overwhelming. It sent Rain plummeting to the earth below, and upon impact, the ground surrounding him began to fracture and shatter under the immense pressure of the water jet.


    As Rain struggled to shield himself from the water dragon''s relentless jet stream, a third dragon entered the fray. This neer wasted no time and unleashed a barrage of sharp wind des aimed directly at Rain.


    Amidst the chaos, Rain''s thoughts raced. He wondered if this trio of dragons was the same group he had faced before, but confirming their identities was a luxury he couldn''t afford in the heat of battle. The situation grew even more perilous as the wind des closed in on him.


    Just when it seemed Rain might be overwhelmed, the magic users in hispany sprang into action. With remarkable coordination, they summoned a volley of potent water spears that streaked through the air. These water spears intercepted and deflected the deadly wind des, creating a protective barrier around Rain, shielding him from the onught.


    Behind Rain, Terra immediately started tending to the injured carriage driver, using her healing abilities to alleviate his pain and mend his wounds. The other members of the group formed a protective ring around the carriage, prepared to defend it against the iing dragons.


    However, Rain found himself the sole target of the menacing creatures. The fire dragon, having recovered from its initial shock, fixed its fiery gaze on him. With a powerful p of its wings, the beast soared into the night sky, positioning itself directly above Rain.


    Tension hung heavy in the air as the fire dragon unleashed a scorching torrent of mes from its mouth. The zing inferno descended with destructive force. Upon impact, a massive explosion of fire and smoke engulfed the area, shrouding Rain in a veil of uncertainty.


    For a heart-pounding moment, Rain disappeared within the fiery chaos. The ground trembled under the sheer power of the attack, leaving his friends and the magic users filled with growing anxiety for Rain''s safety, unable to see him amidst the mes and smoke.


    After the searing fire and water attacks ceased and the thick veil of smoke dispersed, the dragons eagerly anticipated finding Rain''s charred remains. But to their astonishment, Rain had vanished without a trace.


    §Ö??@§à§å--*§Ñ?$-+


    The dragons exchanged puzzled nces, scanning the area in a fruitless search for their elusive prey. Silence hung heavily in the night air, broken only by theirbored breaths.


    Then, a sudden, agonized roar pierced the quiet. The fire and water dragons swiftly turned their attention to the side, where a startling sight met their eyes. The wind dragon, one of their own, plummeted from the sky, its left wing severed and trailing behind it.


    Perched atop the wounded wind dragon was Rain, his grip firm on an earth de attached to his right forearm guard. With unwavering resolve, Rain had employed his resourcefulness and the element of surprise to mount a counterattack against the dragons, proving that he was far from defeated.


    The dragons strained to get a clear shot at Rain, desperate tounch an attack. However, Rain had other ns. He cleverly used the plummeting wind dragon as an impromptu shield, taking refuge behind the massive creature.


    As the wind dragon crashed heavily to the ground, the magic users wasted no time. They unleashed a barrage of water spears at the fallen beast, trying to exploit its newfound vulnerability.


    The wounded wind dragon responded swiftly, releasing a powerful breath and conjuring a swirling barrier of wind that deflected the iing water spears, effectively shielding itself from harm.


    In the midst of this chaos, Rain seized the opportunity to leap away from the fallen dragon, showcasing his remarkable agility. Meanwhile, the water dragon unleashed a seemingly slender jet of water. Surprisingly thin as it appeared, it tore through the ground as if it were a scorchingser, adding to the tumultuous battle scene.


    Rain sprinted away from the oing water jet, his eyes darting between the dragons, ever watchful for their next move. As he evaded the formidable water attack, he remained vignt, ready to react to any threat.


    The fire dragon, unable to attack while the water dragon had control of the situation, made a swift decision. It shifted its focus and moved away, fixating on the carriage with a sense of purpose that couldn''t be ignored. It became apparent that the dragons had a specific objective in mind, something within the carriage that they coveted.


    "Oh no, you don''t," Rain said.


    With unwavering focus, Rain harnessed his earth magic swiftly. He summoned yet another colossal earth pir that shot upward, heading straight for the gaping maw of the water dragon. The pir effectively sealed the dragon''s mouth, putting an end to its water-based attacks.


    Taking advantage of this critical moment, Rain leaped into action. He closed the distance between himself and the water dragon in a single bound. With tremendous force, he delivered a powerful kick to the creature''s face, sending it sprawling to the ground. It was a disy of immense strength, but it came at a cost.

 Chapter 276: New fighting style

    As Rain touched down, a sharp pang shot through his ankle, and he realized he had twisted it during the forceful kick. Although the water dragony unconscious, the price of his audacious move became apparent. Rain had sustained an injury that could prove troublesome in the ongoing battle.


    As soon as the fire dragon recognized the vulnerability of its fallenrade, it swiftly redirected its burning gaze towards Rain. On the dragon''s colossal form, a look of pure rage was etched across its face, radiating an aura of seething fury.


    In a disy of ferocious determination, the dragon''s surroundings ignited with an intense, burning aura, a manifestation of its formidable power known as the Dragon''s Rage. This zing force enveloped the creature, underscoring the gravity of the threat it posed to Rain and hispanions.


    "Hmm, this might be a bit bad¡­" Rain thought.


    The dragon''s aura zed with such incredible potency that it appeared to ignite the surrounding air. This immense energy emitted from the creature gave rise to a thick shroud of dark smoke that enveloped its form. The atmosphere crackled with the searing intensity of the dragon''s aura, leaving behind an eerie and unsettling presence.


    With a single powerful p of its massive wings, the dragon propelled itself into the air. But what came next was astonishing. It hurtled towards Rain with incredible, supersonic speed, all without the need for another wingbeat. The sheer velocity of its approach was nothing short of breathtaking, a testament to the dragon''s awe-inspiring agility and might.


    Rain used Impulse to escape the attack, but he barely did that. It looked like the enemy was flying by only using magic¡­ Rain confirmed that when the dragon began to fly toward the sky and turn at the same time without using its wings. That only confirmed Rain''s worries.


    When the dragon was returning to attack Rain, he wondered if he should risk his arm tond a counter on the beast¡­ in the worst-case scenario, he would leave his arm unusable for a few weeks, and that would be a real problem.


    As Rain hesitated while facing the charging fire dragon, the water dragon he had temporarily incapacitated began to rouse from its stupor. Swiftly regaining itsposure, the water dragon took off in a sprint towards the carriage.


    This turn of events presented a fresh opportunity for Jori and the others. In their prior encounter with another water dragon, they had been overwhelmed. However, with Rain now unable to assist them due to his engagement with the fire dragon, the responsibility of defending the carriage fell squarely on their shoulders.


    As the fire dragon soared close to the ground, its presence alone wrought havoc and devastation. The sheer power of its fiery aura radiated like a scorching tempest, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.


    MVLeMpYr-the-story-tform


    Anything unfortunate enough to be in the dragon''s immediate vicinity faced a merciless fate. The intense heat and mes generated by its fiery aura scorched everything in their path, reducing vegetation to ashes and turning the once vibrantndscape into a charred wastnd.


    The very air seemed to sizzle with the intensity of the dragon''s presence, leaving a harrowing testament to the destructive might of this formidable creature.


    In thest moment, Rain used Impulse to the side, but soon, he returned by propelling himself to the side of the monster. Rain hit the face of the creature with a drop kick that made the beast twitch its head a lot, but it didn''t lose speed.


    At the same time, Rain felt his legs burning. Even though he only made contact for a moment, he was only five percent of his total health¡­ he lost a bit more since his boots began to burn alongside his pants.


    "I should have known¡­" Rain thought when he saw the monster turning around again.


    In the end, Rain didn''t have any other choice aside from testing a new fighting style. It was totally different from what he envisioned himself years ago. Still, he never envisioned himself fighting dragons, so it couldn''t be helped¡­


    Rain jumped away, and using his magic, he summoned a torrent of water on his legs and arms, when the dragon was about to reach him, he froze all that to the point that the temperature around him began to drop.


    A sense of disbelief briefly registered in the creature''s gaze as it observed Rain enveloping his limbs with ice. However, this disy of elemental control did little to deter the fire dragon''s relentless charge. With unwavering determination, the creature pressed forward, its fiery resolve burning even brighter in the face of Rain''s icy defense.


    With control over the ice on his limbs, Rain abruptly halted in mid-air, defying gravity''s pull. The fire dragon, its eyes widening in astonishment, beheld this unexpected maneuver.


    Rain sidestepped the dragon''s ferocious charge in a swift, evasive move, leaving the creature bewildered. He wasted no time inunching a counterattack, targeting the dragon''s face.


    But Rain''s assault didn''t stop there. Disying remarkable agility and precision, he continued to weave through the air, moving backward and side to side and punching the beast relentlessly. Each strike generated powerful bursts of air, causing the dragon''s colossal head to sway from one side to another.


    Rain''s relentless assault kept the creature off bnce, creating a dazzling and chaotic aerial disy of his prowess.


    The fire dragon, determined to strike back, attempted to w at Rain with its massive arms. However, Rain remained a slippery target, employing a mesmerizing array of evasive maneuvers.


    Rain deftly sidestepped the dragon''s razor-sharp ws with remarkable agility, moving in diagonal angles, shifting up and down, and swaying from side to side. His movements were as captivating as they were effective.


    Rain didn''t let up in his relentless assault. Blow after blow, he relentlessly pummeled the dragon''s face. The once-impervious scales covering the creature''s visage crumbled under the relentless barrage. As a result, the dragon''s mouth began to spew blood.

 Chapter 277: Dragon vs Dragon

    As Rain continued his relentless assault on the dragon''s face, he gradually distanced himself from the area where his friends were locked in their own fierce battle. The intensity of his fight had drawn him further away, and he had lost sight of their ongoing struggle. He hadn''t even had a chance to witness the outset of their confrontation.


    There was no time to dwell on it; he needed to stay focused.


    Spotting an opportunity as the dragon began to slow down, likely due to the damage inflicted on its skull, Rain acted swiftly. He unleashed a powerful kick to the creature''s face, creating additional space between them. Without hesitation, he executed a backward leap, further increasing the gap between himself and the formidable adversary. read-first-at-MVLeMpYr


    "It is time for a new trick," Rain thought and then took a deep breath.


    Rain made a deliberate effort to control his breathing, aiming to optimize the speed at which his blood pulsed through his veins. His goal was to push his body to the very limits, to make his Limit Breaker ability reach its full potential.


    In addition to his controlled breathing, Rain focused his mind with intense concentration. He delved into the recesses of his memory, meticulously recalling the effects of various buffs that, due to the limitations of the system, he couldn''t equip simultaneously.


    While passive skills were beyond his control, he had gained an intricate understanding of the active buffs over time, having used them countless times in the past. This expertise allowed him to recall and apply them strategically in the heat of battle, a testament to his honedbat skills and adaptability.


    Rain experienced an abrupt surge of power, pushing his body to its absolute limits. Hisplexion turned a deep crimson, his muscles bulged with unnatural strength, and even his sweat evaporated before forming droplets. All of this transformation urred in a mere heartbeat, a moment of intense preparation.


    With resolute determination, Rain charged headlong toward the fire dragon. Sensing imminent danger to its life, the dragon resorted to its final gambit, expending thest reserves of its mana.


    The dragon''s eyes ignited with a brilliant, radiant light, casting an eerie glow across the battlefield. It summoned every ounce of remaining strength and unleashed a deafening roar that resonated through the air.


    In the next heartbeat, Rain''s clenched fist struck the left side of the dragon''s face with a devastating impact. Resulting in the sound of the monster''s neck snapping and echoing throughout the area, a testament to the immense force behind Rain''s blow.


    Even as the light appeared to dim in the fire dragon''s eyes, a surge of mana within the creature became evident. The monster''s body radiated a blinding and formidable light in the next heartbeat, signaling an impending catastrophe.


    Rain, quick to sense the imminent danger, relied on his instincts. In a split second, he turned and made a desperate attempt to flee. Yet, before he could escape the expanding st zone, a massive explosion enveloped him.


    An explosion of both mana and scorching fire expanded across a vast radius, threatening to engulf Rain''s body. Swiftly, he harnessed the ice enveloping his limbs to shield himself, narrowly escaping the ravaging inferno. Despite his efforts, the searing heat still singed his flesh, and the air surrounding him ignited, making it almost impossible to inhale.


    During those agonizing moments, time seemed to stretch infinitely, but in reality, itsted only three seconds. The cataclysmic st sent shockwaves rippling through the entire area, illuminating the night sky as if it were day. The trembling earth beneath bore witness to the sheer power unleashed.


    As Rain gradually regained consciousness, he found himself in a state of disorientation. Time had slipped away during his unconsciousness, and he had no way to estimate how long he had been down.


    Attempting to move sent sharp, agonizing waves of pain coursing through his body, prompting involuntary grunts of difort. A cursory examination revealed the grim extent of his injuries: his clothing had been reduced to ashes, wisps of smoke emanated from his singed hair, and his chest and head bore severe burn marks, inflicting excruciating pain.


    Despite the dire condition of his body, there was a glimmer of relief. His limbs, encased in the protective iceyer, remained unharmed, along with his forearm and shin guards. These spared areas offered a ray of hope amidst the wreckage of his injuries.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 111 (6000/11.100)


    Current Path: Champion''s Path (Lv 25 (220/2500)


    Health: 2.470/16.670


    Mana: 7.330/20.030


    Stamina: 11.265/17.965


    Strength: 1507


    Dexterity: 887


    Intelligence: 1035


    Vitality: 1663


    Wisdom: 2003


    Endurance: 1711


    Luck: 307


    Free Points: 310


    Main Skills:


    [Basic Strikes and Kicks Lv 52)


    [Power Strike Lv 01]


    [Swift Kicks Lv 05]


    [Vital Focus Lv 10]


    [Counterflow Technique Lv 01]


    Support Skills:


    [Arcane Initiation Lv 11]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 37]


    [Language Lv 88]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 50]


    [Meditation Lv 83]


    When Rain checked his status, he confirmed that he had leveled up a lot, and the free slots of his skills had been filled with the skills he had gained. Still, he could think about thatter. He looked in the distance where the dragon was supposed to be, and he only found the body of a creature that looked like it had died of old age.


    "A suicidal attack that consumes all of its life form, huh?" Rain thought. "Ugh¡­ it has been a while since I was injured this much¡­ I have to help the others in spite of this."


    With all his might, rain summoned every ounce of his resolve and attempted to dash toward his friends. However, each step he took sent searing waves of pain coursing through his wounds, making it an agonizing endeavor. As the pain became nearly unbearable, he eventually resorted to using his magic to propel himself forward, sparing his ravaged body from further torment.


    Upon reaching the vicinity, Rain''s eyes fell upon a troubling sight. The water dragon was in the midst ofunching a powerful water st at the wind dragon. This unexpected turn of events caused a deep frown to crease his brow as he assessed the chaotic situation unfolding before him.

 Chapter 278: There is still hope for you

    The wind dragon found itself grappling with the relentless water st, its grounded state robbing it of its aerial advantage. Meanwhile, the magic people continued their relentless assault from the opposite nk, intensifying the creature''s predicament.


    As signs of weakness began to manifest in the wind dragon, its dragon''s breath wavering, Asche seized the opportune moment. She unleashed an arrow with remarkable precision, driving it deep into one of the dragon''s eyes. A rain of crimson blood from the grievous wound painted a gruesome sign of agony.


    In the next instant, Liss conjured a formidable fire tornado that engulfed the creature''s face. Desperate to ward off the searing onught, the wind dragon employed its sole remaining wing to disperse the scorching inferno. This momentary distraction created the opening that Jori and Reca had been eagerly awaiting.


    With a disy of impable coordination, theyunched a simultaneous assault. Reca executed a rapid sequence of thrusts, her de prating the jugr of the dragon. At the same time, Jori''s sword drove deep into the nape of the creature. Theirbined efforts inflicted mortal wounds upon the wind dragon, culminating in a torrent of blood and fire that sealed its tragic fate.


    The skill Punch Mastery received 10.000 experience points.


    The skill Basic Strikes and Kicks received 10.000 experience points.


    The skill Iron Fists received 10.000 experience points.


    ¡­


    The wind dragon stopped moving, and Rain got his experience. He sighed in relief, but soon he realized what was going on. When he looked in Terra''s direction, he saw her healing a ck-haired woman who had severe burn marks on her as well¡­ her eyes were glowing while she was controlling the dragon. It was the woman who brainwashed Roan¡­


    When Rain''s gaze fixed upon the woman responsible for brainwashing his father, an overwhelming surge of anger swept through him. The sudden revtion struck him like a heavy blow: their relentless battle had all been a means to protect her. This realization ignited a fierce ze of fury within him.


    At that moment, it felt as if Rain''s head might burst from the sheer intensity of his anger. A profound sense of betrayal and maniption he had experienced fueled a raging fire deep within him, even though it all had been a very nasty coincidence. Every fiber of his being bristled with righteous indignation as he grappled with the bitter truth behind their arduous struggle.


    "Rain! Are you all right?" Jori asked when he approached alongside Reca.


    -check-original


    "We saw the explosion a while ago¡­ we feared the worst, but¡­ as expected of you!" Reca said, "By the way, that woman is¡­"


    "Yeah¡­ I will cool down my head somewhere else," Rain said after sighing.


    Rain, battered and half-naked, moved away from the battlefield to address his severe wounds. He had fashioned a makeshift armor from earth magic to shield his body, though it was far fromfortable.


    Despite expending the majority of his mana, Rain''s injuries still lingered, a testament to the brutal battle he had endured. His thoughts turned to the woman who had manipted his father and controlled the dragon. Yet, to his surprise, nothing transpired.


    It became apparent that the woman grievously wounded herself had finally passed out thanks to her injuries, removing the immediate threat she had posed.


    During that time, Rain decided to check the skills he had, and they weren''t half bad.


    Level 5: Power Strike Upgrade your striking power, delivering devastating blows with increased damage of ten points per level.


    Level 10: Swift Kicks Enhance your kicking speed and power, inflicting higher damage with your leg-based strikes by ten points per level.


    Level 15: Vital Focus Channel your inner energy to bolster your health, increasing your maximum HP by twenty points per level.


    Level 20: Acupoint Mastery Deepens your understanding of vital acupoints, granting you a chance tond critical strikes with your attacks.


    Level 25: Counterflow Technique Counter your opponents'' attacks with impable timing and powerful strikes, briefly incapacitating them. Decreases their stamina by the same amount as the level of this skill


    "I really love passive skills¡­ this counter flow technique will really be useful against some opponents," Rain thought. "Still, I am focusing a bit too much on big hitstely."


    Rain realized that the technique would be useful when sparring with Jori and Reca. Forcing them to lose their stamina will force them to use their heads more and elerate their progress.


    Regardless, Rain eventually returned to the others and found that the ck-haired woman was transported to the camp where she was being treated. At the same time, the dragon that she had under control was nearby, watching for enemies.


    "What a fearsome ability¡­" Jori said. "Anyway, it seems that we pulled off this time; we had your help, but I suppose a win is a win. I know, I know, don''t get carried away and all that."


    "You are getting smart. It seems there is still hope for you," Rain said.


    "Should we ask why she was running away alone?" Reca asked. "She was supposed to be the lead of the next camp, right? That was why Josar didn''t want us heading there¡­ as for the one on the other¡­"


    "It should be my father''s brother who betrayed the family," Rain replied. "Anyway, it doesn''t matter. Even if her camp was destroyed, it isn''t our business."


    The direness of the situation for the magic people became all too evident when one of their military posts waspletely razed to the ground. Only two individuals managed to emerge from the devastation as survivors.


    This catastrophic loss left the magic people in an extremely precarious and challenging position, as their numbers had been severely depleted, and the odds were now stacked against them.


    Rain could already anticipate the magic people turning to them for help once more. Yet, the idea of such a plea felt somewhat embarrassing. After all, with thebined efforts of Rain and hispanions, they had not only defeated three dragons but also managed to secure one as an ally.

 Chapter 279: [Bonus chapter]Negotiations

    These recent aplishments underscored the magic people''s reliance on their assistance, making the notion of seeking aid again seem less than ideal.


    In any case, the group rested for a couple of hours, but they didn''t rest properly since there was the fear that the fire dragon''s self-destruction would attract others. Still, nothing happened.


    When morning came, the group was ready to leave, but Rain and Terra were still working on his wounds. The previous wounds that Rain received from a fire dragon took a bit to healpletely, but these ones were even worse.


    "I guess since the fire dragon used its vital force to explode, its hatred is also affecting your wounds," Terra exined.


    "Is that kind of stuff even possible?" Rain asked. "I never heard of that."


    "It is very possible curses are a thing, and throughout history, only a handful of people could remove them," Terra exined. "The dark emotions that one feels when they are about to die can create curses, but only those powerful enough can create curses that havesting negative effects."


    At its core, magic drew its power from the realm of spirits. This connection between magic and spirits meant that when a spirit harbored intense anger or resentment, it had the potential to weave curses and other mystical phenomena.


    For beings with exceptionally long lifespans, such as dragons, this link between their powerful emotions and magic grew even more profound. Over the centuries, their experiences and emotions would umte, resulting in an anger of unparalleled depth and intensity.


    This heightened rage could be harnessed and channeled into formidable magical abilities, allowing them to wield destructive forces far beyond the reach of many other creatures.


    In any case, while the group was readying the horses. Some of the magic people approached them, and the ck-haired woman was leading them. Terra quickly shielded Rain to protect him from her eyes, but she was a bit short for that. The others did the same. It would be bad if Rain ended up brainwashed now.


    "You don''t have to worry; it is taking all my might to keep that dragon under control," The ck-haired woman said. "I just came to apologize for controlling your father. You don''t have to forgive me for it. I am also grateful for saving mest night.''


    As Rain watched the ck-haired woman depart, he was left with a mix of emotions. Her words about his father and her apparent remorse left him uncertain. He couldn''t discern if her apologies were genuine or a ruse to manipte him further.


    Her sudden change in demeanor added to the mystery. While it made sense that controlling multiple dragons would be a challenging task, given their immense power and individual wills, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling that there was more to her exnation than met the eye. Her revtion of limitations raised suspicions, and he couldn''t help but wonder if there were hidden motives behind her words.


    This situation left Rain in a state of uncertainty as if he were trying to solve aplex puzzle with missing pieces, leaving him uneasy and wary of what mighte next.


    "We should leave as soon as possible," Terra said.


    "You are so mainly, Terra," Rain said. "You might win over my maiden heart at this rate."


    "Stop joking around. I am not interested in kids," Terra said.


    "I see you like old men," Rain shrugged. "I guess everyone has their own weird kinks."


    The group hastily departed from the military post after their eventful encounters. Despite the rush, there was an underlying feeling of contentment and pride among them. They had not only survived but had excelled in their battles against the dragons, and as they made their way back home, a sense of triumph filled the air. see-more-MVLeMpYr


    Rain fell into a contemtive silence for a while. His thoughts revolved around the enigmatic ck-haired woman who had yed a pivotal role in his past. Initially, when he had confronted her, anger had surged within him, fueling a desire for retribution. However, as he pondered the situation further, he realized that his anger had gradually waned over time.


    Several years had psed since the distressing incident involving his father, and the intense fury that had once consumed him had subsided. He no longer harbored the same vehement resentment towards the woman, especially considering her current condition and the apparent change in her demeanor.


    Time had a way of healing wounds and altering perspectives, and Rain had learned to shift his focus away from past grievances. Instead, he concentrated on the challenges and opportunities thaty before him in the present, allowing the past to gradually fade into the background of his life.


    "I also know that life is too short to dwell on all that too long¡­ I guess I lost the chance to kill her¡­ killing her now would make me the only suspect," Rain thought. "Even if it is only an ident."


    In the end, the group returned to the main military post and provided their report to Josar, themander. As they detailed their recent dragon encounters, Josar''s initial reaction was one of clear delight. The news of three additional dragons defeated and the potential recruitment of one of them was undoubtedly a substantial achievement.


    However, Josar''s excitement momentarily got the better of him. He began to express his satisfaction but then quickly corrected himself. His actions inadvertently revealed that such frequent dragon encounters and the sessful elimination of three of them were far from ordinary events. The rarity of their aplishments was emphasized by his slip despite his attempts to maintain aposed demeanor.


    "Thank you for your assistance," Josar said. "I already sent the message to the capital to prepare the potions and the money for defeating another dragon and assisting us further."


    Rain was taken aback by Josar''s words. He had assumed that the body of the fire dragon would hold little value apart from the potential use of its bones. The rest of the creature''s remains seemed rather useless in his eyes.

 Chapter 280: Tense return

    "We thought that you were at war against the dragons, but only the young ones came," Rain said. "They alsoe in small groups. Are they looking down on you?"


    The atmosphere in the room grew tense in the wake of Rain''s words. Despite the fact that he had asked a legitimate question, it was perceived by some as potentially insulting, and this tension hung heavily in the air. content-source-MVLeMpYr


    "... it appears so," Josar said after a long sigh. "Now and then, a five-hundred-year-old dragon appears to attack us, and even while holding back, they are basically unstoppable. Many think that they are only sending the greenhorns to make them prove their worth."


    "I guess they don''t have many ways to do that without fighting each other," Rain said. "What kind of dragons have appeared so far?"


    "Fire, water, wind, earth, and ice¡­ they usually evolve or transform after living for five hundred years. It is rare for them to be born on their second stage of power," Josar said.


    Rain found himself in a situation where he could continue probing for information about the group. Josar''s willingness to respond to his questions, likely due to their gratitude for his assistance with the ck-haired woman, presented an opportunity for Rain to learn more. However, he chose a path of caution.


    He didn''t want to be overly entangled with a group whose true objectives remained elusive. There was lingering uncertainty about their intentions and goals. Given this dilemma, Rain made a conscious decision. He opted not to press further for information, preferring to maintain a certain level of distance.


    "Well, that is it then," Rain said. "We are returning home until the next time."


    As the group prepared to depart in the wagons they had arrived in, Josar stepped forward to bid them farewell. His demeanor was cordial, and he wore a faint smile, a contrast to his initially guarded disposition.


    "Safe travels to all of you," Josar said, addressing the group collectively. "Your assistance has been invaluable, and we are grateful for your aid in dealing with the dragon threat. Should our paths cross again, I hope it will be under more peaceful circumstances."


    Rain and his friends nodded in acknowledgment of Josar''s words, appreciating the gesture of goodwill. With that, they climbed aboard the wagons, and as the horses began to move, they waved their farewells to Josar and his group.


    Upon their return to the capital, the group''s journey proved surprisingly swift, thanks to theirck of cargo. They arrived a full day earlier than expected, greeted by the familiar sights of the bustling city.


    As they entered the capital, a council representative approached Rain, extending their gratitude for the group''s unwavering dedication and service.


    "Wee back," the representative said with a respectful nod. "In recognition of your valor, please ept these rewards as a token of our appreciation."


    In the representative''s hands were several boxes, each containing a variety of meticulouslybeled potions. Alongside the potions, bagsden with glistening gold coins were presented, a tangible symbol of the council''s acknowledgment of their heroic deeds. Rain epted the rewards with a nod, understanding the council''s recognition of their achievements.


    "You should take half of it, Rain," Jori said. "You deserve more than us, we can share the other half."


    "All right," Rain readily said.


    "... You could at least deny it for the sake of appearances a bit," Jori said while frowning.


    "I am not into that kind of stuff," Rain said.


    As the group celebrated Rain''s newfound riches and openness to them, they couldn''t help but share a collectiveughter. It was evident that Rain was undergoing some changes, perhaps bing morefortable with theirpanionship. Jori couldn''t resist a yful jab, suggesting that Rain might be trying to impress the female members of their group.


    However, Rain''s imposing physique and rugged demeanor made such a notion seem unlikely. Nevertheless, they all continued their journey through the city for the day, theirughter filling the streets as they looked forward to their return.


    Throughout their three-week journey back home, the group utilized their time effectively, strengthening their bonds and honing their abilities. Rain engaged in rigorous sparring sessions with Jori and Reca, challenging themselves by wearing weighted training attire. These sessions pushed their physical limits and enhanced theirbat skills.


    Rain also dedicated time to mentor Liss and Asche in some magic. Armed with a single point of mana, they trained and tried to master wind maniption. They began with the basics, crafting small wind projectiles, gradually refining their control and technique. One particrly demanding exercise involved creating spinning wind projectiles, a test of precision and concentration.


    Terra took the opportunity to explore her magical talents during the journey. She delved into her mana reserves to conduct a thorough examination of Rain''s injuries. To her surprise, she detected traces of the fire dragon''s energy within him. This unexpected presence exined the slowed pace of Rain''s natural healing.


    It underscored the remarkable strength of the fire dragon and deepened the group''s appreciation for their shared experiences and challenges.


    "It feels like poison, but it is a lot more dense," Terra said while checking Rain''s wounds in his back. "I can probably nullify with mana, but the vestiges are quite powerful, it will take some time."


    "Note to my future self, run away when a dragon is about to explode itself," Rain said.


    "I won''t raise any weird gs by saying that we won''t work for a while, so it will be fine," Rain said. "Anyway, I probably won''t have to fight that much against powerful enemies, so it is fine¡­ I am digging my grave here."


    Upon their return to the capital, the group promptly submitted their mission report to the organization. However, Branden wasn''t around, so they will have to talk to himter. Despite the absence of Branden, the group was in high spirits as they celebrated their triumphant return.


    Rain''s house, which had be a familiar gathering ce for them, was filled withughter and the clinking of sses.


    As the night progressed, their bonds grew even stronger, cementing their camaraderie. While they were aware that more challenges awaited them in the future, they savored the joy of their shared aplishments and looked forward to whaty ahead. Still, when morning came, they heard that the port city under Orcis control was attacked¡­

 Chapter 281: From the depths

    The morning arrived, and Rain woke up feeling fresh and without the misery of a hangover. Hispanions, however, were not as fortunate. They groaned and clutched their pounding heads, regretting their enthusiastic celebration from the previous night.


    Adding to their difort was the disconcerting absence of Branden. The news of his continued unavability cast a pall over the group''s mood. They connected that to the attack on the port, exacerbating their headaches and a general sense of unease.


    In light of this, Rain suggested that they make use of the free rooms in his house to recuperate from their hangovers at their own pace, a small sce in an otherwise disconcerting situation.


    "I am sorry, Rain," Leiah said. "I didn''t want to spoil your return, but I knew about the attack and that Branden went there to help."


    "It is fine. It is understandable," Rain said. "Anyway, you can return home now, Mom. I will talk with Dad, Grandpa, and Grandmater."


    "Yes. By the way, three of those girls are single, right?" Leiah asked while smiling. "They all seem nice."


    Rain couldn''t help but roll his eyes when he heard his mother''sment about Liss, Asche, and Terra. He had anticipated such remarks from her, and her predictable reaction left him feeling exasperated. With a resigned sigh, he muttered to himself, "I should have known she would say that eventually."


    Rain considered Terra, Liss, and Asche his friends. Recently, his rtionship with Terra had grown closer, and he suspected it was due to the intense experience of him saving her from the water dragon. Life-threatening situations had a way of bringing people together, as emotions ran high in the face of danger.


    Rain appreciated Terra''s newfound closeness, but he preferred taking things one step at a time, allowing their bond to develop naturally. He recognized that genuine understanding and trust built authentic friendships and connections. So, he was open to seeing where their journey together would lead.


    Still, Rain assumed that she probably saw him saving her from the water dragon, and she was probably feeling a few things thanks to the bridge suspension effect.


    The bridge suspension effect is a psychological concept observed during intense or life-threatening situations. It describes the phenomenon where individuals develop stronger emotional connections with those with whom they share such experiences with.


    This effect is attributed to the surge of stress hormones like adrenaline in response to danger, which heightens emotions and fosters a sense of unity among people facing the crisis.


    In such moments of crisis, the brain''s chemistry promotes increased alertness and emotional intensity. People rely on each other for support and survival, which, in turn, deepens trust, empathy, and camaraderie. The term "bridge suspension effect" metaphoricallypares the emotional bonds formed during these situations to the interconnected elements of a suspension bridge that maintain stability.


    The bridge suspension effect is temporary. The strength andsting impact of the emotional bonds formed can vary from person to person. Their long-term endurance depends on subsequent interactions and shared experiences after the crisis has passed.


    "Should we talk with Ka about this?" Jori asked when they joined to talk in the garden. "I am curious as to why the port town was attacked by who as well."


    "Do you think that it might be connected to the times you guys were on the sea?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Now Rain thought about it. He still hadn''t found the guys who tried to kill him and Lorene in the port city. He didn''t recall seeing any magic people that had the power to create things like magic bombs¡­ maybe he wasn''t the real target, and the assant was a killer from another species entirely, but Rain didn''t recall hearing about such an ability.


    "It is hard to say¡­ if they are only pirates, the guards of the town would be enough to deal with them," Jori replied.


    "Pirates wouldn''t attack for long. Lord Branden wouldn''t leave the capital because of such small fries," Reca added.


    When considering potential threats to the port city other than pirates, two significant possibilities arise the Sea Folk and aquatic monsters. The city might have found itself in disputes with the Sea Folk over sea-rted resources, territorial ims, or trade routes. Such conflicts can often lead to hostile actions against the city.


    Retaliation or Vendettas: If the city''s policies or actions have harmed the Sea Folk''s interests, retaliation or seeking vengeance could be a motive, potentially resulting in various forms of aggression. The Sea Folk could have internal divisions or leaders with divergent agendas. The attack might be an oue of internal power struggles or efforts to gain regional supremacy. MVLeMpYr-story


    Aquatic monsters are typically part of the natural ecosystem near coasts. Yet, unusual environmental changes might push them to act more aggressively or venture closer to inhabited areas. External forces, like powerful mages or enchanted artifacts, could manipte these monsters,pelling them to attack the city. They might not be acting of their own ord.


    Alterations in the marine environment due to pollution, overfishing, or other factors could disrupt the bnce in aquatic ecosystems. This could lead to more hostility from creatures that are usually passive as well¡­


    "I guess these two possibilities are the most likely ones," Rain said. "You guys captured a giant monster, didn''t you?" Rain asked. "What kind of other monsters have you heard of that exist on the sea?"


    Jori and the others exchanged uneasy nces as they mulled over the idea that the recent attack on the port city might be linked to formidable sea monsters. These colossal creatures had long been dismissed as mere legends, but now they faced the disconcerting prospect that these tales could hold some truth.


    They mentioned a giant Kraken-like creature called that apparently has been alive for ten thousand years, and some people imed that they saw it. This monstrous, tentacled sea creature was rumored to lurk in the ocean''s deepest trenches.


    It boasted incredible size and strength, capable of dragging entire ships beneath the waves with its powerful tentacles, making sailors'' encounters with it terrifying ordeals.

 Chapter 282: Vacation

    There was also a sea dragon. Described as a colossal, serpentine sea serpent stretching for miles, the creature possessed immense power. It could capsize ships with a flick of its tail, and sightings of it were seen as harbingers of impending disaster.


    There was also even the description of something akin to a shark. A behemoth of a shark that was believed to roam the ocean''s depths. With jawsrge enough to swallow small boats whole, it struck fear into sailors'' hearts. Stories told of it breaching the surface to snatch sailors from their vessels.


    There was also an ethereal monster that was capable of creating disasters. A mythical monster capable of creating devastating maelstroms. These whirlpools could swallow entire fleets, and ships that ventured too close risked being sucked into its relentless vortex.


    The final one was quite hard to name. Often depicted as a multi-headed sea monster dwelling in rocky sea caves, the creature posed a grave threat to passing ships. Sailors ran the risk of losing crew members to its snapping jaws or having their vessels dashed against treacherous cliffs when sailing too near itsir.


    As Jori and the rest of the group discussed these legendary sea monsters, their faces showed clear unease. They couldn''t shake the unsettling feeling that these colossal creatures, long dismissed as mere legends, might actually exist. Their expressions revealed a mix of wonder and fear.


    However, Rain stood out in stark contrast. While his friends discussed these terrifying sea monsters, his face was marked by excitement. He seemed thrilled at the prospect of facing these enormous creatures, much like his enthusiasm for taking on dragons.


    Yet, his friends couldn''t hide their concerns, and they exchanged worried nces. They suspected that Rain''s excitement might dwindle once he experienced the eerie and unsettling ambiance of the open sea at night. The sea''s foreboding aura,bined with the unknown dangers lurking beneath the dark waves, could make anyone rethink their adventurous aspirations.


    "You shouldn''t think of fighting when you still have burn wounds on your body," Terra said while showing a serious look.


    "It will be fine. Sea monsters can''t decrease healing magic, and I doubt that they will curse me like dragons," Rain said. "Anyway, I was just considering the prospects of that missioning to us, but we don''t have to think about it now. You guys should rest for one week before thinking of training and working as well."


    The group unanimously agreed that it was high time for some well-deserved rest. After confronting dragons, potential sea monsters, and the enigmatic port city attack, a break was not only needed but also long overdue. It was an opportunity to recharge their energies and regroup for whatever challengesy ahead.


    For Rain, this break held a particr significance. His absence from home for three months had made him realize that even though his sisters appeared unchanged, prolonged separations could gradually weaken the bonds within a family. While their faces looked as familiar as ever, he understood that maintaining their close-knit rtionship required continuous effort.


    With this in mind, Rain yearned for quality time with his sisters. He aimed to bridge the gap created by his extended absences and strengthen their sibling connections. Additionally, he felt a sense of responsibility to y the role of a protective guardian, especially when it came to warding them off from insects, also known as no-good boyfriends.


    In his eyes, safeguarding his sisters from unwee attention was a duty as important as defending against dragons or sea monsters. your-chapter-source-MvLeMpYr


    "So, what is the news?" Rain asked when he met his sisters for the usual morning training in the garden.


    "Same as ever," Dana replied.


    "I want to finish training as soon as possible and take a nap after breakfast," Kei said.


    "What are we going to have for breakfast?" G asked.


    "So, this is the legendary cold shoulder¡­" Rain said and then sighed.


    Despite the fact that Rain''s sisters seemed unchanged in their appearance, he couldn''t help but detect a subtle coolness in their demeanor. It was as if the three months of separation had introduced a small but noticeable shift in their interactions. This left him feeling uneasy, and his initial instinct was to rush in and remedy the situation by treating them to their favorite sugary indulgences.


    However, he held back. The food they adored was loaded with sugar, and Rain was well aware that excessive indulgence, particrly for Dana, who was entering the tumultuous phase of puberty, wasn''t a prudent choice. He recognized the importance of taking a more measured and patient approach to navigate this delicate period of transition for his sisters.


    "By the way, Dana, the year at school is ending, so you will have some free time for a while, right?" Rain asked. "What do you want to do during your break?"


    "... The sea," Dana replied after thinking for a while.


    Rain''s difort grew as the conversation veered in a direction he wasn''t too fond of. He was aware that his sisters were well-informed about the ongoing issues at the coast, and Dana''s expressed desire to visit that area immediately raised red gs. What concerned him even more was that Kei and G seemed equally enthusiastic about the idea.


    While Rain wholeheartedly appreciated the value of family trips and creatingsting memories, he couldn''t help but wish for a destination that would offer a bit more tranquility and less emotional turbulence. The recent string of challenges they had faced, from confronting dragons to the prospect of sea monsters, had already subjected them to a fair share of stress and anxiety.


    In Rain''s view, a vacation should be an opportunity for rxation and enjoyment, a chance to escape the worries and dangers of the outside world.


    "Anywhere else?" Rain asked.


    "No," Dana replied.


    Rain wanted to sigh¡­ Dana had already hit puberty, and she had be quite smart as well¡­ Rain eventually realized that there was still the ocean on the opposite side of the trouble. Still, he wondered if things would be that smooth.

 Chapter 283: Trust

    Rain took it upon himself to research the southern coast, specifically the types of boats avable for their use. To his dismay, he found that the region primarily relied on small fishing boats, which could pose a significant problem if they were to encounter any giant sea monsters. This discovery added anotheryer of concern to his already growing unease.


    His natural inclination was to set out for the coast immediately as a proactive measure to avoid potential issues. However, a practical challenge stood in the way ¨C Dana''s school break wasn''t scheduled to start for another two weeks. This time constraint presented a dilemma as Rain grappled with the need to ensure their safety and the necessity of aligning their ns with Dana''s calendar.


    "You don''t look like you are rxing too much," Terra said while she was healing his wounds. It seemed that she could read Rain''s bodynguage already.


    "Rx, dude," Jori said. "Lord Branden left with thirty of the best members of the organization. They will solve that problem eventually."


    Rain exined the situation to his friends, and they also looked a bit worried. Knowing Rain, they knew that he made sure that he protected his little sisters, even from the small pebbles on the roads, so they didn''t know how dangerous the world could be. Their sense of adventure was severelycking a healthy level of risk management.


    "They are better than mages ten years older than them, right?" Liss asked while frowning. "So what is the problem?"


    "The problem is that the world is too bloody for my little sisters. I still want them to believe that Santa us exists and the clouds are made of cotton candy," Rain said.


    "Who is Santa us?" Liss asked. "It seems pleasant to imagine that clouds are made of cotton candy, whatever that is."


    Rain had an unconventional sense of humor, one that often veered towards the darker side of things. When it came to the concept of Santa us, his interpretation was anything but traditional. Rather than envisioning the beloved, jolly figure most people did, Rain''s imagination took a more eerie turn.


    He couldn''t help but see a somewhat unsettling character in his unique version of the Santa us myth. ording to his perspective, Santa was portrayed as an elderly intruder who covertly entered homes during the silent hours of the night. This mysterious figure would then slip into children''s rooms without an invitation, leaving behind gifts.


    Rain''s sense of humor seemed to take on this darker tone, where even cherished holiday traditions could be subjected to his somewhat macabre imagination. That was why he didn''t want to exin that to his friends.


    read-this-on-MVLeMpYr


    "You will only annoy your sisters if you try to keep them sheltered," Asche said. "It would be better to show a cool and understanding side. If something happens, you protect them, and that will be all. They will be more likely to follow your words in the future if you do so."


    Asche''s perspective had its merits, and Rain acknowledged that being a cool and understanding older brother could earn him more respect from his sisters. However, there was a fundamental challenge for Rain. Despite his physical age, he often felt mentally much older, almost as if he were approaching his forties because he was considering his mental age.


    This wasn''t because he had any desire to be seen as a "cool" older brother. In reality, Rain was a perpetual worrywart, constantly concerned about the safety and well-being of his sisters. This inherent seriousness and his habitual worrying tended to override any thoughts of trying to be "cool."


    As Rain contemted his evolving role as an older brother and discussed potential solutions with his friends, the two weeks passed by in the blink of an eye. During this time, his injuries had made significant progress toward healing, thanks to Terra''s remarkable improvement in her healing abilities.


    It became evident that her extensive practice in tending to Rain''s wounds had not only expedited his recovery but had also led her to unlock a new path for her magical skills.


    The swift advancement of Terra''s healing talents left Rain deeply impressed and appreciative. It showed her dedication and innate talent, offering promising prospects for their future adventures.


    Still, just as Rain was about to depart with his sisters to the south, one day before he received a letter from someone from the organization¡­ Rain wanted to tear the letter into pieces even before he could read it. In any case, Rain felt a terrible headache while he was reading the letter. It seemed that Ka received a call for reinforcements from Branden¡­ at least he didn''t call Rain directly.


    Ka did it.


    Adding to the situation, Roan came to visit Rain since he said that he would visit them, but he didn''t do it¡­ his father already knew of the situation, and he didn''t seem slightly bothered by it.


    "You worry too much, Rain," Roan said. "I am sure that things will work out fine. When I practice with the girls, they evennd some good hits on me¡­ the idea that little girls might knock me down someday depressed me, but it also feels with pride."


    "What if something happens?" Rain asked.


    "Nothing will happen. Me and your mother have total faith in you," Roan said. "Your group returned after facing dragons, so everything else won''t be a cakewalk, but it will be possible to endure. If your friend goes with you as well, I am sure things will work out."


    Rain''s father had entrusted him with a profound sense of pride and concern. While the trust ced in him filled him with a sense of aplishment and responsibility, it also weighed heavily on his mind.


    In the midst of their family''s faith in his strength, Rain couldn''t help but feel like the only one truly aware of the perilous nature of their world. Maybe it was because they never died before, like he did...

 Chapter 284: Expectations

    Rain carried a deep fear of losing his family members to the chaotic and unpredictable dangers that lurked around them. This stark contrast between their trust in his abilities and his own self-doubt created aplex mix of emotions.


    "All right, I will work hard to protect them while we travel south¡­ even if the port city has to sink in the ocean, I will protect them," Rain dered.


    "Your determination is admirable, and I want you to keep it up," Roan said and then forced a smile. "But try to protect them without sinking a city in the sea¡­ when you say it, it feels like you can do it."


    An unparalleled wave of enthusiasm washed over them upon sharing the news of their uing trip with his sisters. Their excitement far surpassed any he had witnessed, even when they indulged in his finest strawberry sundaes. It was as though he had unveiled the most thrilling adventure imaginable.


    With their anticipation soaring, Rain promptly contacted his friends and rallied them together. They set off for the organization''s headquarters, eager to learn more about the mission that awaited them.


    "Wee, everyone," Ka said. "I am sorry for calling you all when you barely returned, but the situation is gettingplicated."


    "What exactly happened?" Jori asked. "We only know what we heard around the city."


    "As you know, the port town that is governed by lord Ocis has been attacked for over a month," Ka said. "To avoid possible problems from spreading, we are working on keeping information about the situation from spreading, but that is quite hard. Regardless, put into simple words, monsters and the sea folk are attacking the port town on a daily basis."


    your-MVLeMpYr-source


    The spreading of information regarding the attacks in the port town had the potential to trigger a range of significant problems. Firstly, it could spark widespread panic and fear within the local poption. The news of such assaults might instill a sense of insecurity and instability, potentially leading to mass hysteria and public unrest.


    Moreover, this could attract undesirable attention from various groups or organizations. Pirates or opportunistic factions might view the vulnerable port town as an easy target for looting and exploitation, further destabilizing the area.


    Additionally, the dissemination of such information could disrupt trade andmerce, causing economic instability in the region. Merchants and traders could be hesitant to conduct business at the port, impacting the livelihoods of the localmunity and potentially leading to an economic downturn.


    Lastly, it might strain diplomatic rtions with neighboring regions or factions. If the attacks were seen as a security breach or as the inability to protect one''s territory, it could result in tensions, conflicts, or even retaliatory actions from neighboring powers.


    "What about the reasons why?" Rain asked.


    "We don''t know the details yet. Lord Branden couldn''t send the exnation through a letter," Ka replied.


    The involvement of sea folk and their use of monstrous creatures in the port town attacks hinted at a deeper and more troubling issue. It suggested that an event of significant magnitude had likely urred, something that couldn''t be disclosed without causing substantial embarrassment or damage to the country''s reputation.


    The sea folk, known for their istionist tendencies, weren''t typically inclined to such aggressive actions without apelling reason. Therefore, it was reasonable to assume that certain events or circumstances had provoked their anger orpelled them to resort to these drastic measures.


    The secrecy surrounding the situation seemed to be a deliberate effort by authorities to save face or protect sensitive information that could have far-reaching consequences. Whatever had unfolded, it was apparent that there were hidden factors and intricate motivations behind the attacks.


    Rain found himself musing over the enigmatic means by which the sea folk controlled the monstrous creatures. While hecked concrete knowledge about their methods, his imagination led him to draw parallels with Earthly legends.


    One intriguing notion that crossed his mind involved the possibility of mermaids ying a pivotal role in this control. Earthly folklore often depicted mermaids as possessing the power to sway and manipte humans with their enchanting songs and mesmerizing voices.


    While this was purely spective and rooted in Earth''s myths, Rain couldn''t help but consider whether a simr concept might exist in this fantastical world,


    "What can we know?" Rain asked, a bit annoyed.


    "Forgive him. He is a bit on the edge since he has some family issues to deal with right now," Terra said.


    "No problem. I was starting to think that Rain was a bloodless, cold person, so his anger puts me at ease," Ka exined. "What I can tell is that you should prepare yourselves for some Maritime fights. Also, lord Branden asked me to give you some potions in case you were to ept the job. He told me to ask others first, but¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah¡­" Rain said and then sighed. "We will be ready to depart at sunset. I guess we should have dinner before leaving to gain time. Bring some cloaks since the trip will be a cold one."


    The group split up, and then they dashed toward their homes to prepare for the trip. Usually, Rain wouldn''t mind following Jori''s lead, buttely, he had been a bit too passive. Besides, the safety of his sisters was also on the line, so Rain didn''t hesitate in taking the reins of the situation.


    When he arrived home, the girls were already ready to depart, and Roan was also about to leave. While saying that he would leave things with him, Rain''s father returned to his home.


    "You all might think that I am nagging at you by saying this, but I and others are going to work during this trip, so I want you all to follow my orders," Rain said. "I am not someone who takes unnecessary risks, so I hope that you can understand this."


    "Of course, big brother. We won''t cause problems," Dana said. "We will have fun, but we won''t get in your way."


    "Are we going to see giant monsters?" Kei asked.


    "I wonder if the giant monsters are tasty," G said while smiling.


    Rain was truly worried¡­

 Chapter 285: Not kids

    Before too much time had passed, Jori and the rest of Rain''spanions arrived at his home. They all gathered together for a dinner, joined by Rain''s sisters. Although they were in a good mood thanks to the food, there was still something else on their faces.


    Their concern mirrored Rain''s own unease, albeit for a different reason. Their shared apprehension was rooted in a deep-seated fear of the horrors that could emerge from the unfathomable depths of the ocean. The mysteries of the underwater world held a unique kind of terror that unsettled them all.


    Rain''s foremost fear revolved around the safety of his beloved sisters. Yet, he found himself caught in a disheartening cycle of worry, endlessly circling anxious thoughts about their well-being. Realizing the futility of dwelling on these distressing scenarios, he forcibly pushed those troubling ideas aside.


    "Although this is a trip for me and my sisters to enjoy some time off, we are going ahead as fast as possible, so it might be a bit intense," Rain said when they went to the garden and then saw their luggage. "That is what I wanted to say, but with so much stuff, I guess it will be faster if we walk instead."


    Although he said that, Rain created an earth tform and then closed it from the sides to protect the group from the wind. Eventually, everyone jumped on it, and then they left the capital in the darkness of the night.


    Thanks to the tform, Dana, Kei, and G sure looked excited when they began to fly. Rain taught them how to do the same, but they didn''t have enough confidence to do the same without risking falling.


    (Alchemist Path Lv 11 - Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 02 per level up)


    (Healer''s Path Lv 72 - + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.)


    (Mage''s Path Lv Max. Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity + 03 per level up)


    Sage Lv 70 - Wisdom + 10 per level up)


    Enchanter''s Path Lv 15 - (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 04 per level.)


    Wizard''s Path Lv 05 - (Intelligence, Wisdom + 06 per level.)


    exclusive-to-NovelFire


    "I guess I will use the Wizard''s path to gain more experience during the trip," Rain thought.


    Although the seats were a bit rough, the trip was quite pleasant for everyone. Rain''s control over his magic lets him make the tform fly with insane stability.


    "Big bro, can we see the other side?" Dana asked. "I want to see how high we are and if we can still see the capital from here."


    "I wouldn''t rmend it. It will get cold," Rain replied.


    "Pleaseeeee," Dana said.


    "I warned you," Rain shrugged.


    Rain created a small window on the back of the block, and then Dana, Kei, and G looked through it. Still, they only saw darkness and some lights of the capital disappearing in the distance. At the same time, even though the wind wasing from the opposite direction, the girls felt the cold taking over the block, and their cloaks didn''t help that much.


    "I told you," Rain said and then sealed the window before closing his eyes and focusing on the task ahead.


    "Rain sure spoils his sisters rotten," Jori said and thenughed.


    "I bet that he will do the same with his kids. He will give a lot of work to his wife," Reca said. "I pity her."


    "Maybe I will have more than one to make them split the workload," Rain said.


    "Big words for someone who didn''t even have a single girlfriend yet," Asche said while furrowing her eyebrows.


    "How many kids do you even want to have?" Terra asked. "Even though people think of you as a hero, still just like all the other guys."


    "That isn''t something you usually ask a thirteen-year-old boy, but I guess that shows that you are a true friend. Friend, friend, friend," Rain replied. "How about eleven? Enough to make a football team."


    "I don''t know what a football team is, and why did you repeat the word friend numerous times?" Terra frowned.


    Rain decided to ignore the question since he had to focus on flying the tform, and he was losing speed. At the same time, Rain had to use potions every hour, so he had to make them worth the while. Even though he still had some of the ones that he got from the magic people and the ones that Ka gave to him.


    Despite that, the trip to the northern side of the country only took around thirty-six hours. When they found the port city in the distance, Rain decided that they should stretch their legs a bit¡­ The sun was rising, so they should arrive in the port town ready for action.


    "Can you see anything odd in the town from here?" Jori asked while squinting his eyes and looking in the distance.


    "Seems pretty normal to me," Asche said while looking around. "Still, at this hour, a lot of wagons would leave and enter the town, so it seemed that the ce wasn''t open for business."


    "We are going to the town. You three make sure to stay quiet and follow us, okay?" Rain asked. "Keep an eye on us all the time."


    "We know we aren''t kids," Dana said.


    Rain wanted to agree with that and say that she wasn''t a kid. She was worse, a teenager, and Rain was still too young to worry about looking after them when he was one himself.


    In any case, the group approached the town and realized that the ce was a lot quieter than they had imagined¡­ The sea folk probably couldn''t stay out of the water for long, but the sea monsters probably didn''t have that many limitations.


    When the group reached the gates, they only saw a couple of guards there, and they recognized Rain and the others, but they frowned when they saw Dana, Kei, and G¡­ that wasn''t a ce that kids should be, after all. Still, the guards didn''t stop them.

 Chapter 286: Contingency

    The streets of the bustling port town, once teeming with life, nowy empty and silent. The usual vibrant atmosphere had given way to an eerie stillness with the group navigating through these deste urban avenues.


    Their footsteps echoed softly, reverberating through the silence as if the city itself had withdrawn into seclusion. The buildings that nked the streets stood as mute witnesses, their windows dark, doors tightly shut, embodying the city''s collective retreat.


    Yet, amidst this ghostly emptiness, there were intermittent signs of life in the distance. Squinting against the haze, our group discerned faint figures slowly converging on the port. These distant shapes gradually came into focus, revealing purposeful travelers with various burdens.


    Some carried bundles, others pushed loaded carts, and a few guided horses burdened with cargo. Their determined strides cut through the eerie silence, a stark contrast to the deserted city streets.


    "It seems that we arrived at a calm time," Reca said while looking around.


    "It also seems that the attacks didn''t extend beyond the city that much, but most of the ce has been evacuated.


    As Rain and hispanions neared the port, the break of dawn unveiled a scene both weary and resilient. People living in the nearby houses were emerging to grab a bite. Their tired faces told tales of nocturnal battles, a constant struggle, with sleepless nights leaving their mark. Yet, these folks had no other option. In this coastal town, uncertainty was an ever-presentpanion. NovelFire-your-novel-source


    Breakfast aromas mixed with the sea''s salty scent as people gathered around makeshift tables. They exchanged knowing nces, speaking in hushed tones. There was a shared understanding of the need to stay alert. Morning meals had transformed from a simple routine into a brief refuge before they resumed their watch on the horizon.


    As Rain and the group drew closer to the port, they couldn''t help but empathize with these tough souls. They all faced the ceaseless threat from the sea folk, and the constant uncertainty was a heavy burden.


    Rain was eventually met with an unexpected sight upon reaching Orcis'' home. His once-peaceful garden was now upied by a cluster of tents, an assortment of various sizes. A notablyrger and well-appointed tent stood prominently among them, dominating the space.


    Rain couldn''t help but furrow his brow in confusion. He found it puzzling why they had chosen to set up these makeshift tents outdoors when Orcis'' own house was perfectly suited to serve as their headquarters.


    "Why in the world would they make tents out here?" Rain thought


    Approaching the tent cluster cautiously, the group observed the upants and their activities. Some smaller tents seemed to shelter individuals in rest or recovery. In contrast, others housed supplies, weapons, and equipment, indicating the presence of adventurers or guards getting ready for action.


    Thergest tent, situated right in the heart of Orcis once-pristine garden, intrigued him the most. Figures could be seen moving inside, and the entrance p was held open, inviting investigation.


    Exchanging quizzical nces with Jori, Reca, Terra, and Asche, Rain made his way through the tent p, entering a spacious interior that functioned as a makeshiftmand center. Tables littered with maps, charts, and documents were scattered around. At the same time, a group of individuals engaged in an animated discussion upied one corner.


    "Wow, you really came fast," Branden said.


    Inside therge tent, Rain and hispanions encountered an unexpected scene. Seated around an improvisedmand table were a group of individuals who bore the visible signs of fatigue. Among them were Branden and Lorene, Branden''s stepsister. Both showed weariness on their faces, but their expressions now sparkled with surprise.


    Beside Lorene sat Orcis, her husband, who appeared equally drained yet shared the same astonished look. These three familiar figures formed the core of the group, and their reactions conveyed their disbelief.


    Branden was the first to speak up, his eyes widening in disbelief as he rose from his seat. Lorene, seated beside Branden, also seemed taken aback, and Orcis nodded in agreement. The early arrival of reinforcements had caught them off guard, as they had expected support to arrive at least a weekter.


    The soldiers in the tent, who had silently observed the encounter, also disyed a mix of surprise and relief at the unexpected reinforcements. It was evident that this timely support had injected newfound hope into the weary group. Rain recognized Julie among them, one of the guards that served Orcis but still liked him. Rain wondered why he didn''t forget that¡­


    "We asked him to call you after we heard the report, but he didn''t give the directmand," Lorene said. "Still, he looked like you still woulde. It has been a while, Rain. It seems that you brought some friends and¡­ three cute pies as well."


    "We were nning to go on a trip to the beach, but we ended uping to the beach in the opposite direction," Rain exined. "Anyway, we are here. What next?"


    "I am thankful for your arrival. We know that Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra have experience fighting in the ocean, but are you going to be fine?" Orcis asked. "People have a hard time getting used to fighting there."


    "It is fine. I have some ideas of my own on how to deal with these issues," Rain said.


    "I see¡­ Julie, please guide the youngdies to unpack in one vacant building and then escort them back," Orcis said.


    "Yes, sir," Julie said.


    Rain initially worried about his younger sisters, Dana, Kei, and G. He was concerned about exposing them to the fatigue and tension in the camp for an extended period. However, he was pleasantly surprised to see them adapt quickly to the unfamiliar surroundings and the presence of exhausted defenders. Their resilience in the face of adversity reassured him.


    In fact, a part of Rain wasn''t overly worried about their temporary separation. He had prepared for this possibility, understanding that as they grew older, they would need to learn to navigate the world independently. Additionally, he had contingency ns in ce in case of any emergencies that might arise in his absence.

 Chapter 287: Forced talk

    Branden began to shed light on the origins of the ongoing conflict. It became apparent that the entire battle had its beginnings in a puzzling incident that had taken ce just two months earlier. During that time, a human ship had inexplicably disappeared in the waters along the coast, setting off rm bells among the local residents.


    In response to the ship''s disappearance, concerned individuals hadunched a search operation along the coastline, hoping to uncover any traces of the missing vessel. Unfortunately, this well-intentioned effort inadvertently triggered a chain of events.


    It was around this period that the sea folk, apanied by their formidable sea monster allies, hadmenced their relentless attacks on the port town.


    The link between these two urrences was evident, yet the precise details remained shrouded in mystery. The sea folk, known for their inscrutable ways, had made no attempt atmunication. Instead, they had descended upon the town with a singr destructive intent: to engage inbat and wreak havoc.


    "A lot of information is missing, and I guess with the sea folk''s uncooperative attitude, it is hard to obtain any more information," Rain said. NovelFire-exclusive-content


    "That is right," Branden said.


    Despite the seemingly sensible exnation provided by Branden, Rain couldn''t shake off a persistent sense of suspicion. He was hesitant to entertain the idea that Branden, a trusted ally for so long, might now be concealing critical information.


    However, as Rain continued to ascend through the ranks of the country''s elite, he couldn''t ignore the possibility that the intricate web of political maneuvering and hidden agendas might be at y.


    Rain acknowledged that Branden had sessfully achieved his primary goal of rescuing Tristan and Teria, a mission that had held the utmost importance. The cities had been secured, but as Rain ventured deeper into the convoluted world of noble politics, he couldn''t help but ponder Branden''s next moves.


    Beyond his imminent marriage to Esmeralda, a matter already set in stone, what new objectives or motivations might be propelling him forward?


    The uncertainties and the potential veiled agendas that lurked in the upper echelons of society left Rain with an unshakable suspicion that there was more to the situation than met the eye. It was a sentiment he couldn''t easily dismiss, particrly in a realm where trust and loyalty often faltered in the shadow of power and influence.


    "So, the n is to kick their asses until they give up on the fight?" Rain asked.


    "I wish that it were that simple," Branden scratched the back of his head. "That will only make them hate us and attack our ships in the future. We want to solve this issue and perhaps improve our rtionship with the sea folk."


    "It doesn''t seem like you have a clear n regarding that," Rain said.


    The proposal to mend rtions with the sea folk by intervening in the ongoing conflict raised suspicion in Rain''s mind. It wasn''t just the concept itself; it was the timing, and the circumstances that made Branden and the others appear dubious. It felt as though they had carefully orchestrated the situation to create a well-timed opportunity.


    The fact that this idea emerged precisely when they were grappling with the sea folk crisis triggered concern. It seemed as if they had engineered the situation to make themselves appear as heroes and mediators. This orchestrated sequence of events appeared too convenient to be a mere coincidence.


    Rain found himself wrestling with these doubts and suspicions. He pondered whether his own mood might be contributing to this skepticism. Perhaps he was simply in a sour mood, causing him to view every action and motive with excessive suspicion. He recognized the critical importance of trust in his friendships and alliances, and he couldn''t afford to let unwarranted doubts cloud his judgment.


    For now, he decided to keep his suspicions to himself. He understood the necessity of gathering more information and gaining a better understanding of the situation before making any judgments.


    "Do you guys have any ideas?" Branden asked. "We have the authority here, but we are out of ideas."


    "That depends. How many each side lost?" Rain asked.


    "Even though the giant monsters are troublesome, and they destroyed a bunch of buildings, we avoided losing soldiers," Branden replied.


    "We also avoided killing the monsters, not like we avoided, but more like they were too tough," Orcis added while showing a troubled expression. "The sea folk always stay out of range, so we never got any closer to scratching."


    Rain began to wonder if there were any practical exercises or techniques he could use to alleviate the growing stress and persistent suspicions weighing on his mind. The situation had be increasinglyplex, and he yearned to regain a sense of rity andposure.


    What struck him as particrly odd was the unusualck of significant casualties on either side despite a month of intense battles and the subsequent request for reinforcements. This raised a host of questions about the true nature of the conflict and whether hidden agendas were at y.


    With eachyer ofplexity he uncovered, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling that something was awry. Still, he didn''t feel that determined to uncover the truth and make sense of the perplexing events since it could cause more problems than it solves¡­ Still, he didn''t want to be used, so he didn''t have any other choice.


    "You are good at ice magic. Why not just freeze the ocean and reach the sea folk?" Rain asked.


    "It would take a while. Even if I had a lot of mana, the sea folk and the monsters would be able to destroy them in no time. We would be exposed too," Branden said.


    "... I guess someone that can fly will have the chance to approach them without worrying about that kind of limitation," Rain said while regretting a little, showing Branden how he could fly. "I guess I will capture one of them and force them to talk with us."

 Chapter 288: Delay

    Rain''s n didn''t sit well with the group. His suggestion to capture a sea folk member as a means to initiate negotiations was met with skepticism. They voiced concerns that such an action could anger the captive and further provoke the sea folk and their formidable sea monsters, escting the already precarious situation.


    Despite these reservations, the group found themselves in a difficult position with few alternatives. The urgency of the situationpelled them to take a bold step and pursue negotiations through unconventional means. They understood the risks involved but recognized that inaction would only prolong the conflict, potentially leading to more dire consequences.


    In the face of uncertainty, Rain''s n, although not without its ws, emerged as the most practical course of action. Reluctantly, the group agreed to proceed with this unconventional approach, hoping it would yield a breakthrough and eventually pave the way for resolving the ongoing conflict with the sea folk.


    "If we are going to try that, we will have to be quick on the negotiations and release the prisoner as soon as possible as well," Lorene said. "Also, how are we going to convince them that we didn''t brainwash the prisoner? They should know about the truce with the magic people."


    "We can talk with the prisoner in the open where the sea folk will see them," Asche said while scratching her chin. "It might enrage them further, but that will clear their suspicions."


    "So, we will have to make everyone in the city ready for a very tense situation where lives will be on the line since the other side won''t hold back," Jori nodded. "Terra and those who can use healing magic should stay behind and treat the injured."


    "Your sisters can use healing magic, right, Rain?" Branden said.


    "... Yes," Rain replied while squinting his eyes. "I know where this is going..."


    Rain found himself caught in a dilemma. He had a dual desire when it came to his younger sisters, Dana, Kei, and G. On one hand, he wanted them to understand the world''s harsh realities, the dangers and uncertainties it held. He believed that such awareness could serve as a powerful motivator, urging them to work harder and exercise caution in their actions¡ªa valuable life lesson.


    However, on the other hand, Rain was wary of exposing them to the full extent of the peril lurking beyond their sheltered lives. Allowing them to witness the colossal sea monsters, which were the embodiment of that danger, could potentially scar their young minds irreparably. Striking a bnce was crucial; he didn''t wish to burden them with unnecessary fear and anxiety.


    Additionally, Rain recognized that such encounters could awaken an insatiable sense of adventure in his sisters, possibly pushing them to seek out danger without fullyprehending the risks involved. While adventure had its merits, he was concerned that it might lead them into perilous situations they weren''t prepared for.


    In the end, he recalled his mother''s words¡­ he couldn''t protect them forever. They had to grow and be their own people.


    "I will tell them to work with Terra," Rain added.


    "I will be sure to keep an eye on them," Terra tapped on Rain''s shoulders.


    "I will be counting on you then," Rain said.


    "All right, you guys should rest for a bit while the rest of us prepare for the n," Branden dered.


    Exiting the tent, Rain and the group reunited with Dana, Kei, and G, who were waiting outside. They wasted no time and started preparing their breakfast. However, this time around, Rain wasn''t the one in charge of cooking, and the soldier''s meal they received left something to be desired. The girls disyed a subtle frown of disappointment, although they refrained from voicing their discontent.


    Seeing their dissatisfaction, Rain decided to lift their spirits. He informed them of the opportunity to assist Terra in providing healing aid to the wounded. This news immediately brought a newfound enthusiasm to their faces, dispelling their earlier breakfast-rted disappointment.


    It was a chance for them to actively contribute to the ongoing efforts, and they eagerly embraced the opportunity with renewed energy.


    "I guess I can charge Branden more for making my little sisters work," Rain said. "Anyway, Terra, focus on those who are the most wounded¡­ don''t let them see too much blood."


    "You are such a worrywart," Terra shook her head. discover-stories-on-NovelFire


    After the group finished their meal, they embarked on a walk around the town. Their mission was clear: to lend their healing skills to aid the wounded residents. The situation was dire, and every pair of hands capable of providing assistance was invaluable.


    During their efforts, an unexpected turn of events urred. Some of the grateful soldiers, recognizing the girls'' remarkable healing abilities, chose topensate them for their services. This revtion ignited a spark of excitement in the girls'' eyes as they realized their skills could also bring in some ie.


    Witnessing his sisters'' newfound enthusiasm and acknowledging their potential to both make a meaningful impact and earn money, Rain decided to momentarily cast aside some of his worries. The relentless pace of recent events and the weight of responsibility had begun to take a toll on him, making him feel as though he was aging decades in mere weeks.


    However, at that moment, he found sce in the joy and purpose his sisters had discovered, allowing him to momentarily set aside his concerns.


    Rain and hispanions found themselves somewhat taken aback by the sea folk''sck of activity until noon. This unexpected dy came as a surprise since Branden had not indicated a focus on nighttime attacks in their previous discussions. Their n hinged on daytime operations, so this shift in the sea folk''s behavior raised both questions and concerns.


    Despite the sea folk''s altered schedule, the group knew they needed to stick to their n, which was designed for daytime execution. At noon, the preparations were ready, and fortunately, two hours before sunset, the sea folk and the monsters arrived¡­

 Chapter 289: Combination

    While the rest of the group grew increasingly anxious about the sea folk''s unexpected attack, Rain found himself considering their potential intentions. It seemed as though the others were eager tounch an immediate attack, intending to feign a retreat a few hours into the night or perhaps even stage a fake assault to further wear down the human defenders.


    However, Rain had a different perspective. He had a hunch about what the sea folk might be nning, and it led him to contemte an alternative course of action. In any case, the group approached the port and saw the destruction that the attackers had caused.


    Buildingsy in ruins, reduced to piles of rubble and debris. Streets, once bustling with life, were now littered with wreckage and remnants of shattered structures. Fires had swept throughrge sections of the town, leaving behind charred remains and a lingering, acrid odor in the air.


    Defensive fortifications and barricades once relied upon for protection, had been breached and partially demolished. The town''s defenses had been severely tested and found wanting in the face of the relentless assault.


    The distant sounds of destruction reached their ears, apanied by the unmistakable crash of walls copsing. With each step they took, these unsettling noises grew louder, serving as a grim reminder of the ongoing chaos enveloping the town.


    Upon reaching a point where they could finally see beyond the heaps of rubble, a jaw-dropping sight unfolded before them. Two colossal monsters stood before the group, their immense forms casting ominous shadows across the devastatedndscape.


    Rain, in particr, had anticipated encountering something akin to a dark or gray kraken. However, whaty before them defied his expectations entirely. The creature in view was enveloped in a grotesque, sprawling mass of coral. These coral-covered giant octopuses were a sight to behold in a very creepy way.


    The creatures'' massive tentacles, adorned with jagged coral spikes, extended in all directions. Its body hosted intricate coral patterns and eerie growths, disying an array of colors from deep blues and purples to vibrant reds and oranges. Some corals emitted a soft, otherworldly glow, casting an eerie bioluminescent light in the dim surroundings.


    As they observed this bizarre spectacle, the creature moved with an uncanny grace, its tentacles undting like a forest of swaying seaweed. Terry stopped Dana, Kei, and G, who had their mouths hanging open when they saw the monsters swinging their arms and hitting the ground, making it tremble.


    "We are going to stay here. Good luck," Terra dered.


    Rain nodded, and then the group proceeded toward the shore. Soon they saw another giant creature in the ocean that was just swinging around¡­ the creature had a red fin on its back, and it was waiting for someone foolish enough to enter the ce. Rain wanted to ept that challenge, but he chose to follow the n.


    "Stay sharp," Rain said.


    The group nodded as they moved toward one of the giant monsters.


    A considerable number of soldiers ran to the left side, forming a substantial force ready to confront the colossal octopus-like creature on that side. They moved prepared for a showdown with the monstrous foe.


    On the other hand, a smaller group of soldiers chose to follow Rain and hispanions, heading to the right side. However, amid this division of soldiers, those left behind appeared uneasy and irritated. It was all just an act, but their expressions betrayed their surprise and frustration at this unexpected situation.


    The sudden shift and division of forces had disrupted their established ns, or so they tried to look like it was the case.


    hosted on m-v_l-e _m-p_y-r


    As the group drew nearer, they once again split into two teams. Asche and Liss positioned themselves about two hundred meters away from the colossal coral-covered octopus, ready to provide support from a distance. Meanwhile, the others continued their advance, closing the gap with the monstrous creature.


    Their progress came to an abrupt halt when the creature swung one of its tentacles with incredible force, resembling a massive whip. This unexpected attack would send Rain, Jori, Reca, and the rest of the group soaring through the air, but they reacted fast.


    In response to the imminent danger, Jori and Reca acted swiftly, raising their sword and spear as a makeshift shield against the impending strike. Simultaneously, Rain stepped forward with unwavering determination, delivering a powerful punch aimed directly at the monstrous coral-covered octopus.


    Rain''s punchnded on the monstrous coral-covered octopus with incredible force, causing a resounding impact that reverberated through the area. This powerful blow dramatically slowed down the creature''s attack. However, despite Rain''s immense strength, the sheer power of the monster pushed him backward.


    Jori and Reca, standing their ground against the approaching tentacle, initially managed to resist its tremendous force. But their resistance could onlyst for a brief moment, as the relentless tentacle''s power overwhelmed them, pushing them back.


    Meanwhile, the other soldiers who had advanced with them found themselves in a simrly perilous situation. The monster''s tentacles struck their shields with brutal force, sending them sprawling to the ground. The soldiers were thrown about, their shields offering little defense against the overwhelming strength of the coral-covered behemoth.


    The coral-covered octopuses, colossal in stature, reached an astounding height of one hundred meters. Their massive tentacles, just as lengthy, stretched out from their central bodies, resembling immense serpentine appendages. With such monstrous proportions, it was no wonder that their attacks carried incredible weight and force.


    The dark, malevolent eyes of the monstrous coral-covered octopus locked onto Rain and hispanions. It was clear that the creature aimed to eliminate these intruders who dared challenge it amidst the chaos.


    However, a sudden and unexpected event unfolded. A fire tornado materialized before the colossal octopus. Its scorching heat created a barrier of mes, shielding Rain and his friends from the creature''s assault.


    This fiery vortex began to encircle the creature, engulfing its massive body in mes. The coral-coated exterior sizzled and crackled as vibrant colors began to burn a bit. In an attempt to defend itself, the creature opened its enormous maw, preparing to unleash a powerful water-based spell to extinguish the mes. Yet, before it could release its attack, Asche took action.

 Chapter 290: Targets

    With her bow in hand, she drew and fired an arrow infused with potent wind magic. The arrow streaked through the air with precision, piercing the heart of the swirling fire tornado, disrupting its form and causing the mes to burst outward.


    The resulting explosion sent forth an intense wave of heat and fire in all directions, consuming the area around the creature. The monstrous coral-covered octopus writhed in pain as the mes burned its form. Thebination of fire and wind magic had proven to be devastatingly effective, altering the course of the battle in favor of Rain and hispanions.


    Still, the fire was soon dispersed when the monster suddenly hit the water of the ocean and made some waves go upward and wash away the mes. Liss bit her lips in exasperation since she used a lot of mana in that spell¡­


    "I trained so hard to cast that spell that fast¡­" Liss muttered.


    Despite Liss''s attempt to stop for good the colossal coral-covered octopus, the creature seethed in anger, its skin reddening in fury. It brought two of its massive tentacles together and unleashed a powerful water cannon aimed directly at Liss. Before the water cannon could reach her, Rain and hisrades sprang and moved to action.


    Rain summoned a sturdy wall ofpacted earth just in time to intercept the oing water cannon. The collision between the water cannon and the earth wall created a mighty impact, and for a brief moment, it appeared that Rain''s defense would hold.


    However, the relentless force of the attack began to take its toll, causing the earth wall to crack and crumble under the immense pressure of the water.


    In a swift move to protect himself, Rain encased his arms in solid, hardened earth, reinforcing them to withstand the relentless assault. As the water cannon continued to bear down on him, Rain braced for impact.


    The collision was fierce, and Rain was pushed back at an astonishing speed, the force of the water cannon exceeding his expectations. Witnessing theirpanion in peril, Jori and Reca rushed to his side, extending their arms in an attempt to support him.


    Despite theirbined efforts, they found themselves locked in a fierce struggle against the colossal coral-covered octopus. The creature''s relentless assault threatened to overpower them. Still, eventually, they stopped moving, and the beast showed a hint of surprise.


    Eventually, the attacked ended, and those three showed themselves drenched. However, almostpletely intact¡­ the earth around Rain''s arms was still fine, which puzzled the monsters.


    It seemed that the beasts were fairly smart, but that didn''t matter. What did matter was the fact that their actions managed to attract the attention of some of those who remained underwater until now.


    Rising from the ocean''s depths, sea folk began to emerge, revealing their faces above the water''s surface. Rain, taken aback by their appearance, couldn''t help but furrow his brow slightly as he examined them more closely.


    What he saw defied his expectations. Unlike the monstrous sea creatures they had been fighting, the sea folk had a striking resemnce to humans. Some of them looked almost entirely human, with features simr to people from thend. But there was one notable difference ¨C they had elongated, fin-like ears on the sides of their heads.


    These unique earfins, though unusual, added an aquatic elegance to their human-like appearance.


    However, Rain also noticed that not all sea folk had this human-like appearance. Among them were individuals whose appearance leaned more towards fish or even reptilian characteristics, reminding him of the diverse marine life in the ocean''s depths. Some had scales on their skin in various colors, while others had webbed hands and feet, more suitable for life underwater. Discover stories on m _v _le _mp _yr.


    Their eyes, varying in size and shape, had an otherworldly, aquatic quality.


    On one hand, their human-like features, along with their distinctive fin-like ears, created a connection between thend and the sea. On the other hand, the wide range of appearances among the sea folk highlighted the vast and mysterious nature of the underwater world.


    "Rain¡­" Jori whispered.


    "I saw them," Rain said. "Let''s let the monsters push us a bit more. I can''t use that technique well when the terrain is uneven and drenched like this."


    The area that they were in was a bit taller than the level of the ocean. While Rain could reach the sea folk from there, he would pass above them. He couldn''t mess up and give them the chance to escape¡­ it would be too dangerous to try to chase them underwater.


    In the end, the group didn''t have much time to follow the n since the soldiers of the other group were having a hard time withstanding the attacks of the first coral octopus. It didn''t take long for the creature to change its attention toward Rain and then fire a st of water as well.


    The second creature joined the attack and then used the same spell. Rain assumed his defensive stance and activated Limit Breaker without any other choice.


    Rain''s skin turned red, and his muscles began to bulge. The temperature of his body increased, but thanks to all that, he blocked the two attacks without flinching even a bit. Still, all that water was going to eventually drown the city, but it wasn''t enough to cool down his body.


    Jori and Reca had a hard time breathing behind Rain, thanks to all that water being spread around. While they weren''t suffering damage, they felt like they were under one crazy waterfall¡­ fortunately, they endured the attack, and that made the sea folk even more curious, to the point that they approached thend to the point that the water was on their waists.


    They never saw a human that could withstand that level of attack; survive was already too shocking, after all¡­


    Still, the attacks eventually ended, and then pieces of the hardened ground began to fall from Rain''s arms¡­ which had been a close one.

 Chapter 291: Interrogation

    "Keep your guard up," Rain dered.


    Before Rain''s friends could say anything, Rain suddenly used Impulse toward the beach. In the blink of an eye, he reached a group of sea folk that opened their eyes widely when they saw him.


    Even without moving a single finger, they made several water des emerge from the ocean instantly and fly at him. Rain blocked them with his forearm guards, but he could feel a crazy pressure from the attack¡­ that didn''t stop him, though.


    With his left hand, Rain fired a st of wind on the ocean when the sea folk tried to swim to the deaths of the sea, but the st opened a hole in the water and hit them as well. Soon enough, Rain fell and then grabbed a random merman by the neck and then threw him to thend.


    In the next moment, the water returned to its ce, and then Rain froze the area around him as well, making him fly in the same direction. Before long, he and the prisoner passed by the giant of the giant octopus, and then he grabbed the prisoner and used Impulse to move away.


    The shock of the sea folk when they saw the capture of one of their own couldn''t be described with words alone. Their expressions, too, transitioned from disbelief to a deeper terror of the situation at hand. It was as if the world had momentarilye to a halt, and a long moment of collective astonishment hung in the air.


    However, this moment of stunned surprise was short-lived. As the sea folk and their colossal sea monster allies regained their senses, an overwhelming surge of anger and fury began to ripple through their ranks. Their aquatic voices blended in a cacophony of enraged cries and guttural shouts that reverberated across the water.


    The colossal monsters, initially taken aback, quickly shifted from shock to aggression. Their massive tentacles thrashed in the water, creating churning waves and turbulent currents. Eerie and thunderous roars erupted from their colossal forms, shaking the very ground beneath Rain and hispanions.


    The capture of one of their own had ignited an unrelenting determination within the sea folk and their colossal allies. It was clear that they would not forgive that easily, and the impending battle promised to be a fierce sh between two distinct worlds and people.


    After a couple of steps, Rain stopped, and then a tform of ice emerged in front of him. Branden, Lorene, and Orcis were at the top of it, and Rain jumped on it with the prisoner already handcuffed with heavy weights on his limbs.


    "It seems that I captured someone popr¡­" Rain said while looking at the giant octopuses trashing in anger. "By the way, you two might want to move away since the monsters can attack from that distance."


    "... We can''t fall back now," Lorene said. "You understand us, right? Why are you attacking us?"


    The prisoner seemed to be a young adult merman. Aside from his hands, feet, and ears, he looked pretty human. His eyes were a bit weird, though. They looked like cats, but they were also blue, like the sky.


    The prisoner tried to free himself, but it was useless; he was unable to move his body even a centimeter since Rain made weights as heavy as his own, and they were one hundred kilograms each.


    "This humiliation won''t go unpunished," The merman said, enraged, while he was trying to move.


    "What cliched words, he can understand us, but I don''t think that he wants to talk," Rain said. "Is torture time?"


    "We can''t do that. It isn''t our goal to hurt anyone," Branden said.


    Although Branden said that, there were plenty of soldiers that were having their bones being smashed by the giant monsters. Rain could see his friends in the distance dodging the attacks of the monsters with all their might.


    "Tell us already why you are attacking us," Rain said. "If you don''t do that, I will make you swim in a pool of mud."


    "I already told you we won''t torture him," Branden said.


    "How is that torture?" Rain asked.


    The merman refused to say anything, and then Rain lost his cool when he saw the giant octopus invading the beach. It seemed that he captured a big shot, but he didn''t care either way. In the end, Rain touched the ground and then made an earth pir fly toward the monster. The attack paralyzed the beast and made the monster spin its eyes, thanks to the dizziness.


    The prisoner saw that and left his mouth hanging.


    "I could have made that way sharper, you know?" Rain asked. "Unless you want your pets dead, then you should cooperate with us."


    "My name is Branden Corsalis, and I am here representing His Majesty," Branden said. "We don''t want to fight you people and want to understand why you are attacking us, please, cooperate."


    "... Please, why are you trying to y dumb now? You humans have been asking for this for ages," The merman said.


    Rain was surprised by the merman''s words. The merman imed that someone had been nning this conflict for a long time, suggesting a deeper motive behind it. Rain felt a bit confused, not because he doubted the merman, but because the idea of long-term nning caught him off guard.


    As Rain thought about it, he realized that he had initially assumed this conflict was more recent, mainly due to the increasing tensions between the sea folk and the coastal town. The merman''s revtion addedplexity to the situation, something he hadn''t considered before.


    In hindsight, Rain understood that his initial thoughts might have been biased. He had quickly med those in power for the conflict without considering external influences. The merman''s words made him realize that the situation might be moreplex than he thought. Stay tuned with mvle-mp _y,r.


    "How humans have been asking for this for ages?" Rain asked.


    "You people have been kidnapping mine for decades!" The merman roared. "I will be sure to make you regret that."

 Chapter 292: Considerations

    "Oh? You mean kidnapping to turn your people into ves?" Rain asked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Can you guys survive out of water for long?"


    "You should know that!" The merman shouted again.


    "I am not deaf, so don''t bark in my ears," Rain said. "If I knew, I wouldn''t be asking, retard."


    The merman shared that his people had been dealing with kidnappings for many decades, and this was the reason for his attack on the port city. He exined that these incidents had urred and his kind had to pass through this area.


    Rain found this revtion quite puzzling. He couldn''t recall any reports of very in the human country, so the idea of the sea folk being kidnapped for such a long time raised doubts. However, he couldn''tpletely dismiss the merman''s im, as it was a usible scenario given theplexities of the world.


    This disclosure prompted a moment of contemtive silence among the group, and their collective gaze eventuallynded on Orcis. As the leader of the port town, Orcis bore the responsibility for what happened within its borders. The usations made by the merman were serious and warranted thorough investigation to uncover the truth.


    "Please, don''t look at me like that," Orcis said. "Why would I risk my port city knowing that you would attack us and our ships?"


    "Your ships have always been prepared and have countermeasures against us," Ther merman said. "What were those preparations for then?"


    "They were just us exacting our caution," Orcis said and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Have you guys heard of anyone being enved in our country? We didn''t even have the chance to capture the magic people since we were always on the defending side, barely winning."


    "Yeah¡­ for that to happen, one side needs to be a lot stronger than the other," Branden said. "Besides, they would be hard to control, but the sea folk get weaker out of water. Some might resist forever, but they will be much weaker and unable to use their true strength."


    In Rain''s head, people were usually enved for three main reasons. First, they could be used as soldiers in battles. Second, they might serve asborers, doing various types of work for others. The third and darkest possibility was often connected to activities that urred during the night.


    When Rain considered the sea folk''s situation, he tried to assess how they might fit into the concept of very in this world. The sea folk were powerful in water, but their abilities seemed to weaken significantly onnd. This made them less suitable for battle, and it would likely require external control, such as the authority magic wielded by dragons, to make them effective fighters.


    Using them asborers for tasks onnd also appeared impractical due to their unique physical characteristics, which were better suited for underwater tasks. Forcing them to work on thend would likely result in inefficiency and resistance. read this on m _v _l _e _m _p _y _r


    As Rain thought it through, he couldn''t help but conclude that the sea folk might have been targeted for a much darker and sinister purpose, one that aligned with the third use of ves in his world.


    The sea folk being used for illicit nighttime purposes seemed like the most usible exnation. From an objective standpoint, despite the sea folk''s unique blend of fish-like and reptilian features, they had an intriguing and captivating appearance.


    This distinct beauty might have made them targets for those seeking forbidden desires, and this troubling thought cast a dark shadow over the situation.


    "I can''t speak for the country and say that we don''t have ves here. It is up to you, Branden," Rain said. "What are you going to do?"


    "I can''t do that either since I am not sure¡­ the best I can do is investigate this matter," Branden said while showing aplicated expression. "Please, give us some time. We will help you solve this issue, and those involved will be handed to you to do as you please."


    It seemed that Branden was willing to throw some of his countrymen away for the sake of the greater good. That was probably for the best since the ones involved in the kidnappings were scum anyway. Still, things wouldn''t be that simple.


    "As if we would believe you!" The merman said.


    "This guy sure is noisy¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "He seems to be a big shot, so we can''t kill him, but they will retreat for a while if I kill the giant monsters, right?"


    "They might be important for them, so we have to avoid that," Branden said and then began to think for a short while. "Can you give us at least one week? If you do it, we will find some people involved in the kidnappings with irrefutable proof."


    "You will only fabricate the proof," the merman said.


    "We are running out of time," Rain said while looking at the monsters getting closer and closer. Aside from the piles of rubble, they were also destroying other buildings. "Just send someone that wille with us then. We will release you to call for someone else to do that for you. If you don''t, then it will be up to you to continue this battle.


    A lot of people will die, but you will have some losses as well."


    The merman appeared to believe Rain''s words. He recognized that Rain''sbat skills and magical abilities made him a serious threat. The idea that Rain could infiltrate their territory, defeat some sea folk, and escape without suffering consequences was entirely believable.


    Moreover, the merman knew about Rain''s substantial mana reserves and powerful magic. He understood that Rain could gradually eliminate the colossal sea monsters, one or two at a time, which posed a significant risk to the sea folk. Engaging in a prolonged battle with Rain and his group could result in substantial losses for the sea folk.


    This assessment influenced the merman''s decision to opt for negotiations rather than escting the conflict further.


    "... We will ept your offer," The merman said.

 Chapter 293: Names

    The group recognized the erman''s possible intention to retreat and regroup with other sea folk to discuss how to deal with Rain and the situation. Though it carried the risk of a stronger sea folk force returning, they had few alternatives. They had to ept this risk for the sake of seeking a peaceful solution.


    Rain acted decisively, freeing the captured merman, who wasted no time returning to the ocean. This unexpected turn left the colossal sea monsters and other sea folk shocked. They had expected a continued fight but were now uncertain about what had just happened.


    "I guess we just have to wait now," Lorene said while watching the sea folk retreating alongside the monsters. "I don''t know if we''re lucky or unlucky by capturing someone who apparently is important to them."


    "My healing magic isn''t that good, but we should go and tend the wounded," Branden said. "You two should move away and then prepare for both oues."


    Rain followed Branden and then began to tend the wounded. Once again, no one died in that attack, even though the giant monsters thrashed around for real this time. Still, a lot of people escaped but saw death at close range¡­ their limbs werepletely smashed, so they had given up on them entirely. Fortunately, Rain''s group had a lot of people that had decent healing skills.


    Terra was able to restore most of the limbs. As long as they weren''t burned or eaten, she could do that much. In any case, Rain only now recalled that his sisters would have had a much easier life ahead of them if he had made them train their healing magic only¡­ there was still time, but Rain knew for a fact that they wouldn''t do that.


    "Big bro was amazing!" Dana said when Rain approached. "I thought that you would be like a pancake after that attack that you punched."


    Rain wondered who invented the pancakes in that world¡­ but then he recalled that he did that¡­ still, that was quite the weird thing to say. He wondered if his little sisters would grow up to have dark humor like him. That was worrisome.


    Kei and G were also looking at Rain like they respected him a lot more now¡­ he wished that he could be respected without showing his martial powers. That would have been a lot better. In any case, the whole group kept working throughout the night to help the injured. Rain thought of using his potions, but then Orcis gave him some.


    "It is the least I can do since you are healing my men," Orcis dered.


    Rain nodded silently. It seemed that he was going to level up the Healer''s path a few times that night since hundreds of soldiers were hurt¡­ it was really something considering that they faced suchrge and powerful creatures that no one died.


    Throughout the night, the group tirelessly tended to the wounded, providing healing and relief. Although they could have finished sooner, Rain decided to send his sisters to rest at midnight since most of the critical work was done.


    As the morning light began to pierce the darkness, some alert soldiers stationed near the shore spotted the colossal sea monsters approaching once more. However, this time, the monsters moved at a slower pace. To their surprise, they witnessed several sea folks emerging from the ocean and stepping onto thend.


    Among these sea folk was the very individual Rain had captured earlier. His presence among the sea folk group addedplexity to their efforts tomunicate and potentially resolve the ongoing conflict with the sea folk. He was also equipped with a weapon that seemed quite powerful¡­ Rain imagined that it would be a trident, but it was actually just a simple and pointy spear made out of corals.


    "The three of us are going to investigate the incident with you," The merman said. "If something were to happen to us and we don''t return in one week, our ruler will make your entire country drown deep in the ocean."


    Those were some serious threats¡­ it seemed that the sea folk had a king, and the guy was quite strong if he could do that. Rain wondered if he had a weapon more powerful than the coral spear. Maybe it was a trident this time.


    Stepping forward with unwavering determination, the captured merman and two of hispanions joined the mission. They were all donned in lightweight blue armor, which covered their bodies, except for their faces. This unique armor seemed to be crafted from the scales of sea serpents, adorned with intricate coral patterns.


    One of the merman''spanions stood out due to his tall and muscr physique, exuding an aura of immense strength. His serious expression made it clear that he was a force to be reckoned with, and Rain could sense his formidable power.


    The otherpanion, a woman of simr stature to the first merman, emanated a different kind of presence. While she didn''t possess the same physical strength, there was a palpable and potent aura surrounding her. This aura surpassed even the power of the water dragon Rain had encountered previously, hinting at an extraordinary magic capability.


    "It will be good to work with you all," Branden said. "My name is Branden Corsalis. How should we call you?"


    "Our names don''t matter. We are only here to confirm if you are our enemies or not," The merman said.


    Experience the best on  _emp _yr.


    "All right, Merman A, Merman B, and Mermaid A," Rain said. "That will be easy to remember."


    Branden and the others behind him felt a chill running down their spines as Rain''s words hung heavily in the air. The difort was palpable, and cold sweat formed on their brows. The situation had be increasingly tense as the sea folk, reluctant to reveal their names, were simply referred to as Merman A, Merman B, and Mermaid A by Rain.


    While the decision to withhold their names was understandable, given the circumstances, it had created an ufortable atmosphere. Still, after clicking his tongue, Merman A decided to reveal their names.


    "It is Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline," Merman A said.

 Chapter 294: Impressions

    Rain had a hard tie concealing his chuckle; those names were quite simplistic, but at least he held back his thoughts. In any case, Rain realized that Branden, Orcis, and Lorene reacted to the name of the first guy, and he wanted to ask why, but he decided to do thatter.


    "Rain, we will be counting on you to move fast," Branden said.


    "It will be hard to move with so many people," Rain said. "Do we have any leads already?"


    "No, but we will have it soon. Let''s talk in our tent," Branden replied.


    The group made their way toward therge tent set up in Orcis''s house. As they walked together, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling that something unusual was happening around their three sea folk guests. It was as if a subtle, almost imperceptible magic was at y.


    Rain figured that the coral spear wielded by Seadir likely gave him enhanced control over water, allowing him and hispanions to remain sufficiently hydrated while moving onnd. This exnation seemed to align with the properties of the coral weapon, offering a rational exnation for their endurance during extended periods away from the sea.


    Upon arriving at the tent, Rain and his group were greeted by a scene of intense concentration. Inside, Lorene and Orcis were deeply engrossed in a stack of books and logs, meticulously reviewing records detailing the arrivals and departures of ships at the port over the past several months.


    It was clear that they were in search of crucial information within these documents, their expressions reflecting urgency.


    "Thank you for epting our offer," Orcis said. "My name is Orcis Vi, and I am the ruler of this town. I will do my best to help you find those involved in the disappearance of your people. Still, before that, I need to know when was thest time that one of your people disappeared? We need to know the exact date that thest person saw that person."


    "It was seven weeks ago," Seadir replied.


    "The ships stoppeding around five weeks ago, around the same time you destroyed three of them," Orcis said while separating some book logs. "That leaves us with a time window of two weeks and ny ships¡­ and around fifteen owners."


    "We sure have a lot of ships, considering that we only have one port town," Rain said. "Aren''t you the guy who has the most of them?"


    "Yes, I do," Orcis replied. "Half of the possible ships belong to me. I suppose I will have to prove my innocence instead of just dering that I didn''t give orders for the sea folk to be captured."


    "What if your captains did that out of their own volition to earn some extra money?'' Rain asked.


    "We will handle them as promised to Seadir. I will also do my best to recover the prisoners no matter where they are to clean my name from this situation," Orcis dered.


    The situation looked quiteplicated for Orcis. If he was linked to these long-standing abductions, clearing his name seemed like an almost impossible-toplete task. Seadir''s revtion that his people had suffered such kidnappings for decades raised suspicions about anyone tied to the port city after all.


    Rain contemted the possibility that Orcis''s family might have been involved in the past. Still, the information he''d gathered suggested their demise in a tragic storm, leaving uncertainties about the events. If they were involved, howe Orcis got involved in such a shady business at a young age?


    To aid Orcis and Lorene, Rain and Branden pitched in to sift through the archives. Together, they methodically examined the records and plotted on a map the locations and details of those who might have connections to the abductions, hoping to visit and investigate all the possible suspects.


    Unfortunately, they will have to cross the whole country to visit ten ces¡­ two of them even were on the other side of the country. If Rain wanted to fly as fast as possible, he would have to leave Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra behind alongside his sisters¡­ he didn''t want to leave them in a ce that could be the first targets of the rage of the sea.


    "We will depart light to decrease Rain''s workload," Branden dered. "Seven people are fine, right, Rain?"


    Rain felt really annoyed as Branden made the decision for him. Nevertheless, deep down, he understood that it might be wiser to keep his sisters and the others away from these three formidable warriors.


    Despite their rtively human-like appearance, these individuals emitted an air of potential danger that couldn''t be ignored. They might not be asrge as dragons, but their presence held a certain ominous weight. It was a tough choice, but it appeared to be the safest one under the current circumstances.


    The group split up for a short while, and then Rain went to exin to everyone what they had to do. Much to his surprise, his little sisters didn''t seem that bothered; they had gotten used to flying, and it wasn''t that novel anymore. Seeing the kraken-like monsters looked way more exciting.


    "I give up. I can''t understand you at all," Rain said.


    "I want to eat something from the area. Is it bad if I ask for an octopus?" G asked.


    "Just make sure the sea folk don''t hear that," Rain said. "Anyway, can I trust you guys with them? Please, don''t let them wander anywhere¡­ I already have too much experience dealing with missing family members."


    "Don''t worry, we got this," Terra said.


    "This mission is turning into something quite different," Jori said. "Are you fine with the way things are going, Rain?"


    "Meaning?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "We figured that you would feel bothered without fighting that much," Jori said and thenughed a little.


    "I guess I really look like a bloodthirsty dog for you guys, huh?" Rain frowned. "I suppose it can''t be helped given what I have shown recently."

 Chapter 295: Arrival

    Despite Rain''s agreement, a lingering sense of trouble bothered him. This mission, centered around investigation rather than the familiar search-and-destroy operations he favored, felt very unusual. The shift in focus left him with a sense of weirdness that he couldn''t quite shake.


    Gathering with the group near therge tent, Rain proceeded to conjure a sturdy chamber from the very earth beneath them. Thanks to theirck of physical strength, even Lorene and Orcis hesitated to enter this earthen refuge. Seadir and hispanions shared simr reservations, openly expressing their doubts. They were notfortable entrusting their safety to Rain''s magical abilities.


    The atmosphere grew tense with uncertainty, casting a shadow over their journey that didn''t even start.


    "What is wrong? Branden can vouch for my method of transportation," Rain said. "He is even giving me a bunch more potions for that. One has to spend money to travel fast. Besides, I don''t need underhanded tricks to kill you if I wanted. I don''t fight with my fists to be a coward in a situation like this."


    "It is fast, I can say that at least," Branden said. "I am spending a lot of money on this since I want to solve the issues between our people. We can''t cross the whole country and check all ces in any other way.


    In the end, everyone jumped in once Branden jumped into the chamber. Rain felt like a prankster when he nned to suddenly speed up the chamber, but he decided against that¡­ they didn''t have time for that kind of humor. Slowly but surely, they began to gain speed. To the point that even Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline couldn''t move that fast underwater.


    "You improved again, the speed," Branden said.


    As Rain and the group soared in the earthen chamber through the sky, they noticed they were going faster. It wasn''t just Rain''s magic; he made some changes to help them move better.


    Rain knew it was important to cut through the air smoothly to go faster. So, he used the ideas from how things move in the air to make the chamber better. He made the front point like an airne and lowered the top.


    By doing this, Rain made sure the chamber moved through the air more easily, like a streamlined shape. This way, they faced less air pushing against them, and it was like they were gliding through the sky.


    Lowering the top of the chamber also helped because it stopped too much air from getting trapped inside. This made sure they didn''t slow down because of too much wind pushing against them.


    With these changes, the earthen chamber moved more smoothly through the air, and Rain and the group could travel faster. They went through the skyfortably and quickly, thanks to Rain''s clever ideas about how things move through the air.


    "Never mind that. How are we going to proceed once we find the targets?" Rain asked. "We can''t just find them and ask them nicely, right?"


    "We don''t have much time, and while we have some attack power here, the chances of the investigation ending in a fight are low," Branden said. "We will have to work fast in gathering information. Fortunately, I know some people in most cities that will help us with that."


    While Branden''s words seemed clear that some people in the cities would betray the rich people there to help him, it was very unlikely that was the case. Most likely, he used some people from the organization to investigate most cities and lords to keep on check on those that could be a problem. The organization was big enough for him to do that without dealing with issues.


    He was also influential enough to not be considered a suspicious acting from him.


    Rain also thought that he could do something about that with his earth magic. He could check the ces that belong to the suspicious individuals and then use a lot of mana to sense and check the terrain of those people. He would be able to find suspicious ces underneath their houses, like prisons, cers, or even dungeons.


    Still, it would be better to confirm if the people in those ces were acting suspiciously or received anything out of the norm since Rain has to be careful with the potions and his own mana.


    "That is fine and all, but you guys stand out too much, all of you," Rain said. "If someone is doing something behind the curtains, they will act fast once they hear about you all. It seems that our best bet is to move at night."


    "We should rest since we won''t have time to do so at night," Branden said. Enjoy reading at m-vle-.


    Although Branden said that, the group didn''t rx enough to actually sleep. Rain also thought that the week would be a long one since he couldn''t control the chamber and take a nap at the same time.


    Fortunately, the Healer''s path was leveling up like crazy¡­ he decided to focus on that one instead of the wizard''s path because he had been using that a lot recently, and he also felt that his healing skills needed some upgrade.


    As night fell, Rain and the group arrived at their first destination¡ªa city known for mining near the magic people''s territory. The city was shrouded in darkness, with onlynterns and torches providing dim light. This mining town at night was remarkably different from its bustling daytime activity. It was now quiet, a far cry from the daytime noise of miners and carts.


    The city''s buildings were sturdy stone structures, tall and imposing. Their windows were mostly shut, giving the impression that the city was asleep. The streets were narrow and made of cobblestones, with patches of soft earth where miners and carts had left their mark.


    What struck the group the most was the unusual silence. It wasn''t just the absence of people; it was a deep stillness in the air. Even the usual nighttime sounds, like insects and owls, were strangely muted. The reason for this eerie quiet remained a mystery.

 Chapter 296: Potential

    "You didn''t receive information from your underlings since you went to the port town, right?" Rain asked when the groupnded in a dark alley.


    "Yes¡­ do you think that thanks to that, I missed a bunch of information sent by my subordinates?" Branden asked and then frowned. "How did you guess that I had informants anyway?"


    "It was fairly obvious," Rain replied. "Anyway, where can we find your guy here?"


    "Probably in some tavern," Branden replied. "The city is unusually quiet, but a ce like that is always working, and it is the best ce to gather Intel."


    The group cautiously exited the dark alley, attempting to hide their appearances by pulling their hoods over their heads. However, despite their efforts, the distinct clinking of Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline''s armor made some noise.


    Strangely, there was no one nearby to hear the metallic noise. The streets were empty as they continued on their way. Soon, they arrived at a small square where two taverns stood. Only one had its doors open, casting a faint glow onto the cobblestone pavement.


    With Rain leading the way, the group approached the inviting warmth of the open tavern. As Rain entered the establishment alone, the sides of the entrance parted to allow his passage. Inside, the people briefly nced at him with his hood down but then returned to their own conversations and drinks.


    However, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling of a lingering gaze from the corner of the room, where a solitary figure sat quietly.


    Apparently frustrated by the unwee attention, Rain clicked his tongue in annoyance and decided to leave. He rejoined his group outside the tavern. A short whileter, as they found themselves back in the dark alley, the man who had been observing Rain earlier entered the alley. He was a member of the king''s de, and he recognized Rain earlier.


    "... Lord Branden, I didn''t expect that you woulde here in person," The informant said. "I take it that you just arrived in incognito since I didn''t hear anyone in the city talking about your arrival."


    "Yes, sorry for going straight to the point, but we don''t have time to idle chat," Branden said. "We are in a race against time to look for the culprits who started the situation on the coast. Did you find any suspicious cargo arriving in the city and straight to the lord''s house in thest two months? We also want to know if he has been acting suspiciously as ofte."


    "My apologies, but I didn''t hear or see anything like that," the informant replied. "Still, while this is a mining city, the lord still makes a lot of money by using ships. A lot of foodes from the sea as well, and thanks to that, the city has been kind of quiet and downtely."


    Right from the beginning, the group faced a tough situation. Their informant hadn''t given them much to work with, leaving them with plenty of unanswered questions. It was clear that they needed to invest time and effort into a thorough investigation to make any progress.


    They spent a good amount of time brainstorming how to verify the innocence of the city''s lord. It was aplex challenge, and they needed a way to be certain that he wasn''t involved in any wrongdoing. Read first at NovelFire _em _pyr.


    Ultimately, it was Seadir who managed to confirm the lord''s innocence. Not because of his sharp observations or quick thinking but because he hade prepared to really search for thest prisoner.


    "There is no one here," Seadir dered.


    "... I take that you needed some time to check that," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Still, what if there was someone here and that someone died. We can''t still rule out the lord here, can we?"


    "For now, this much is fine," Branden said. "Our current goal is to find thest prisoner as soon as possible. Thank you for your hard work, and please be sure to inform the organization if you find anything odd regarding this situation."


    "Yes, sir," the informant said.


    Branden''s words triggered a thought in Rain. He began to ponder why the sea folk had chosen to take action now after decades of enduring kidnappings. Something significant must have urred to push them into action at this particr moment.


    As he contemted the situation, Rain couldn''t help but assume that the most recent disappearance among the sea folk must have involved someone of great importance to theirmunity. This would exin why Seadir, a formidable sea folk person, had been dispatched to investigate and seek answers.


    Rain felt the urge to inquire about what everyone knew concerning Seadir. Still, he found himself unable to do so with the man in such close proximity. In the end, the group soon departed again on another earth chamber, and this time, they moved south toward Teria city. Recently, one of the guys who had the most ships after Orcis moved there in order to expand his business.


    "This smells fishy¡­ a rich guy who has ships and moved to Teria a few months after it was recovered," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    While Rain immersed himself in his thoughts, Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline kept a watchful eye on him. They observed him closely, attempting to unravel the enigma that was Rain. It was puzzling because, initially, they had perceived Rain as a skilled warrior due to hisbat abilities. However, he now showcased magical talents that were on par with the most skilled mages among their own people.


    This unexpected turn of events left the trio of sea folk feeling perplexed and bewildered. Rain, despite his rtively young appearance, possessed seemingly limitless potential as a human. This raised concerns among the three sea folk about what the future might hold.


    If humans like Rain continued to emerge with both formidablebat skills and potent magic, it would undoubtedly pose a significant challenge for the sea folk in their interactions with humans.

 Chapter 297: Betrayal

    "You might end up making holes appear on my back if you stare too much," Rain suddenly said and made those three tremble a little, thanks to the surprise. "If there is anything you want to know, you should just ask unless you can read minds."


    "... There are some rumors that a human fought and defeated a young dragon when the humans and the magic people signed the truce," Seadir said. "You are that human, aren''t you?"


    "You don''t have enough information to confirm that, but I guess there is no point in denying it," Rain replied. "My turn now, who are you? You must be someone important, Considering the reaction of the monsters."


    "You attacked me without knowing my identity. Do you expect that I will believe in that?" Seadir asked.


    "You were just the easiest and closest to capture, that was all," Rain exined. "My guess is that you are the son of the sea king or something and the person who was captured thest time was someone close to your family, am I right?"


    "... Forgive his manners, but feel people know the sea emperor''s name and the fact that his kids inherit a part of his name, Branden said. "We already know that you are Seadir, son of Seadrei."


    "What about it? That changes nothing," Seadir dered. "I am just one of many sons he has. You will only receive his anger by killing me."


    "Who was talking about killing? We were just sharing information," Rain shrugged. "Doing diplomatic work must be exhausting."


    Rain was eager to learn more about Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline. Still, it soon became apparent that they weren''t the talkative type. Following Rain''s previous thoughts, the conversation fell into an uneasy silence. Among the trio, Seadir was the sole participant in the discussion. At the same time, Sirenus and Coraline remained watchful and ready to react if the need arose.


    Seadir seemed to be the more talkative of the group. In contrast, Sirenus and Coraline appeared to be reserved individuals who didn''t readily engage in conversation. Their focus was primarily on their mission, and their alertness suggested they were prepared to respond swiftly to any potential threats or changes in the situation, including their current guides.


    Rain''s rapid flight brought the group to Teria by noon the next day. They were starting to believe that their goal of crossing the entire country within a week was achievable. However, there was a challenge: entering the city in the middle of the day was not a good idea.


    So, they opted to make camp in a hidden spot near the city. Rain used his magic to create a small depression in the ground, allowing them to stay out of sight as they rested and waited for the cover of nightfall to approach Teria City.


    "It has been a while since I camped like this," Lorene said while looking around. "I guess this isn''t bad now and then."


    "Please, focus on the task at hand," Branden said. "We don''t have time to waste rxing when so much is at stake here."


    "Rxing a bit is important. If you get tense for too long, you might miss some things thanks to the exhaustion," Rain said and then sat down and closed his eyes to rest his body."


    Surprisingly enough, despite spending over a day away from the ocean, Seadir and hispanions still appeared to be in good condition. This was quite unusual, as most people were aware that sea folk typically grew weaker and more tired when out of the water for over a day, even more so when they couldn''t smell the ocean.


    It seemed that Rain''s earlier assumptions about their unique tools were urate.


    Understanding that they needed to rest, Seadir and hispanions also took the opportunity to rx. However, they remained cautious, keeping their guard up at all times. To ensure their safety, they established a rotating watch, with one of them staying alert with their eyes open while the others rested.


    This demonstrated theirmitment to the mission and their readiness to respond to any potential threats.


    After resting for around six hours, the group moved to the city, and once again, they found their informant in a tavern. However, he also told them that he didn''t find anything out of the norm.


    Your source is NovelFire|em|pyr.


    "... All right, thanks for your hard work; you can return now," Branden said after thinking for a while.


    The informant nodded and then left the area, and Branden looked at Rain, and the same nodded. Things were getting quite difficult¡­ It wasn''t like they were expecting to find traces of the culprits so soon, but there was something else bothering them.


    "Did you realize it?" Branden asked. "They looked respectful enough, but there was something odd about the two informants."


    "What exactly was odd?" Rain asked while he used his magic to sense the vibrations on the ground.


    "I can''t tell for sure, it is just a feeling," Branden said.


    "A feeling that makes you think that your informants are no longer working for you?" Rain asked. "I imagined that you would only select truly loyal people to do that kind of job, but as expected¡­ Everyone has their own price."


    Rain suddenly left the dark alley by using Impulse, and then he caught the informant listening to their conversation. Rain immediately grabbed his head by the mouth to stop him from moving, and when he raised him, the guy tried to grab a knife on his waist.


    Rain stopped his hand and broke it at the same time¡­ still, the informant used the other hand at the same time to throw that familiar bomb at Rain¡­ the anti magic bombs¡­


    "... Don''t kill him, Rain," Branden said in a cold tone. "We need to gather more information in one way or the other¡­ this air¡­ I can''t control my magic."


    The informant''s eyes widened in surprise when he noticed that Rain hadn''t weakened, despite the anti-magic bombs'' effects. This discovery left him shocked and fearful, making him wonder how Rain had managed to maintain his magical abilities despite the countermeasures. He wasn''t using them, naturally.

 Chapter 298: Reasons for Betrayal

    As Rain wondered about the situation, he began to suspect a connection between the ambush at the border and the ongoing conflict with the sea folk. Though he couldn''t quite pinpoint it, a sense of unease suggested that these two events were somehow intertwined. Rain had a gut feeling that a hidden connection between two incidents existed for quite a while.


    The group left the city again to the camp that Rain made and in there, they prepared to take all the information out of him in one way or the other¡­ However, Branden stepped in and stopped them.


    "Why, Rhodes?" Branden asked. "I chose you and the others because I thought that my enemies wouldn''t be able to find any weaknesses in you all. You don''t have a family, so they couldn''t use that against you. I don''t think that you all could have been bought with money only, so why?"


    "My lord¡­ I have no excuses," Rhodes said. "I ept my death."


    "No, no, while death ends quickly, too fast, and we don''t have time, it isn''t the best option here," Rain said. "Torture can take too long, but it will also give us some information."


    "I have nothing to say," Rhodes said with his head down as if he was waiting to be beheaded.


    Too bad for him, for Rain didn''t have a sword, while he could make a de out of magic, Rain didn''t have the luxury to spend that much mana on an opponent that wasn''t nning on fighting.


    Branden was caught in a difficult situation. The informant''s betrayal left him in a dilemma. He couldn''t ignore the argument that killing him wouldn''t provide any valuable information. This issue left Branden in a bad spot.


    Meanwhile, Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline were on high alert. They sensed that they might have stumbled upon a lead connected to the sea folk kidnappings. Their growing determination to uncover the truth manifested in their increasing bloodlust.


    "If he has no family and if money can''t buy him, I guess the only exnation is a Lover," Rain said and then realized that Rhodes flinched a little. "I guess this is a jackpot. What do you think, Branden? He fell in love with someone else, and your enemies are using that against him, or he fell in love with someone that works for the enemy and lured him knowing that he works for you?"


    "... It is hard to say," Branden furrowed his eyebrows. "I''m guessing both of them are highly usible."


    Informants and spies must navigate a delicate bnce between earning the trust of their handlers or organizations while remaining loyal to their own interests or causes. This dual allegiance can be emotionally challenging and ethicallyplex, that was probably why Branden didn''t want to kill Rhodes immediately.


    The constant pressure of espionage work can lead to severe psychological stress. Fear, anxiety, and paranoia aremon emotions experienced by those in the field. The risk of getting some mental health issues is substantial. With those in mind, it wouldn''t be weird if spies and informants find sce in the arms of a lover. m _v,l-e _mp|y|r reader


    Espionage is a world where betrayal is a constant threat. Informants may feel betrayed by their handlers or employers, while spies may face betrayal from within their own ranks. The high-stress nature of espionage work can lead to burnout. The constant need for secrecy, the pressure to produce results, and the risk to personal safety can take a toll on physical and mental well-being.


    "I almost pity him for working in this line of work, but you didn''t force him, did you?" Rain asked.


    "Anyway, it seems that he is cooperating with those that caused that battle and probably wanted to start a war, his new friends also tried to stop us when we went to make that deliver to the magic people, I suspect that he is also working for those who contracted the assassin that tried to kill Lorene¡­ What is the punishment for all those crimes?"


    "Death, death, and death," Orcis replied in a cold tone. "His master of masters orchestrated the highest level of betrayal In this country¡­ all those involved will either suffer capital punishment or be banned from the country if His Majesty finds himself in a good mood."


    When Rhodes was informed about the severe consequences of betrayal, a wave of anxiety washed over him and he began to sweat cold. It wasn''t just him who would suffer the consequences; anyone linked to his actions would also face a grim fate, with options boiling down to either death or exile.


    This policy reminded Rain of a principle he had encountered back on Earth ¨C the idea of addressing a problem at its source instead of trying to fix it after the damage is done.


    Rain understands the reasoning behind such harsh measures. It made more sense to prevent potential threats from emerging by ensuring that those associated with the betrayers also paid a steep price. This approach aimed to nip any future problems in the bud by making it clear that even indirect involvement in betrayal would lead to severe repercussions.


    "Do you understand, Rhodes?" Branden asked. "You and anyone who was seen with you will be paid for the betrayal. Do you want to die knowing that, or are you willing to cooperate?"


    "... I will answer all of your questions," Rhodes said after a resigned sigh.


    Rhodes disclosed a troubling turn of events. He exined that he had refrained from reaching out to anyone about his investigations but had received a disturbing letter instead. This letter delivered a gruesome ultimatum: halt his investigation into the city''s lord or face a gruesome fate where both he and his lover''s heads would explode violently.


    This dangerous threat left Rain, Lorene, and Orcis contemting the possibility that the same person who had tried to bury them earlier had somehow made contact with Rhodes without his knowledge.


    The authenticity of this threat remained uncertain, though, and it was unclear whether it was a genuine danger or just a bluff. However, the timing of the threat was that dangerous. It coincided with the recent relocation of the city''s ruler, suggesting that Rhodes had been under investigation for quite some time.

 Chapter 299: Target

    "... It seems that people have been keeping an eye on me, even more than I had expected," Branden said while squinting his eyes. "I messed up this time."


    "What do you know about this city''s lord?" Rain asked.


    "... Perhaps I am not the best person to answer this," Branden replied.


    "This city''s lord is quite influential and has many allies, he also tried to win over Branden''s mother after the death of his father was confirmed," Lorene replied. "I guess that is one reason for him not to like us that much."


    "He also makes business with half of the people that we were going to investigate, so if he decided to do something that would trouble them¡­ they would feelpelled to work with him, no matter what," Orcis said. "Still, there are no bad rumors about him and he didn''t do anything until now that would make him feel suspicious."


    "What are the chances of him contacting Leo before?" Rain asked.


    "... It is hard to say, we were just kids back then and no one was keeping an eye on them," Branden said. "Still, I don''t think that he could be working with the magic people if he has ess to the anti-magic bombs¡­ that would be too dangerous for them."


    Rain''s head hurt as he wondered about the situation. He had always avoided politics, despising the intricate maneuvering that often apanied it. However, he couldn''t escape the repercussions of hisck of knowledge about potential enemies hidden within his own country.


    One of the primary reasons Rain had dedicated so much time and effort to training his friends was his trust in their loyalty. He believed they would stand beside him and protect his sisters, regardless of the challenges they faced. But the world they inhabited was rife with dangers that extended beyond physicalbat.


    Magic and other concealed dangers lurked in the shadows, and it was evident that their adversaries were willing to employ any means necessary to achieve their objectives. The stakes had risen significantly, and Rain understood the urgent need to adapt swiftly to confront these new and multifaceted challenges.


    "This smells fishy¡­" Lorene said. "If those involved in the kidnappings are also investigating us, they also should be aware that we contacted Seadir and the sea folk. They might be plotting something¡­ running away isn''t their only option."


    "Do you think that their informationwork is that fast?" Branden asked.


    "We shouldn''t underestimate them," Lorene said. "I don''t know much about the military and wars, but I know a few things about backstabbing in our country. Now is the high time for the enemies to make their moves before you marry Esmeralda."


    "You have a point¡­ in that case, we can''t make big moves, but we have to find proof that the lord here is plotting against the country by inciting a war between us and the seafolk," Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Rain, can you do that on your own? You can''t use your most famous spells, and you can''t also fight like you usually do."


    "You sure are asking for a lot," Rain replied. "Let''s see¡­ I guess I can pull it off, what is the goal here? Kill everyone or just capture the lord?"


    "We need to avoid escting the situation before we have clear proof of his involvement, so you need to stop him and look for the proof," Branden said. "Still, I don''t think that he will be unguarded, and it is hard to imagine him keeping a prisoner under his house¡­ Focus on knocking down those who get in your way and then capture the lord before investigating his home.


    If something happens, you can escape with the lord, and we will deal with the rest."


    "All right then," Rain said, and then he began to stretch his body.


    "How do you n to deal with the situation?" Branden asked.


    "I want to try something new for a while, so I will use water magic since it isn''t that deadly unless I make something extra sharp andpressed," Rain exined. "Don''t wait for me to exin everything in detail."


    "All right¡­ just try to be careful because things aren''t as simple as they are in a war," Branden said. "As for the target''s appearance¡­"


    After hearing about the appearance of the target, Rain grabbed some potions just in case, his mana was full and he couldn''t think that something as dangerous as a dragon was waiting for him in the city, but he had to be careful just in case to avoid future problems.


    Rain wasted no time in finishing his preparations. Leaving Branden, Lorene, and Orcis in thepany of their three guests seemed the wisest choice. They all understood the futility of killing those three at that moment. Moreover, with Rain''s exceptional flying speed, any attempt to escape or hide would prove futile, and he would locate them sooner rather thanter.


    As he finalized his preparations, Rain took to the skies once more, bound for the city ahead. This time, however, he challenged himself by refraining from utilizing his earth magic, a habitual reflex. Instead, he relied solely on harnessing small bursts of wind to propel him forward and upward. It was a conscious effort to limate his mind to this shift in approach.


    Before long, Rain reached the city and then found himself flying above the top of thergest building in the city, the target should be there.


    Without hesitation, Rain began to fall toward the ce and he could see a bunch of guards around the ce. It was still early in the evening, so Despite their numbers, none of them were waiting for attacks. Find stories at m,v,l,e,mpy,r.


    When Rain entered the area, he tried to use his wind magic to stop his fall, but much to his surprise¡­ he failed to do that and eventuallynded in the garden. It seemed that the area was covered with the same material that made the anti-magic bombs¡­

 Chapter 300: Ambush

    In the midst of this unexpected situation, Rain found himself smiling. Although he hadn''t predicted these circumstances, he had made certain preparations in case his magic ever proved sealed yet again. His face remained hidden beneath a hood, and he had stashed a few ice spheres in his pockets, ready to face any challenges that might arise.


    It didn''t take long for the guards to take notice of him, and since that was the case, Rain didn''t have to be silent anymore. He jumped through the windows of the house and invaded it.


    The house Rain invaded into was really fancy inside. First, there was a big entrance room with fancy furniture and a huge, sparkling chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The walls had valuable paintings and tapestries showing important events. Deeper inside, he found a posh dining room with a long, shiny wooden table set for a fancy meal.


    Big windows looked out on the pretty garden where Rain had crashed.


    Still, the ce waspletely empty¡­ It was dinner time, so he assumed that it was the best ce to find the target. However, soon after, from the doors on both sides of the room, some heavily armored guards with halberds appeared.


    "How are they nning to swing that?" Rain thought. "Well, even if they don''t have much room, I still can''t use my magic."


    Rain could hear the sound of soldiersing from behind as well, so soon, he was going to find himself surrounded. That was a bit annoying since he also couldn''t use his earth magic to find the target.


    In any case, when the guards got too close, Rain just used his new trick and then threw the ice pebbles at the enemies. They didn''t have the chance to dodge them and they hit their helmets. Upon impact, the marbles cracked and then began to freeze the helmets of the guards.


    "What the... what the hell is this?" The guards panicked when they felt the freezing cold reaching their faces.


    Rain jumped over them and then crossed the right door while the guards were busy. Soon, he found somerge stairs that would lead to the second floor, but the ce was blocked by numerous guards.


    Rain felt like sighing since he waspletely in the dark there and he wondered what he could do¡­ in the end, he used Limit Breaker and then threw the marbles of ice in the helmets of the guards. They flew while making high-pitched sounds and soon knocked them down, creating a hole in their formation, which Rain used.


    With a single jump, Rain crossed the stairs and passed by the guards, but they still swung their halberds at him. Rain almost used his forearm guards to block them, but he threw the ice marbles instead and that slowed down the weapons enough to make him lower his posture and avoided the weapons by a thin margin. At the same time, it froze the weapons of the guards.


    Rain kept dashing through that corridor and crossed it in no time only to find a door at the end, open it and then find another set of stairs and more guards at the top of them. Armed with shields and spears, they were ready to fight.


    "It can''t be¡­ this is¡­" Rain thought and then clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Rain could only confirm his thoughts by finding the target''s room. So, he used Limit Breaker again and then crossed the stairs by running normally. When the weapons blocked his way, he just jumped over them insanely fast. They thrust their spears upward, but they only hit the air.


    In the end, Rain found a room at the end of that corridor that seemed fairly fancy and quiterge. Before the guards could even turn, he reached it and then opened the door¡­ only to find a rugged individual there sitting on the desk and then looking at him with a forced expression of shock.


    "It isn''t him¡­" Rain thought.


    The person facing Rain appeared more like a young soldier in his twenties rather than a wealthy noble. While they shared simr dark hair, stature, and physical build, the target was unmistakably at least twenty years older.


    Rain considered the situation and surmised that their target had likely foreseen their arrival, prompting the setup of this trap. It appeared that the purpose of this ambush was not only to identify Rain but also to link the attack back to Branden. His suspicions were confirmed when he observed a man by the desk, who swiftly hurled a bomb in Rain''s direction.


    The explosion in mid-air was supposed to burn his cloak and reveal his identity.


    Fortunately, the explosion didn''t reach him since Rain threw some ice marbles at the bomb and stopped its propagation. In any case, Rain jumped through the window and thennded on the garden only to find fifty guards around¡­ the target truly had prepared one hell of a surprise.


    "... Here we go again," Rain thought after a long sigh.


    In the midst of the chaotic situation the numerous soldiers swarmed toward Rain in the garden. They seemed unconcerned by the garden throwing bombs at him relentlessly. Each explosion followed the previous one, creating a fire chain reaction.


    The bursts of fire lit up the night sky, turning the garden into something resembling a battlefield. The mes flickered and cast eerie shadows over the garden''s trees. Thick smoke billowed into the air, obscuring the soldiers'' view and filling the atmosphere with the acrid smell of burning nts while the ground trembled.


    Before the smoke could dissipate, several soldiers were knocked down by invisible projectiles, they quickly raised their shields and tried to defend themselves, but that only made them lose clear view of the surroundings for a moment, in that split of a second, Rain passed by them with his cloak on fire and covering his face with his arms¡­ when he left the garden, he was able to use his magic again.

 Chapter 301: Cunning adversary

    Having narrowly escaped the fiery chaos in the garden, Rain immediately took action to deal with the pursuing guards. Reacting instinctively, he unleashed a powerful st of water from his hand, propelling it with tremendous force toward the soldiers. They were caught off guard and sent flying backward, crashing into the nearby building and effectively halting their pursuit.


    With the immediate threat neutralized, Rain shifted his focus to making his escape. Using controlled bursts of wind beneath his feet, he began to move as if he were walking on air. This technique granted him remarkable agility and speed, allowing him to quickly put distance between himself and his pursuers.


    When Rain returned to where the others were, they were caught off guard by his appearance. They heard the explosions even from a distance, and they also saw the sky brightening.


    "... What happened?" Branden asked.


    "They were waiting for me, around two hundred heavily armored guards," Rain replied. "The house waspletely sealed to stop magic, and there was no one else inside aside from soldiers. I had a really hard time not killing them."


    "Their informationwork is that fast¡­ to think that the target would be able to prepare something like this when we only left yesterday¡­" Lorene showed a look of surprise in her face. "It seems that he had some informant in the port city, and they heard our first talk."


    "... At least we confirmed that the target is highly involved in the incident, but where is he now?" Orcis asked.


    Branden provided a more detailed ount of Joanis Valera, the target. Shedding light on his background and rise to prominence. Joanis, a noble lord in his forties, had umted substantial wealth and influence. Prior to a certain event at the border with the magic people, the Valera family was already a respected and affluent noble lineage.


    Tragedy struck when Joanis lost his wife and son during one of the initial shes with the magic people at the border. Surprisingly, instead of retreating from public life or diminishing in power, the Valera family''s fortunes soared. They increased their newfound wealth to expand their influence and ascend the ranks of noble families.


    It appeared that the loss of loved ones had only fueled their ambition and determination to climb the social hierarchy.


    Through astute maneuvering, Joanis emerged as a cunning and strategic lord, adept at navigating the intricate realms of politics and economy. This reputation marked him as a formidable adversary in the past to the Lonard, not just in terms of riches but also in wielding significant political clout.


    Branden''s ount painted a picture of Joanis Valera as more than just a wealthy noble; he was a figure driven by an unrelenting thirst for power and willing to employ any means to achieve his ambitions. Rain recognized that confronting such a character would require careful consideration and preparation, given Joanis''s formidable stature in the world of nobility.


    "... During that time, grandfather and our fathers were working on Teria, but while they repelled the magic people, many lives were lost," Branden added. "That was one of the many reasons refused to even talk with Joanis."


    "Do you think that they wanted you, your brothers, and your mother in the family to mistreat them?" Rain asked.


    "... We considered that we basically would be dancing on the palm of his hands, after all," Branden said.


    Considering all that, It wasn''t surprising that Joanis had people working for him who possessed anti-magic bombs, as these devices were useful against the magic people, aligning with his desire for revenge. However, what puzzled Rain was the fact that Joanis waited for twenty years before taking any action.


    During this time, Joanis maintained an impable reputation, with no known wrongdoing. His sudden shift in behavior, including orchestrating a trap and attempting to assassinate Rain and his allies, seemed irrational and raised questions about his true motivations and cunning.


    "When was the first time that your people began to disappear again?" Rain asked.


    "Thirty years ago," Seadir replied. "The kidnappings only happen once every few years, though¡­ We assumed many times that they only died thanks to idents or facing the wrong monster¡­ but the number of attacks increased fifteen years ago and some of us managed to escape the ambushers and informed us of what was truly happening."


    "That means that he either took over that kind of¡­ action and began to control things under his wings, probably with the help of pirates as well," Orcis said. "But that is too much of an indirect approach to have revenge against the remaining members of the Lonard family."


    "We can think about thatter¡­ Rhodes, you don''t know where he went, do you?" Branden asked.


    "There were no signs of talk about the lord leaving the city," Rhodes replied.


    "... If his n worked, he would head to the capital, even if he considered failing, he would have a better chance or staying ahead of us by heading there as well," Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Still, it would take days for that to happen and he would need some other things to use against us¡­"


    When he heard that, Rain considered his sisters or parents, but the port town was too far away and he knew that Jori and the others would be more than capable of dealing with most enemies¡­


    The group began to think of what Joanis could use against them¡­ it was very unlikely that he would escape and leave all of his riches and fame behind that easily.


    "I can''t think of any physical proof that he can use against us, but he can use the testimony of the informants against me," Branden said.


    "Now and then, they receive direct orders from me to investigate something and Joanis can probably use that against me to make us waste time and give the chance for the sea emperor destroy a good part of the country¡­ that failure will make me take a lot of the me and people will have the chance to ask for my head."

 Chapter 302: Returning to the capital

    "Since that is the case, he might try to buy time by incriminating you of something else," Orcis said. "This invasion can be one of them¡­ even if no one saw Rain, the investigation will take a while, and in the meantime, the sea emperor will make his move."


    "Indeed¡­ in the end, our best option still is to find the prisoner and ask them to confirm who was behind the kidnappings," Branden said.


    In the end, Rain felt like he just wasted time on the invasion, but at least he confirmed how much the enemy was prepared. The group soon began to fly again, even while Rain was healing himself. The bombs weren''t as powerful as a dragon breath, but it still burned his skin quite a bit.


    While he was doing that, Rain wondered if the enemy would have killed thest prisoner already. Considering what had happened, he could only think that Joanis was quite cunning, so he should have predicted that they would look for the prisoner and me him for the whole situation.


    "I suppose I won''t have to run to conserve my mana," Rain thought. "I won''t fall for the same trick twice and asking around for Intel won''t do it when the informants join the enemy''s side."


    Time was of the essence more than ever, so Rain was willing to go all out no matter the costs. Lately, he had some fun seeing his fortune increasing, but it was time to invest all that in order to get rid of some asshole that had an unreasonable grudge.


    For the next two days, the group checked three cities and two towns. While using his magic, Rain checked for buildings where the use of magic had been sealed, but he didn''t find any of those. That being said, he found underground some homes of the people that were being investigated in some dungeon-like ces. There were cages, chains, and other things one would use to keep someone locked down.


    Still, they didn''t find anyone in those ces, even though it looked like they had been used recently. It didn''t take long for the group to realize that Joanis and hispanions had some prisoners and moved them elsewhere to make Rain and the others waste time¡­ it almost looked like he could see what they were doing.


    The group could tell that the Seadir and the others were getting tired of theck of results¡­ They got some results, but they wanted a big one in the shape of one of their allies.


    "He is good¡­ he probably brought all of his prisoners to the capital to make us go there as well," Branden said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "He is several steps ahead of us and probably has other tricks to make us waste time and dance on the palm of his hands."


    "In the capital, we can''t capture and force him to spill the beans without making us look suspicious and he definitely will use that to his advantage," Rain while his eyebrows were twitching out of annoyance. "He might have some buildings that he can use in the city where no one knows that those ces belong to him¡­"


    "He will also be sure to annoy us as much as possible to make us do something stupid¡­" Lorene said while rubbing her eyes. "We can''t do this by ourselves, we only have three days left, so we need to either use the king''s de or ask His Majesty to help. If we exin that situation, perhaps that will be enough."


    "... He probably knows that these are our only options and he has made the necessary countermeasures against us," Branden said.


    "If he has talked with His Majesty already to incriminate me, he can say that I am nning a coup d''etat¡­ if I don''t do that, he probably will use some of my informants to lie and make me look like a criminal with the letters that I sent them¡­ since he is rich, he can convince most people to think that I am after his fortune."


    The situation was getting out of hand really fast¡­ those crazy scenarios all seemed possible and it wasn''t something that he could solve just by punching around. He had to use his head really well to avoid creating even more problems.


    "Let''s return to the capital first, we can think of what we can do once we arrive there," Rain said while summoning the earth chamber.


    The decision to return to the capital received unanimous agreement from everyone present. Rain couldn''t help but reflect on Jori''s earlier assessment, which had hit the mark. He realized that he was not ustomed to this line of work, and it made him question whether he should have focused on other aspects of his life.


    This internal dilemma weighed on him. However, he understood that there was no use dwelling on it. The enemy had been plotting their schemes for decades, and they were only now starting to unravel the truth. It was aplex and challenging situation, and Rain had to stay focused on finding a way to ovee it.


    As they soared through the sky, Rain pondered whether utilizing his tunnel to infiltrate the city might be a viable option. However, he quickly dismissed the idea as useless. It was highly probable that their adversaries were keeping a close watch not only on his home but also on Branden and anyone associated with them. Any sudden movements would likely be detected.


    The most promising course of action, Rain concluded, might be to contact Lotto under the cover of darkness. Yet, even this n was fraught with uncertainty. The ndestine nature of their mission and the looming threats left Rain wondering about the unknown, unsure of how the events would unfold in theing hours.


    All that he knew was the fact that things wouldn''t be easy to solve with a few punches and that was a first for him.

 Chapter 303: Allies and enemies

    "Do you think we should head directly to the king''s room in the middle of the night to exin the situation?" Rain asked when he could see the capital in the distance.


    The whole group was left in a state of utter shock when Rain presented his audacious idea to infiltrate the king''s quarters under the cloak of night. This suggestion teetered on the edge of utmost insolence, a daring act that carried the weight of potentially severe consequences.


    Their eyes widened in a collective expression of amazement and concern as they grappled with the audacity of Rain''s proposal.


    However, Rain appeared undeterred by their shared astonishment, seemingly unfazed by the audacious nature of his n. His goals outweighed any reservations regarding propriety or the potential fallout of such a bold action.


    "That isn''t an option, even more so when Seadir, Sirenus and Coraline are with us," Branden said. "They are guests, but we aren''t part of a diplomaticmittee. We have to find another way."


    "Even though you did that much for the truce, it doesn''t feel like you are that trusted," Rain said.


    "We just have to avoid all kinds of actions that might make us look suspicious¡­" Branden said and then sighed.


    Branden looked at Seadir and his friends for a moment and felt like sighing again¡­ things would be different if they had a bit more time, but they had to make it work with what they had.


    While the group was still thinking of what they should do, they arrived in the city andnded at the top of the headquarters. Although it was dinner time, the ce was quite quiet. Usually at such a time, people would be drinking and eating while making a lot of noise. Rain could feel the presence of a lot of people inside, so it seemed that they heard some bad news.


    "... Something is off¡­" Rain said. "They are too quiet."


    "We can''t talk with anyone, even Ka I guess," Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Can you find anyone that could be watching the building, Rain?"


    "If we wait a bit more, maybe," Rain said. "There are too many people around."


    Afternding on the rooftop of the headquarters, the group settled in for an extended watch. Rain, especially, remained alert during this time. His watchful eyes scanned the surroundings for any signs of unusual activity. Although the exterior of the building remained quiet, the interior was eerily silent.


    They waited in suspense, each passing minute feeling like an eternity. Despite the slow passage of time, Rain and the group remained patient and ready for the daring mission thaty ahead.


    "Rain, I decided that we should split the work," Branden suddenly dered. "You, Seadir, Sirenus and Coraline, will remain hidden while the rest of us will talk with everyone here and eventually His Majesty."


    "Why?" Rain asked while frowning.


    "It is just a countermeasure, in case something troublesome happens," Branden exined. "We don''t know what Joanis is nning, and he is many steps ahead of us. If something happens to us, you all will have to continue the investigation."


    Branden''s idea of making an unexpected move to catch the enemy off guard had its merits, but Rain couldn''t shake off his unease about it. While it made sense strategically, it also meant that any fallout wouldnd on Rain''s shoulders.


    Hecked confidence in his ability to stayposed and restrained in such a situation if something happened involving his family, and he was counting on that since the enemy was going to great lengths now.


    However, Rain recognized that the element of surprise could y to their advantage. The enemy likely wouldn''t see Branden''s arrival without his bodyguard and the sea folk as a possibility. This unforeseen twist might cause Joanis to fret and, with any luck, lead to his undoing. It was a risky bet, but it had the potential to work in their favor.


    "All right, let''s see what will happen," Rain said. "Let me check the surroundings for real this time."


    Rain focused his mind intently, channeling his magic into the atmosphere around the headquarters. As he concentrated, the air began to grow damp, and moisture gathered in minuscule droplets suspended in the air. Slowly but steadily, a few lines of raindrops fell within a one-kilometer radius of the building.


    These tiny droplets, infused with Rain''s mana, acted as a sort of magical sonar. They allowed him to sense the presence of individuals both outside and within the structure. It was an experimental technique, but for a first attempt, it had proven surprisingly effective.


    Rain''s eyes sparkled with satisfaction as he realized the potential of this newfound ability to help him find enemies and others in arge area.


    "... There is no one particrly strong or weird in the area, but there are some suspicious auras inside the building," Rain said while frowning. "I have never seen auras like these¡­ they aren''t quite human, but they don''t belong to the magic people either, they certainly aren''t from the sea folk."


    "This is suspicious¡­ but they should make their move once we show up," Branden said. "We will leave things in your hands now."


    Orcis and Lorene nodded as well and Rain did the same, soon after, they entered the building after Rain helped themnd behind the headquarters with his magic. As Branden, Lorene, and Orcis entered the building, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline, the sea folk trio, exchanged looks as they considered their role in this next part of the mission.


    Seadir understood theplexities of their situation. They were outsiders in a foreignnd, and although Rain had showcased impressivebat skills, his youth raised doubts about his leadership abilities. Nevertheless, the urgency of their missionpelled them to participate.


    In unspoken agreement, they opted to observe Rain''s actions for now. Their strategy involved assessing his decision-making and leadership skills as events happen. This cautious approach would allow them to adapt and contribute effectively while ensuring the sess of their mission to find someone crucial to their people.

 Chapter 304: Refusal

    Upon entering the headquarters, Branden, Lorene, and Orcis noticed that an atmosphere of both surprise and tension hung in the air. The people inside disyed mixed expressions, a blend of relief at seeing their boss safe and deep concern over the situation. There was more in the air, though.


    Branden, while exchanging greetings and offering reassurances to many of the upants, made his way toward Ka to discuss the unfolding events. However, an unexpected obstacle emerged in their path: a group of individuals d in the distinctive royal guard armor, each of them brandishing a spear. This unforeseen development left Branden and hispanions thoroughly surprised.


    "Lord Branden, His Majesty demands your presence in the castle immediately," one of the royal guards said. "Lord Orcis and Lady Lorene should alsoe along as well to answer some questions."


    As Branden observed the presence of these royal guards, he couldn''t help but connect the dots. It became evident to him that Revan, themander of the royal guard, might have be involved in Joanis''s schemes.


    The signs had been there for a while and were bing increasingly difficult to ignore. Despite holding the prestigious position of royal guardmander, Revan''s influence and standing in the kingdom had gradually waned thanks to the king''s de achievements.


    Revan''s rapid ascent had urred following the fall of the Lonard family, a once-prominent military family. Their demise had created a power vacuum that he skillfully filled, propelling him to the forefront of the kingdom''s leadership.


    However, recent events and changes in the politicalndscape hinted at a decline in Revan''s power and influence, which raised questions about whether his loyalty had shifted towards Joanis Valera, the lord they were pursuing.


    "Certainly," Branden said and then turned around to lead the path toward the castle. "Ka came with us until midway."


    Given theplex situation, Branden understood that directly disobeying the king or attempting to stall without raising suspicion would be unwise. He recognized the delicate bnce of power and the impossibility of openly defying a royal decree.


    With his quick-thinking mind, Branden devised an alternative strategy. He decided to call Ka. Involving her in the unfolding situation could prove crucial, as her loyalty and cooperation might y a pivotal role in navigating the intricate web of alliances that may involve Joanis Valera, Revan, and the royal guards.


    Branden acknowledged the importance of securing as many allies as possible when facing a potential threat. By reaching out to Ka, he aimed to assess her loyalty and gain a valuable asset in these uncertain times.


    Ka readily nodded and then followed the group toward the exit of the building. For a short time, Branden wondered what he should tell her¡­ he couldn''t reveal much since the guards were behind them, and he didn''t know if Ka would bail now.


    "Tell me what happened while I was away," Branden said when he noticed something.


    "... Six days ago, we received a royal decree that we have to stop our activities while the royal guard conducts an investigation," Ka replied. "I don''t know the details as to why, but the king''s de is being investigated."


    Branden felt like clicking his tongue since it meant that he couldn''t ask her to do anything, and thanks to these words, he became fully aware that she was as much in the dark as he was considering the situation in the capital.


    "Esmeralda contacted you?" Branden asked.


    "No, sir," Ka replied. "Her royal highness didn''t make an appearance in thest few days."


    "... I see. You are dismissed then," Branden said.


    Ka nodded and readily left the group while they headed toward the castle. The walk would be around twenty minutes; it wasn''t much time, but Rain had to make the most of it. He followed the group while flying above them and keeping an eye on the area. Luckily, the sky was cloudy, and the light of the city didn''t reach that high. he listened to everything and followed Ka.


    While in the headquarters, Ka just ignored everyone and kept working like usual, organizing documents. Everyone around was alsopletely silent and acting like nothing had happened.


    "... What do you guys think of this?" Rain asked.


    "You can''t even understand the situation in your own organization?" Seadir asked.


    "It isn''t mine. I am just an ordinary member that doesn''t contact the others often," Rain shrugged.


    "... Even considering the situation, their behavior seems odd," Seadir said, and his friends nodded.


    "What about you?" Rain asked while looking at Rhodes.


    "... why would you even trust my words in the first ce?" Rhodes asked.


    "It is just for argument''s sake," Rain replied.


    "... Everyone is on guard¡­ like they can''t trust each other," Rhodes relied while looking away. "As if some members had joined the enemy''s side, and they are aware of it."


    "That seems pretty urateing from you, no offense," Rain said.


    Rhodes'' assessment seemed urate; some members of the organization had switched sides and joined the enemy for various reasons. This betrayal had made Rain quite wary, and he found it challenging to trust anyone fully.


    Even among his closest friends, Rain recognized potential vulnerabilities that the enemies could exploit. Asche and Terra, who had worked with him at the orphanage, had their own connections and weaknesses there. Realizing that his most trusted allies might also bepromised left Rain feeling uneasy. Jori, Reca, and Liss also grew up there, after all.


    Despite this difort, Rain had taken precautions for a situation in which his sisters might have to fend for themselves. He understood that in thisplex and perilous world, it was crucial to be prepared for any possibility, even if it meant ensuring the safety of his little sisters.


    While thinking about what he should do, Rain decided to follow Branden and the others as well. At that point in time, he was fully aware that the castle could be a death trap for him, but for that kind of situation, he had also prepared something else¡­

 Chapter 305: Kings decree

    Rain increased his speed as he flew towards the castle,nding atop a nearby building before Branden and the others could catch up. He immediately put his magical abilities to work, trying to scan the castle''s interior. However, a weird feeling bothered him as he realized that his magic had ceased to function as soon as it reached the castle''s walls.


    Even the king had prepared countermeasures against him.


    This discovery sent a shiver down Rain''s spine, as it was evident that someone within the castle, possibly even the king himself, had been well-prepared for his arrival. It was no coincidence; it was a calcted move to stop his magical skills. This meant that Rain needed to exercise extreme caution and expect further challenges within the castle.


    As Rain awaited the arrival of Branden and the others, a growing sense of unease settled in. It was no longer a simple matter of seeking an audience with the king; he now faced a formidable fortress of defenses designed specifically to counter his abilities. This raised concerns about what other surprisesy in wait and whether his mission to uncover the truth would be met with even more obstacles.


    "Change of ns, magic won''t work inside the castle," Rain said.


    "What?" Seadir asked, visibly shocked. "How is that possible? If that is the case, then..."


    "It seems that the king trusts Joanis a lot more than we had imagined perhaps a bit too fast too¡­ or maybe he doesn''t have much faith in Branden''s self-control," Rain exined. "Anyway, we will follow a different route. We need to hurry."


    Seadir and hispanions were taken aback after hearing that. They relied heavily on magic when they were onnd, making their inability to use it in this ce a significant concern. It felt much worse than like taking a fish out of the water, leaving them feeling exposed and defenseless.


    Questions raced through their minds. How had Rain determined the existence of the anti-magic barrier surrounding the castle? What preparations had he made to navigate this difficult situation? But Rain had stressed the urgency of their mission, leaving them little time to ponder about these questions.


    Despite their unease, their determination shone through their expressions. They understood the vital importance of their mission and the need to uncover the truth concealed within the castle''s walls. With a shared nod, they readied themselves to follow Rain into the castle. Despite that, they head in the opposite direction.


    In the end, Rain went to his house and then checked the area around and soon found some people spying on it through the dark alleys nearby. Rain felt like sighing¡­ as if they would be able to see him moving when they were that far away.


    Regardless, Rain didn''t like the idea of making a traitor learn about his little secret or the sea folk for that matter, but he didn''t have any other choice or time right now. Besides, he might be useful, and he can kill him at any time.


    "I can''t kill, and while this is annoying, this is probably for the best since it will make the enemies understand that I came here," Rain thought and then used his magic on the clouds above to make the air cool down.


    Before long, a small rain began to take ce in the area. In that short window of time, the spies began to pull cloaks to protect themselves, and Rain used that chance tond in the garden. Before they couldnd step on the ground, he controlled a part of the ground and opened a passageway to his tunnel and he quickly sealed it.


    As soon as theynded, Rain ignited the torches around and grabbed one before jumping on the cart. The others followed him and soon were shocked when they saw the vehicle moving insanely fast, but soon it stopped. Considering the direction and the distance crossed, Seadir quickly realized that they were right below the castle.


    Using his magic, Rain moved a bit of the ground above and soon revealed a staircase that would lead them upward. Not even his family was aware of that since it could be considered a crime to spy on the royal family.


    "You¡­ you don''t have any respect for your rulers?" Seadir asked.


    "My respect and loyalty lies on those that earned it. Titles mean nothing to me,"


    The group began to climb the stairs, and the tension was palpable in the area. After climbing a few dozen meters. They realized that the walls of the tunnel looked harder¡­ the tunnel connected to one of the pirs of the castle, and soon enough, Rain stopped and then used his magic to create some holes around, but before he could finish them, he talked with the others.


    "Gentlemen and Lady, I would advise not opening your mouths and not moving," Rain said. "If you do so, I won''t take responsibility for what will happen."


    Just to be safe, Rain used his magic and charged the air with it. Everyone realized that Rain could use the air now to cut their heads instantly, so his words were serious. Not only that, he also could seal the tunnel to make sure no sound woulde out from it.


    Before long, Rain finished the holes, and everyone could see the other side. They were left speechless when they realized that they were inside arge pir in the middle of the throne room.


    On the other side, sitting on the throne, they could see the king surrounded by some advisors. The throne room was also filled with royal guards¡­ among the advisors, Rain recognized the appearance of Joanis. He truly looked like an unsuspicious nobleman. While looking at him, Rain couldn''t see a single trace of an asshole, but appearances truly are deceiving.


    Before long, Branden, Lorene, and Orcis entered the room while being surrounded by a bunch more guards, and the whole ce grew silent while they watched those three approaching.

 Chapter 306: Spying

    As Branden, Lorene, and Orcis made their way toward the imposing throne, a heavy tension hung in the air. The opulent chamber, adorned with intricate tapestries and gleaming marble floors, seemed to close in around them. Their footsteps, usually muffled by the chatter of courtiers, echoed ominously in the vast hall.


    Their approach drew cautious attention from the gathered advisors and guards. Where once polite smiles and deferential nods had greeted them, now they were met with wary gazes and hushed conversations. An undercurrent of unease flowed through the room like a brewing storm.


    The King''s face was etched with anger and suspicion, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowing as he fixated on Branden and hispanions. His fingers rhythmically tapped the ornate armrests as he studied them intently.


    Reaching the base of the throne, they instinctively knelt as a disy of respect and deference. They remained in that posture, heads slightly bowed, awaiting the king''s response. The atmosphere within the chamber had grown stifling, and an undeniable tension gripped the room, as if it could snap at any moment.


    "Branden¡­" the king said.


    "Yes, Your Majesty?" Branden said.


    "I received some concernings piece of information about your recent activities," The king said while studying Branden after he raised his head.


    "I sent you to deal with the matter on the port town, after we lost several ships to them, but it seems that you didn''t repel the enemies despite the fact that they destroyed half of the port town, but you also invited them to ournds when you could have captured and kept as a prisoner one of their most important people. What is the meaning of this?"


    Rain couldn''t ignore the striking shift in the king''s behavior. It was a very different attitude from his previously pacifist and diplomatic stance he usually showed. The king''s words now carried an unusual aggressiveness, a significant change from his pastmitment to peace.


    Rain found this change perplexing. Why would the king be so willing to risk another war, especially considering the devastating consequences of their previous conflict with the sea folk? He couldn''t grasp the rationale behind this sudden shift in attitude.


    Fighting against the sea folk would pose a formidable challenge, far more daunting than their past skirmishes with the magic people. The sea folk had the upper hand, as they didn''t need toe intond, and they possessed powerful sea creatures capable of wreaking havoc along the human kingdom''s shores.


    This situation left Rain deeply puzzled and concerned. He couldn''t help but wonder what had transpired to bring about such a drastic change in the king''s perspective, one that jeopardized their peaceful coexistence.


    "Your Majesty, I concluded that reaching a peaceful solutions would be better for the matter," Branden said. "While we had one of them captured, we only used such methods to force them to negotiate with us. As such, we obtained one week of truce to solve the issue with the sea folk. It seems that some people have been capturing them over the decades and their patience reached a boiling point."


    Branden demonstrated sound judgment by not disclosing the identity of the final captive. This individual held immense significance as they were important to the seafolk and the son of the Sea Emperor, Seadir.


    Revealing this critical piece of information to the humans could be highly risky. It might tempt the human authorities to utilize the prisoner as bait to draw the sea folk, including their leader, into a dangerous situation. Such actions could potentially escte the already precarious circumstances and jeopardize the fragile peace that had been maintained.


    Branden''s discretion in this matter was a wise decision, ensuring that no hasty actions disrupted the delicate bnce they had managed to preserve.


    "That isn''t what I heard. The reports say that you invited three powerful sea folk warriors to ournds to cause havoc against some people. Weren''t you the one who caused the attack at Lord Joanis residence three days ago?" The king asked.


    "Your Majesty, I wasn''t the one who did that," Branden replied.


    Branden''s im of innocence in the attack on Joanis''s residence was genuine, and he spoke the truth. However, even in the absence of concrete evidence, Joanis chose to exploit the incident to his advantage.


    This decision showed Joanis''s willingness to manipte the situation to further his own agenda, even if it meant casting doubt on individuals who were not involved in the attack. Joanis''s actions demonstrated a shrewd and calcted approach to advancing his goals, even if it meant falsely using others.


    "You didn''t do that? But one of your subordinates attacked, didn''t he?" The king asked.


    "I can''t say for sure, Your Majesty," Branden said. "We split a while ago to increase the investigation speed. I didn''t see any of my subordinates attacking any ce. May I ask who saw the attacker and when exactly that happened?"


    Branden''s statement wasn''t an outright lie, but it also wasn''t theplete truth. He was treading a delicate line, trying to navigate a situation where any misstep could lead to severe consequences, including beingbeled an enemy of the kingdom for deceit.


    His choice of words and actions reflected the precarious nature of his position, where revealing too much or too little could have dire consequences.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a slight sense of relief that Branden hadn''t attempted to betray him at that moment. Nevertheless, the overall situation was undeniably growing moreplex and challenging, and Rain understood that he needed to remain vignt and adaptable to navigate the unfolding circumstances.


    "You may not ask. I have enough evidence to suspect your intentions, Branden," the king said. "The sea folk destroyed three ships that belonged to lord Joanis, and you assumed that we still had room for negotiation? I have known for a while that you have some history with him, but I didn''t think that such a thing would be enough to make you decide to destroy his family''s name.


    The fact that you also began to investigate other families is also suspicious."

 Chapter 307: Privileges, fame, money

    In the end, Branden truly didn''t receive permission to do some spy work and collect intel. Still, that kind of thing was only obvious considering his position and how many envied him.


    At that point in time, it should be obvious that all of the noble houses had spies who worked in the territory of their adversaries. If the king didn''t know that, he was more stupid than Rain had assumed. Perhaps staying hidden in his castle made him lose some brain cells.


    "Your Majesty, I won''t deny that I had some people working for me to gather such information, but I was only trying to find those who tried to stop the peace talks with the magic people," Branden exined. "They used anti-magic bombs against my subordinates. That kind of tool is extremely dangerous and can engulf our country in the chaos of war once again."


    "I am well aware of that substance; we decided to make use of it to enhance our defenses and for the sake of the future," The king dered.


    As Branden, Orcis, and Lorene absorbed the king''s promation, a profound shock swept through them like a frigid gust of wind. The recent losses from a terrible war were still fresh in their memories, and they were taken aback by the revtion that their king was actively preparing for yet another conflict.


    The gravity of this disclosure weighed heavily on their minds, their expressions reflecting a blend of astonishment, fear, and deep concern.


    Branden maintained aposed exterior that masked the turmoil within him. Memories of thest war haunted his thoughts, making the prospect of a new one almost unbearable.


    Orcis found himself trembling with a mixture of confusion and uneasiness. The mere suggestion that the king might consider deploying anti-magic bombs, weapons with the potential to ignite a war with the sea folk and the magic folk, left him in a state of disbelief.


    Lorene eyes widened, revealing a blend of astonishment and apprehension. Her lips parted as if she were about to voice her concerns, yet she found herself at a loss for words. She had always championed diplomatic solutions and the pursuit of peace, but now it seemed that their own ruler was veering toward a path of aggression.


    Kneeling before the king in the tense throne room, their collective unease seemed to permeate the air. They grasped the precipice on which they stood, acutely aware of the impending and potentially devastating conflict they would need to navigate while remainingmitted to their principles of peace and justice.


    As Branden looked around in confusion, his attention was drawn to two approaching figures, each with an unsettling demeanor. Revan, themander of the royal guard, exuded an air of authority. He seemed to view Branden''s predicament as nothing out of the ordinary, and a smug satisfaction yed across his face.


    Revan had a reputation for ambition and a willingness to spark conflicts to increase his influence even more.


    On the other side, Joanis who had spent decades carefully scheming and plotting behind the scenes. A subtle, self-satisfied smile graced his lips as he observed Branden''s vulnerable situation. Joanis relished the chance to capitalize on this moment, believing it to be the culmination of his long-term efforts.


    In this pivotal moment, Branden realized that not only did he face external threats, but internal ones also saw his misfortune as an opportunity. It was a clear reminder of the political dangers he navigated.


    "Your Majesty¡­ We all lost a lot thanks to those conflicts," Branden said. "We all have our own darkness thanks to the things that we lost during those periods. The traitor that caused the death of my grandparents and my father still is out there, ignoring those who caused all those losses so that our country could have some peace¡­ Please reconsider this approach."


    "Until your loyalty is confirmed, you will have to abstain from voicing your opinions on such a matter," The king said. "Several members of the king''s de revealed to me that you told them to spy on several lords. Do you deny that?"


    "I don''t deny it, Your Majesty," Branden replied.


    "Were you nning to invade lord Joanis residence in order to capture him?" The king asked.


    "I was nning to question him since I am one of my informants told me that he was threatened that if he were to spy on lord Joanis, he would lose his head," Branden replied.


    "Did he hear that threat directly from lord Joanis or someone associated with him?" The king asked.


    "No, he received a letter, but it is obvious who was the only person who would benefit from it," Branden said.


    "It seems that you don''t have concrete proof of it, Branden, and yet, some of your men told me that your intentions seem unclear," the king said.


    At that point in time, everyone knew that the king was either stupid or ying dumb¡­ it was weird that he was so quick to throw away someone as famous and influential as Branden so quickly. Still, Rain knew that war heroes were only mass murderers in times of peace. Still, the king should know that he would lose a lot of military power if he were to dispose of Branden or lock him up.


    At that moment¡­ something clicked in Rain''s mind. He recalled the weird and suspicious feeling that he had when the king gave the organization a name. Now, he could change the head of the organization, and if people try to leave it, they will essentially be adventurers and mercenaries again.


    Losing their titles as knights will make life a lot harder for them. There were many benefits that came with that title¡­ for one, they could easily buy residences in the capital, and they would have priority over others from outside. For another, the pay was much higher now than before.


    Privileges, fame, money¡­ they had it all¡­ once they got used to all that, it would be hard to let it go.

 Chapter 308: Taking the lead

    "Still, there are some ways for you to prove your allegiance, and that will make all doubts about your loyalty vanish," The king said. "First of all, you will call that subordinate of yours¡­ the earth mage that fights with his body as well and then make him bring those three that you invited to ournds. If you do so, we will all forget this."


    The king''s words made the atmosphere on the tunnel change, an unmistakable aura of hostility swelling among the sea folk guests, Seadir, Coraline, and Sirenus. The king''s ultimatum, demanding the capture of the sea folk warriors, had incited an intense anger in them.


    Seadir''s muscles tensed, fingers twitching, hinting at a desire to reach for his weapon. Coraline wore a determined expression to follow Seadir no matter what, and Sirenus was ready to kill everyone in the room.


    Rain harbored a mix of emotions. He felt no allegiance to the king and had not that much personal connection with Esmeralda, the king''s daughter. He had always been loyal to his values, his family, and his own thing. Still, the weight of responsibility bore down on him. The suspicion that the king might be linked to the sea folk kidnappings fueled his curiosity.


    Rain knew that if he were to take action and eliminate the king, it would drastically alter his life''s course. Yet, he couldn''t allow a perceived threat to his family and the peace he cherished to persist. If it came to that, he''d have to ensure it appeared as an ident, a tragic twist of fate. Would that be simple?


    In the stifling tunnel, the tension hung heavy. Rain stood on the brink of a monumental decision, one that could determine the kingdom''s fate and his own. He needed to tread carefully along this treacherous path, as many lives hung in the bnce.


    "Your Majesty, are you ordering me to do the same that the traitor of my family did?" Branden asked. "Do you want me to lie to them for personal benefit?"


    "I want you to show your loyalty to the kingdom and to the royal family," the king said. "What is the most important thing to you right now? Loyalty toward strangers or toward the kingdom and the royal family."


    "... I am sorry, your Majesty," Branden said after he lowered his head and then showed a regretful expression. "But I can''t do that. Putting my honor aside, I believe that it will be far worse to start to start another war and make ourselves enemies of the sea folk as well¡­ you also might not believe this, but you don''t want to make an enemy out of Rain, too."


    "... It is regretful," the king said. "Perhaps a few days in the dungeon will change your mind. Seize them."


    As the tense atmosphere in the tunnel thickened, Orcis and Lorene found themselves rendered silent by Branden''s decision. They exchanged a brief nce, their expressions reflecting a mixture of resignation and understanding. It seemed they had anticipated the path Branden was taking, and while they may have had concerns, they remained outwardlyposed.


    The repercussions of Branden''s actions weighed heavily on the politicalndscape of the realm. With Branden distancing himself from the king''s orders, it was clear that the dynamics within the nobility and military would shift dramatically. However, one crucial factor remained in the king''s favor¡ªcontrol of information.


    The king''s authority allowed him to manipte the narrative, ensuring he bore the least responsibility for the impending upheaval. He held the power to shape how the events unfolded in the public eye, minimizing his own losses while potentially throwing others into turmoil.


    Rain and the others returned to the tunnel, and then he immediately used his magic while everyone around was ready to attack him if they had to. Still, Rain ignored that and just kept searching with his mana in the area above. Soon enough, he found the dungeon below the castle and began to dig there. However, at some point, his magic stopped working.


    "I need to study this anti-magic substance¡­" Rain thought. "There a lot of things I need to do aside from that as well..."


    After a while, Rain began to dig with his hands, and since he was already used to that, it didn''t hurt that much, but he had to be extra careful in order not to make any noise since, thanks to the anti-magic substance, he couldn''t sense what lies ahead.


    Still, before long, Rain reached one of the cages, and thanks to a small hole in the ground, he was able to find Orcis. The dungeon smelled quite a bit, so it seemed that it either hadn''t been cleaned in a while or it had been used recently.


    While looking around, Rain saw Lorene in another cage and Branden with his head down. All of them were inplete silence. It seemed that there was a guard nearby, so they had to be mindful of him. After digging a bit more, Rain approached the cave where Branden was and then whispered to avoid the guard.


    "This isn''t exactly like I imagined a suit in the castle would be," Rain said.


    "What the¡­ how?" Branden asked. "I suppose this still is something easily achievable by an earth mage of your level."


    "What is the n now? Are you going to escape?" Rain asked. "I can help with that and make it look like you all just vanished into thin air."


    "... Did you hear that conversation? What about the others?" Branden asked.


    "Yep, they heard it," Rain replied. "It seems that our king is quite bloodthirsty even though he isn''t the one doing all the fighting."


    "This is insanity¡­ this isn''t like him at all," Branden said and then sighed. "There is a high chance that this could cause the end of this bloodline, but he still thinks that it is a risk worth taking¡­ I need to investigate it more so I can''t escape. We can''t escape¡­ we can still make the king change his mind."

 Chapter 309: [Bonus chapter] Eyes

    "Even though the king might be connected to the kidnappings?" Rain asked. "I don''t think that the anti-magic bombs would be enough to convince him to take Joanis'' side that easily. Besides, if he moved the prisoners, they should be here in the capital, and moving a lot of them should only be possible with the permission of the king."


    Rain couldn''t help but ponder why the king had not only epted Joanis'' actions but seemed to endorse them. While the promise of substantial financial gain for the kingdom was an apparent incentive, Rain couldn''t shake the feeling that there was a far more sinister reason lurking in the shadows.


    The very thought sent shivers down his spine, and he hesitated to delve too deeply into it. The implications of the king''s motivations were deeply unsettling, and Rain knew that letting his mind dwell on them would only stoke the fires of his anger. He couldn''t imagine how much worse it must be for Seadir and his friends, who had even more personal stakes in this situation.


    For now, Rain resolved to keep his focus on the immediate challenges ahead, but the unsettling mysteries surrounding the king''s actions continued to gnaw at the back of his mind, a dark cloud hanging over their already precarious situation.


    "You are right¡­ you should look for them; try to check the ces that Joanis will head to," Branden said. "You also need to check your sisters and friends as soon as possible. After that, checking the orphanage where your friends lived is the best option. They will probably try to use the kids there to make your friends betray you."


    "Well, I considered all that already," Rain said. "Are you certain that you don''t want to escape?"


    "Yes¡­ this is for the best," Branden replied.


    "All right then¡­ untilter," Rain said, and then he closed the hole.


    Before long, Rain was back in the tunnel with the others. They studied him for a moment while he was deep in thought.


    Instead of following Joanis, it would be much better to just use all of his magic in the city. He still had some potions left, and now that he was basically at war, Rain didn''t have to hold back anymore. It was a civil war, and he was nning to use all of his options.


    Rain touched the ground with both hands and then began to focus. Before long, he used all of his mana to check the whole city. Everything that was made of earth, he was able to sense things around those things.


    Rain felt his head being overloaded as he felt the presence of every single person in the city; it was like trying to read hundreds of books at once in a small window of time. Still, he persisted, and his hard work paid off¡­ Rain found some presence of those that had simr auras to Seadir and the others.


    "What are you doing?" Seadir asked when Rain got up.


    "I found your friends, let''s go," Rain replied.


    "You could have done this from the very beginning?" Seadir red at him.


    "Yeah, I could, but that would leave me a bit exposed," Rain said. "I don''t have time now, so I will take my chances of fighting you now that I have low mana. What are you going to do?"


    It had be painfully evident to Seadir and his friends that the humans, particrly their king, were now their enemies. The rage and frustration building within them urged them to take drastic measures, to exact vengeance upon those responsible for the kidnappings and the king''s ominous ns.


    In their minds, they believed that the humans had to be held ountable for allowing such a ruler to continue unchecked, making themplicit in their crimes. The desire for retribution burned within them, yet they were also aware of theplexities of the situation.


    Amidst their anger and thirst for justice, Seadir and his friends understood that not all humans were their enemies. They recognized the importance of not acting recklessly until they had secured the release of their fellow seafolk prisoners.


    If Rain was genuinely on their side, it made little sense to engage in hostilities against him, as he could prove to be a valuable ally in their pursuit of justice and freedom. The delicate bnce between vengeance and rationality hung in the air, a decision they would have to make as they navigated the treacherous path ahead.


    "Our pact stillsts¡­ we will cooperate with you as long as we rescue the prisoners and find the culprits," Seadir said after a long sigh.


    They already found the culprits and things couldn''t end in a peaceful manner anymore, but there were other things that they could do to get what they wanted. In the end, Rain nodded since they weren''t that stupid and that it was rare to find people like that who weren''t brainwashed by wars and the desires of their authorities.


    After using his remaining potions. Rain began to dig a tunnel to another part of the city and while he would soon be out of mana and without potions, that wasn''t a problem¡­ because the sea folk prisoners were also quite close to arge concentration of mana potions and Rain focused on finding the location of those as well.


    "I was nning on leaving some money behind to pay for the potions, but it seems that I will have the chance to make Joanis lose a lot of hair," Rain thought while smirking. "He probably bought all the spiritual potions in the capital to make sure that I wouldn''t have the chance to use them in case his traps didn''t work on me¡­ what a cunning bastard."


    It was nothing but amazing the speed that Rain could work while digging with his magic. He used his hands to save some, and in order to help their friends faster, Seadir and his friends used water magic to make the ground wet and softer. That increased the digging speed even more, but Rain ended up covered in mud.

 Chapter 310: Messing with the enemies

    Rhodes felt a bit guilty for just watching, so he ended up helping as well. He soon hurt his hands, though. In the end, Rain made for him earth gloves that would help him dig.


    Around one hourter, Rain and the group eventually began to dig upward, and after not so long, they reached their destination. It was a dark ce around, and it was prettyrge. When Rain''s eyes adjusted to the darkness, he confirmed that it was arge warehouse filled with boxes.


    "Hehehe, messing with the enemies is so much fun," Rain said as he used his remaining mana to make the boxes slide on the ground toward him. Then he opened them, finding a ton of spiritual potions.


    Joanis probably spent dozens of tinum coins to buy so many. In any case, Rain drank some and then continued the tunnel to the side, and it connected to another dungeon. Rain soon stopped since he found a presence there, though.


    "Where are they?" Seadir asked.


    "Beyond this wall," Rain replied and then took a deep breath since he stopped breathing to drink so many potions. "There is a guard there, but I will get rid of him soon and instantly."


    "I can do that," Seadir dered.


    "Not without leaving a lot of blood behind and making some noise," Rain said.


    After Rain finished his preparations, he soon opened a hole in the dungeon, and then he found a man wearing the armor of a royal guard sitting on a staircase while nodding. The guy only had the chance to blink once after seeing Rain¡­ in the next moment, he sank to the ground without leaving a trace behind.


    The shock that seized Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline when they witnessed Rain''s disy of power was nothing short of profound. It was as though they had stumbled upon a realm of magic and abilities they could barely fathom. Rain''s control over the elements, his ability to make a man sink into the unyielding ground as if it were quicksand, left them utterly bewildered.


    What was even more unsettling was the fact that Rain''s actions left no traces, as if the very earth had swallowed the evidence of his power.


    However, the initial shock soon gave way to an even more potent emotion: pure, seething hatred. As they surveyed the dungeon, their eyes fell upon a heart-wrenching sight that stoked the fires of their anger. Innumerable cages lined the chamber, each containing a captive sea folk lying on wretched beds.


    The seafolk prisoners were emaciated, their forms skeletal and frail, a stark testament to the inhumane conditions in which they had been kept. Chained and shackled, they bore the marks of their tormentors'' cruelty.


    The sight of their brethren, suffering and deprived of their freedom, intensified the burning fury within Seadir, Sirenus, and Coraline. Hatred coursed through their veins, a determination to bring an end to this cruel injustice and to liberate their fellow sea folk from their nightmarish captivity.


    "Wait, I will free them¡­ silently," Rain dered.


    Out of sheer reflexes, Seadir and his friends had nned to destroy the cages and the chains, but soon they realized that Rain had a point. They had to be cautious now.


    Rain created keys to unlock the cages and chains using his earth magic. During that time, he found out that the prisoners had Needle marks on their bodies¡­ he assumed that they had been drugged to keep them unconscious, and needles had also been used to take their blood.


    After connecting all the pieces of information, Rain couldn''t help but assume that the anti-magic substance was probably made using the blood of the sea folk. He had no idea why their blood could do that, but he could think about itter.


    In any case, it seemed that most of the prisoners had been unconscious for months since they were pretty dirty. Seadir and his friends looked truly enraged¡­ it was a relief that their people weren''t being used like sex ves, but that kind of situation was, in many aspects, worse¡­ They were basically tools in the hands of humans.


    One by one, Seadir and his friends moved the prisoners to the tunnel, and Rain made some carts using earth magic to move them with more ease. There were thirty of those there¡­ and it seemed that a lot more people had been kidnapped than they had expected. Among them, there was a little girl that Seadir kept hugging during the whole time while biting his lips until they began to bleed.


    When they finished the job, and Rain closed the tunnel and erased all traces of his actions. Three hours had passed, and in one hour, the sun was going to rise. Still, there was more work to be done.


    "My friends work in an orphanage, and the enemies might be using them to make them betray me, so you will have to help me bring them here and move them to somewhere safe," Rain dered.


    "We will help," Sirenus dered since Seadir was still trying to control his anger.


    Come to think of it, Sirenus and Coraline didn''t say anything until now. They only whispered among themselves during the trip. Still, they looked more serious and determined to truly help now that their people had been secured.


    While drinking potions like there was no tomorrow, Rain dug a tunnel toward the orphanage and then readily connected it to the rooms of the kids. He couldn''t believe that he was basically kidnapping kids to avoid them being used against his friends, but he didn''t have time to think about that kind of thing.


    Even more so when he confirmed that the ce was being watched by a bunch of people outside in dark alleys.


    "Man, they sure know how to be a massive pain in the ass¡­" Rain thought and then sighed.


    In the end, Rain didn''t have a hard time making the kids move while they were asleep. With a lot of potions at his disposal, literally hundreds of them, Rain just covered them in wind and made them fly to the tunnel. When they all woke up, he had sealed the holes and was far away from the orphanage.

 Chapter 311: My turn

    "Sorry about suddenly waking you guys up, but you kids will have to walk for a while," Rain said. "I am a friend of Jori, Reca, Liss, Asche, and Terra and while I can'' exin thingspletely, you guys will have to trust me on what I am going to tell you."


    In the orphanage, a group of children ranging in age from five to twelve years old watched with a mix of curiosity and apprehension as Seadir, Sirenus, Coraline, and Rain watched over them. The younger ones among them seemed visibly scared, their innocent eyes wide with uncertainty, as they beheld the unfamiliar visitors.


    However, amidst the fear and uncertainty, there were those among the older children who recognized Rain. This recognition brought a glimmer of relief to their faces, as they recalled stories or memories of the enigmatic figure who wasbeled as a hero despite his young age. These older children, having experienced more of life''s challenges, were less inclined to fear Seadir and the others.


    Instead, they understood that these neers might hold the key to their freedom.


    "We noticed some weird people watching us from outside just when everyone left the city," One of the kids exined.


    "I knew that they had made their move when we left¡­" Rain said and then bit his lips in annoyance. "Still, to be this fast... they are too well prepared for this operation."


    "What is the n now?" Seadir asked.


    "There are still one thing that the enemies can use against me, my family," Rain said. "My sisters are in the port town and my parents and grandparents are further west¡­ I don''t think that they know where my parents and grandparents live since Branden kept that as a secret, so we can send the kids there.


    "In any case, we have two days left to make your father learn that we secured the prisoners¡­ that being said, I guess you will want to drown the kingdom anyways. You can do that once my sisters aren''t there."


    "If we don''t have enough time, we will have to split," Seadir said. "We will take Seara with us and the others will head to where your parents are with the kids and my unconscious brethren."


    "Seara? Is she your little sister or something? I already expected thest prisoner to be a rtive, but¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "She is the youngest child of our emperor," Seadir exined.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a sense of fatigue, akin to a mental facepalm, when he received the revtion that thest prisoner in the dungeon was none other than the youngest child of the sea emperor. The idea of a doting sea emperor using his immense power to retaliate against the human kingdom due to harm to his beloved youngest child was almostically usible.


    After all, parents often had a soft spot for their youngest offspring, and the lengths to which they would go to protect them were legendary.


    In Rain''s imagination, he could envision the sea emperor, a formidable figure in his own right, summoning tidal waves to engulf the human kingdom or unleashing all manner of aquatic wrath upon their shores.


    It was a scenario thatbined the absurdity of parental devotion with the potential devastation wrought by such a powerful figure, and it left Rain both amused and slightly unnerved by the prospect of what might unfold.


    "That exins a lot¡­ anyway, that is for the best, I guess," Rain said. "You guys will lead the kids and the wounded to the end of the tunnel. "It might take a while, a day or two, even if I use my tricks¡­ I will grab the food in my house just in case."


    Rain sprang into action, dashing back to his home to swiftly gather all food within reach. Each armload of possessions found its ce in a cart, as he was determined to secure ample resources for their journey. In parallel, he made some earth carts for the children and injured, linking them to the one containing the engine.


    After a brief pause to catch his breath, Rain turned to Sirenus and Coraline, conveying his n with a sense of urgency. He instructed them to apply potions to the vehicle''s engine, a request that initially raised confusion from both. However, their doubt quickly transformed into astonishment when they followed Rain''s guidance.


    The result was clear: the small cart housing the engine effortlessly propelled all the other carts ahead, thanks to the magic power of the potions. This disy of Rain''s resourcefulness and ingenuity left them in awe, particrly given the dire circumstances they faced.


    "Hopefully, I gave them enough potions to use," Rain thought when the group disappeared in the darkness of the tunnel.


    Seadir waspletely astonished when he saw the cart moving. He heard of a few magic tools that worked like that to do menial tasks, but he didn''t think that Rain would have one.


    Rain''s image was starting to get quite hard to grasp in Seadir''s head since he was a fighter who could use magic and could create tunnels to spy on the royal family if he deemed necessary. He also didn''t care about stealing from his enemies¡­ all in all, he had no qualms about doing what he wanted to make sure that he was ahead of his enemies.


    "Let''s go," Rain dered when he opened an exit on the tunnel out of the city.


    After that, he created an earth tform to save mana. The wind was quite insane, but at least they were moving faster than before.


    "Why do you have a tunnel under your house?" Seadir asked.


    "I wanted to do something to train my magic, and I also wanted to make a route where I could leave the capital without letting anyone realize it," Rain exined. "That is why I created the tunnel. My turn now, what do you think that your father will do after learning all this?"

 Chapter 312: Nature

    "... He will definitely try to enact his revenge since it seems that the king was aware of the kidnappings for a while," Seadir replied after thinking for a short time. "Still, this Joanis is a very cunning fellow¡­ he might have more than a few tricks against us. While we took the prisoners, he should have enough anti magic substance for a war or two."


    "He might also be able to make more by using the blood of other sea folk," Rain added. "He only kept them alive because it was more efficient¡­ anyway, do you know why your blood can create such a thing?"


    "... I didn''t know until now, but in our family, we have a saying that we shouldn''t shed our blood out of the ocean," Seadir said while furrowing his eyebrows. "I imagined that it was because our family decided to be pacifist after many wars, but I suppose that isn''t the case. Still, this is odd since we aren''t particrly good at receiving magic damage."


    There were many other questions that needed answers, apparently¡­ Only the sea folk blood couldn''t be the only material to create the anti-magic substance¡­ unfortunately, Rain didn''t see anything else in the dungeon, and no blood was stored there. Theboratory was somewhere else, and Rain would have to find it.


    While Rain was thinking about that and the fact that after his actions, the king would secure all of his anti-magic substance in the castle to prevent it from being stolen or destroyed, another possibility came to mind.


    "This might sound like a weird question, but can humans and the sea folk reproduce? Like creating a mix between our species?" Rain asked.


    Seadir moved to shield his sister since he realized that Rain was a teenager just like the others. Moreover, the more famous some heroes tend to be, the more deviant they be¡­ Still, it didn''t take long for him to understand what he meant by that.


    "Do you think that a mix between our people would result in someone with high magic resistance?" Seadir asked.


    "The possibility just emerged in my head," Rain replied. "The demi-humans are like that, right?"


    "As far as I know, that hasn''t happened in thest five hundred years¡­ my father should know more about that," Seadir replied while thinking more seriously about the matter. "The demi-humans kept reproducing amongst themselves, so no one can say for certain if such a thing was possible or still is possible."


    That possibility was quite interesting, it would beparable to creating people with special abilities that could be even more powerful than their parents. Still, Rain had no idea how and why the junction of human and sea folk blood would result in the anti-magic substance, and that wasn''t something easy to obtain and study either.


    In any case, while they were flying, the condition of Seadir''s sister gradually improved since he used his spear to make her recover by making her body get hydrated again. That alone worked wonders, and in the end, she woke up the next day at noon.


    "Seara¡­ are you all right?" Seadir asked.


    The girl was around Rain''s age, but she was around the same height as Dana, around one and a half meters tall. Rain wondered if he got all the tall genes of the family, thanks to that. He felt that it was a fair trade-off since his sisters got the cute genes.


    "Seadir? What happened¡­ I feel so weak," Seara asked while looking around and then blinking once she realized that she was flying at insane speeds and her voice was almost disappearing in the wind. "Where are we?"


    "What is thest thing that you remember?" Seadir asked.


    "... I was looking around for some herbs, but then I felt a powerful and hot strike on my back," Seara replied when she tried to get up and then noticed Rain, and she quickly flinched since she never saw a human that close. "Then I was hit by something again, and everything got dark."


    Seadir checked the back of his sister while Rain was looking away, and he found a nasty burn mark there¡­ if she was underwater, he couldn''t understand how she got bit by something that burned her back.


    "Listen to me, and don''t panic, okay?" Seadir asked.


    Seadir found it challenging to ask his little sister, Seara, to remain calm in such dire circumstances. Seara was understandably shocked upon discovering that she had remained unconscious for an astonishing two-month period since her capture. This revtion left her in a state of shock but also helped rify why she was currently experiencing such profound weakness.


    "He is working with us, so you can rest easy," Seadir said.


    "Two months and a war is starting because of me?" Seara asked.


    "... it was just thest straw. Sooner orter, it would happen," Seadir asked.


    Rain couldn''t help but sense a familiarity with Seadir at this moment. Both of them seemed to be devoted older siblings who showered their sisters with affection and care. This connection of looking out for their younger siblings was easy to find but still was refreshing.


    Still, seeing such a scene only made him feel more worried about Dana, Kei, and G¡­ the others were with them, but their fighting experiment was limited. If the king made his move to capture them to weaken Rain''s position, he wouldn''t send a small force. The king knew about his aplishments, and adding to Joanis'' cunning, it was hard to imagine them being half-assed.


    "While it is weird for me to think about this after killing so many people, I want to live a more peaceful life¡­ I was granted a second chance, so I value what I have, and I didn''t want to deprive others of their lives," Rain thought. "I only fought to defend, not to attack, but if they scratch them¡­ they will see one hell much worse than wars."


    In any case, while Rain was thinking about that, he finally reached another stage in his journey in search of strength to fight for himself and his family and friends.

 Chapter 313: Medic Path

    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Level 85: Masterful Healing - Transcends the limitations of conventional healing, tapping into transcendent energies to perform extraordinary acts of healing and restoration. + 01% healing effectiveness when healing targets in a critical state.


    Level 90: Health Harmony - Attains deep harmony and synchronization with the natural and cosmic forces, enabling the healer to restore bnce and decrease the effects of most diseases


    Level 95: Life Boost - Unleashes a powerful burst of life energy, rejuvenating and revitalizing all living beings in the area and restoring them to their optimal state of health. Restores ten points of health per second at the cost of fifty points of mana in a five-meter radius. The radius increases by one meter per level.


    Level 100: High Healer - Ascends to the pinnacle of healing mastery, embodying the essence of divine healing and bing an instrument of miraculous restoration and rejuvenation. + 02% healing effectiveness when using healing arts of this path.


    Medic Path Lv 40: The Healer''s Calling is a journey ofpassion and mastery over the art of healing. As a dedicated medic, your mission is to mend wounds, cure ailments, and protect your allies. Progress through these levels to be a true master of the healing arts, capable of tending to any injury or affliction. (+ 05 Intelligence, + 05 Wisdom per level.)


    Level 1: Novice Medic Begin your journey as a Novice Healer, learning the basic principles of healing arts. Your healing abilities on this path are 5% more effective per level.


    Level 5: Soothing Touch Enhance your healing prowess, restoring health with more potency and speed at the cost of mana.


    Level 10: Healing Field Develop a revitalizing aura that elerates health regeneration for you and your nearby allies. Increases the range of long-ranged healing spells by one meter per level.


    Level 15: Vital Essence Deepen your connection with vitality, increasing your maximum HP by twenty points per level.


    Level 20: Precision Diagnosis Hone your diagnostic skills, improving your ability to identify the gravity of wounds and cure ailments.


    Rain was quite surprised to see that his new path was already at level forty¡­ he could understand why Terra suddenly got better before. It was because of Precision Diagnosis¡­ he also learned that skill and tried to put it into practice as much as possible.


    "In any case, with Vital Essence, I have a bunch of skills that I can use to be more resilient," Rain thought. " Equipping all of them will be very interesting."


    When night fell, Rain''s excitement died, and then he began to focus on the task ahead and tried to fly faster¡­ he was supposed to reach the port town around two hours after midnight and eight hours before the time limit granted by the sea emperor.


    Still, Rain slowed down when he found a fight on his left side¡­ it was the small light of a camp, one that was barely noticeable. It was also pretty far away from the road, so that made him furrow his eyebrows.


    "Why are you changing directions?" Seadir asked when Rain began to turn to the side.


    "Just going to check something really fast," Rain replied.


    Eventually, Seadir noticed the fire as well, and Rain slowed down to avoid making noises. Fortunately, no one in danger was there, and he rxed¡­ he sighed in relief when he saw his little sisters and his friends.


    It seemed that thest few days had been tense for them as well since they weed Rain when hended by pointing their weapons at him. In case something happens, Rain asked Lotto to forge some forearm guards for his sisters as well. While he wasn''t looking, or when they thought that he wasn''t looking, the girls trained their bodies, trying to mimic Rain.


    In any case, the forearm guards were blue since they were made of a sea serpent and increased the power of their water magic, and probably, thanks to that, they looked fine.


    "Rain!" Everyone said in unison.


    It was weird for them to do that, but Rain''s sisters dashed and hugged him¡­ they were worried since a lot of weird things happened in thest few days.


    "I take it that you guys were targeted, too," Rain said while patting their heads. "Did they attack you?"


    "... No, we were fine. Everyone protected us," Dana said while looking away.


    "Dana¡­ you are a terrible liar," Rain said while showing a cold smile. "Just answer honestly, and I will be sure that those who pointed their weapons at you won''t suffer too much. Torture takes too long, after all, and the world is too filled with scum."


    "See? I told you," Terra shrugged.


    It seemed that Terra knew that Rain would go ballistic if he heard that the enemies tried to attack his little sisters¡­ in the end, he let out a deep sigh since he shouldn''t have said such a thing in front of children.


    "What happened?" Rain asked after he calmed down.


    The group sat down around a campfire, and then they began to exchange information. On the same day that Rain and the others left when they were having dinner, Asche suddenly noticed the atmosphere changing, and then she heard the sound of armor around the building they were using.


    She immediately understood what was happening, and before the enemies could finish their encirclement, they decided to fight and leave the city.


    "I imagined that something was off for such a thing to happen as soon as you left," Asche exined.


    "Well done," Rain said.


    "Although it was night, we noticed that the guards that were leading the group weren''t in the port town while you were there," Jori added. "They arrived while we weren''t aware and rallied some of the soldiers and guards against us¡­ it would have been dangerous if your sisters couldn''t use magic and you hadn''t taught us Limit Breaker."


    "It was also annoying since we tried not to kill anyone until we could understand the situation," Reca said while massaging her shoulders. "We ran for it for a while, but the. We figured out that you would find us if we stayed here since you woulde flying."

 Chapter 314: Fast Messages

    The group was left speechless when they heard what happened to Branden and the others and what the king was nning to do. They never dreamt that they would hear of such a thing from their ruler... who seemed pretty calm during the previous war.


    When his sisters fell asleep on hisp, Rain exined to the others what could be made of the anti-magic bombs, and they werepletely shocked. Amidst all that, they looked relieved by the fact that the kids in the orphanage were safe, and so were the prisoners. However¡­


    "What now?" Liss asked, and that was what everyone had in mind.


    "We fight, fight, and keep on fighting," Rain replied. "Branden won''t be able to convince the king, and I am not nning on following the orders of someone who tried to use my sisters against me. I will give him some more reasons to stay hidden like he did in thest few years."


    The group found themselves in a collective gulp, their reactions synchronized as Rainid out his bold deration. His words didn''t just hang in the air; they weighed down on the area, casting a heavy, ominous shadow over their gathering.


    Rain, a formidable presence among them, had left no room for ambiguity. He was resolute in his determination to confront the king and make him regret his decisions. This deration sent shivers rippling through the assembled group.


    As they exchanged apprehensive nces, their throats parched, they couldn''t help but acknowledge the gravity of Rain''s words. He was not someone to be underestimated, and his unwaveringmitment to seeking justice from the king left them all feeling a potent mix of anxiety and curiosity.


    Anxiety consumed Rain''spanions as they contemted the uncertain road ahead. The looming specter of widespread internal strife cast a dark shadow over their thoughts as they recognized the inherent danger in a divided nation. This division would not only expose their realm to internal discord but also weaken it against external threats.


    The recent peace agreement with the magic people, hard-fought and hard-won, now seemed precarious at best. The king''s provocative actions had shattered the fragile peace, pushing the kingdom into a perilous position. The deration of a potential conflict against both the sea folk and the magic people left Rain''s friends deeply troubled.


    They grasped the reality that this move wouldpel their nation to divert valuable resources and manpower to confront Rain, a formidable force that demanded respect. The impending sh with these formidable adversaries would require a fullmitment of their avable assets, further straining their already delicate situation.


    "It truly feels like we don''t have any other option, but I still don''t want to rush with our next actions now since it will determine the future of many people," Terra said.


    "Understandable, but what other choices do you think that we have?" Rain asked. "He readily put Branden in the castle dungeons and he was engaged with his daughter, what do you think that he will do to us who aren''t in any way rted to him.


    The group collectively released a sigh, with Rain''s words sinking in deeply. His argument struck a chord, revealing the grim reality they confronted. Their options were severely limited: either they would resist the oppressive rule through confrontation, or they''d acquiesce to a lifetime of imprisonment, forever subject to the king''s authority.


    Contemting the king''s potential forgiveness added an additionalyer ofplexity. Even if he were to offer them that, was it a wise choice to serve under a ruler so willing to employ coercion and maniption to maintain control? Doubts swirled within them, casting many doubts of uncertainty over their future.


    Each member of the group grappled with the weighty decisions before them, fully cognizant that their choices would determine their fate in a kingdom standing on the brink of upheaval.


    "We don''t have other choices. They were taken from us," Jori said. "Still, we have to at least do our best to free Branden and the others. We will bebeled as traitors, and so will them, but it is better to leave them rot on a prisoner forever."


    "He seemed determined to make the king change his mind, so I am not sure we can save him from his own decision, but I guess you have a point," Rain said. "Once we are done with the mission to transport Seadir back to the ocean, I will try to talk with him once again. Anyway, we need to get going; we have to reach the ocean before sunrise, or the enemies in the port might be waiting for us."


    Seadir and Seara studied Rain as he talked with his friends. Despite his young age, he was determined with his choices, and he wasn''t worried about them at all. His only fears existed when he couldn''t see his friends and family¡­ when he was aware of their safety and could see them, and he was confident that he could fight and support them even against the human kingdom.


    They had heard a few things about Rain, but it seemed that he was far more intense than they had imagined¡­ people called him a hero for defeating two enemy generals in the previous war, but the tales about him didn''t mention how fierce he was. They wondered if the king tried to keep rumors about him under control for one reason or the other.


    Either way, the king and those who follow him will soon experience what kind of force Rain truly was¡­ he wasn''t nning to hold back for the first time, and the humans were the ones who would experience that.


    When morning came, the groups were flying in the sky and already crossing the area of the port town. Although Rain was careful, the guards in the port town still found his earth tform in the sky¡­ while they couldn''t see him and the others, they spread the message around, and soon they transmitted the same to the capital somehow¡­

 Chapter 315: Sea Emperor

    "Can you wait here?" Seadir asked. "The talk with my father might take a while."


    "Wait for what?" Rain asked.


    "I think it would be better if he were to see and talk with you in person," Seadir replied. "I am not one of those he trusts the most, and he is a very direct man, so he doesn''t listen much to others and prefers to decide things for himself after seeing them up close to avoid mistaken perspectives."


    The sea emperor seemed like a pain in the ass, much like Rain in terms of attitude. In any case, Rain nodded even though he was in a hurry.


    In the end, Rain put some air inside the earth tform to make it float. When he finished that, he saw his friends showing expressions of tension and anxiety. That was weird, considering that there was nothing saying that they would have to fight the sea emperor.


    "What is wrong?" Rain asked.


    "Aren''t you nervous?" Jori asked. "We are going to see a figure that didn''t make an appearance outside of the ocean since he became it''s ruler."


    "The sea emperors throughout history only made appearances during wars and only for brief moments," Liss said with her eyes glowing thanks to excitement. "Legends day that one five thousand years ago was able to drown the entire territory of the dragons for one week, only the tip of their mountains managed to escape. Even so, they had a hard time defending theirnds."


    That was hard to imagine¡­ how could they only drown a single country? They would have to raise the ocean levels of the whole world for that to happen. That or the sea emperor just used his underlings to create a sealed area for the water to stay. That would exin the time limit.


    Regardless, it seemed that all those pieces of information seemed to bemon sense since even Rain''s sisters nodded after hearing that¡­ maybe Rain should read more History books and spend less time doing handstands.


    In any case, the group waited for around three hours and when Rain was about to give up on it, he noticed that the ocean was getting more tense, before long, he could see arge shadowing from below and from the depths of the ocean.


    As the group scanned their surroundings, their eyes widened in amazement. Rising from the ocean''s depths were hundreds of sea folk, their sleek forms breaking through the water''s surface. They encircled the earth boat Rain had made, creating a mesmerizing and surreal sight.


    Adding to this spectacle, several giant coral octopuses gracefully made their appearance in the area, showcasing their vibrant colors and massive tentacles. Giant blue sharks, their dorsal fins slicing through the water, patrolled the vicinity, enhancing the scene and the feeling that they were surrounded.


    Despite the initial shock and the cold sweat forming on the group''s brows, there was something notably different about this encounter. Unlike previous situations that had filled them with fear and apprehension, there was no apparent bloodlust or hostility in the air.


    Rain remained calm andposed, his instincts guiding him. While they found themselves surrounded, an unspoken understanding prevailed that this encounter carried a significance beyond immediate danger.


    Emerging from the ocean''s depths, amanding figure gradually took form amid the sea folk gathering around Rain''s earth boat. This imposing merman stood tall at a remarkable three meters, his muscr build and long, flowing white hair bearing testament to his seasoned warrior''s physique.


    His tanned and weathered skin framed striking azure eyes that exuded both wisdom and authority. With arms confidently crossed, he seemed to wield dominion over the very ocean, effortlessly maintaining his footing on its surface.


    A disy of power that defied nature itself, the merman''s gaze bore into Rain and hispanions. It held a mixture of unwavering focus and a bit of annoyance, silently assessing the group''s intentions and worthiness. This encounter carried immense weight, for it wasn''t just an encounter with a formidable individual but a guardian of the sea folk, one whomanded the elements and their respect.


    "Are you the human called Rain?" The sea emperor asked.


    "Yes," Rain replied.


    "Is that how you act before the ruler of the oceans?" The sea emperor asked.


    "So, you are the ruler of the oceans¡­ what about it?" Rain asked. "I don''t kneel or respect the king of the humans, so why should I respect you who I just met?"


    Rain experienced aplex mix of emotions as he stood face to face with the formidable sea emperor. The sea emperor''s strength eclipsed even the mighty dragons Rain had encountered in the past, making the situation all the more daunting. Still, Rain had grown weary of constantly tiptoeing around those in power, always mindful of their political games that treated him as a mere pawn.


    He longed to shed the role of a captive beast and assert his own authority. However, as Rain met the sea emperor''s gaze, he detected no immediate threat. After all, he had just yed a crucial role in rescuing the sea emperor''s daughter, which should have earned him some goodwill with the influential ruler.


    Despite his desire to project strength and unwavering resolve, Rain couldn''t ignore the nagging worry that his audacious demeanor might inadvertently ce his younger sisters in jeopardy. While he had intended to set an example of confidence andposure for them, he now grappled with doubts about whether his actions had been the right choice.


    Bncing the need to assert himself with ensuring Seara''s safety weighed heavily on his mind in this critical moment.


    You are exactly like the arrogant fool that Seadir depicted that you were," The sea emperor said. "Are you trying to impress the women behind you when you know that you don''t stand a chance fighting me?"


    "I only want to impress my little sisters by showing how cool I am," Rain replied. "Anyway, why did youe here?"

 Chapter 316: Origin

    "... You are one very weird human," the sea emperor said. "My name is Seadrei, and I will grant you the right to refer to me as such. Seadir told me about your ns and what you think regarding these anti-magic tools that you spoke of.


    An offspring between one of us and a human wasn''t born in thest five hundred years, but I have heard from my father that there was a legend about such a thing happening. The demi-humans would have special traits, but they were always random."


    "I see¡­ then the key isn''t the mix between the human blood and the sea folk blood. What truly determines are the ones involved," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "Most likely, if a human had a kid with several mermaids, the offspring would have the same traits¡­ the human blood affects it more because we don''t have abilities like yours¡­ that being said, that was supposed to be the inverse."


    Seadrei nodded several times while looking at Rain and listening to him. He imagined that Rain would be a typically brain-dead warrior whose only strength is his ability to attack, and since he wasbeled a young hero despite his young age, his ego should be stupidly high. Still, Seadrei could only see a young man who could use his head quite a lot, and his ideas made a lot of sense.


    "Since the demi-humans still have half of the traits of their non-human parent, it seems to me that human blood only adds an unknown factor to the offspring," Seadrei said.


    "That seems to be the case¡­ we tend to develop our skills in different ways, and it is unlikely that our kids will have the same traits and abilities," Rain said while nodding several times.


    "Regardless¡­ this solves the mystery to some extent, or at least it makes it less confusing; it doesn''t change a single thing in the grand picture," Seadrei dered. "Seadir told me what happened to your friends and family and what you are nning to do. We got what we wanted, but we can''t forgive the humans for using our brethren like that.


    I don''t need the help of humans, but Seadir says that someone as resourceful and knowledgeable as you would be a good ally. As long as you make yourself useful, you are free to join our side. We will protect you and your allies."


    "I am not interested," Rain replied. "It would cause more problems to us than actually help."


    A heavy silence descended upon the gathering, casting a shadow of astonishment and apprehension over the scene. Rain''s unwavering rejection of the sea folk''s offer hung in the air like an unexpected storm, catching even the sea emperor off guard. His typicallyposed demeanor betrayed a flicker of surprise.


    The sea folk surrounding their emperor exchanged perplexed nces, fully grasping the gravity of Rain''s decision. To decline an alliance with a race as powerful as the sea folk defied convention and challenged the established norms of their world.


    "The risks are too big for me. If we join our side, we will bebeled as traitors, even though we only tried to defend ourselves until now," Rain exined. "Truth be told, I want to sink the castle down with the king and his dipshit advisors, but I can''t do that when my actions will affect those around me.


    For now, I will just act to defend myself and crush anyone who approaches us again with evil intentions. With that in mind, the best I can offer to you is a nonaggression pact. We can also trade information and resources for as long as both sides deem necessary, or at least until all of the prisoners return to you."


    "Your argument makes sense¡­" Seadrei said and then began to rub his chin thoughtfully. "For now, we can''t destroy the human kingdom¡­ we need some preparations to do that as well¡­ and I suppose we can''t drown the whole ce since it would affect yournds as well."


    "The more time you waste, the more they will have to prepare. My magic didn''t work around the castle and under it to some extent," Rain said. "That story about you guys sinking the dragonnds is pretty famous, so they will probably work to stop that. That is if they didn''t do that already."


    "The substance shouldn''t work forever. Do you have any idea how long that canst?" Seadrei asked.


    "None," Rain replied.


    Many uncertainties loomed, particrly concerning the anti-magic substance''s full capabilities, which remained covered in mystery. This enigmatic tool had the potential to disrupt the power bnce in unforeseen ways, leaving the group grappling with a profound sense of uncertainty about whaty ahead.


    The situation grew even moreplex due to Joanis'' cunning and the extensive resources at the king''s disposal, making them a formidable and dangerous pair. This alliance posed a substantial challenge and raised numerous questions about the future.


    Given these intricate circumstances, the group realized the importance of not rushing into impulsive decisions. Instead, they understood the necessity of patient observation and careful nning to outmaneuver Joanis, who had a significant head start in his preparations.


    "Very well, for now, I will call my generals and prepare for the uing battle," Seadrei dered. "When you have the chance to bring my brethren back, I will be waiting for it with more information. Seadir¡­"


    Seadir nodded and passed his coral spear to Rain. Immediately, Rain felt quite powerful and connected to the ocean. One didn''t have to be a genius to tell what he could do now.


    "That is a replica of the emperor''s spear. With that, you can almost control the ocean freely; your magic power and cost when using water magic will decrease exponentially," Seadrei dered. "That should make you feel eager to bring back my people as soon as possible. Regardless, you mentioned something about yournd, but what part of the human kingdom do you possess?"

 Chapter 317: Gift

    "I will im the Eastern side of the Kingdom to me, my family and allies, that should make the king feel a kick in his balls since that side produces most of the food for the kingdom," Rain dered. "I guess I will also wee nobatants that will agree with me when I say that the king is a moron."


    Rain''s bold promation left his friends utterly dumbfounded. To them, it seemed absurd toy im to a substantial piece ofnd in the midst of growing chaos. However, Rain remainedposed in spite of their bewildered expressions, forging ahead with his audacious ns.


    In his possession was a potent weapon, one that would undoubtedly y a pivotal role in achieving his ambitious goals. While others might view his actions as reckless, Rain perceived an opportunity to carve out his own domain in this turbulentndscape, regardless of the consequences.


    It was a daring move, and his friends could only watch in astonishment as he pressed forward, fully aware that Rain was a formidable force to be reckoned with.


    "Hahaha, you are truly a foolish human," Seadreiughed heartily while he slightly moved his body and head backwards. "In any case, I want to see how far you are nning to go with that kind of attitude."


    After that, Seadrei returned to the ocean and the sea folk and the monsters as well. Thest ones to disappear had been Seadir and Seartat. They bowed deeply while thanking Rain for the help. Their cooperation wasn''t over, but they felt that they had to do that much, at least for now.


    "Woah¡­ that was nerve wracking¡­" Jori said and then took a deep breath as if he was saying that he didn''t have the chance to breathe until now.


    Rain was checking the weapon while his friends began to talk about the whole situation¡­ With that kind of weapon at his disposal, Seadrei would be able to level up his magic skills insanely fast, and after doing that for five hundred years, it wouldn''t be weird for him to be a few times stronger than dragons that lived for as long as him.


    In any case, after a few tests, Rain confirmed that the spear made his control over water ten times more powerful and five times more efficient¡­ and that it was just a replica. The real deal was supposed to be at least two times better than this one.


    "I wonder if he is nning to ask this back or ask for moneyter¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "Rain, are you serious about iming the east side of the country?" Terra asked.


    "Very serious," Rain replied. "I won''t say that out loud since I need to make some preparations to defend thatnd, but we do need a territory to defend a clear division that we will have to guard."


    Rain also will have to worry about the people beyond the mountains¡­ With that division, even while they had been quiet until now, the beastmen might find a reason to invade and attack while the humans are divided.


    In any case, Rain could think about that while he travels toward his home. So, to save some mana, he made the earth boat surf on the waves that he began to control.


    Flying was quite scary, but surfing was even more scary when Rain was controlling the waves¡­ the group thought that they would sink many times, but fortunately, it never happened.


    Before long, they reached the coast, and then Rain made the earth boat sink while he made one of ice¡­ it was cold, but at least it was making him save a lot of mana. He was faster, too.


    "Endure this for a while," Rain said.


    Fortunately, the group had their cloaks, and since it was noon, it wasn''t that cold. Things only got really bad at night. The wind, the ice, and theck of time to rest made everyone weary, even more so when the future was bing so uncertain.


    The trip home was supposed tost for around two days, but the group reached it after just one. The group soon found Rain''s parents and grandparents waiting outside the home with tired expressions. Rain could tell that the interior of the house was filled with unconscious people, and they had been looking after them for a while.


    "... It seems that you are into something really big this time," Roan said while showing aplicated expression.


    "Are you mad? Do you think that I have other choices?" Rain asked.


    "No, I don''t think so¡­" Roan replied after a long sigh. "I am more overwhelmed than anything¡­ I am d that you all are fine, even though the king showed himself to be a wolf in sheep''s clothing."


    "Very bold move of him after staying hidden during the war," Rain said.


    Leah and Luana swiftly located some chairs for everyone to sit on, ensuring theirfort after the intense trip. Rain, on the other hand, opted to remain seated on the ground, adopting a rxed posture.


    With the immediate problems solved to some extent, their focus shifted to Dana, Kei, and G. While these three appeared physically unharmed, the ordeal had left them visibly fatigued. They had endured a great deal during their captivity, and the toll was evident in their weary expressions.


    As the group settled into their seats, Rain''s mother and grandmother couldn''t resist the urge to study the other girls who had been working with Rain. This marked their first opportunity to interact with Rain''spanions up close, and a palpable sense of curiosity permeated the air.


    "I am sorry that you all were involved in this mess¡­ I guess being involved with our family is quite difficult, huh?" Roan forced a smile while looking at Rain''s friends. "I wonder if it is because of my own family¡­"


    It was quite the weird thing to say for some people he had just met., but that showed that Roan truly felt that way.

 Chapter 318: Blocked paths

    "Not at all, sir," Jori said. "We all only did the right thing¡­ sometimes that is enough reason for people to be punished by others who don''t like that."


    "Anyway, who are our guests?" Rain asked. "Do we have enough room for them? I can make some underground rooms."


    "That would help a lot¡­ we barely have enough room to walk inside," Roan replied. "We are also lucky that the people from the capital apparently didn''t find us until now."


    "Branden was careful enough to deal with that," Rain said. "Anyway, what do you make out of the king''s recent actions?"


    "... Throughout history, the royal family were involved in some big events, since they wrote history to make them look good, we can''t believe that they are all true," Roan exined. "The previous king passed out after making this side of the country prosper. Decades ago, the growth of the poption increased, and we faced food problems.


    With his intelligence, he made his area be the support of the country when ites to food. The current king''s grandfather was the one who founded the magic academy. Thanks to that, a lot of talented individuals emerged in the recent decades and we were even able to heal grave injuries like lost limbs.


    Thus, that increased the military power of our nation when ites to offensive magic as well."


    "So¡­ he is doing all this to leave his mark in history?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "He is even more insane than I had predicted."


    "During the war, he acted to make sure that he wouldn''t be thest king of the human kingdom, but it seems that he now can go on the offensive and be the king that attacked the enemies instead of the king that cowered in his castle," Roan exined while rubbing his eyes.


    "I am amazed that people can see wars as only stepping stones for their goals to increase their fame¡­ they are only brave enough to do that because they aren''t the ones doing the fighting."


    Rain contemted the idea of discreetly removing the king from the equation, making it appear as an unfortunate ident. Yet, he couldn''t underestimate Joanis''s cunning. It was evident that Joanis likely anticipated such a move and was poised to seize control of the nation in the ensuing power vacuum.


    The king''s eldest son was still a child, a vulnerability Joanis could exploit to his plot to marry Esmeralda, further solidifying his hold on power while Branden remained imprisoned. The potential scenarios raced through Rain''s mind, with the worst-case scenario being the most chilling of all.


    Joanis, potentially in league with Revan, could orchestrate the massacre of the entire royal family, leaving Rain as the convenient scapegoat. The stakes were staggeringly high, and Rain knew he had to navigate this treacherousndscape with utmost caution.


    "I have to return to the capital and then talk with Branden again, and then talk with Esmeralda and then kill Joanis if possible," Rain said. "Still, at this point in time, it won''t surprise me if he is hiding somewhere because he predicted my actions this much."


    "Well, we are going to," Jori said when he got up alongside the others.


    "I appreciate the feeling, but you guys are exhausted," Rain said and then grabbed some potions to make the underground rooms. "Work here with everyone to make sure that everything will be fine while I am away."


    Jori and the others wanted to insist, but they truly were too tired¡­ Moreover, they could see that Rain''s parents and grandparents also needed some help. Looking out after unconscious people wasn''t an easy job, after all.


    Creating the underground chambers turned out to be a rtively straightforward task for Rain. He used his magic skills to manipte the elements effectively. First, he condensed the air around him, converting it into water within the tunnel.


    Then, with his proficiency in earth magic with the added power of his coral spear and forearm guards, he skillfully guided the water to grind against the tunnel walls, resulting in precise and effortless excavation of the underground rooms.


    After that, Rain used his tunnel to go to the capital as soon as possible¡­ Soon, he will have to seal it, but he knows a quick way to do so and undo it if necessary.


    "I need to rest a bit as well once I return¡­ things will be chaotic and I need a clear mind to think things through," Rain thought.


    Once Rain was back to the capital, it was night already and soon he went to check things with Branden¡­ However, it looked like he was moved to somewhere else, he was no longer in the dungeon.


    Rain used his magic to check things around the castle, but soon he confirmed that he couldn''t, the anti magic substance was still working and he could only think that it won''t ever stop working.


    The throne room was empty and silent as well, so Rain went to the warehouse where he found the prisoners and the mana potions, the ce was empty as well and no one was guarding it. Joanis was the type who doesn''t make the same mistake twice, after all.


    "This could be a problem¡­" Rain thought. "Let''s see if Lotto knows a thing or two about this."


    It was only natural that Lotto would be sleeping at such a time, and waking him up silently would be difficult. So, Rain decided to check things in the organization, but the ce was also empty.


    After thinking for a while, Rain could only think that his best option was Esmeralda, but he had no idea what her instance was in the whole situation. He will have to be careful to avoid letting her know how he arrived in the castle. Still, even after thinking for a short while, he gave up on it. He couldn''t dig on the castle with his hands without leaving traces behind¡­ he just had to wait.

 Chapter 319: Mystery

    When morning came, Rain returned to the throne room using his tunnel. He had to wait for a couple of hours before things began to move around there.


    Rain didn''t know if he should be relieved or not, but the king was still alive, and after he sat down on the throne, the advisors arrived alongside the royal guard and after an annoying time where they followed some customs, they began to talk, but Rain couldn''t see Joanis anywhere.


    "Where is that son of a bitch?" Rain wondered.


    Rain strained his ears to catch any useful information from their conversation. Despite his hopes, the discussion showed no valuable information. Not a word about Branden or their future ns. Frustration grew within him, and he briefly considered the idea of capturing one of them for interrogation.


    However, as the meeting drew to a close, a significant problem emerged. These individuals were not just any castle visitors; they resided within the very heart of the castle, closely guarded at all times. His chances of discreetly capturing them had plummeted drastically.


    "I am not sure if this is a countermeasure against me, but it sure is annoying," Rain thought.


    Without any other choice, Rain went to talk with Lotto. Since his workshop had a ground made of bricks, Rain had an easy time making them move, and all of a sudden, Lotto just saw Rain standing there.


    "What the¡­ kid?" Lotto asked. "You almost gave me a heart attack."


    "Sorry for surprising you, but I need some information," Rain said.


    "I can tell," Lotto said. "Things got hectic once you left with your friends. Come here. I was lucky since I am not being watched since you bought some things from me, but we have to be careful."


    Rain and Lotto moved into a dimly lit storage room, their faces etched with concern and focus. Rain leaned against a stack of crates, casting cautious nces around to ensure their privacy.


    Lotto, renowned for his vastwork and sharp wit, listened intently to what Rain knew. He understood that this conversation held great importance. Despite Lotto''s typically reliablework of informants, an unusual silence had fallen over the castle. It was as though a heavy shroud of secrecy enveloped the royal chambers, concealing any potential leaks or rumors.


    This heightened level of caution sent shivers down Lotto''s spine.


    As Lotto shared his knowledge, Rain''s unease deepened. The castle, usually a hotbed of intrigue and gossip, had be ominously silent. The king and Joanis were executing their ns with meticulous care, leaving no room for prying eyes or loose tongues. It was an unprecedented situation, and both Rain and Lotto recognized that unraveling this mystery would require extraordinary.


    "Despite that, the king''s de was sent to the border alongside one hundred royal guards two days ago," Lotto said. "Branden wasn''t with them, and no one saw anyone suspicious leaving the castle. Even at night, we kept guarding the ce."


    "Did you recognize the royal guards?" Rain asked. "Some of them seemed different to me."


    "When you left, some of them joined their ranks, and they apparently were guards that worked for Joanis," Lotto asked.


    Rain couldn''t help but notice something peculiar about the royal guards who had apanied Branden earlier. They exuded an aura that defied easy identification¡ªthey didn''t seem like typical humans, magic people, or sea folk. d in full te armor that concealed their appearances, these guards remained an enigma.


    Their mysterious presence intrigued Rain and raised his suspicions. These guards were anything but ordinary, and their origins and loyalties remained shrouded in mystery. Their unique aura, a blend of intrigue and unease, left Rain wanting to unravel the secrets behind these enigmatic figures within the kingdom.


    "What are you going to do now?" Lotto asked. "I am going to look for Branden for a while longer before returning home. I am not going to warn the magic people since I didn''t sign the truce with them, and the surprise attack won''t be that shocking for them since they must have some informants.


    I am a bit concerned about Esmeralda, but I can''t invade the castle now until I know what she is thinking about all this."


    "She probably won''t make an appearance anytime soon," Lotto said. "So, you will have a hard time contacting her. I suppose the best option would be to free her and Branden if she wants that, but that still will make you all look like kidnappers. The kingdom will make sure that many will think that way."


    Rain wanted to keep them safe because he could only see Branden as his friend, not because they would need him as a leader and Esmeralda to make them the king and queen of the new kingdom. That would be too much of a pain. Still, that would put everyone around them in a bad spot. Branden''stest family, his siblings, his mother¡­ until now, they were fine, but eventually, his focus will waver.


    In the end, Rain left Lotto''s storage room, saying that he woulde for more news soon. Lotto followed him to the workshop, but Rain disappeared as soon as the door was closed. Lotto also could understand that it would be better if he didn''t know much about his skills. If he were to be caught, it would be better if he didn''t know anything.


    Despite being the most skilled mage in the capital and Branden the second, Rain tried to employ his magical abilities to sense Branden''s presence. Typically, detecting someone of Branden''s caliber should have proven a straightforward task. Yet, to his surprise, Rain''s efforts showed no results. There was no trace of Branden''s magical presence in the vicinity.


    This surprise absence left Rain with only a couple of unsettling conclusions. Either Branden remained confined within the castle''s walls, or he had been relocated to a different, more remote location. Thetter possibility gnawed at Rain''s mind, as he couldn''t help but feel a pang of responsibility for the situation, particrly considering his role in the theft of the potions.

 Chapter 320: Plans for the traitor

    The uncertainty surrounding Branden''s whereabouts only added to the growing sense of unease that had settled over him and his friends.


    In the end, Rain returned home empty-handed-handed, and everyone looked even more troubled when they heard of the bad news.


    "I am going to rest for a bit, wake me up if anything happens," Rain said with his eyes bloodshot once he finished the reports.


    When Rain found an empty room underground, he found some of the sea folk already up¡­ it seemed that their recovery was going well. Still, they would need more time to recoverpletely.


    When Rain woke up, he found the others looking after the sea folk and the kids. Still, they would have to find another solution since they couldn''t keep everyone underground forever. However, once they let everyone leave, soon the news spread and eventually reached the capital.


    "We should talk with everyone," Rain said when he met his parents. "We need to prepare for the future and fast. Joanis is too cunning, and he will use everything to make us fall."


    "What do you have in mind for now? Aside from taking this part of the country from the hands of the king, of course," Roan said. "Did I mention that this doesn''t couldn''t sound more insane?"


    "It will be fine. I will split thend by connecting the southern ocean and the northern one," Rain dered.


    "Excuse me?" Roan asked. "Did I hear that correctly?"


    "I won''t be able to do that overnight, but I can do it with this spear," Rain exined. "In the meantime, I want you all to talk with the people around you and make them understand what is going to happen. If they want to leave, they can leave and return once this war is over. We won''t ask anything out of them."


    "Are you nning to ask the sea emperor to help in the fights?" Leiah asked.


    "No, we will just not attack each other," Rain replied. "He will focus on his own interests, and that will only cause more problems for us, so we need to work by ourselves."


    Rain''s parents hade to fullyprehend the extent of their son''s ambitions. He wasn''t thinking small, nor was he leaving anything to chance. He intended to employ every avable resource in his arsenal to ensure that neither the king nor his loyalists would pose a threat to his family''s safety and well-being.


    The living room served as the backdrop for an emotionally charged gathering. As the diverse group convenedprising Rain''s family, his sisters, his friends, and Sirenus and Coraline¡ªthe atmosphere was palpable tense. Each individual present felt the gravity of the decisions thaty ahead.


    Rain''s parents understood that Rain''smitment to safeguarding the family transcended ordinary familial bonds. It was an unbreakable promise forged in steel, a pledge to protect that which mattered most.


    Rain''s sistersprehended the seriousness of the situation. They admired their older brother and were aware that they were now part of something far greater than themselves. Rain''s friends, who had stood by him in good times and bad, were fully aligned with his vision. They trusted his leadership and were prepared to confront whatever challengesy ahead.


    Sirenus and Coraline grasped the high stakes and were prepared to help until the sea folk returned home.


    "This is the time to bail out if you want to, I won''t me you," Rain dered. "I am just doing this because I can''t see any other option when the king decides to make such moves. We already fought to defend the country for many years. I would dly keep doing that, but I won''t kill and see people around me die to boost his ego by creating his legacy through blood."


    Rain waited for a moment, but no one did or said anything. His family didn''t have much of an option in the matter. As survivors of the Lonard family who went into hiding, they knew that troublesome things would happen sooner orter.


    As for Rain''s friends, they also didn''t want to betray his trust and fight and kill for a king who hid for decades and now wants to wage wars by being sponsored by a kidnapper like Joanis.


    "What about you?" Rain asked while looking at Rhodes.


    "... What are my options?" Rhodes asked.


    "You betrayed Branden, but you were working for someone who is working for the king, apparently," Rain said. "You are a traitor of your benefactor but not of the human kingdom. You also helped when I was away, Branden is the one who has to decide your punishment. We can keep you underground and locked until Branden shows up again and avoid a lot of trouble.


    Still, that wouldn''t be the right thing to do after you helped us¡­ even if you didn''t have any other options. You also didn''t do anything that put others in danger¡­ you are free to go. I hope that you won''t be foolish enough to do anything against us. Otherwise, you know the worst thing that could happen."


    Rain and his group didn''t need Rhodes'' assistance, and picking a fight with Rain, who disyed the ability to make a man sink into the ground effortlessly, was pure madness. Rhodes had no wish to face such a terrifying fate, nor did he want to be Rain''s adversary, considering the immense power Rain possessed.


    Rhodes had no illusions about the dire consequences of challenging someone as formidable as Rain, and he had absolutely no interest in testing the waters of such a dangerous encounter.


    "Thank you¡­" Rhodes said and readily left the room.


    For a while, the group watched him leave the area while trembling and imagining that Rain would kill him, but that never happened. At the same time, everyone around looked at Rain, wondering if that was the right thing to do.


    "Are you sure about that?" Sirenus asked.


    "It is fine. I have some ns for him¡­" Rain said.

 Chapter 321: Planning ahead

    "I have some ideas of what we should do, but I amcking a bit in knowledge in most aspects aside frombat, so I would like to hear your input regarding that," Rain said. "With the spear that the sea emperor gave me, I can use water magic a lot more than before. So, I will create arge path that will split the area that we are going to operate from the rest of the kingdom.


    I have a bunch of potions and the those two magic relics, so I can probably finish all that in one week. During that time, I want you all to talk with the people of the region and alert everyone of what is going to happen. There is no need to try to convince them to join the fight, but you will have to convince them to cut contact with the rest of the kingdom.


    We can''t afford to let them spread information about our activities."


    "Do you think that we can fend off the enemies that the king will send?" Roan asked. "Thanks to Limit Breaker, I am way above average soldiers in this country, but¡­"


    "We will use the terrain to our advantage and, naturally, surprise attacks," Rain exined. "With my earth magic, we can make the enemies disappear instantly, not inrge numbers, but that will make them get really scared. Besides, sooner orter, they will understand that we are just trying to survive instead of taking over the kingdom."


    "What about Branden, Orcis, and Lorene? You can''t let the enemies do what they want with them. It is only a matter of time before they try to use them against us," Leiah asked. "While having them on our side will cause some issues, it is worth the hassle¡­ isn''t it?"


    "Of course, Lotto is looking into that matter for me," Rain exined. "Still, the king won''t use them, at least for a while, since he doesn''t know what we will be able to pull off. They can deal out magic abilities with the anti-magic substance, but they still don''t know that magic is only half of my skills.


    We should focus on fending them off for a while without going all out and let their patience run thin."


    "I don''t like to do underhanded things, but since we don''t have many people on our side, we should get rid of some powerful heads that will weaken the other side," Jori said. "The advisors of the king would be a good target."


    "Why not Joanis himself? Sooner orter, he will have to show himself," Reca asked.


    "I am nning to do that once I have the chance, but he knows that I will target him first," Rain replied. "I am nning to kill him and the other advisors the next time I head to the Capital¡­ I am not sure if they will be there, though."


    With the king''s de and some of the royal guard headed towards the border, it wasn''t far-fetched to imagine that Joanis might have simr ns. After all, he possessed the anti-magic substance, a crucial asset against the magic people.


    Given the strategic value of this substance, it seemed highly probable that Joanis would want to be present at the border to exploit this advantage and be there to hog the glory for some influence.


    "I suppose contacting the magic people isn''t an option¡­" Terra said while looking away.


    "It doesn''t matter which group we contact, we will end up on the losing side of any conversations since we don''t have an army, and once we help others win, we will soon be disposed of as well," Rain exined and then looked at Sirenus and Coraline. "No offense."


    "We understand your concerns, but we don''t have any reason to take over yournds. The ocean is big enough for us," Coraline exined. "Our emperor will be satisfied in just killing all those involved in the kidnappings."


    Seadrei naturally would remain steadfast in his goal, willing to resort to deadly force against anyone obstructing his mission. This included not only soldiers but also civilians unaware of the intricacies of the situation.


    While it seemed prudent for the sea folk to avoidunching a full-scale attack on human territory, Rain and his allies understood that engaging in any form of conflict with the humans alongside the sea folk beyond securing a non-aggression pact carried substantial risks and potential consequences.


    "Once you finish this project of yours, what is next?" Asche asked.


    "We escort those who don''t want to stay here while we fight to the other side, they might cause problems in the long run since the trade routes will be closed," Rain replied. "I suppose only those who don''t care much about money will stay behind."


    "A lot of them will stay since most of the riches in the area are given to the kingdom since thesends, most of them belong to the royal family," Meiro exined. "If we win, they might be able to im thesends for themselves, and if we lose, they can y dumb and say that they were just keeping the goods safe and thend well managed."


    "They won''t lend a single hand to help, though," Luana added.


    "It will be fine. As long as they don''t get in the way, it will be enough," Rain said. "After that, we will have to guard the areas that will most likely be attacked or invaded. We will have to be careful of solo spies invading to keep an eye on the surroundings.


    To help with that, I will change theyout of the tunnels a bit¡­ I was nning to make the rails in the open, but that will make our approach obvious."


    Rain understood the enormity of the challenges ahead and recognized that he couldn''t tackle them alone. He had already enlisted the help of Liss and Asche, both of whom possessed unique skills that could contribute to guarding the aquatic border. However, he remained keenly aware of the vastness of the task. Even with thebined abilities of his allies, they were up to one hell of a task.

 Chapter 322: Coming to help

    Rain also considered his younger sisters, who had a proficiency in water magic and ess to potent relics. They had the potential to be valuable allies, but Rain hesitated to involve them in the brutal realities of conflict.


    This dilemma weighed heavily on Rain as he sought to find a way to achieve his goals while safeguarding his sisters'' well-being and innocence. He could ask the sea folk to help with that, but working together would be a weapon for the enemies as well.


    "Your priorities are all right, but we should split into teams to guard the main routes since we don''t know when the enemies will find us," Roan said. "While you work on moving the ocean to create the barricade, the others will focus on keeping an eye on those ces."


    "That won''t be necessary if we can use the barricade that you will create. you might not be fine with us cooperating, but do you have anything against us using this barricade?" Sirenus asked.


    "... It would be better if we weren''t seen cooperating so we can split the areas that we both will use," Rain replied after thinking for a short while.


    "We could use the waterway to reach our homes faster while you work as well. Thus, we would have to work for it," Sirenus added. "You can ask for some of us to help when you approach the ocean. Some of us will be willing to help you."


    "... All right then," Rain said.


    Rain saw the potential advantages of working together with the sea folk to construct the underground waterway. As long as their coboration remained hidden from prying eyes, it could show significant benefits.


    The truth was, both the king and Joanis would likely attempt to manipte the situation to their advantage, using Rain of cooperating with the sea folk, regardless of his actual intentions. In the bigger picture, the optics of their partnership were not as important as the oue they aimed to achieve.


    Rain''s main concern was achieving victory and ensuring that a more reasonable leader would rece the current king. He had no desire to rule over others; in fact, he found the idea burdensome. His goal was to free his family and ensure their safety, not to be a ruler.


    The key to sessy in their ability to outmaneuver the king and Joanis, ultimately achieving their objectives and paving the way for a more peaceful and just future.


    "Just to be safe, you should work in two groups at max. We don''t know if the enemies have spies in this area to keep an eye on the beastmen beyond the mountains, after all," Rain said. "If some are around, splitting into two groups would be enough to fight back. How many viges are around, Grandpa?"


    "Eight of them, with decent horses, we can probably visit those ces in four days and return," Meiro replied.


    "Four days should be fine to leave the roads unguarded," Rain said. "After that, you can work on guarding the roads for the remaining time until the waterway isplete. You guys should rest for the day."


    Although Rain said that, he immediately flew toward the coast with several boxes filled with potions. The others will have to prepare a bunch of things before leaving, so it was for the best for them to start working the next day. Around that time in the morning, Rain also reached the coast and began to work.


    "I am right in the area between the farms and the closest town that is used as a checkpoint¡­ there is no better ce to start the waterway," Rain thought.


    Constructing the waterway demanded Rain''s full focus and stretched the limits of his abilities. Its sheer magnitude dwarfed any of his prior endeavors, including the tunnel he had dug earlier. Urgencypelled him to act swiftly. Stepping into the ocean, Rain harnessed his control over the water, coaxing it to create into a colossal sphere measuring twenty meters in both width and height.


    With determined resolve, Rain directed this immense sphere toward the beach, setting it into a rapid rotation. The sphere''s spinning motion interacted with the sandy shoreline, causing grains to scatter in all directions. As he meticulously carved out the waterway, Rain was pleasantly surprised to find that the ground offered minimal resistance, likely due to the seawater''s higher mineral content.


    However, as the waterway continued to take shape, the sshing water threatened to disrupt his progress. Rain tapped into arger portion of the ocean''s resources to maintain control and counteract this challenge, restoring the sphere''s size. Yet, he soon realized that this monumental task was consuming mana at an elerated rate, presenting a formidable test of his magical abilities.


    "I guess I have to improvise," Rain thought.


    Rain disyed his expertise by ingeniously using water magic. He crafted two sleek, curved des made entirely of water, which sparkled with an icy brilliance. These weren''t just for show; they served a practical purpose.


    With precision, Rain utilized his mana to freeze the des, making them exceptionally sturdy and almost crystalline in texture. Then, swiftly and deliberately, he drove the frozen des into the ground.


    What followed defied expectations. The des effortlessly prated the soil, encountering minimal resistance due to the proximity of the ocean''s softening influence. Surprisingly, the presence of the water also shielded the des from significant damage.


    "What in the world is that?" Seadir suddenly asked.


    Rain barely had made the waterway five hundred meters long, and Seadir had arrived, and he quite couldn''t understand what Rain was doing. He already knew that he used magic in weird ways, but that left him baffled.


    "Just something I came up with to increase the digging speed. What are you doing here already?" Rain asked.


    "Father told me to keep an eye on the coast, but then I sensed the coral spear," Seadir exined. "Until now, the humans didn''t do anything on the coast, so I came to check what you learned since thest time."

 Chapter 323: Change approach

    After exining what he had learned, he also couldn''t help but realize that perhaps the enemies were still unaware that they were aware of their ns to wage war with the sea folk and the magic people. Still, they knew that Rain had freed the prisoners, so that didn''t make sense at all.


    "I will bring some people to help you with this endeavor, and before you say anything, Father dered that any ce that has water belongs to him," Seadir said. "You might have one side of the waterway, and the other might belong to the human king, but if the border is made of water, then it belongs to us."


    That sounded like something the sea emperor would say. Besides, Rain didn''t mind anymore since they were going to make good use of the waterway. They might as well help. Rain was starting to think that he was being too stubborn about some things, and it would be better if he cooled down a bit.


    Before long, some of the sea folk arrived, and they tried to help Rain. Combining their spells wouldn''t be the best option, so they had to alternate between them in order to get the most efficiency. Still, even without using mana potions, the magic folk couldn''t do as much as Rain. Even though Seadir already had another coral spear.


    "How many of my brethren have already woken up?" Seadir asked.


    "All of them, but half still can''t get up; some of them can''t even eat without help," Rain replied.


    "They will feel better once they have the chance to sense seawater touch their skin," Seadir dered. "In any case, this is making a lot of noise, don''t you think? What are you going to do if some people see us here?"


    "The war hasn''t started yet, so I will knock them down and keep them locked for a while," Rain replied. "We can''t guard them forever, and just killing so soon will only make the enemies have an easy time making the poption stand against us."


    While constructing the waterway, Rain had realized something about himself. He understood that he didn''t quite fit the mold of a strategic genius or a heroic figure. The main reason behind this was his reluctance to embrace ruthless tactics. He was, at heart, an athlete, after all.


    Rain knew that he could potentially adopt a cutthroat approach if he were solely concerned about his personal future. However, he couldn''t bring himself to do that. The lives and futures of his family and friends were at stake, and he felt a deep responsibility towards them.


    This responsibility weighed heavily on his conscience and demanded a level of thoughtfulness that didn''t align with the ruthless pursuit of power or glory. Rain''s top priority was the well-being of those he cared about, and he couldn''tpromise that for his own gain.


    "Father asked if you are going to investigate how to counter the anti-magic substance. While you can fight without worrying about that. It isn''t that optimal, right?" Seadir asked.


    "When did he ask that?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows since that was the kind of thing he should have told sooner.


    "Just now," Seadir replied.


    While Rain worked on carving out the waterway, he couldn''t help but wonder about the sea emperor''s whereabouts. There was no sign of the sea emperor nearby, and Rain figured that he must be in his castle or some other secluded ce.


    This got Rain thinking about how the sea emperor might havemunicated with Seadir and the others. Did he use telepathy or some other method to send his messages? Rain''s curiosity was definitely sparked, and he pondered the various possibilities.


    As he continued to shape the waterway, Rain''s mind turned to the idea of learning simrmunication techniques. He contemted whether he could use natural elements like the sound of the waves to send messages over long distances. It was a skill that intrigued him, and he decided to explore it further in the future.


    "Once I finish this, I will start working on counterattacking," Rain exined. "We can''t focus on going to the offensive when our defense isn''t good enough."


    Speaking of foundations, Rain decided to level up the Wizard''s path while he was making the waterway. He also used all of his free points into intelligence to increase his magic power and speed up that work, even if by a little bit.


    Thanks to all that and his spear, he was able to create the waterway at the same speed a horse could move¡­ but even so, at that rate, he would probably need two weeks to finish the job.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 119 (6000/11.100)


    Current Path: Wizard''s Path (Lv 25 (520/2500)


    Health: 16.970/16.970


    Mana: 24.430/24.630


    Stamina: 18.365/18.315


    Strength: 1542


    Dexterity: 887


    Intelligence: 1825


    Vitality: 1698


    Wisdom: 2443


    Endurance: 1741


    Luck: 307


    Free Points: 00


    Main Skills:


    [Enhanced Intelligence Lv 22)


    [Magic Ward Lv 11]


    [Reinforced Wisdom Lv 05]


    [Focus Lv 10]


    [Intelligence Bonus Lv 11]


    Support Skills:


    [Arcane Initiation Lv 11]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 37]


    [Language Lv 88]


    [Insightful Mind Lv 50]


    [Meditation Lv 93]


    When night came, the sea folk looked exhausted, even though they would feel immediately better after just half an hour of break. While it seemed that the ocean could make them recover faster, it wasn''t something that they could do over and over again.


    Even Seadir looked beaten. Even though he could use his own spear, he wasn''t used to working for so long nonstop. He wondered for how long Rain was willing to keep working¡­ he only asked because he didn''t know that Rain wanted to finish that task in one week.


    "It isn''t as efficient as I had envisioned¡­ I thought that I was making more progress, but that isn''t the case," Rain thought.


    Rain could increase the effectiveness of the work if he used his physical strength, but that would make even more noise. At the same time, he had to keep an eye on the area around him for possible enemies. He couldn''t just do that.

 Chapter 324: Leading

    "I guess there is no other option," Rain thought. "I also need to train my earth magic to keep it sharp, after all. I will deal with possible problemster."


    When the sea folk left to rest at midnight, Rain decided to use his earth magic. He did that to some extent during the day, but never only his earth magic. While running in a straight line on the path that he was nning to follow, Rain made the ground tremble, and then some cracks appeared in it.


    Thanks to that, the water in the waterway began to invade thend while pushing away and causing some smallndfalls.


    "I guess this is a bit more efficient when ites to my skills, but I can only use this at night since no one will be able to find the source of the tremor," Rain thought.


    Rain also did that because he could sense things around. All the vibrations revealed the presence of animals, so it would be even easier to locate people.


    When morning came, Rain resumed the other method, and Seadir arrived with a lot more of his friends to help¡­ Now Rain couldn''t help but sigh since it was almost too obvious that they were working together. At least most of them stayed underwater¡­


    After around four days, Rain and the sea folk finally managed toplete half of the waterway. Still, it looked like Rain overestimated his own power and the effectiveness of the spiritual potions.


    Rain imagined that he wouldn''t even use one-fourth of the potions that he had gotten toplete the waterway, but he had already used half of it¡­ it didn''t seem like they would have many of those for the battles. Still, it was fine. Rain could always steal more during the war. Compared to killing, stealing was a lot easier since it annoyed the enemies more.


    Around that time, Rain also found Rhodes trying to cross the area. Since he was trying to avoid the capital, Rhodes took a long detour and was heading north as well¡­ he was utterly shocked when he saw the waterway and that the construction speed was faster than almost that he could run. Still, he eventually did it while keeping a distance from Rain in order not to annoy him.


    "... You said that you have a n for him, but I wonder if things will be that smooth for you," Seadir said while ring at Rhodes.


    "We will see," Rain said.


    The next day, Rain''s friends and family finally arrived in the area where he was, and they also were shocked by what they saw. They thought that the waterway would be about five meters wide at best.


    "What is so surprising?" Rain asked. "Any decent soldier can jump over this," Rain said. "Anyway, how things went?"


    "A lot of people were suspicious of us, but Meiro and Luana''s reputation calmed most of those who were too suspicious," Roan exined. "There are some guards stationed in the most distant viges, and they tried to attack us immediately since they didn''t know me. We knocked and locked them down."


    "That is fine for the time being. We can''t draw the first blood unless we have to," Rain said.


    Roan proceeded to exin his concerns among the popce regarding the division of their forces. Many were anxious that splitting their focus between the sea folk and the magic people could leave them vulnerable to attacks from various sides, including the formidable beasts beyond the mountains.


    While Rain acknowledged these valid concerns, he also stressed the importance of maintaining a delicate bnce. Although hecked in-depth knowledge of the various factions'' fighting styles, he recognized the need to strike a middle ground.


    If anyone dared tounch an attack from behind or posed a threat to their loved ones, Rain was ready to respond with the appropriate force to safeguard their newfound allies and secure their own future.


    "Some are also worried that sooner orter, they will ask them to join the fight," Leiah said while holding the side of her head.


    "How about making them give up and make for us spiritual potions? The most basic ones are easier to make, and that would be the same as contributing," Rain said. "The people in the vige where we lived know us and feel indebted to us, right?"


    "Indeed¡­ that could work¡­" Leiah said.


    "I will escort you three since there is nothing for me to do here," Roan dered.


    Roan, Leiah, Meiro, and Luana left again to do that while the others stayed behind. Around that time, the waterway reached the first tunnel that Rain had made. While he sealed the western side with some earth walls, the other side was free, and soon, it reached the underground rooms that he had made.


    The kids were inside the house instead of the underground rooms, so only the sea folk saw the water invading their rooms. Soon enough, they appeared in the area, and they looked much filled with life. They soon began to help as well on the task.


    "... You fulfilled your part of the deal. I represent my and my people''s gratitude when I say that we will forever be indebted to you, your family, and friends," Seadir said while bowing deeply.


    "There is no need to exaggerate; just make to sure guard the southern side of the waterway, and everything will be fine," Rain shrugged.


    Rain''s friends and sisters couldn''t help butugh softly as they observed Rain''s slightly ufortable demeanor. It was apparent that he wasn''t entirely ustomed to receiving genuine expressions of gratitude.


    His usualposure in challenging situations contrasted with this more personal and emotional interaction, leaving him slightly unsure of how to respond. Nevertheless, everyone around could read Rain like an open book. He was usually solely focusing on training and letting others lead, but now he was leading, and that was a necessary change for Rain to show his true potential.

 Chapter 325: The next step

    As if fate was trying to bnce things a bit in Rain''s life since nothing had happened as ofte, on that night of the fifth day, he finally could see some auras in the distance and on the other side of the waterway¡­ they didn''t approach, and it was hard to assume that they could see him from that distance, but they were aware that something was happening in the area and soon they would send a force to investigate whatever that was¡­


    On the next day,ing from the nearest town on the other side of the waterway. A battalion of two hundred soldiers approached the waterway. Since they didn''t see any signs of people and monsters around, they didn''t feel any danger, and the tremors were no longer happening. Still, they couldn''t exin that aside from being the work of a massive sea monster¡­


    The soldiers patrolling the area surveyed the bizarre scene with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. They found it challenging to fathom why a strange, monstrous sea creature would attempt to invade their territory, considering the vastness of the ocean.


    As they whispered in nervous tones, a prevailing theory emerged among the soldiers. It seemed widely epted that this incursion was somehow linked to the recent decree issued by the king. The king had ordered the capture of sea folk who had ventured into theirnds to investigate the mysterious disappearances of their kin.


    Connecting the dots, the soldiers began to suspect that this monstrous intrusion might be a direct consequence of the kingdom''s actions.


    In quiet discussions and exchanged nces, the soldiers grappled with the unsettling realization that their kingdom''s decisions might have triggered this unexpected confrontation with an otherworldly threat¡­


    Their captain silenced the whispering soldiers with a stern re, leaving no room for further spection. With their mission in mind, the group cautiously approached the water''s edge, hoping to uncover any valuable information left behind by the mysterious creatures.


    However, a sudden and disconcerting event unfolded before their eyes. The water, seemingly guided by an invisible force, surged forward with remarkable strength, ensnaring the soldiers and inexorably pulling them into its grasp. Panic spread as they frantically attempted to evade the encroaching waters, but their efforts proved futile.


    Before they could react, they found themselves trapped within the heart of the waterway. What had once been a calm passage had transformed into a swirling vortex reminiscent of a powerful whirlwind. The helpless soldiers collided with one another, their struggles escting as they inadvertently ingestedrge amounts of water.


    One after another, they sumbed to unconsciousness, their mission concluding in a chaotic and bewildering inundation.


    Eventually, the soldiers began to sink, but then Rain pulled them out and took their armor and weapons from them before tossing them to some small boats made of earth magic and making them go downstream.


    "Are you sure about that?" Seadir asked. "We have grudges against them. We can kill them while they are unconscious ."


    "Not my problem. I just stopped them from bothering me, and I was merciful in letting them go with their lives almost intact," Rain replied. "I don''t have to protect them, nor do I have to stop you all from getting your revenge. If they die, it will be due to their ipetence andck of luck, not because of my ruthlessness."


    Seadir studied Rain for a while¡­ he wondered if he was being tested alongside the others. He should know that the sea folk wouldn''t kill unconscious and unarmed people. They valued honor that much to do such cowardly actions in their backyard. For them, it would be like spitting on the floor of their own home¡­ the whole ocean was their home.


    "I will make one of my people to stay behind and watch that town in case they send more forces to investigate the waterway," Seadir dered, and then he began to use his magic to make the boat reach the ocean faster. "I doubt that they will send after losing two hundred soldiers inexplicably."


    Rain''s clever tactic left the group of soldiers thoroughly bewildered. As they gradually regained consciousness on the vast ocean, they found themselves in a perplexing predicament. Once seemingly within their grasp, the shoreline appeared distant and unreachable, leaving them disoriented and puzzled.


    Uncertain about how they had ended up adrift in open waters, the soldiers grappled with the enigma before them. In their attempts to make sense of the situation, they began crafting a web of rumors and spections. Some spoke of a fearsome sea monster, while others attributed their plight to a perilous stretch of ocean rumored to be haunted by vengeful spirits.


    Whispers of ancient curses and eerie underwater phenomena circted among them.


    These rumors and conjectures yed into the hands of Rain and hispanions. By sowing confusion and fear among the soldiers, they ensured that any future encounters with the kingdom''s forces would be met with heightened caution and uncertainty.


    The soldiers'' tales of a dangerous and enigmatic waterway would cast doubt on the reliability of any information they might offer to their superiors, inadvertently creating a protective shield of misinformation around Rain and his allies, buying them more than a little bit of time.


    Thanks to all the help that Rain received from everyone, the waterway was finished after one week. Everyone sure looked surprised and prideful of their own contributions¡­ no one had imagined that such a thing was possible.


    "I guess people here will be able to fish as well, but the central area is a bit dangerous, and there are some whirlpools in some ces," Jori said while seeing some fish underwater.


    "That is because the two oceans are meeting," Rain exined. "Anyway, we should return and rest for the day before making the next ns."


    "We will use this freely and see if we can expand it as well. It is a bit tight for our tastes," Seadir said.


    "Don''t me me if you end up captured again. Any news from the port?" Rain asked.

 Chapter 326: Upgrades

    "No, there are more soldiers there, but they aren''t doing anything out of the norm," Seadir exined. "Maybe the king decided to focus on dealing with the magic people since he has a grudge against them, like Joanis."


    Even if that was true, Rain couldn''t understand that actionpletely¡­ they should know that Rain was aware of their goals, and splitting their forces now seemed the best option¡­ it wasn''t like they needed many armies to deal with the magic people when they can''t use magic.


    In any case, the group returned home and found Leiah and Roan organizing a bunch of potions. While they were of low quality, their numbers were quite high.


    "A lot more people are willing to help since they didn''t want to send their people to another war," Leiah exined. "They already know that the king is demanding soldiers from all over the country."


    "No one wants to move away from the area?" Rain asked while frowning.


    "No, we are surprised as well, even though not many people here died in thest war," Leiah said.


    Since that area had to produce food, it was natural that not many people would be called to join the battles. Still, plenty of people died in thest few decades during the conflicts, and now the king wanted to call as many soldiers as possible to join his cause.


    "... Tomorrow, I am going to look for Branden again and try to free him, Orcis, and Lorene if I can," Rain exined. "After that, I am going to check things on the border and see what they are doing. In the meantime, you all should guard the northern side of the waterway while the sea folk will guard the other side."


    "That is a lot of ground to cover," Terra said. "We can move faster now since we improved our skills, but we are still seriouslycking manpower."


    "That is one of the reasons I seriously want to find Branden. With him on our side, some members of the organization will join us," Rain exined. "Orcis should have some loyal soldiers as well."


    "For now, the king is taking us lightly since only that Battalion came to check the area, so we will be fine for now," Roan said. "Things will be better for us if the sea folk begin to attack the coast as well. While I feel that the king won''t care if the port town is destroyed now, at least it will split their focus."


    "Why not ask them to use their abilities to also make their own waterway?" Liss asked. "They would be able to invade the territory without losing their terrain advantage."


    "It seems that they are still organizing their forces. From what I heard, they live in many cities underground, and they are pretty far away from each other," Rain exined.


    "It might take a few weeks for them to ready their army; that would exin why so many of them were kidnapped over the years, and they didn''t have the chance to respond¡­ in any case, I will be sure to cause some havoc in their ce to keep the enemies busy."


    "Try not to target civilians¡­ things will be easier this way, and eventually, people will begin to believe in our side better," Roan added.


    "Naturally, Perhaps not so many since many people still want to exterminate all the magic people," Rain said.


    The king''s ambitions were marked by an air of uncertainty. While his aspiration to secure a prominent ce in history and potentially attain the status of the most renowned human monarch was evident, delving deeper into theyers of his true motivations presented a challenging puzzle.


    He had a few potential strategies at his disposal to attain his goals and leave asting legacy. These included defeating the sea emperor, eradicating the magic people, or orchestrating the downfall of the human kingdom itself.


    Out of these options, thetter seemed most feasible,rgely due to the king''s apparentck of strategic thinking. While he aspired to greatness, his ability to executeplex military or diplomatic maneuvers was in doubt.


    Consequently, undermining the stability of the human kingdom appeared to be his likeliest path to achieving renown, even though the ramifications of such a course could be devastating for all involved.


    From that day onward, the kids who once lived in the orphanage were able to walk freely around the vige. Rain also made sure to build some extra rooms for all of them¡­ it wasn''t hard since they only had fifty of those. Cooking enough food for all of them was the real challenge.


    After dinner, Rain and his friends went outside to rx a bit since things were a bit chaotic at the dinner table. The kids had too much energy for their own good.


    "You said what you are going to do, but do you want us just to check the waterway from enemies?" Reca asked.


    "I don''t know what will happen, so this is your chance to keep training and getting stronger," Rain exined. "The enemies won''t hold back, so you will need all the help that we can get."


    Rain showed his weights, and everyone understood that even while he was making the waterway, Rain was training his body. He was truly addicted to training, and that exined why he had so little knowledge in some fields.


    "We are nning to use that cart to move around faster. You don''t mind, do you?" Asche asked.


    "It might be hard to move without the rails. I guess I will have to change the cart a bit," Rain thought and then went to grab the cart.


    Rain found great pleasure in his mastery of earth magic. His cart had been constructed from this versatile magic, which allowed him to craft and adapt the vehicle to his specifications. Swiftly, he attached an extra wheel and the essentialponents to enable smooth rotation. Furthermore, he expanded the cart''s size to amodate arger number of passengers.


    While these adjustments did consume some mana when moving, they promised increased efficiency and time-saving benefits for their uing journey.

 Chapter 327: What I wanted to hear

    "We reported that the magic people got a dragon thanks to us. I wonder if the king thinks that the anti-magic bombs should work even against dragons," Liss said. "We might end up seeing some dragons around soon in human territory."


    "It should work on the younger ones," Rain said. "Still, unless they are forced to digest the bombs they are bathed in, I don''t think that the old ones will have a hard time dealing with them¡­ he truly doesn''t know how strong the dragons are."


    Rain wondered about the nature of the dragons'' abilities: Dragon''s Breath and Dragon''s Rage. He thought that both required mana, yet he wondered if Dragon''s Rage relied solely on the dragons'' fervent emotions or if it, too, had a mana element.


    This uncertainty piqued his interest, leading him to explore the potential of incorporating aspects of these formidable techniques into his own set of skills¡­ dragon''s Rage would truly be useful in his hands¡­


    When morning came, Rain said bye to his family and friends and then proceeded to move to the waterway. He found some of the sea folk there and told them that he was going to look for some Intel. After that, he began to fly since he would be harder to fight.


    Once Rain reached the town where the battalion came from, he noticed that many soldiers were patrolling around. Some that looked like adventurers, too¡­ it seemed that they still didn''t know about the sea folk and that no monster was around.


    A couple of hourster, Rain was able to find Rhodes. At first, he acted like he wasn''t going to the capital, but soon, he changed his direction once he confirmed that he was far beyond Rain''s eyes.


    "Consider me not surprised, retard," Rain thought.


    Just to be sure, Rain took a good look at Rhodes and his aura before entering his tunnel. After that, he dashed toward the area of his home and then filled most of it with dirt to make sure that no one would find it. He still had to have a clear path to talk with Lotto and to head to the castle, after all.


    Just like before, Rain suddenly appeared in the middle of Lotto''s shop, and he looked like he almost had a heart attack.


    "... Can you stop doing that?" Lotto asked. "I am not young, you know? My heart might stop working if you keep doing this."


    "Any news?" Rain asked.


    "... The castle remains silent, but some of my informants told me that the princess tried to leave the castle a few times, but he was stopped by the guards," Lotto said after he crossed his arms. "Aside from that, many soldiers and royal guards are moving to the border, but I didn''t hear anything.


    We also can''t send merchants to Teria since it ispletely under control of the first army and the king''s de."


    As time ticked away, Rain remained in the dark about Branden and the others. This growing uncertainty was starting to wear him down, and he felt his patience waning.


    The idea of capturing the king to extract information crossed Rain''s mind. However, he couldn''t shake the nagging suspicion that the king might have employed a double, just as Joanis had in the past. Falling for a simr trick twice was not something Rain was willing to risk.


    "I guess I will have to check things there," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "What about Brandoe''s family? Are they doing anything?"


    "No, they arepletely quiet," Lotto exined. "I am not sure if they know that he, Orcis, and Lorene have been put in a dungeon. While Orcis doesn''t have rtives, those two are too famous to ignore¡­"


    Rain possessed only a limited understanding of Branden and Lorene''s parents. Still, he couldn''t shake the suspicion that they were well aware of their children''s current situation and had consciously chosen to disregard it. It wouldn''t be the first time that they had ced their own personal interests and social standing above the welfare of their family.


    This pattern of behavior was evident years ago when Roswall and Melody''s sons were sent to the dangerous frontlines to retrieve Tristan, an ill-fated mission that ended in their tragic deaths. During that dire time, Branden and Lorene''s parents had conspicuously refrained from offering any support or intervention, leaving Rain with a profound sense of skepticism about their motivations.


    "At this point in time, it is almost clear that Branden isn''t in the capital," Lotto said. "The king wouldn''t be able to make him move without leaving traces behind, but Joanis would. He had influence in three cities, two without counting Teria."


    The other must be the one where Rain and the others met the first informant¡­ it seemed that his only option was to check those again, but not before checking Teria first.


    "All right, I will check those ces," Rain dered.


    "I heard that the path toward the East was blocked by a waterway that was suddenly created. Thanks to it, we can''t send messages to your grandfather," Lotto said.


    "That is a countermeasure to avoid future problems. I will pass any messages that you want," Rain said.


    "The kingdom might end up suffering some rebellions if people began to starve," Lotto warned. "Some people will end up hating you and your family."


    "We will deal with that when the timees. Still, that is only a result of the actions of the king," Rain said. "No one will die of hunger, but they will have to suffer a bit until they decide to stop following that guy."


    "That is what I wanted to hear," Lotto said and then nodded.


    Once again, Rain left the storage room and then used the hole and closed it before Lotto could leave the ce. Soon after, Rain stopped to take a break before using his magic to feel all the aura and vibrations in the city¡­ after suffering one hell of a migraine, Rain eventually found Rhodes'' presence close to the warehouse where he found the prisoners.

 Chapter 328: Locked

    It would have been easier to follow him at night, so Rain had to keep sensing his footsteps through a thickyer of the ground and the bricks of the streets of the capital. Before long, he entered a tavern to eat and drink something.


    Rain made the hole that he was using get close to Rhodes when he felt someone approaching his table, and then Rain clicked his tongue when he found that the floor was made of wood¡­ he would have to listen to their conversation through it.


    "... What did you learn?"


    "They don''t have a lot of people on their side, not even fifteen soldiers, but they are skilled," Rhodes replied. "They created the waterway in that area, and they are working to some extent with the sea folk."


    Rain had a strong suspicion that Joanis had been orchestrating a series of events, with Rhodes as a mere pawn in arger and more intricate n. While Joanis couldn''t predict every detail of theplex intery of politics and power, he possessed a deep understanding of human psychology and the art of maniption.


    One of Joanis'' calcted moves involved deliberately allowing a group of informants who had covertly worked for Branden to fall into the hands of their adversaries. He had foreseen that Branden, notorious for his relentless pursuit of information, would stop at nothing to extract valuable secrets from these informants.


    What might have seemed like a risky decision was actually a strategic gambit on Rain''s part. He recognized an opportunity to exploit Branden''s desperation, using it to his advantage in the ongoing power struggle. This instance showcased Rain''s tactical savvy and his readiness to utilize every avable asset to advance his own objectives.


    In any case, even through the wooden floor, Rain could tell that the person Rhodes was talking to had a peculiar aura, just like the new royal guards¡­ They were strong.


    "They also use a tunnel under the city to move¡­ that is all that I learned from them," Rhodes said. "They listened to the conversation when the king locked Branden and the others¡­ with this, you will leave her alone, won''t you?"


    "... Yes, I will. You should disappear for a while, just in case."


    The person that Rhodes was talking to was a man and not only had a weird aura, but Rain also felt that he heard that voice before, but he couldn''t recall when¡­


    In any case, Rhodes soon left the tavern, and Rain followed him while the other guy stayed behind. Still, as soon as he had the chance, Rain made Rhodes fall into a hole that he created in an alley¡­ Rhodes fell on his butt and then began to tremble like a leaf while looking at Rain.


    "No time to waste with you anymore," Rain dered and then fired an earth spike from the ground that pierced Rhodes'' heart.


    In the end, Rain''s guess was truly right¡­ Rhodes was working for the enemy all along instead of just ignoring them, but he still was right when he thought that he was doing that to protect someone. Not that changed anything¡­ he had his second chance and threw it away.


    After burying the body of Rhodes, Rain waited for the target to move. It would be troublesome if he headed to the castle¡­ still, Rain''s worries were confirmed when the guy left the tavern and began walking toward the city''s central area. Not only that, but he was also using a path filled with people.


    "Well now¡­ what should I do?" Rain thought.


    Rain encountered a practical challenge when attempting to make the target disappear. The technique he employed required at least half a second to execute sessfully. This timing was crucial, especially in situations where the target was surrounded by a crowd of people.


    In such scenarios, even the slightest dy in his actions could risk drawing attention and suspicion from those nearby. To maintain his stealth and effectiveness, Rain had to carefully assess each situation, considering the need for precision and discretion in his line of work.


    In the end, Rain began to drink a potion and then let out a sigh¡­ he couldn''t let that guy inform anyone of what he had heard, so Rain had to take some drastic measures.


    After touching the ground and then taking a deep breath, Rain used his mana and then sent vibrations throughout the whole capital¡­ Before long, everyone around saw the surroundings trembling, and then they lost their bnce as well.


    At the same time, a hole appeared under the target and made him fall in front of Rain, also inside another hole that reached his neck. Before long, the tremor ended, and the target couldn''t move a single inch.


    The individual Rain had tracked down had a human appearance, but something about him set him apart. He possessed a well-built physique and long, flowing ck hair that reached down his back. Hisplexion was notably pale, giving him an almost otherworldly quality. However, what truly captured Rain''s attention was the distinct aura that surrounded him.


    As Rain drew closer, the man''s eyes widened in surprise. Recognition shed across his face, and it became evident that Rain had sessfully captured him. The encounter was charged with tension as both individuals silently assessed each other.


    Rain extended his magical skills to scan the area for any signs of disturbance or unusual activity. As he sensed the surroundings, he noticed that people continued with their daily tasks without interruption. There was no indication that anyone had paused their activities to search for the target.


    While the tremor had piqued the curiosity of some, it appeared to be dismissed as an isted incident or attributed to other causes. The normal rhythm of life resumed as people gradually returned to their routines, unaware of the underlying tension and the covert pursuit taking ce nearby.


    Still, the one who was surprised next was Rain¡­ all of a sudden, his tunnel began to tremble, and he could sense the vibrationsing from his prisoner.

 Chapter 329: Secret ability

    "What the hell are you doing?" Rain asked.


    The target ignored Rain''s question and kept doing whatever he wanted. Before long, the whole area was trembling, and the ground began to crack¡­ before any other signs could show, Rain kicked the face of the target with all his might and knocked him down. However, Rain felt an explosion on his feet that burned his boots up to the flesh and even pushed his leg backward.


    "... Was that magic?" Rain frowned.


    It seemed that the magic of the enemy was activated as soon as Rain kicked him¡­ it wasn''t a spell-like others. Rain also didn''t see anything simr to fire magic. The impact just caused an explosion.


    "Explosion¡­ explosion?" Rain thought and then recalled something.


    Rain''s thoughts drifted back to a past mission where he had been assigned as Lorene''s bodyguard. The building they had been in came under attack, and explosions threatened to bury them alive in the debris. The close call had left many questions to Rain since he never found the culprit.


    Now, Rain couldn''t help but draw parallels between the two situations. Explosions, though of a different kind, obstructed their path. Bodies were strategically ced to hinder their advance, and then they exploded. The eerie simrities between these pieces of information stirred a sense of unease deep within Rain.


    "I should have known¡­ killing Lorene probably would make Orcis depressed, and that would make him make mistakes in business. It also would affect Branden''s family.


    In any case, Rain decided to leave the capital with the prisoner and ask him some questions in one way or the other. Rain wasn''t a fan of torture, but he didn''t mind considering that agaisnt someone who tried to kill him before.


    While he was leaving the capital with the unconscious prisoner, he realized that the aura of the guy was simr and yet different from the other royal guards, the ones that received the position thanks to Joanis. It didn''t seem like they had the same type of abilities, even though they probably were special in their own right.


    In any case, the prisoner only woke up at night, and he soon realized that he wasn''t in the capital anymore. They were in an open field in the middle of nowhere¡­ he could feel the smell of the ocean, but he couldn''t turn around to see that. Rain locked his arms and legs behind his body with handcuffs that weighed one ton each.


    "Let''s start, with the introductions, I am the guy who will kill you soon if you do anything else aside from answering my questions," Rain said and you are the guy who will suffer a lot thanks to myck of patience at the moment. Well then, where is Branden and the others?"


    The prisoner carefully analyzed Rain, desperately searching for a way out of the risky situation. While he had heard numerous stories and tales about Rain, facing him in person presented an entirely different challenge. Rain''s actions and decisions continued to shock the prisoner, leaving him confused to find an escape route.


    Despite having gathered a wealth of information about Rain, the prisoner found himself scared. Rain''s knack for resourcefulness and unpredictability became increasingly evident, leaving the prisoner with a sinking feeling that there might be no straightforward solution to his current predicament.


    As he understood with this grim realization, he fervently checked his surroundings for any signs of hope amid the daunting uncertainty.


    "... I don''t know," the prisoner said while looking around and trying to make his arms slightly. "I wasn''t around when they moved them, and we don''t ask questions to our master."


    Rain sighed, and then he approached the prisoner before kicking him in the stomach. He knew well that when someone usually takes a short breath before answering a question, it is because they were considering the best answer that they could do at that moment. And for the prisoner, mixing lies with truths was the best thing he could do.


    The prisoner''s body curved as he lost the air in his lungs, and he trembled in pain. Still, Rain suffered some damage, too, since an explosion happened upon contact.


    Rain carefully observed the explosive magic wielded by his prisoner, and a concerning revtion sent shivers down his spine. It appeared that this opponent possessed an inherent, almost instinctual ability to create these explosions without conscious thought. It was as if these explosive counterattacks were a natural reaction deeply ingrained within the enemy''s very essence.


    What troubled Rain even more was theposition of these explosions ¨C searing hot air. It seemed as though the enemy''s body had a built-in mechanism to react to damage, using these explosive bursts as a fiery counter against anyone who dared to harm him.


    Rain''s mind raced as he considered the newfound danger presented by this unique defensive mechanism. The situation had be considerably moreplex, requiring Rain to think swiftly and adapt his strategy.


    "That is an interesting ability to have," Rain said while checking his feet and then healing when he saw the skin peeled in arge area. "Well then, how about you only tell the truth now before I decide to attack you without using my body?"


    The prisoner eventually recovered, and he tried not to re at Rain. However, his intentions were crystal clear¡­ while he didn''t re, he still was emitting some bloodlust, and Rain felt the atmosphere changing. He tried to see what was happening around him, but he didn''t notice anything¡­ until he used magic eyes.


    They were there¡­ floating in the air¡­ spheres of mana that were invisible, or maybe they were spheres of hot air. Either way, Rain made those explode by firing some earth bullets from the ground. The temperature increased a bit thanks to that in the area.


    Still, the prisoner didn''t have much time to suffer since Rain fired some earth bullets at his head as well, just enough to make him suffer but not enough to pass down.

 Chapter 330: Created

    "I am a busy person, so you would do better in cooperating, you know," Rain said. "I didn''t have many chances to rx with training thanks to you guys, so I have built up some stresstely. You don''t want to be the target of my stress¡­ this is so annoying that I am talking more than usual and saying nonsense as well."


    Rain sighed. He wasn''t being himself, and he knew that it couldn''t be helped thanks to the situation, but it was annoying nheless. Doing every single thing to avoid future problems and walking in a fine line to consider the future of those he cared about every single moment while he was awake was exhausting.


    Regardless, Rain healed the prisoner to make him talk, but he was pretending to be dizzy in order to buy some time and think things through. Or maybe he was expecting some allies or something¡­


    Rain sighed¡­ pain was something that those guys were willing to endure for their goal. Joanis probably trained them well enough to make them resist all kinds of torture.


    In the end, Rain brought the guy to the beach nearby and then threw him into the ocean. The level of the sea was rising at night, and thanks to the weights of the handcuffs, the prisoner began to sink as well.


    The prisoner tried to keep calm at first, but drowning wasn''t something that he was prepared to deal with. He was trained to endure physical torture, not the psychological one.


    "Fuck you! Fuck you!" The prisoner shouted. "I am going to die. I am going to at least make you even more pissed!


    "Where is your calm now, mate?" Rain asked while frowning.


    "You will lose this, bastard!" The prisoner shouted again. "Lord Joanis will make sure that you will lose everything when he beheads you. Mark my words!"


    "I will tremble in anticipation," Rain said.


    Before long, the prisoner began to sink into the ocean, and his head submerged as well. Rain saw him panicking, but he just kept watching until he stopped struggling. Eventually, Rain made him leave the ocean since he could control the handcuffs from a distance.


    The prisoner was semi-unconscious and showing the white of his eyes with his mouth hanging open. In the end, Rain just turned him upside down and made him shake and then cough some of the water that he had drunk. The prisoner began to groan in agony, but soon Rain threw him to sink into the ocean again.


    Rain understood the pressing need to extract as much information as possible from the prisoner before him. The situation had grown increasingly troublesome, and operating in ignorance was simply not an option. The stakes were high, not just for him but for the safety and well-being of his allies.


    Proceeding without a clear grasp of the enemy''s motives, capabilities, and ns would be a recipe for disaster. Rain was aware that obtaining information from the prisoner mighte at a cost. Some details might be distorted or even false. Nevertheless, he recognized that any source of truth, no matter how small, could be invaluable in assembling therger puzzle.


    He had to coax the prisoner into revealing as much as possible, even if it meant sifting throughyers of deception and partial truths.


    In any case, after enduring that three more times and after Rain made the prisoner drink seawater through his nose, the prisoner looked like he was willing to talk with.


    "Ugghhh¡­ Lord Joanis is making them move from one side to the other¡­ in order to not let you find them," the prisoner replied. "We all have special abilities, and that is why we serve him¡­ some of us can alter light around us, and that makes us good for infiltration work and to hide things from others."


    The prisoner''s demeanor had undergone a profound transformation. Once characterized by defiance and resolve, he now exhibited the unmistakable signs of a spirit that had been utterly crushed.


    His eyes, which had once burned with determination, had lost their sparkle. The sharp angles of his face, once defined by tension and anxiety, had softened into a wearied countenance. It was as though his very essence had been drained, leaving behind a mere husk of his former self.


    Every word extracted from him had contributed to this devastating transformation, reducing a once-proud individual to a broken man. Rain''s unyielding pursuit of information had pushed the prisoner to the brink, revealing the profound impact of unwavering determination and the depths to which one''s spirit could be tested.


    Rain didn''t like to hear that¡­ if some of those guys could be invisible or something like that, then the waterway was almost useless. Rain will have to return and teach his friends how to use magic eyes¡­ he didn''t think that they would need that.


    In any case, from what he heard, it seemed that their ability was simr to the water snipers who could use water to affect the light around them. From a distance, it would be impossible to see them, and even if they were close, it would be impossible to find them with eyes alone at night.


    "Who are you people?" Rain asked.


    "We are his soldiers¡­ we were created and raised to serve him," the prisoner said.


    "Created?" Rain frowned. "How?"


    "He conceived us with our mothers and raised us to serve him," the prisoner replied.


    "... where are your mothers from?" Rain asked, already facepalming since he noticed that the ocean had grown silent a bit.


    "Some of them are from the ocean, some of them are from beyond the western and eastern border, some of them are from far away," the prisoner replied.


    Rain''s theory had been confirmed, and it was now evident that the individuals with those peculiar auras were a distinctive mix of humans and other species. Technically, they could be ssified as demi-humans. However, what distinguished them was the nature of their bloodlines, untouched by centuries of inbreeding that had diluted the heritage of most demi-humans.

 Chapter 331: Island

    These people possessed unparalleled abilities and emitted auras that defied conventionalprehension. Their strength and capabilities harked back to the days of their demi-human ancestors, making their powers truly exceptional and far from ordinary.


    "Come out, you suck at hiding your presence," Rain said.


    "Since when did you realize it?" The sea emperor slowly rose from the ocean and then asked.


    "Since when you begin to control the waves to stop making noise," Rain said. "Still, I was expecting Seadir and not you."


    "He is busy guarding the waterway, and I felt your presence and another suspicious one¡­ still, you humans keep fueling my anger," Seadir said, and his aura turned the atmosphere much darker and more ominous. "You humans used my brethren to create these people."


    "I think you shouldn''t put all of us in the same spot," Rain said. "Besides, it looks like we have far more pressing matters than dealing with your unsolved anger."


    "... This guy can be quite dangerous, I understand that with his ability, he was able to attack my daughter underwater and from a long distance as well," Seadrei said.


    "Nothing says that it was him," Rain said. "As I exined before, several of them could have the same ability if they are the kids of the same parents.


    In any case, it seemed that they have been living underground or something, and that is why they are so pale¡­ if Joanis has been using prisoners to create them for over two decades, then he should have a small army of them¡­ I guess we should count ourselves lucky that he probably didn''t capture a dragon as well¡­ not like I can imagine the child between a human and a dragon being conceived."


    "You shouldn''t discard that idea. Some dragons are good at transforming and changing their physiology," Seadrei said. "There are also the demi-humans that are half-dragons as well."


    Seadrei wore a deeply concerned expression as he raised a troubling possibility. He suggested that Joanis might have gone so far as to capture dragons for his grand n of creating an army of demi-humans. This revtion heightened their sense of danger as they slowly pieced together the meticulous preparations Joanis had made and why the king was so unwavering in his support.


    The idea of Joanis having control over dragons and demi-humans added a new level of danger to the alreadyplex situation. They began to realize that their adversary had carefully crafted an borate scheme, and they were only beginning to understand its intricacies.


    "... What else do you know?" Rain asked while looking at the prisoner.


    "Nothing, Lord Joanis Considered that we might be captured in the future, so he didn''t reveal any more information," the prisoner said.


    "... do you want to finish him off?" Rain asked.


    "... No, just do it away from the ocean and the shore," Seadrei replied. "I will use what we learned here to prepare my soldiers. Use Seadir if you want to send any other messages."


    Seadrei returned to the ocean, and then Rain took the prisoner away from the beach and killed him with an earth spike in the heart before burying him with his magic.


    Rain felt like sighing since the whole disguise was too unpredictable¡­ even fighting dragons was something that he imagined would happen in the future, but not that. That was a bit too much, even for his expectations¡­


    "I should get moving¡­ no¡­ I need to change my ns," Rain thought.


    Rain knew that solely heading east to assess the situation with the magic people wouldn''t suffice. The urgent priority was to locate Branden, who had been missing for over ten days. The vast expanse of the Kingdom made this search a difficult one. Still, Rain had a hunch that the enemies wouldn''t hide Branden in his own territory, which narrowed the search area by about twenty percent.


    Still, finding Branden within the massive Kingdom remained a formidable challenge, necessitating meticulous nning and resourcefulness to ensure that he would be found and secure as well. Rain knew a way to do that...


    "I guess I will puke a bit," Rain thought.


    Rain began to fly toward Tristan. Since he took a food chunk of the country to use for himself and the others, considering the geography of the kingdom, Tristan was in the middle of the kingdom now. So, it was the best n to put his ns into action.


    After arriving in Tristan, Rain moved to the highest building andnded at the top of it in the middle of the night. Coincidentally, It was also the branch of the king''s de. Still, Rain didn''t have to worry about it since it was empty.


    After raising his coral spear, Rain began to use his magic to moisturize the air in the sky. At the same time, he began to control the clouds in the area when his spell began to attract them.


    Little by little, Rain began to expand and thin out the clouds above the city¡­ that would be one hell of a job, but he persisted for several hours. Few people realized that, but the clouds stopped moving like they should be in the whole country¡­ The sky waspletely cloudy, but there were no signs of rain.


    For several hours, Rain tried to control the weather of the whole kingdom, which forced him to focus and drink potions like there was no tomorrow. He truly felt like puking, but he endured that, even when some liquid began to leave through his nose¡­ usually, he would use water magic to deal with that. Still, his focus was on that single spell.


    When Rain felt that the giant cloud was covering the whole country, he finally used hisst reserves of mana to make it Rain¡­ only for ten seconds. Still, Rain made it rain in the whole country.


    Thanks to that, he was able to locate the location of the most powerful individuals in terms of magic in the country, and he found Branden presence in the extreme southern side of the kingdom and approaching the coast.

 Chapter 332: Ignored

    "... This isn''t good¡­ they want to hide him beyond the ocean," Rain thought when his head began to hurt thanks to the exertion. "Searching for him will be much more difficult if I let that happen and I can''t afford to keep looking for Branden and the others forever."


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Water Mage Path: The Aquamancer''s Odyssey is a journey of mastery over the mystic powers of water. As a dedicated Aquamancer, your goal is to harness the flow of water''s essence, manipte its properties, and protect your allies. Traverse these water to be one with aquatic magic, capable of wielding water in all its forms. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.


    Level 1: Aquatic Novice Begin your journey as a fledgling Aquamancer. Gain a 5% boost to your water-based abilities.


    Level 5: Fluid Maniption Improve drastically your control over water, allowing you to shape it with precision for both offense and defense. Ten percent extra control per level.


    Level 10: Aqua Surge Harness a surge of aquatic energy to empower your water spells, increasing their effectiveness.


    Level 15: Deep Waters Forge a deeper connection to water, boosting your maximum mana by twenty points per level.


    ¡­


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Wind Mage Path: It is a path of mastery over the elemental power of the wind. Wind Mages who follow this path, known as Zephyromancers, be experts in controlling and wielding the forces of the air. They are capable of manipting wind currents to their advantage, creating powerful storms, and harnessing the tempestuous energy of the skies. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.


    Level 1: Breeze Apprentice Embark on your journey as a novice Zephyromancer. Gain a 5% bonus for wind-based abilities.


    Amidst the exhaustion, at least Rain felt that his hard work paid off¡­ he never thought that he would be able to unlock two paths at the same time, but it made sense considering what he had just done. It also granted a ton of experience and levels to him. Still, Rain ignored all that and then used Limit Breaker to reach Branden and the others.


    Rain raced across the kingdom with astounding velocity, invoking his Limit Breaker to push his abilities beyond their limits. His movements were so rapid that they blurred together, nearly invisible to the naked eye. With each step, the ground trembled beneath him, and he left deep, meteorite-like impressions in his path.


    It was as though the earth itself struggled to keep pace with his incredible sprint toward the distant coast, a testament to his unwavering determination to locate Branden.


    Before long, Rain ran out of stamina and was forced to stop Limit Breaker, but he kept running and using the little magic that he had recovered to keep moving. At the same time, he decided to use his free points to increase his wisdom and, consequently, mana as well. He never did that before, but he was in a hurry.


    Rain appeared at the coast, utterly drained. Steam emanated from his fatigued body, and his skin bore a red hue due to the relentless, nonstop running. Gasping for breath, he feltpletely spent. The rising sun on the horizon revealed a ship in the distance.


    "I guess I will find where Joanis base is¡­" Rain thought while smirking.


    The only problem was that Rain was finally out of mana potions, and while he was tired, he couldn''t wait to rest and let the ship disappear in the distance.


    "Let''s hope that I won''t regret this¡­" Rain said, and then he jumped into the ocean.


    Since Rain didn''t have much time to improve the technique to meditate while he was standing, he barely could do that while he was swimming. Still, the ship wasn''t moving that fast, so just a few swings of his arms and legs made him get closer to the ship. He used that time to rest a bit and recover his mana.


    After a while, Rain changed to the wafer mage''s path, and then he had an easier time moving¡­ he barely had to move his body, and he wasn''t using that much mana either.


    "It would still be helpful if I had unlocked the earth mage path¡­ I suppose it will happen once I reach level fifty in the wind mage''s path," Rain thought.


    While he was thinking that, Rain realized that there was some massive shadow approaching¡­ he raised his guard for a fight. However, he was surprised to see a giant squid¡­ still, the creature used its arms for swimming and just passed below him¡­


    "... that was weird," Rain thought.


    Rain encountered numerous marine creatures during his journey. Enormous whales, scary sharks, and even colossal octopuses crossed his path. While some of these creatures posed a threat to the ship and its crew, none of them paid Rain any attention. He assumed that his possession of the coral spear, a symbol associated with the Sea Emperor, granted him a kind of recognition among these sea monsters.


    They seemingly deemed it unwise to engage with someone linked to such powerful authority.


    "I guess it is fine, but for how long will I have to keep swimming?" Rain thought.


    Joanis'' base was likely concealed meticulously, serving as a ndestine location for multiple purposes. It probably functioned as a facility for detaining prisoners and for the training and upbringing of his demi-human children. The Sea Folk Rain liberated were possibly brought to the capital intentionally, allowing the king to witness the extent of Joanis'' capabilities firsthand.


    Furthermore, their presence in the capital could have been part of a contingency n in case more anti-magic substance needed to be produced.


    Rain was also a bit worried about leaving his family and friends alone for too long, but he had to endure that. Fortunately, the trip onlysted for two days¡­ while moving south almost endlessly, the temperature began to drop, and Rain even saw some vestiges of icebergs around as well.

 Chapter 333: Ambush

    The ind stretched out before Rain like a tranquil winter paradise, covered in a nket of pure, glistening snow. It was a breathtaking sight, with the entirendscape bathed in a soft, powdery white, conveying a profound sense of serenity. Rain didn''t care since he was freezing.


    What immediately caught Rain''s eye were the imposing mountains that dominated the ind''s terrain. These rugged peaks, also covered with brilliant white snow, stood tall against the sky.


    As he took in the scene, Rain could feel the chill in the air, a tangible reminder of the winter''s grip on the ind. The stillness of the moment was asionally interrupted by the gentle rustling of the wind, carrying with it the crisp fragrance of snow. It was a ce untouched and untamed, where the frozen beauty of nature invited exploration and adventure.


    "Hehehehe, my balls are freezing, but I feel a warmth in my heart just by imagining how much money Joanis will lose once I destroy all his shit," Rain thought while grinning.


    Rain wondered if he should attack the ship or wait for a while¡­ in the end, he decided to wait and see. While it was still morning and he wouldn''t be able to use the darkness in his favor, there were other things that he could use around¡­


    When the ship approached the port of the ind, Rain moved away a bit and confirmed that there was a small town in the ce. Not many guards were there, but Rain could see them walking around and keeping an eye on the surroundings. They didn''t find him because when they looked in his direction, he would sink for a bit, and he still could see them thanks to their magic eyes.


    Eventually, several guys with weird auras left the ship, and alongside them, Rain could see Branden, Lorene, and Orcis blindfolded and with their hands tied up.


    "Did the king already have given up on them? If that is the case, why not kill them already?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    Considering the vast distance between the ind Rain found and any part of the human kingdom, it became evident that a journey back to the humannds would span a grueling two weeks at best. In light of this, Rain couldn''t help but question the kind of idea that the king was orchestrating.


    The King''s de was already within the king''s grasp. It seemed imusible that the king would go to such great lengths to utilize Branden, given that he already held considerable power at his disposal. The logistics of executing such a n simply did not add up.


    As Rain contemted the situation, it became increasingly apparent that there must be other, moreplex motives at y in the king''s machinations. The puzzle was far fromplete.


    In any case, most of the guards in the small town didn''t have weird auras, but some of them actually were magic people, humans, and beastmen. Rain assumed that they were pirates that decided to work for Joanis since it would be more profitable.


    While those guys escorted those three, Rain slowly approached the beach and then hid behind the nket of snow. He was quickly freezing, but his body warmed up pretty fast after he used the Limit Breaker. His blood began to pump faster, and he immediately felt better thanks to it.


    Once his clothes weren''t damp anymore, Rain used the coral spear to create a path under the snow without leaving any traces behind of his actions. Thanks to it, he approached the town without being noticed.


    "Since there are magic people here, I shouldn''t use earth magic to find all the people around, it is too risky," Rain thought. "That doesn''t leave me with many options, unfortunately... another reason to wait until night to surprise everyone."


    As Rain approached the small port town, he couldn''t help but notice its deserted appearance. Instead of the bustling hub he had expected, it resembled a quiet harbor.


    Taking a moment to assess the situation, Rain estimated that there were approximately fifty guards in the vicinity. While the number was manageable, he remained vignt, wary of any potential threat posed by Joanis'' children, who might be among the guards. His previous encounters with the magic-wielding individuals had made him adept at recognizing their distinctive auras.


    Rain paused to consider the unfortunate fate of Joanis'' offspring. They had been born and raised solely to serve their father, addressing him as "Lord Joanis." Their lives had been meticulously shaped and controlled, leaving them with no sense of individuality or free will. It was a tragic existence marked by unwavering loyalty to their father.


    Despite his brief reflection on their plight, Rain knew he couldn''t dwell on it. Recovering them from their deeply ingrained loyalty to their father was likely an insurmountable challenge. They would perceive any interference as a threat, given their unwaveringmitment.


    In a pragmatic assessment, Rain recognized that a swift and merciful death might be the kindest option. It would spare them from further suffering and the torment of servitude. The contrast in the reality of their lives weighed a bit on Rain. Still, he understood that his immediate mission was to rescue Branden, Lorene, and Orcis.


    Under the snow, Rain checked the area for the whole day. While he was hungry as heck, he decided to endure all that until night. It will be a lot easier to move at night instead of making a scene during the day. He still didn''t know how, but he knew that those guys couldmunicate with others fast, and Rain had to dispose of them before that could happen.


    After waiting patiently for so long, Rain could barely contain himself when night came¡­ When things got quiet in the town, and he saw some of the guards moving to the warehouses, probably to have their dinner, Rain approached the ones still in the port and then fired earth Bullets at the back of their heads.

 Chapter 334: Brute Strength

    The earth bullets flew so fast that they pierced the heads of the guards and killed them instantly. They fell on the snow without making a single noise.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain approached to check the bodies of those guys and confirmed that they didn''t have anything with them aside from a crystal blue spear¡­ it had some aura on it, so Rain assumed that it was a relic. In any case, he buried the bodies under the now-checked weapons with more attentionter.


    Slowly but surely, Rain approached the warehouse where the pirate guards moved to have their meal. After using his earth magic, Rain felt their presence inside and confirmed that they were eating. Disposing of them would be easy, and usually, he would hesitate to do that during a meal, but Rain was tired of being thoughtful. There was no point in worrying about assholes.


    Rain touched the ground and then confirmed the location of the targets before making holes appear before them that covered them alive. Rain closed the holes and crushed the targets inside without hesitation.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    ¡­


    "Why only this skill is getting experience?" Rain wondered. "I wonder if it is because I already mastered skills like Aquatic Novice and Breeze Apprentice¡­"


    Since Rain learned by himself and trained the elements quite often, it made sense that those skills would be at a high level¡­ maybe the same thing has happened with the earth mage''s path.


    Regardless, Rain silently approached the nearby buildings and confirmed that they were empty. Still, he saw that thergest one in the middle of the port town was where most of the guards went, and it was there that they took Branden and the others. The first two groups that Rain killed were supposed to guard the port at night, and they split up to have dinner.


    Despite having warmed up earlier, Rain once again felt the biting cold creeping through his body. The winter chill seemed relentless, making him yearn for theforting warmth he had briefly enjoyed. The temptation to use Limit Breaker to generate heat was strong, but he knew it would also make him more impulsive and rash.


    So, he made the tough choice to endure the freezing temperatures for the time being.


    Rain''s gaze was drawn to thergest warehouse in the port town. It loomed like a dark fortress against the night sky, casting a formidable shadow over the empty surroundings. The absence of any activity in the area felt eerie, as though the entire ce had been abandoned for the night.


    However, Rain remained acutely aware that the interior of the warehouse likely housed around forty enemies. This presented a significant challenge, as they could potentially use Branden, Lorene, and Orcis as human shields, turning any confrontation into a perilous affair.


    As Rain readied himself to approach the warehouse, he knew that he needed a well-thought-out n to neutralize the guards without putting his friends at further risk. Surprise and precision would be his allies in this high-stakes situation.


    "Their auras are a bit different from each other¡­ so they must have different abilities. I can''t afford to deal with them separately, so I have to go all out," Rain thought.


    Rain wanted to return home as soon as possible, so he wanted to save mana. Still, perhaps he could find potions there¡­ if he doesn''t find that, he will have to use the ship until Seadrei can escort his friends tond.


    After taking a deep breath, Rain began to focus on the task ahead. He slowly approached the warehouse and then touched the ground. There was no room for mistakes or hesitation¡­


    Rain quickly used his earth magic to check the whole structure, and he was surprised to see that there was apartment underground as well¡­ it was probably Branden, and the others were being locked.


    "What¡­ those presences¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    There were many unknown presences there, aside from human presences and Joanis'' kids¡­ there was also one that Rain could feel, but he also couldn''t feel anything from it.


    Without hesitation, Rain used his earth magic to create holes under those whom he deemed enemies and then closed them and smashed those guys. It didn''t take long for Rain to confirm his sess.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 500 experience points.


    ¡­


    Still, amidst all that, Rain suddenly heard a tremor and then an explosion inside the warehouse. When he went to check it, he saw something massive running toward him¡­


    Rain raised his arms to block the enemy, but the charge not only pushed him away but also made him spin in the air while his arms were hurting¡­ Rain stopped the attack with his forearm guards, so he couldn''t understand what the hell was that.


    In mid-air, even though while he was spinning, Rain''s senses acutely tuned to his surroundings. His eyes widened in surprise as he pinpointed the source of the attack. It was the same enigmatic figure who had previously evaded his magical detection ¨C a massive man standing a daunting three meters tall with bulging muscles that appeared almost unnatural.


    As Rain descended, he took in the sight before him. This towering figure bore a striking resemnce to Joanis,plete with jet-ck hair and soft facial features. However, this Joanis look-alike was exceptionally pale, almost devoid of any color.


    Before Rain could even make contact with the ground, the colossal figure charged at him with astonishing speed. There was no time for him to react. In a split second, their bodies collided as the behemoth mmed into Rain once again, unleashing a powerful impact that rippled through the air.

 Chapter 335: Anti magic

    Rain blocked the attack with his elbows in order to counter as much damage as possible, but that didn''t make the enemy flinch even a bit. After hended on the ground, he slipped for a while, but he kept his stance unbroken as he watched the giant charging at him.


    "It felt like I blocked the attack with something that used a steel te¡­" Rain thought while he felt a sharp pain in his elbows.


    Rain made several earth bullets fly from the ground toward the enemy, but the guy didn''t even more to block them. They touched his face. Still, theypletely turned into dust upon impact, and there was no sound either.


    In the end, Rain was left speechless when he saw that¡­ he didn''t have much mana left, but he couldn''t hold back either. At the moment the enemy tried to bodym him, Rain used a Limit Breaker and then punched the face of the guy¡­


    The attack made the enemy move his head to the side. However, Rain was expecting something more like the sound of the enemy''s neck cracking¡­ still, while that slowed down the enemy, he soon looked at Rain, unfazed.


    "What the fuck¡­" Rain opened his eyes widely.


    The enemy swung down both armies to smash Rain''s left side. Still, he blocked it with his left forearm guard¡­ in the end, he felt like he blocked with his arms only since he felt his arm snapping while he spun in the air and then hit a warehouse.


    Rain crashed through the walls of the warehouse with astonishing force, effortlessly tearing through them as if they were mere paper. Debris and shattered wood flew in all directions as he plowed through, leaving a trail of wreckage behind him. After the chaotic descent, Rain finally came to a stop, rolling along the ground several times before settling.


    As he slowly rose to his feet, Rain grappled with the perplexing situation at hand. The colossal enemy may have appeared human, but his sheer physical might was beyond belief. It was the kind of strength that could send even the most skilled Martial Artist among the magic people fleeing in terror.


    Rain couldn''t help but ponder the true origins of this adversary and the extraordinary abilities that fueled him.


    "This guy¡­" Rain thought and then coughed a mouthful of blood. "This guy is the real deal... a true behemoth when ites to fighting without magic."


    Rain couldn''t believe what was happening, but he quickly understood the situation¡­ the enemy was a demi-human that had a trait of super strength or perhaps something akin to an awesome body. However, Rain didn''t think that such a thing was actually an ability that people could be born with.


    Once he cleared his mind, Rain realized that probably wasn''t the case¡­ that guy just trained as hard as him, perhaps harder. While he had been blessed with a body that could be that strong, it became apparent after Rain connected the dots the reason behind the enemy''sck of magic presence.


    As the colossal enemy charged at Rain once more, ruthlessly demolishing the already shattered warehouse walls, Rain''s understanding of the situation grew clearer. This foecked any magical presence, and the reason was now apparent ¨C he possessed an extraordinary ability that mirrored the effects of the anti-magic substance.


    Upon contact with the enemy''s body, Rain''s magic was swiftly nullified, rendering it utterly impotent. This revtion illuminated the mystery of the opponent''s absence of a magical aura, presenting Rain with an unprecedented and challenging obstacle to ovee.


    When the enemy was about to attack Rain again, Rain moved to the side and then kicked the left side of the enemy. He used the impact to propel himself away from the giant, but he calcted things a bit bad, so he almost broke his feet.


    Still, when Rainnded, he saw the enemy slowing down and turning. That guy looked like a powerful lotive that couldn''t slow down or turn without risking falling or rolling on the ground, thanks to the momentum.


    "It is probably because he was raised and trained to deal with massive enemies or armies," Rain thought.


    It seemed usible that this individual had been exclusively trained in the art of physicalbat. Such specialized training would enable him to confront a multitude of adversaries, includingrger foes like dragons, without relying on magical abilities.


    Considering the extensive duration of Joanis'' n and the creation of these formidable soldiers, Rain deduced that this enemy couldn''t be older than twenty. Yet, despite his youth, he had already be a formidable force, disying an astounding degree of muscle mass and physical power.


    It served as a testament to the rigorous training and enhancements these individuals had undergone under Joanis'' guidance.


    "I never thought I would have to use my head against an opponent that looks like a human in a one-on-one fight again," Rain thought when the enemy was turning around to attack him again.


    It was time to stop analyzing the enemy and show some results. Rain was too tired for a long fight, but it was hard to imagine that he would be able to defeat that guy fast without some simple tricks and magic.


    In any case, the enemy charged again, and this time, Rain stood his ground and waited until thest moment to activate Limit Breaker. When that happened, he punched the middle of the torso of the enemy dozens of times while each punch and impact pushed him again.


    Rain ignored the pain in his fists, and he kept attacking nonstop until the enemy finally lost speed and slowed down. To gain some time to recover, Rain jumped and then knocked the face of the enemy to propel himself backward.


    When hended, Rain saw the enemy showing an expression of difort¡­ he imagined that the guy had been trained to endure a lot of physical pain, but everything had limits. Besides, Rain didn''t target any randomce.

 Chapter 336: It is time

    Rain attacked the enemy''s sr plexus, a crucial target known for its susceptibility to repeated strikes. Hitting this sensitive area over and over could yield serious consequences. The sr plexus consists of awork of nerves situated in the upper abdomen, just below the ribcage.


    A direct and forceful blow to this region can result in various effects, including intense pain, incapacitation, breathing difficulties, and even loss of consciousness.


    Rain''s strategy involved exploiting this vulnerability, aiming to gradually weaken and incapacitate his opponent. It was a calcted move, grounded in an understanding of anatomy, to gain an advantage in the battle.


    The enemy eventually recovered from the difort that he was feeling, and then showed aposed expression again. At the same time, Rain was fighting with the pain in his fingers¡­ even though he didn''t target any bones, he still broke several of them¡­


    After taking a deep breath, Rain focused on the enemy that was about to charge at him again. However, he could tell that the guy wouldn''t repeat the same mistakes¡­ he didn''t look like the cream of the crop when ites to brains, but he had plenty of experience to know that Rain would keep doing the same thing over and over again.


    "I was nning to use that a few more times before going for the kill, but it seems he realized that¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain unleashed a relentless flurry of punches, each one imbued with the power of his Vital Strike technique. Thisbination of strikes not only inflicted physical damage but also had the unique ability to sap the enemy''s stamina with every hit. By precisely targeting the vulnerable sr plexus, Rain intensified the effects.


    With each punch, the enemy''s energy reserves dwindled further. Given the unrelenting nature of Rain''s attack and his strategic focus on a vulnerable target, it was only a matter of time before the adversary weakened significantly, provided the battle followed the same course.


    The enemy charged slower than before, and then when he got in range, he swung its massive fist to smash Rain''s head. Rain dodged by moving his head to the side and while he had nned to counterattack, the punch had been so powerful that just the st of wind created by the punch sent shivers down his spine as it pushed him away.


    The punch made a whoosh sound that forced Rain to take several steps to the side. Still, the enemy followed him with another fast andpact and yet powerful punch. This time, Rain dodged the attack by the skin of his teeth and stepped in to attack. With a double palm strike, he hit the stomach of the enemy and made his body bent a bit.


    Despite showing an expression of pain, the giant enemy still moved its arms to capture Rain just like that, but then Rain jumped and headbutted the chin of the enemy.


    The attack made the enemy''s brain shake for a moment and paralyzed him. Still in the air, Rain rotated his body and then kicked the left side of the neck of the enemy. The head of the enemy turned a bit, but the muscles of his neck still protected the giant enemy.


    "Annoying tough bastard¡­" Rain thought when hended.


    Rain considered his options carefully. He knew he could use the coral spear to make the fight easier, but he had a gut feeling that this formidable opponent might not be Joanis''s most potent asset. To secure a better future, he was determined to ovee this challenge without relying on shortcuts or tricks, preserving his resources for potentially more formidable battles.


    The enemy red at Rain for a short while after recovering. He was the silent type or perhaps he was never given the option to talk, so he just studied Rain while thinking what he could do to defeat him.


    In the end, it didn''t take long for him to think of something and then charge at Rain once again. As for Rain, he waited until thest moment to move, and thanks to that, he was able to see the enemy rxing his hands and then attacking him with a sideways chop at his neck.


    Rain lowered his body and dodged it, but then the enemy swung down its other arm as well. Rain jumped to the side, but he hadn''t been fast enough. He raised his arms to block the strike, but Rain felt like he was trying to hold down a mountain thanks to the sheer power of the attack.


    The ground beneath Rain''s feet quivered and cracked under the relentless force of the attacks. With gritted teeth, Rain felt the imminent threat of being crushed. However, in a quick and decisive move, he delivered a swift kick to the enemy''s shin, disrupting their bnce.


    Capitalizing on the opening, Rain seized the opportunity. As the enemy''s knee gave way, Rain grasped the arm of his adversary. With a surge of strength, he executed a forceful shoulder throw, propelling the massive foe through the air.


    The impact was catastrophic. The colossal force of the throw sent the hulking opponent hurtling toward a nearby warehouse. Upon collision, the warehouse crumbled into a chaotic spectacle of destruction, with debris and dust filling the air.


    Rain felt troubled by doing that. He was a boxer at heart, not a jiu-jitsu practitioner¡­ Still, he could ignore that for a short while since he came to help his friends.


    Once the dust began to dissipate, the giant enemy emerged from the wreckage of the warehouse. The enemy looked troubled, but Rain was even more troubled since he hadn''t slept and eaten anything in three days¡­ it was time to finish off that guy while he was confused.


    Despite the difference in strength, Rain still could think of numerous ways that he could kill that guy. Most of them weren''t that honorable, and Rain wanted to show him at least that much mercy in a world where he had been treated like a tool since the very moment he was born.

 Chapter 337: Suspicions

    Besides, it was rare for Rain to find an opponent that didn''t show any hatred toward him. The giant was only attacking Rain because he was an intruder, and the giant had been trained to fight intruders.


    "... I always wanted to try that, but most opponents aren''t that easy to deal with," Rain thought. "Well, I don''t have many options aside from this."


    Rain didn''t have much mana left either, so he could only perform that for a few seconds. Without hesitation, Rain charged toward the giant and then jumped to the side before using Limit Breaker. The enemy raised his guard, but then Rain suddenly used Impulse in the opposite direction and then approached the enemy faster than he could react.


    Thanks to that, Rain was able to punch the enemy with a heavy hook that made the enemy stagger. In the next moment, Rain kept moving thanks to the power of Imoul. Still, soon, he used it again not only to stop but also to move in the opposite direction and then punch the enemy with a left hook.


    The giant enemy was caught off guard again, and the power of the punch, added to the momentum of the attack, made him take several steps backward. That didn''t stop Rain from continuing with an endless sequence of attacks.


    Rain''s furious hooks reverberated through the area, a testament to thebined force of Impulse and Limit Breaker. The gigantic adversary struggled to shield himself, raising his arms in a futile attempt to deflect Rain''s relentless assault.


    With each thunderous punch, the massive foe coughed up blood, his once defiant eyes fading into unconsciousness. Rain, gasping for breath, finally ceased his barrage, having shattered the enemy''s defensespletely.


    The colossal opponent crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold. Rain, despite his victory, was not unscathed. He winced in pain, realizing that his fists throbbed intensely. A grim discovery followed as he examined the damage ¨C all of his fingers were broken, and his wrists had suffered severe injury from the relentless assault.


    "... You were one hell of a tough guy," Rain said while raising his fist one more time to pierce the heart of the unconscious enemy.


    "Please, wait!"


    Rain sighed¡­ he never thought that such a cliche thing would happen to him. When he looked to the side, he saw Branden, Lorene, and Orcis leading arge group of people. Some of them were men, boys, and girls, but most of them were women. They were the other presences that Rain felt there. It seemed that they realized that something was amiss thanks to the chaos of the battle.


    Among one of those people, a certain woman stepped forward. She was a bit hairy and also quite muscr. She also had a tail, so Rain assumed that she was a beastwoman. She was probably the mother of the giant enemy, and that would exin his immense size and physical strength.


    "... What do you want?" Rain asked.


    "He is my boy. Please don''t kill him," The woman said.


    "He is a bit too big to be called a boy," Rain said. "Anyway, I killed all the other guards, and this guy will definitely try to kill me again once he wakes up, so why shouldn''t I kill him?"


    "He won''t do anything as long as he knows that I am safe," The woman exined.


    Rain let out an exasperated sigh, his frustration palpable. His intentions had been simple ¨C to aid his friends and diminish the enemy''s numbers. Yet, he couldn''t help but wonder why he always seemed to be pushed to such extremes.


    However, as he reflected on the situation, it didn''t take long for him to reaffirm his resolve. The thought of ending a child''s life before their own mother was a grim prospect he couldn''t stomach. Despite the hardships and challenges he faced, there were lines he refused to cross.


    "I won''t give him a second chance if he attacks me again," Rain said, and then he left the giant guy there.


    "... We truly didn''t expect to find you, Rain, ever again," Branden said and then sighed in relief. "Thanks foring for us."


    "How did you find us?" Lorene asked, visibly surprised.


    "The rain in the middle of the night helped me," Rain replied. "Anyway, we have to move. I left home for a while already, and I don''t feelfortable doing that for so long."


    Rain understood that escaping the Ind wouldn''t be a simple task. The ce teemed with a diverse array of inhabitants: the beast people, sea folk, and the magic people, and various demi-humans. Toplicate matters further, there was only a single avable ship for their getaway.


    Fortunately, amidst this bustling and chaotic mix, there was a silver lining. Rain found relief in the fact that, at least, there were no dragons or demi-human dragons on the Ind. This spared him from the daunting prospect of having to confront these formidable creatures in order to reach Joanis.


    While Branden was healing Rain''s hands, the others began to work on gathering everything in the port that they could use. There were plenty of weapons there and food as well, but there were no signs of potions or even the anti-magic substance. There were some tools that were used to extract blood. Rain destroyed them all.


    During that time that he was being healed, Rain saw the prisoners working together with Lorene and Orcis to fill the ship with whatever they could find, but they couldn''t unload everything there since they had two hundred people and they had to leave with them.


    Rain wondered if those guys didn''t show any animosity toward him¡­ he was sure that some of the people he killed were their children. He could only imagine that they couldn''t see them as their children anymore since they had been trained to be tools for Joanis¡­ even so¡­ it seemed that they found sce knowing that they died and wouldn''t live for decades as mere tools for someone else''s gain.

 Chapter 338: Next move

    "... I see¡­ all this happened, huh?" Branden said and then sighed. "His Majesty didn''t even meet me. Revan came to talk with me a few times, but only to ask if I changed my mind."


    "What about Esmeralda?" Rain asked.


    "I don''t think that she agrees with her father¡­ but maybe my opinion is too biased," Branden said and then sighed.


    "We can always ask her directly," Rain shrugged once he checked his hands, and he confirmed that they were mostly fine. "What is the supposed kidnapping of a princesspared to rebelling against the king?"


    "That won''t be easy¡­" Branden said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I am starting to understand Joanis now, and it won''t surprise me if the king and his family are out of the capital already and moving in incognito since they know that you can find them anywhere."


    "When I used the rain to locate you three, I found several points in the kingdom that blocked my magic," Rain added. "Some of them were in the middle of nowhere, so that could be the case¡­ it will be annoying if the Joanis already produced a relic or something simr that can erase their magic presence."


    That kind of tool would be perfect for assassins¡­ that was one of the reasons Rain was so worried about staying away from home for too long.


    In any case, when morning came, the group was ready to depart. Orcis knew how to sail, and the group was able to move without any problems. As soon as they departed, Rain filled his belly with some bread. Even though it was hard and cold, it helped him rx and then fall asleep soon afterward.


    When Rain woke up, it was already night¡­ he didn''t realize that he was that exhausted. Still, fortunately, the trip had been pretty calm since the sea folk used their magic to speed things up by controlling the waves.


    "Head wast," Rain dered. "We will use the waterway that we made since there are no other ces that we can go to stop¡­ anyway, what are everyone going to do? Seadrei will wee his people, but we don''t have time to send everyone to their homes."


    "We should wait for a while longer since we don''t know what will happen now¡­ we also need to check things at the border," Branden replied. "The magic people will probably wee their people too, but that might give them the reason to stop fighting the dragons and face the humans alone."


    "I wonder if things will be that easy¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "The dragons aren''t taking them seriously. They only sent the young ones to gain experience," Branden exined. "While they might lose some of their territory, if they focus all of their resources on fighting against the humans, they will think that they can win the war fast enough. Even more so if they know about you."


    "What about the anti-magic substance?" Rain asked. "They might think that they can win, but soon they will change their minds and see themselves surrounded."


    Branden could only nod¡­ things were turning quite grim. All the hard work they put into the truce was being rendered useless thanks to the king''s arrogance and Joanis''ck of decency.


    Regardless, thanks to the help of the sea folk, the group reached the waterway in two days, and while Rain thought that they would have tond there, he found Seadir and others there, and they had increased the size of the waterway, too¡­ the ship could cross it.


    "It seems that you seeded," Seadir said when he suddenly jumped from the water andnded on the deck. "And you also found a lot more people."


    "Nothing happened while I was away?" Rain asked.


    "Nothing dangerous, but some troublesome things happened¡­" Seadir said while looking at the beastmen and women on the deck. "Some of the beastmen had been checking things in the area beyond the mountains¡­ it seems that they are already aware of the situation regarding your country¡­ and their presence willplicate things."


    Even though Rain and his group aimed to liberate the beast people, they knew that the situation wouldn''t be straightforward. Some of the newly freed captives might not immediately ept their freedom and instead hold grievances or doubts towards humans due to their time in captivity.


    This could potentially lead to conflicts or even aggression against them, adding furtherplications to an already delicate scenario.


    In essence, the ongoing battle had evolved into a multifaceted struggle involving four main factions. It could even be considered as five factions, given the division within the human groups. Sessfully navigating this intricate web of allegiances and tensions required careful nning and a deep understanding of the motivations and reactions of each faction involved.


    "I will deal with it in one way or the other," Rain said.


    One dayter, Rain found his friends in the middle of the waterway, and half a dayter, they were back at home. Roan and his sisters stayed behind because they didn''t know what the beast people were nning to do, and someone had to defend the farms in case that happened. In any case, the whole group soon had a meeting to talk about what they should do.


    They also called representatives of each group of prisoners to ask them what they wanted to do. The sea folk had already been freed, so Seadir was in their ce.


    "Well then, it is time to decide our next moves," Rain said.


    "The main priorities now are to check things with Esmeralda and see if she is willing to leave her family ande with Branden," Rain said. "Aside from that, we have to check the border and gather Intel about the situation there."


    "What about convincing the King''s de to join us?" Jori asked.


    Everyone nodded since that seemed the most optimal choice, but they didn''t consider one very troublesome possibility. One that could be their downfall...

 Chapter 339: Worrying later

    "That can be helpful, but it will also be dangerous since some enemies mighte with them," Rain replied. "Thest thing that we need to worry about right now is backstabbing. Aside from that, we need to send the former prisoners back home.


    The beast people will recover soon thanks to their high physical strength, but the magic people still need some time since most of them don''t have that much Vitality."


    Speaking of which, the juggernaut that Rain defeated was outside, seeing the kids of the orphanage y. ording to his mother, he can''t speak, but he is mainly pretty calm. He only attacked those when he received orders and when his mother was locked.


    Apparently, despite his strength and current level of obedience, that guy was quite the troublemaker and only behaved when his mother told him to. So, Joanis locked her up and treated her badly in order to make the guy obey him. That worked, and despite his size, he was only fifteen¡­ Rain felt thanks to that that he had cked on his training since he had to use magic against him.


    "We can only bring a few handful of people that will certainly watch our backs," Branden said. "Cor and his group are the only ones that I can absolutely trust. Ka is good with management work as well, and while she isn''t a fighter, her absence will make the king''s de lose a lot of its power and organization."


    "I suppose I can move a group that big on a tform," Rain said.


    "The rest of us can escort the beast people to the mountains. I heard that the beast people are prideful but very loyal," Roan said. "I don''t think that they will attack us, but I can understand that letting them join this war will be troublesome¡­ they are very troublesome as well."


    Dealing with the demi-humans presented a unique challenge. Their homnd was a vast ind in the southern ocean, quite a distance from their current location. Transporting arge number of them back to their territory would be aplex and resource-intensive task. Rain simply didn''t have the time or the means to facilitate such a massive relocation.


    Given these constraints, the only viable course of action was to wait for the situation in the war to stabilize and be safe enough for the demi-humans to return home.


    Among the demi-humans with actual demi-human ancestry, an interesting observation emerged. These individuals did possess unique auras, though not as peculiar as the ones exhibited by those Rain had killed earlier. These differing auras hinted at the diverse blend of hereditary traits within the demi-human poption.


    Curiously, even when the parents of these demi-humans came from mixed races, such as one being half human and half beast while the other was half human and half merman or mermaid, their offspring seemed to inherit the traits of just one parent. This led to intriguing variations among siblings within the same family, as each child could manifest distinct traits from their mixed lineage.


    It was a testament to the intricate gic diversity woven into the demi-human poption.


    "Until now, the enemies have been ignoring me, and I feel that this is a bad sign," Reca said. "It also feels like they are waiting for us to do something and entice the poption against us."


    "Taking Princess Esmeralda from the castle might do that," Terra said.


    "... I am sorry," Branden said with his head down.


    "No, I didn''t mean it like that¡­" Terra nervously said. "I was thinking that perhaps we shouldn''t bring her straight here but should also let her pass through some ces and make her reveal what she knows. It would be a lot more convincing than us doing that."


    "It would be two times more efficient if Branden were with her and Rain just stayed in the shadows to protect them since he would only make them look suspicious," Liss added.


    "Hey, my presence alone won''t make anyone look suspicious," Rain protested.


    "What do you think will happen if people learn what the king is nning and doing?" Asche asked.


    "I would say that half of the poption won''t care, and the other half will oppose him," Branden replied. "It is unlikely that we will have the chance to talk with that many people, though."


    "We can worry about that once we secure her," Rain said. "While calling her princess or Esmeralda is fine, calling her baby eagle or something will be cooler."


    "I don''t get it," Branden said. "Why would we call her that?"


    Rain sighed and shrugged¡­ Everyone doesn''t understand his sense of humor that was tainted by Earth''s pop culture. In any case, Rain was fine in making those their next goals. It will be difficult to decide anything else without further knowledge about the enemies.


    "Anyway, we are going to depart tomorrow¡­ you two are awfully quiet about all this," Rain said while looking at Orcis and Lorene. "You can always join the other side and live a peaceful life as long as you don''t get in our way once the fight starts."


    "Don''t even joke about that¡­ I am just thinking that we might end up fighting my family," Lorene said while looking away. "We don''t have much of a choice here when the king decides to lock us up in a snow-covered Ind, but¡­"


    "... I was thinking that I can''t even trust my own men and recruit them to our side, considering that some of them attacked Jori''s group when we left," Orcis added.


    "I see¡­ well, there is no point in worrying about that since it is unlikely that they will fight on the frontlines," Rain said. "As for you¡­ I guess some of your underlings probably knew about the kidnappings since it was impossible for the prisoners to be brought tond without being noticed a few times.


    I won''t say that their actions are understandable, but it makes sense to some extent since they didn''t want to go against some powerful people that had the backing of the king."

 Chapter 340: Mysteries

    Rain tried, but it didn''t work. His words only made those two feel more depressed. In any case, he didn''t have time for that and called his sisters and friends outside to teach them how to use magic eyes. That was necessary since some enemies might be able to cross the waterway without being noticed.


    "You will have to take turns and use this technique periodically," Rain said. "Still, it will be necessary to prevent ambushes and to analyze the power level of the enemies."


    "Wow, Big Brother''s aura is clear blue like the ocean but intense as a massive fire," Dana said.


    "Wait, did you seed already?" Rain asked and then frowned.


    No one knew about that technique, but they learned it on the same day¡­ Rain wondered why that was the cause, but at least he got some experience on the teacher''s path that he had yet to unlock.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The wind mage''s path received 500 experience points.


    The wind mage''s path leveled up. (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.)


    "I see. That is why you were able to talk with your father without being scared, you didn''t see his bloodlust," Seadir said when he tried the same technique.


    "My lessons are expensive," Rain said. "While we have a nonaggression pact, you can''t learn my techniques for free."


    "No worries, Father will reward you for this and for freeing more of our brethren," Seadir exined. "He hates to feel indebted to others, after all."


    Seadrei truly looked like that kind of guy. His attitude screamed that he was a grumpy old man who believed that he didn''t need help from anyone. That made sense considering his appearance, though. Regardless, Rain liked to be rewarded, but he felt that the sea emperor was being too generous, considering that he already had the coral spear.


    The next day, Rain and Branden prepared to leave again, and his friends felt a bit troubled for being left behind Again as well¡­ after hearing what happened in the previous mission, they thought that he needed some back up, and while Branden was a good mage, the enemies and ess to anti-magic bombs.


    "We aren''t nning to fight, so you can rest assured that everything will be fine," Rain said.


    "You have a knack to get yourself into trouble and get beaten before winning, so how can you say that so confidently?" Terra asked.


    "I always stand victorious at the end, so it is fine. You canin once that doesn''t happen," Rain said.


    Terra feared that once it happened, they won''t be able to say to Rain: I told you. Still, they couldn''t be that insistent since the first mission was infiltration, and they couldn''t take a lot of people with them.


    "We will leave things with you guys, so stay sharp," Rain dered. "We should return in two or three days.


    Everyone nodded, and then Rain and Branden left the area on an earth tform. While the others were learning magic eyes and he had pulled that off, Branden asked Rain if he could teach him how to use Impulse, and he practiced a bit, but Branden was a mage through and through¡­ his physical strength was just above the average person, but his magic skills could make up for that.


    Unfortunately, Impulse worked better with earth and wind magic, and those weren''t the best elements for him. He was still trying anyway, and he was making progress despite the short notice.


    "Why do you want to learn that? It is only useful to those who fight on the frontlines or to those who fight mainly alone," Rain said. "It will also take some time to make it usable since you don''t have the physical strength necessary to do half of the actual process."


    "I pretty much became useless once I was locked down and lost my position," Branden exined. "Still, I can tell that Jori and the others might try to put themselves at risk by protecting me if something happens. I want to avoid that by being able to protect myself."


    "I see¡­" Rain said. "Do you still think that you can make the king change his mind?"


    "Honestly¡­ I am not sure," Branden said. "From what I saw, he seemed very determined, like he could see that they didn''t have any chances of losing and that they would win without many losses either. I can only think that they have more tricks up their sleeve."


    "Well, Joanis had over twenty years to think of numerous ways to use the anti-magic substance and how to corner every single one of his enemies," Rain said. "It seems fair that he is that much prepared. The big guy even shocked me."


    "The thought that he could make even better weapons against us also scares me," Branden said.


    The adversaries Rain and his group confronted were truly formidable, primarily due to the enigmatic nature of their power. Their abilities varied widely, and the true extent of their powers remained a mystery. What made them particrly unnerving was that only a select few among their foes possessed knowledge of theirrades'' capabilities.


    Regrettably, during their encounters, Rain had eliminated those individuals who held crucial insights into the enemy''s abilities. This unfortunate turn of events left Rain and his allies grappling with the unsettling reality that they were now facing a formidable opponent whose strengths and weaknesses remainedrgely unknown.


    Still, it couldn''t be helped since he did that to rescue Branden and the others.


    When they arrived in the capital, it was already dark and around midnight. It was really a suspicious time to look for Esmeralda, but it was probably their best option.


    Rain and Branden watched from high above, meticulously scanning the castle grounds. In the subdued lighting, the familiar sight of the castle reassured them. Guard numbers remained rtively consistent, showing no significant increase. The entire strongholdy shrouded in a foreboding darkness, though, intensifying the eerie ambiance.

 Chapter 341: Front attack

    "Once I get within a certain range, my magic will stop working, so you need to decide now how we are going to proceed," Rain said.


    "Even if they don''t know about the tunnels, it is unlikely that they would leave her in the bottom floors," Branden said after he thought for a while. "She must be in one of the highest buildings; it would be hard for her to escape, and it also would be hard for us to infiltrate."


    "So, we will have to enter through the front, huh?" Rain thought.


    Rain thought of a crucial issue as he surveyed the situation: the enigmatic nature of the anti-magic substance. Suppose only he possessed some insight into its workings. In that case, he might devise a strategy to neutralize it and breach the anti-magic barrier. Unfortunately, their understanding of this mysterious substance remained frustratingly limited.


    Rain could only make an educated guess. If this anti-magic substance was effective even in the air, it probably formed the core of a potent relic designed to negate mana within a defined radius. This relic would likely be positioned at the center of the castle, heavily fortified and protected.


    "Are you ready?" Rain asked. "I will create a diversion after throwing you to one of those rooms. Once the guards begin to move to face me, you can go and look for her. They shouldn''t know that you escaped the Ind yet, so they won''t know that you are the one who freed Esmeralda.


    I will try to find and destroy whatever is keeping the barrier active as well to make you able to use magic as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will let you use this.".


    "... Thanks, let''s do this," Branden said when he received the coral spear and then took a deep breath.


    Rain nodded, and then they began to fall. Around the time the tform reached a point where it started to fall apart, Rain tossed Branden to one of the castle rooms, and he covered his face when he collided and broke one of the windows from the castle. Still, the sound of the impact was muffled since Rainnded and immediately kicked the gate of the castle.


    The massive gates suddenly creaked and began to fall inward with a resounding crash. The royal guards stationed at the entrance swiftly turned their attention in Rain''s direction. Although his appearance remained concealed beneath a dark cloak and hood that veiled his entire face, it was clear that his presence had not gone unnoticed.


    Without hesitation, the guards started to mobilize as Rain continued his determined advance toward the castle.


    The guards wasted no time in organizing their response, recognizing that they had an intruder to apprehend. They moved quickly and efficiently, their well-trained formation springing into action as they confronted the mysterious figure advancing toward the castle with their spears and shields in their hands.


    Rain pressed onward while ignoring them until they got close enough. His every step carried an air of unwavering resolve, a contrast to the darkness that enveloped the castle grounds. With each step, he drew nearer to his objective.


    Meanwhile, Branden found himself inside the castle, his presence concealed within one of its dimly lit rooms. He watched Rain moving toward the entrance of the castle and then blocking one of the spears with his concealed bracers. He couldn''t help but be amazed at Rain''s nonchnt attitude, but he didn''t have time to waste since he could hear the sound of confusion within the castle.


    While Rain diverted the guards'' attention and sought to disable the anti-magic barrier, Branden''s mission was to locate and rescue Esmeralda.


    After blocking numerous spears, Rain suddenly saw the enemies taking a few steps backward and then grabbing crossbows behind their backs. Rain wanted to buy some more time for Branden, but it would be able to block dozens of those at the same time, even if he was fast enough to do so.


    Rain activated his Limit Breaker, his muscles pulsating with newfound strength and his senses bing razor-sharp. Each heartbeat surged with power, transforming him into an unstoppable force. Rain also felt his anger boiling more than usual, it seemed that he had been umting a lot of stresstely, but he didn''t let that anger take over him.


    He couldn'' let that happen since he was bound to make mistakes while enraged... it was time to finish that mission for once and for all.


    In this heightened state, Rain charged straight at one of the heavily armored royal guards stationed at the castle''s entrance. The guard, taken by surprise, struggled to maintain his footing as Rain''s relentless assault bore down on him. Rain''s impact forced the air from the guard''s lungs, leaving him on the verge of copsing.


    But Rain didn''t stop there. He seized the guard''s arm with remarkable speed and initiated a powerful spin. Bolts from other guards'' weapons were discharged at Rain, but he used the guard as an unwitting shield to deflect some of the iing shots.


    Rain flung the shocked guard toward the oing enemies with a burst of power. The guard became an improvised projectile, smashing into them like a battering ram. The collision sent several guards sprawling, their armor nging as they tumbled to the ground in a chaotic pile.


    "They don''t make royal guards like they used to¡­" Rain thought. "Or maybe they never did it."


    Rain could hear footstepsing from behind, and soon, he raised his guard. He could tell that the ones outside were ordinary people, as ordinary royal guards could be in terms of power. Still, he couldn''t see the auras of the enemies anymore, so he couldn''t tell the special ones masked inside the castle¡­ some of their abilities probably won''t require mana¡­


    Either way, Rain kicked the door of the castle and sent it flying toward the new group of enemies, but one of them easily blocked the giant door with his spear¡­

 Chapter 342: Challenger

    The castle''s interior was shrouded in a dim half-light, with torches and sconces casting feeble glimmers that only partially dispelled the surrounding darkness. Normally bustling with activity, the grand corridors and chambers now exuded an eerie, deserted vibe as they stood silently under the darkness of night.


    Amidst the gloom, an unexpected sight caught his attention. The royal guards posted within the castle were deliberately parting to the sides. They created a narrow corridor as though they intended to make space for Rain and the royal guard he had engaged with, setting the stage for a one-on-one battle.


    This strange behavior puzzled Rain. The guards, who should have been resolute in their defense of the castle, were instead acting as if they wished to witness the impending duel between Rain and theirrade. Tension hung heavy in the air as all eyes, from friend to foe, focused intently on the unfolding confrontation.


    "So, he is one, huh?" Rain thought. "This will be fun."


    All of a sudden, the enemy suddenly thrusted his spear forward¡­ he was a bit far away from reaching Rain, but he still felt some danger¡­ Rain, out of reflex, raised his arms, and then he felt a sharp pain on his left arm¡­


    "What the fuck¡­" Rain bit his lips in annoyance.


    Rain knew that his forearm guard was supposed to protect him, and even though the spear may have fired something, it should have been blocked, but that didn''t happen¡­ under his forearm guard, Rain could feel the blood flowing from a wound.


    Rain jumped backward with all his might and passed above the guards behind him andnded on the guard when he felt the danger again when the enemy moved his spear. The enemy stopped the thrust midway and began to walk toward Rain.


    "I guess whatever he did, it has a limited range¡­ no, It is too soon to think of that," Rain thought.


    Rain couldn''t heal himself, but it looked like the enemy still could use magic somehow. That didn''t make any sense, and Rain couldn''t believe that the technique that pierced his arm and ignored his forearm guard was a technique that relied solely on physical strength.


    In any case, Rain raised his guard to the limits while the enemy approached. The other royal guards moved away in order not to get caught in the middle of the fight. Still, they all had their crossbows ready to be used if the opportunity arrived. In the end, they didn''t have to be fair against an enemy that was threatening the life of the royal family.


    "I was nning to give them the chance to realize that they are on the wrong side, but this was theirst chance," Rain thought while squinting his eyes.


    The Spearmen raised his weapons and then quickly began to thrust them toward Rain. He sidestepped while following the line of attack of the weapon. He avoided the hits¡­ when the enemy was twenty meters away. Rain could react fast enough, but it was weird. Rain couldn''t hear the sound of the movements of the spear¡­ or even the sts of wind.


    Slowly but surely, the enemy began to approach Rain, and he was forced to stand his guard since nothing would happen until he learned the secrets of that technique¡­ Moreover, the whole capital was waking up, so retreating while Branden was still in the castle wasn''t an option.


    When the meters were ten meters away, the thrusts of the spear began to scratch Rain, and since the enemy put more energy behind the attack, the wounds started to pile up and bleed more. Still, Rain endured because he had a feeling about that thing.


    "I feel like I had seen this before¡­ but how is this even possible?" Rain thought.


    Even among the magic people, Rain never found someone with that kind of ability, and they had all sorts of techniques and tricks¡­ while Rain was thinking about that, the enemy suddenly stepped in and then tried to impale Rain''s stomach. He jumped to the side with all his might while using Limit Breaker to increase his defense and speed.


    Thanks to that, the attack only scratched his left side, and when the movement of the attack ended, Rain charged toward the enemy.


    The spearman raised his guard to block Rain''s attack; even with a single arm, he was able to do that. Rain aimed at the face of the guy, but he only hit the forearm guard of the enemy, and that pushed him away for a few meters, but only that¡­ even with Limit Breaker, he was unable to make the enemy fall or even break his arm for that matter.


    "What kind of training Joanis made these guys endure?" Rain frowned.


    Still, Rain''s attack made the enemy flinch for a moment, and the other royal guards decided to buy time for their allies to recover. They fired a barrage of bolts at Rain, but he blocked most of them with his arms, even without looking at them directly. His senses and reflexes were razor-sharp that night.


    Despite that, the guards didn''t feel bothered by it since they bought enough time for their ally to recover. Rain could feel the anger of the spearman as he studied him. In terms of range, the enemy had the upper hand, but Rain had the advantage in all other aspects¡­ the enemy felt really pissed thanks to that, but he knew better than to let that cloud his judgment.


    After taking a deep breath, the enemy suddenly swung his spear to the side, and Rain felt a shiver run down his spine. Rain lowered his body, but he still felt a bunch of his hair being cut by an invisible strike¡­ he assumed that the enemy could only use thrust attacks like that, but he was obviously wrong.


    Still, that attack made the enemy expose his guard for a moment, and Rain charged toward him without hesitation¡­

 Chapter 343: Secret technique

    The enemy didn''t have enough time to move his spear and block the attack, so Rain punched his right side with all his might. Still, the spearman wasn''t blown away¡­ in thest moment, before the attack could make contact, Rain felt a wind barrier forming on the side of the enemy and blocking his attack. Rain jumped away while showing a bit of an annoyed expression.


    "I should have known that they would have some ways to counter their own anti magic barrier¡­" Rain thought.


    While the enemy was fixing his stance, Rain recalled that Joanis had twenty years to experiment with the anti magic substance¡­ plenty of time to find it''s weakness and ways to bypass it without revealing much to the enemy. Nullifying the magic of the enemies and using brute strength against them in that situation seemed to be the best option. Still, things wouldn''t be so simple all the time.


    In any case, at least seeing the wind barrier made Rain understand why he felt some familiarity with that technique.


    The spearman''s technique closely resembled a legendarybat style Rain had read in a historical book. This martial art was attributed to a renowned woman who had seamlessly integrated wind magic into her weapon skills. Through this fusion of magical and physical abilities, she had gained the reputation of striking down adversaries with pinpoint precision from a distance.


    In the stories of her exploits, it was emphasized that she harnessed the power of the wind to enhance her attacks, granting them remarkable speed and extended reach. Her opponents were left defenseless, unable to evade or shield themselves from her onught. However, these tales did not rify whether her wind-infused strikes could prate armor or shields.


    Rain found himself facing a practitioner of this technique, astounded by the realization. The spearman''s ability to merge magic andbat, akin to the legendary figure, presented a significant challenge. Adapting quickly became imperative for Rain if he hoped to emerge victorious in this encounter.


    So, Rain had no idea how the first thrust ignored his forearm guards. The spearman seemed to be hesitant as well, thanks to the situation, so Rain had some time to think about that¡­ not much time, though.


    The enemy thrusted his spear toward Rain''s head and he twisted to the side and dodged the attack, but soon the enemy swung it to the side and that made Rain''s sweat cold.


    Rain threw himself to the side and avoided the hit, and then hended on the ground while on four¡­ for a moment, he thought of getting up, but in that stance, the area that the enemy could attack was a lot smaller.


    "This is a bit ufortable, but I need to do this¡­." Rain thought.


    The enemy hesitated while seeing Rain not getting up. If anything, that was he weird. In the end, Rain decided to use that in his favor as well and then charged toward the enemy while running like a dog.


    Rain''s movement speed shocked the enemy and made him open his eyes widely¡­ even more so when he thrusted his spear forward and then Rain readily jumped to the side and dodged it. The same thing happened a few times before the enemy had to defend himself against Rain''s charge.


    Still, when he was about to attack the enemy, Rain jumped to the side and changed his direction¡­ he was quite fast while moving like that and Rain realized that using the Limit Breaker made things a lot easier for him. Letting his anger control his body made his wild instincts take over and running like a dog felt like a second nature.


    While Rain was running around the enemy, the spearman tried to hit him with thrust attacks, but Rain jumped upward just enough to avoid them. When the enemy used sweep attacks, Rain jumped backward and zigzagged.


    The spearman unleashed a barrage of attacks, shattering the once-peaceful castle garden. Each thrust and swing of their weapon sent shockwaves through the air, tearing apart nts and sculptures. Amidst this chaos, Rain remained remarkably unscathed.


    With graceful agility, Rain navigated the garden, avoiding the spearman''s strikes through swift footwork and precise timing. The battleground turned into a maelstrom of destruction, but Rain remained untouched.


    Frustration etched the spearman''s face as their anger grew with every failed attempt tond a blow on Rain. Despite his incredible skill and powerful technique, Rain seemed untouchable. Their weapon shed through the air, leaving devastation in its wake.


    The spearman''s anger intensified, leading to erratic and desperate attacks. He couldn''t fathom how Rain continued to evade their strikes so effortlessly. As his precision waned with fury, Rain saw an opportunity to press forward, determined to ovee this enemy.


    Although Rain felt refreshed in seeing the enemy getting that pissed, he knew that he couldn''t do that forever, his stamina was falling at high speeds and he couldn''t use anything else while inside the anti-magic barrier.


    "I have to finish this up and check things with Branden¡­ still, while this guy is strong, I can''t believe that Joanis would leave only a single of his guards to protect this ce," Rain thought.


    That kind of thought made Rain dy his attack a bit¡­ Still, he soon realized that it had to be the other way around¡­ he couldn''t waste any more time until he confirmed things.


    Without hesitation, Rain charged toward the spearman and made him thrust his spear at him even more often since he was getting closer. That guy had a lot of mana as well, but that kind of technique should consume a lot of mana, it was only a matter of time before he ran out of juice.


    Despite that, Rain didn''t feel like waiting. He charged toward the enemy, and he ignored the pain, even though one of the thrusts pierced his left arm once again. He used that chance to step in and then punch the enemy in the face.

 Chapter 344: No time for mercy

    A wind Barrier blocked his attack once again, but Rain didn''t stop there, he raised his left arm and like he was swinging down an ax, he bit the right arm of the enemy. Seizing a critical moment, Rain attacked decisively. His ax kick, delivered with precision, targeted the enemy''s right arm. The impactnded like a thunderp, and the force of it snapped bones audibly.


    The spearman''s grip on their weapon faltered, the spear teetering on the edge of his grasp as they grappled with searing pain. Rain acted swiftly, capitalizing on this vulnerability. In one seamless motion, he disarmed his adversary, gaining control of the spear.


    With the spear now firmly in his possession, Rain braced for the inevitable retaliation from his disarmed foe, who was now left weaponless and enraged. The tables had turned in his favor, and he was poised to make the most of this newfound advantage.


    "Thank you for your generous donation," Rain thought.


    The atmosphere among the royal guards grew tense and filled with disbelief as they witnessed their leader losing his weapon. This unexpected twist had taken thempletely by surprise, and the shock was evident on their faces.


    Whispers and gasps circted through their ranks as they watched the once-mighty spearman, now disarmed and struggling to regain hisposure. A mix of fear and uncertainty hung in the air.


    Some guards exchanged hesitant nces, while others hesitated in deciding whether to support their fallen leader or confront the looming threat posed by Rain, who now held his weapon. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, and the oue of this sudden turn of events remained uncertain, casting doubt over the once-confident demeanor of the royal guards.


    Even while the enemy was unarmed, their leader was unable to win against an unarmed enemy¡­ Thanks to that, they moved to interfere with the oue of the battle.


    The wounded Spearman jumped away from Rain and the others threw their spears at him. Rain felt like testing the abilities of the spear, but instead of doing that, he jumped with all his might and avoided the attacks.


    In the next moment, Rain thrusted the spear toward the enemy, but nothing happened¡­ he wasn''t even able to wield mana as well. With a heavy sigh, he coiled his body like a spring and then threw the spear back at the spearman.


    The spear that Rain threw flying while in making a high pitching sound. The target didn''t have the chance to react to it, no one saw the weapon moving, but they saw that eventually, the weapon pierced their leader''s chest.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The champion''s path received 24.000 experience points.


    The champion''s path leveled up.


    Your Strength, Vitality and Endurance increased by 70 points.


    Rain took a deep breath when hended. It seemed that the spear had more tricks than he had imagined¡­ he will have to take that home and investigate it, but before that, he had some work to do.


    While the guards were hesitant, Rain dashed toward the body and took over the spear and then dashed toward the castle.


    The royal guards there tried to block his path, but Rain swung the spear with all his might and knocked them down with shields and everything.


    Rain looked around wondering where in the hell they would have put the core of the anti magic barrier¡­ it would be too obvious to put it in the throne room and Rain had been there before¡­


    While he was thinking about that, Rain heard a massive Barrage of bolts toward him. Still, he turned around and then spun his spear to block all the attacks¡­ It worked like a charm. Rain spun the spear so fast that it looked like a proper shield.


    "If I were them, I would put them in the most well protected ce, but also out of sight¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain could only think of a single ce that fit the criteria. So, he turned around and then dashed toward the throne room.


    Rain kicked the door of the throne room and with a thunderous roar, his kick knocked down the door and sent it flying to the distance. That kind of thing was weirdly rxing, kicking doors.


    In the dead of night, the throne room exuded an eerie atmosphere. Dim moonlight barely prated the lofty windows, casting feeble glimmers onto the polished marble floor. The once intricate patterns etched into the marble now seemed ghostly, their beauty concealed in the shadows.


    The room''s colossal pirs stood like silent sentinels, their details obscured in the dim light. At the chamber''s far end, the regal throne rested on a raised dais, its ornate carvings and golden ents barely distinguishable. It loomed ominously, once a symbol of authority and power, now enshrouded in uncertainty.


    Rain ignored all that and kept running toward the throne and eventually kicked the whole thing. It was made of silver and gold, but that wasn''t hard enough to endure Rain''s kick. Rain wondered if he should take the throne and sell for some potions, but he decided to think about thatter¡­ because he saw a red crystal under it.


    "Jackpot, huh?" Rain thought.


    Usually, Rain would destroy that without hesitation, but he had the feeling that Joanis also predicted that he would do that, so Rain jumped toward the ceiling of the room before tossing the spear toward the red blood crystal.


    The explosion of energy that made the entire castle tremble when the spear pierced the red crystal. In a single moment, everything in a ten meter radius from the crystal disappeared like it had been eaten by an invisible sphere¡­ only the spear was kef behind.


    "What the fuck was that¡­" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    Rainnded and looked around and he could feel everyone''s magic presence again¡­ at that point in time, Rain could feel the royal guards running away from the castle and the only ones inside it were him, Branden and Esmeralda.

 Chapter 345: Red crystal

    "I hate this kind of situation¡­ how the fuck that bastard is so cunning?" Rain thought.


    Rain couldn''t shake the troubling thought that the King might be the masterminds behind this situation. Without the royal family present, it appeared that the cunning monarch had intentionally left his daughter behind, likely nning to craft a narrative of her kidnapping, with the royal guards serving as witnesses.


    This unsettling notion implied that those who should have been protecting Princess Esmeralda were now part of aplex scheme. If this was indeed true, its purpose seemed to be manipting the entire kingdom into believing that the princess had been abducted. Such a fabrication could elicit sympathy and rally support for the king and Joanis'' agenda.


    As Rain contemted this disconcerting possibility, he felt the weight of the intricate web of deceit that had entangled not only the royal family but the entire realm. Joanis had turned his own daughter into a pawn in his perilous quest for power, and the future of the kingdom hung in the bnce.


    "I should have killed both of them when I had the chance¡­ making the entire country my enemy would be less annoying than this," Rain thought.


    In any case, Rain dashed to where Branden and Esmeralda were and soon he realized that something was off¡­ they weren''t moving at all, even though they were alive. That was weird and concerning¡­


    When Rain reached the room, Rain found Branden holding Esmeralda''s hand while she was in her bed¡­ she was unconscious. Branden was by her side trembling a fair bit¡­ Soon, Rain understood why. Her condition looked bad¡­ and Rain had seen that before¡­ It was when Roswall and Melody had been poisoned.


    "Why¡­ why would he go to such lengths?" Branden asked. "She is his daughter!"


    "... Let me check her for a bit," Rain said.


    It was in moments like this that Rain thought that he should have used his healing skills more. Still, he could tell that she was being poisoned a few days ago and she remained unconscious since then.


    Even though the king was a retard, Rain couldn''t imagine that he would poison his daughter¡­ he could only assume that he either did that but also gave her the antidote to keep her out of the equation for a while, or Joanis did that to make the king even more ruthless and agree with his ns, he probably did that when they left the castle or he made one of his guards do that.


    Either way, Rain''s healing skills weren''t powerful enough for him to tell if Esmeralda was given some antidote for the poison as well. Terra was better than him in that regard, and they had to return as fast as possible.


    "Let''s return," Rain dered. "Keep using healing magic on her, it should have some effect, right now, we need to buy as much time as possible."


    Branden couldn''t think things through in that situation and no one could me him for it, so he just nodded and followed Rain''s orders.


    It was a pity, but the golden and silver throne will have to stay behind in order for them to return home as soon as possible. In the end, Rain broke a new record and returned home after just five hours of traveling¡­ the trip had been quite turbulent, but time was of the essence.


    The others who stayed behind wanted to know why Rain and Branden returned so soon, but they knew that they didn''t have time for chat when they saw the unconscious princess. Terra immediately followed them to the room that they took her to and began to check her body.


    "... What kind of poison is this?" Terra asked while blinking several times after she checked Esmeralda''s condition.


    "It is a very rare one¡­ it is also slow, but the mortality rate is almost one hundred percent," Branden replied while he was still holding Esmeralda''s hands.


    The poison that had been used on Princess Esmeralda was a devious concoction with a slow and deadly action. Itmenced its malicious action by plunging the victim into a deep and unconscious slumber, leaving thempletely oblivious to the impending danger lurking within their own body.


    During this initial phase, the poison subtly infiltrated their system, gradually sapping the strength of their immune defenses.


    As time passed and the victim''s immune system weakened, the poison remained dormant, patiently awaiting the right moment to strike. Once the immune system had been sufficientlypromised, the poison would activate with ruthless precision, swiftly progressing to deliver a fatal oue.


    Surviving such a poison was a rare feat, achievable by only a select few. Throughout history, those remarkable individuals who had managed to emerge unscathed from its clutches became celebrated legends of their era. It was widely believed that only those blessed with extraordinary vitality and unwavering health could hope to withstand the relentless assault of this deadly toxin.


    These survivors served as living testaments to the unyielding human spirit and the extraordinary power of exceptional well-being.


    "I will need a bunch of your potions, Rain," Terra dered.


    "No problem," Rain said. "I am a bit pissed, so I am going to steal a bunch from the kingdom to relieve some stress."


    "Lord Branden, I will have to ask you to leave for a while," Terra said. "This might not be pretty and we don''t want you to get emotional and we also need to avoid future problems¡­"


    "Okay¡­" Branden said and then closed his eyes before letting out a long sigh.


    "Please, call your sisters, they probably can help me with that," Terra said. "Asche, Liss and Reca are too clumsy for this."


    That was weird, while they could use healing magic, it wasn''t their speciality. Rain also felt a bit bad for letting his sisters seeing a person slowly dying like that, but perhaps such a thing would make them more eager to develop their healing skills than the fighting ones.

 Chapter 346: Troublesome situation

    As Terra and Rain''s sisters cared for Princess Esmeralda, Rain turned his attention to the peculiar spear he had acquired during their rescue operation. Fueled by curiosity, he couldn''t resist the urge to explore the mysteries surrounding this weapon that had yed a pivotal role in their mission. Seeking to upy his mind, Branden decided to join Rain in this endeavor.


    While they engaged in their respective tasks, Rain took the opportunity to recount the events that had transpired outside the castle while Branden had been on his mission to locate Esmeralda. He shared the details of the encounters. Branden attentively absorbed the narrative of the fights, responding with nods of agreement and asional expressions of surprise.


    "Yes, I heard about that ability," Branden said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I didn''t think that someone would be able to replicate that skill."


    The spear Rain now possessed was a strikingbination of form and function. Its


    Crafted from a dark, polished metal with a rich, mahogany-like color, the spear''s shaft exuded both strength and elegance. It featured subtle grooves and ridges carved into the metal, ensuring a secure grip duringbat.


    Towards the upper end of the shaft, the metal seamlessly transitioned into a gleaming silver, and red-hued metal. This metal extended into the spear''s head, forming a sharp and finely honed tip, emphasizing its deadly nature. The spear''s overall design and bnce were a testament to its creator''s skill, seamlessly blending artistry and functionality into a single, captivating weapon.


    Branden meticulously inspected the spear, his fingers tracing its smooth shaft and the head. He searched for any hiddenpartments or concealed mechanisms but found none. Puzzlement crept onto his face as he rotated the weapon, hoping to unveil its secret, but it remained an exquisitely crafted yet seemingly ordinary spear.


    He looked back at Rain, his expression conveying his inability to uncover the weapon''s mysterious power. It appeared that the spear''s true nature was hidden beneath its elegant exterior, leaving them with more questions than answers.


    "A red crystal, huh?" Branden asked. "I wasn''t expecting something like that."


    "The interior was filled with blood, but the crystal itself wasn''t made of ss, it was some other material," Rain added. "The crystal was round, the same shape of the barrier and the hole that appeared on the ground when it was destroyed."


    "I guess it was some sort of material that worked to amplify the mana in the blood," Branden said when they arrived outside. "That bastard knows a lot and has too many resources¡­ or maybe it was something he made by cooperating with the king."


    Outside the house, the others were taken aback when they heard Branden''s usuallyposed demeanor break, reced by an uncharacteristic string of curses. The intensity of the situation seemed to have shaken even his stoic facade. Rain looked around the area and noticed the conspicuous absence of his father and grandfather.


    "Your Dad and my father went to guide the beast people to the mountains," Leiah exined. "The trip shouldn''tst long."


    "I am a bit worried since they had plenty of demi-humans there. While they have the blood of the beast people, I am not sure if all of them will be weed," Rain said. "At this point in time, this isn''t my problem, but I think that it will cause some problems in the long run."


    "You shouldn''t think like that. You have to stay positive," Leiah said. "You will get wrinkles at a very young age if you worry so much."


    "I guess so¡­ we need the help of someone who can analyze and make relics to understand the spear," Rain said. "Lotto is the only one I know that can do that."


    "We have people that can do that. They won''t like to do it since that spear has an ominous aura, but Father will be interested in learning more about the anti-magic substance," Seadir said.


    "All right, I leave this to you guys then," Rain said and then passed the spear. "I am going to depart tomorrow to check things in the frontlines. You need to stay here with Esmeralda, right?"


    "Yes, but it will be hard to convince Ka and Cor toe with you without some sort of proof that I am on your side," Branden said and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I will see what I can do about that until tomorrow."


    After that, the group split. Jori and the others went to check the waterway alongside Orcis and Lorene. Those two didn''t have manybat abilities, but they wanted to help in some way. Branden kept thinking about the problem in order not to let dark thoughts cover his mind, and Rain decided to rest as much as possible since he didn''t know when he would return after checking the front lines.


    When Rain woke up, Terra and the girls were still treating Esmeralda¡­ while he had no idea what they were doing, he could think of a few things. Just like he told Branden, healing Esmeralda as much as possible would fight the poison effects and keep the body active, two ways to make her stay healthy.


    After that, they will have to think of ways to deal with the poison, and that was the tricky part, even for Rain¡­ maybe it wouldn''t be so tricky if he had used his healing magics more and studied them as well.


    In the end, Rain tried to sleep for a bit more at night, but he had recovered already. He used Limit Breaker for a long time, but the damage that he suffered wasn''t that high.


    In any case, when the sun was rising, Rain began to prepare to leave, but there were no signs of Roan and Meiro returning¡­ Thanks to that, he got worried enough to go and check them, but he didn''t have to go far to find them returning to the vige and with everyone¡­ Roan was covered in cuts, too.

 Chapter 347: Another problem

    Rain let out a sigh when he found his father and the others and began to heal him. He could tell what had happened since no one of those who left with them had stayed with the beast people. It wasn''t like he didn''t consider such a possibility, but he still held to the hope that it wouldn''t end in a fight.


    "It seems that things didn''t go as expected," Roan said and then forced a smile. "Don''t worry, these are just minor scratches."


    "... What happened?" Rain asked while showing a pissed expression. "I am prone to believe that the beast people are our enemies as well."


    "... Well, while they didn''t look like they liked our big friend and the other demi-humans, they readily weed those who were one hundred percent beast people, but they wouldn''t let halflings cross the mountains," Roan exined.


    "Things got a beat tense when Anna went to talk with them, but when they realized that Alion was her kid," Meiro added. "They didn''t hide their displeasure and said some harsh things and insulted her. Things went out of control when he got a bit angry, and they didn''t take that well."


    Anna was the woman who stopped Rain from killing the big kid, Alion. It didn''t seem like he caused the issue directly this time, so Rain couldn''t say anything. Still, the beast people were far more stuck in their ways than Rain had assumed.


    "What did they say?" Rain asked.


    "Well, that is¡­" Meiro looked away, looking visibly ufortable.


    "They asked me how I could have given birth to this aberration¡­ I always knew that they wouldn''t wee us with open arms, but I didn''t think that they still would be this stupid¡­" Anna said and then sighed. "They are the same idiots that have always been worrying endlessly about every single thing that might happen and thinking of nothing but protecting their bloodlines."


    That seemed a reasonable thing to consider when leading arge group of people, even more so to do those in Power, but prejudice toward those half-bloods was stupid¡­ maybe they were worried that they would get weaker or something If they let half-beast people live among them.


    Considering that they hurt Roan, a fair bait, they weren''t that weak since he could use Limit Breaker. In any case, Rain felt like sighing when he heard that his father hadn''t killed anyone in order to avoid conflict. Still, the conflict was pretty much bound to happen now that they knew that Anna and other beast people of pure blood had been captured and used by humans.


    "Did you tell them what is happening and that we aren''t on the side of the king?" Rain asked.


    "Yes¡­ I am not sure if they believed me, though," Roan said. "They truly came with the intention of killing everyone¡­ just don''t think of showing retribution so soon. There is still hope that we can avoid this conflict."


    Rain could understand the reasoning behind his father''s words. Thest thing that they needed was to be attacked from behind¡­ but that was wishful thinking. The beast people now were part of the situation whether they liked it or not.


    While returning home, Rain wondered what he should do¡­ it might be dangerous to leave the area now, but Roan said that even if the beast people be their enemies, they will need arge number of people to invade the humannds. That won''t happen overnight.


    "Don''t worry, we can manage things while you are away," Roan said. "Your old man still can kick some asses If I need to."


    "Sorry, Rain¡­ I wrecked my brain about this, but I couldn''t think of anything that you could say that would make everyone believe you." Branden added apologetically.


    "It is fine. Sooner orter some people will realize that things will go to shit if they let the kingmand them like he wants to," Rain said. "I will just contact them and make them spread the news. Eventually, people will be able to confirm things by themselves."


    Rain said his farewells to hisrades, feeling a sense of urgency in the air. Gathering information about the situation with the magic people at the border couldn''t wait any longer.


    Without wasting any time, he embarked on his journey toward the border. Flying solo wasn''t the most efficient mode of travel, so he relied on his Impulse ability to propel himself swiftly toward his destination. The fate of the situation rested on his shoulders, and he couldn''t afford to waste a single moment.


    Despite the daylight, Rain paid little heed to traversing the territory in this manner. Few would catch a glimpse of his rapid movements, and even fewer would bother to keep a vignt eye out for him. Currently, he can cover a distance of around three hundred meters with each utilization of Impulse. However, he asionally had to pause to manage the heat generated by the friction in the air.


    Time was of the essence, and he had no choice but to push his limits in his race against it.


    After approximately twelve grueling hours, Rain sessfully crossed the entire country. Exhausted and with his mana reserves running low, he finally arrived in Teria. His priority was to confirm the presence of a significant army there, which he did. There were plenty of tents on the left side of the city¡­


    However, he still needed to ascertain whether the King''s de and his formerpanions were among them. Fatigue and a dwindling mana pool couldn''t deter him from his mission; he hade too far to stop to rest now¡­


    While Rain contemted his next course of action, he couldn''t help but notice that the activity around the military tents was rather subdued, and the area remained shrouded in darkness. His curiosity piqued, he entertained the idea of investigating further, but his attention was quickly diverted as a caravan of carriages approached from the border¡­ that was something more worthy of investigating¡­

 Chapter 348: Investigation

    Rain moved stealthily, his body practically crawling along the ground as he made his way towards the right side of the city in order to check the caravan. The night sky, although not entirely free of clouds, provided enough cover for his covert movements. Caution was necessary, since the city''s walls were heavily guarded, with torch-bearing sentinels scanning the surroundings vigntly.


    Any misstep could expose him.


    However, Rain managed to get closer to the caravan undetected. His heart raced with the thrill of the ndestine operation, and he finally reached a vantage point from which he could see the carriages clearly. It was rare for him to do that kind of thing¡­ or maybe he did not. His memories were filled with him bustling open and facing many opponents head on.


    "What the hell¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows in surprise when he saw the carriages carryingrge boxes, at least they seemed like boxes.


    It was hard to say thanks to the fact that they were covered inrge nkets. That was suspicious and then Rain used his magic eyes¡­ Much to his surprise, Rain couldn''t see what was beyond the nkets, but he could see the auras of many magic people and they seemed to be in cages¡­


    "You guys don''t waste time, huh¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain quickly understood that the tents on the other side looked dark and empty because they were¡­ the war against the magic people already started. At that point in time, Rain wondered why the king and Joanis already started when they knew that he was in the other direction¡­ wasn''t he a challenge enough for them despite causing so much trouble?


    Rain wanted to check Teria and see if the king and Joanis were there, killing both of them was no longer an option, it was a necessity, but then what? Rain couldn''t imagine himself leading an army and then trying to clean the mess that those two retards created¡­ maybe Branden could do that, maybe he couldn''t do that even with Esmeralda''s help, it was hard to say.


    In any case, Rain decided to keep moving and check the battlefield before anything. With the need to conserve his mana, Rain opted for a more conventional approach and began to sprint toward East. While he couldn''t match the incredible speed of his Impulse, his natural swiftness still allowed him to cover considerable distances in no time.


    He knew that discretion was key, so he carefully run through the terrain, avoiding any sources of light that might betray his presence to the vignt guards patrolling the area.


    Rain had envisioned a swift reconnaissance mission on the border, expecting to find a battlefield teeming with activity. However, to his profound surprise, there was no such scene awaiting him. As he moved closer to the border, a sense of unease began to gnaw at him.


    Then, it hit him like a bolt of lightning ¨C the distinct aura of the imprisoned magic. This revtion sent a chill down his spine. The presence of the water snipers'' magic people in captivity signaled a dire turn of events. It suggested that the human army had pushed far into the magic people''s territory, a development that boded ill for the ongoing conflict.


    "This is bad¡­ really bad," Rain thought and then began to run again.


    While he was running, he couldn''t help but think that there was no solution to the situation. Killing Joanis and the king will leave the country open for attacks from all sides. Not killing them will only snowball the whole situation¡­


    For now, they only had the hatred of the magic people, sea folk and the beast people, but if the dragons join the fight, things will get out of control and Joanis was prepared for that.


    Rain had no intention of helping the magic people, they made him lose two homes. His grandparents on his father''s side thanks to them, even though he wasn''t that close to them. At the same time, his father almost died numerous times thanks to them and lost his leg once. Not to mention, he was brainwashed by one of them.


    Still, not doing anything will make sure that the magic people will have plenty of reasons to exterminate all humans when they have the chance¡­ not like they didn''t try once already. There was no solution to the situation at all¡­ all paths were wed paths.


    It seemed that the best option was to let both sides kill each other and strike the winning one to make them lose strength. That would make them have a hard time recovering from the wars and that would also make them dy any attempts for future wars. However, there were the dragons¡­


    The dragons essentially thought of the magic people as a group that they could train their children with, it was probably some sort of rite of passage and that was why they didn''t try to destroy the whole magic country when they lost some of their own by their hands.


    While thinking about all that, several hours passed and Rain could see the sun rising¡­ At the same time, he found the remains of the water snipers vige. Everything had been burned down or destroyed¡­ since they didn''t expect the attack, they didn''t have the chance to fight back, even if they had, their magic probably wouldn''t work.


    Soon enough, Rain confirmed that the ce was empty and the battle took ce around noon of the next day¡­ their advance was quite fast and they didn''t want to waste time with anything¡­ their war of conquest was supposed to be quick and deadly.


    "Fighting with them isn''t an option, but I guess I can tell them what they are going to face in order to be prepared," Rain thought. "This will make them resist for a while longer."


    Rain truly didn''t like helping the people that once had been his enemies, but he couldn''t let Joanis and the king''s ns go that smoothly¡­ he hated them more, after all.

 Chapter 349: Nuisance

    Rain had nned to save his mana forter, but soon he began to use Impulse again to catch up with the human army. That happened around noon.


    The massive human army, numbering around fifty thousand strong, marched relentlessly as they stretched across thendscape. Their synchronized footsteps echoed like a thunderous drumbeat, filling the air with an ominous sense of purpose. Banners representing various noble houses fluttered in the breeze, but one stood out prominently ¨C the king''s banner, a symbol of authority and might.


    Amidst this vast force, Rain''s keen eye caught sight of another banner. It was the banner of Joanis, the very man he sought to kill once and for all. Positioned prominently at the center of the formation, it underscored Joanis'' significant influence within the human army.


    Rain felt an intense urge to strike at his enemies, to disrupt their advance, but he remained acutely aware of the daunting distance separating him from the targets. They were tantalizingly close yet impossibly far away. Any impulsive action could jeopardize his mission and the safety of those he aimed to protect.


    Rain watched with conflicting emotions, torn between his desire for revenge and the necessity of a careful, calcted approach.


    "... There is no point in trying when nu death is certain," Rain thought after taking a deep breath. "They are probably waiting for that."


    Typically, in a military campaign, the king''s entourage would position itself at the rear of the army. This cement was not only a matter of protocol but also a strategic choice, ensuring that the king remained well-protected from potential attacks originating from the front or nks.


    However, the fact that the king''s banner was positioned in the middle of the advancing human army was a clear indication of their anticipation of attacks from the rear.


    Understanding this tactical consideration, Rain recognized that rushing ahead recklessly would be a stupid course of action. His enemies were prepared for assaults from behind, and any hasty move on his part would likely result in failure or even endanger those he aimed to rescue. Patience and a well-thought-out n were necessary in this situation.


    Rain made the decision to temporarily avoid a direct confrontation with the advancing human army. Instead, he focused on avoiding further detection and maintaining a strategic advantage by moving a bit further from the main path.


    While distancing himself from the army''s path, his keen magical vision detected a squad of scouts dispatched by the enemy several kilometers ahead of the army in order to prevent ambushes.


    Determined to disrupt their reconnaissance efforts and impede the progress of Joanis and the king''s forces, Rain acted swiftly. From a safe distance, he utilized his magic to create pits beneath the scouts and promptly sealed them inside. By doing so, Rain ensured that he wouldn''t make things easy for his adversaries,pelling them to face unexpected challenges.


    Rain was a bit tired, so his moving speed dropped¡­ he only reached his destination when the sun was setting, it was the city where Geio was supposed to work and the main base of the golem masters. The people were living there normallypletely unaware of the threat that was fast approaching.


    "Wow¡­ I am really going to save their asses, huh?" Rain thought and then sighed.


    In the midst of his high-stakes actions and strategies, Rain found himself fighting with a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He couldn''t escape the fact that he was actively assisting his former adversaries in their mission to create problems for his newfound enemies. This ironic twist of fate left him feeling deeply unsettled.


    Compounding his inner turmoil was the sight of innocent children ying in the town. As he observed their carefreeughter and yful antics, he couldn''t help but see reflections of his own sisters in their youthful innocence. This stirred the philosopher within him even though he hated it, prompting profound questions about the nature of his unrelenting hatred.


    He wondered about whether his intense animosity was powerful enough to justify jeopardizing the lives of those who hadmitted no wrong, a moral dilemma that weighed heavily on his conscience.


    The people around found Rain, but they didn''t react that much since humans had beening to their territory a lot to negotiate as ofte, but some of them recognized Rain, he moved toward those and his words left them speechless.


    "Where is Geio? An army ising to attack this city and you guys don''t have much time left," Rain dered.


    "... What?"


    "The king of the human country went bananas and now he wants to take you all down," Rain added. "His army is fifty thousand strong and they have a lot of tools to use against you all. Now, tell me, where is Geio?"


    The people around who heard that were paralyzed in shock¡­ Rain wondered if they were naive enough to think that the peace wouldst forever. Then again, if they weren''t actually fighters, maybe that would make sense.


    Eventually, Rain got tired of that and decided to look for Geio himself. He recalled thest time that after leaving them at an inn, he walked in the same direction everyday. While he was doing that, the news about the attacks began to spread, but it seemed that everyone was still unsure about that.


    Thanks to the noise, a lot of people that were inside their homes began to leave the buildings and check what was happening.


    Amidst all that, Rain saw a bunch of people leaving a building that seemed like a smaller version of the council that he saw in the capital of the magic people country¡­ Unlike the tribe leaders there, those guys weren''t wearing veils, so Rain was fortunate enough to find Geion among them.


    "You are¡­ from that time," Geio said.


    "No time for chit chat, a human army ising to attack this ce and they already destroyed the water snipers vige," Rain dered. "You should warn all the other nearby ces and your leaders as well¡­ I suppose evacuating would also be a good idea."

 Chapter 350: Warnings

    Geio and the other members of the small council exchanged surprised nces as Rain recounted the unfolding events. Rain, however, had grown weary of witnessing their reactions, so he briskly provided a concise overview of the situation and outlined the challenges they were about to confront. Things were about to get really nasty for the people there.


    "Wait, why? Both of our countries are benefitting a lot from this!" Geio said.


    "Don''t talk as if you guys won''t eventually break the truce," Rain frowned. "Anyway, I told you, the king is crazy, and he wants to leave his mark on the world. An ally captured some of your people to create his army, and the guy nned this for decades¡­ you need to act fast. Why the hell am I doing this¡­"


    Geio found himself pondering whether Rain had lost his mind or if it was the king who had gone into madness. However, despite his initial doubts, Geio recognized that Rain had little to gain from lying right now. While Geio had only received a brief summary of the events, he couldn''t deny that they were difficult to ept at face value.


    "Are you sure about that?" Geio asked while showing in his eyes that he was inplete denial. "Why would you go against your king, and why would they lock your friend?"


    "I guess I came to waste my time here¡­ You can just ignore me then," Rain said and then turned around.


    "Wait, wait!" Geio said and then stopped to think for a moment. "I heard that you can fly pretty fast. Can you let me see the human army and confirm that? People will believe that it is easier if I were to see it with my own eyes."


    "I don''t have time, and I already used too much manaing here. I won''t use it anymore," Rain replied.


    "We can pay you for that, and we have potions, too," Geio said and then looked at one of the members of the small council, and the guy nodded. "We will depart right now to save time."


    Rain was nning to steal potions from Teria, but that will do it. It will help him steal even more, so he just nodded.


    Half an hourter, Rain was flying with Geio toward the West. In the end, even Rain was surprised when they found the human army marching even at night, and they were closer than he had predicted¡­ it seemed that they didn''t stop to even have a meal.


    "Curses¡­ turn around. We have to inform the others and the great council about this," Geio said while biting his fingernails.


    "Sorry, but there is no we here," Rain said. "I am returning to my camp."


    "We will reward you. Our best messenger can''t send messages faster than you can fly," Geio exined. "Besides, even if you don''t care about our fate that much, you don''t want to see these guys facing the dragons. They truly hate those who use cheap tricks against them. They won''t send only the young ones against your people, and they won''t stop until all of the humans are killed."


    "That is a very convenient thing to say," Rain shrugged.


    "Think about it, the fact that we don''t use relics against them, why would we do that when we can save a lot of our people and decrease the number of soldiers on the border?" Geio asked. "Because they are prideful, and they hate those who want to look smart in front of them. Seeing body parts of their allies would also enrage them."


    Rain reluctantly acknowledged the validity of Geio''s words. In the eyes of dragons, beings of immense power and pride, humans were nothing more than minuscule, insignificant creatures akin to ants. Just as humans might dismiss or be irritated by the audacity of an ant, dragons likely felt simrly when confronted with the defiance of humans.


    This contrast emphasized the profound power gap between the two species and left Rain with a humbling and annoying realization.


    "... I will take ten of your best potions, and I will only deliver the messages for a day," Rain dered. "This isn''t up for debate."


    "You have my gratitude," Geio said.


    Rain didn''t want his gratitude, but there was no point in being so edgy. In the end, when they arrived in the city, Geio quickly called the members of the small council and spread the news. It was around midnight, and the human army would arrive around sunrise. Considering their numbers, the city would fall almost instantly, so they had no other choice but to retreat.


    As one would expect, a lot of stubborn people voiced their concerns against that; they didn''t want to abandon their homes, and they wanted to destroy the dirty invaders. That was righting from them, but Rain ignored that. Besides, most of the best warriors of the tribe weren''t there, so it was too risky to fight.


    While some people took their time leaving since they wanted to pack their things, most of them left as soon as they could.


    While Geio was talking with small council members about the evacuation ns, Rain received a box filled with potions. As he has asked, he received ten of the best ones and many of the others¡­ It was the first time he felt troubled over receiving a gift, but soon he began to move. That was his chance to unlock the water mage''s path.


    "I will probably need that as soon as possible¡­" Rain thought when he began to fly. "While there are plenty of water mages on our side, I guess we can''tpare to Seadrei and those who had the coral spear."


    Lately, Rain has considered increasing the size of the waterway more than a little bit. That would separate his side of the human country from the other side, and that would make things difficult for them to cross withrge numbers of people¡­

 Chapter 351: True reasons

    Naturally, that will cost a lot more mana and his skills needed to be better with that element to make good use of the water that will serve as division between the two areas.


    As Rain journeyed through various towns and settlements, he made it a point to share the unfolding events with the local residents. He knew that his message would cause a range of reactions, but he just ignored the mixed responses he encountered.


    In some ces, people greeted him with skepticism and even resentment, perceiving him as a traitor to his own kind for opposing the human army. Despite the less-than-warm reception, Rain pressed on, prioritizing the greater good over personal poprity.


    In other towns, the reception was openly hostile, with residents harboring deep-seated animosity towards Rain due to his past actions. Nevertheless, he persisted in delivering his message. He shared critical information and moved on, that was all that he wanted to do anyway.


    Rain reached their capital in the middle of the afternoon of the next day and soon he headed to the council. Josar wasn''t there, but the council members still received him since they assumed that the humans had an important message to them. They never imagined what was the real truth.


    As Rain delivered the grim news of the human army''s actions to the council members, the room was filled with anger and frustration. Some council members expressed their outrage without thinking twice.


    "Those dirty humans! How dare they invade our territory and harm our people?"


    "This is a clear act of aggression that we cannot overlook. We must respond swiftly and decisively."


    "Their actions reveal their disregard for the truce and diplomacy. We must defend our people and retaliate and exterminate them all."


    "Not my problem," Rain said. "I guess I will reach your border and then return after passing the message. Do what you want with what you have learned."


    Rain also hated the idea of owing favors to others, so he decided to work for the extra potions. At the same time, he would be able to see the results of the skirmishes of that day and the next before returning home.


    Although it was a bit ufortable to carry therge box, Rain got a lot of experience in the wind mage''s path since he used wind magic to move in the air. It was unlikely that he would be able to unlock the Earth mage''s path before returning home, but it will be close enough.


    Regardless, on the morning of the next day, Rain arrived at the camp where Josar was and he waspletely shocked by what he had heard¡­ Since Rain came that far to inform them of that, there was no point in not believing him.


    "Pass the message to the other military posts and make them retreat immediately!" Josar shouted. "We will leave this area to the dragons for the time being. It is time to resume the war against humans!"


    As Josar''s announcement spread among the gathered magic people, a range of emotions swirled within the crowd. Many magic people couldn''t hide their excitement. They let out triumphant cheers and shouts, eager for the opportunity to protect their homnd and seek retribution for the past wrongs. Rain thought that their memory was really bad¡­


    A few wore worried expressions, their eyes reflecting the uncertainty of whaty ahead. Memories of the devastation from thest war haunted them, and they feared for the safety of their loved ones.


    Despite the range of emotions, an unwavering determination pervaded the crowd. They recognized the gravity of the situation and weremitted to defending their homnd, regardless of their personal feelings.


    In any case, while everyone was preparing to move, they ignored him through and through. He came to warn them, but to avoid future problems, they will act from now on that all humans are his enemies. So, Rain''s job was over and he began his return to home.


    The next day at night, Rain was already back at the ce where he found Geio. The town had beenpletely taken by the human army and since a lot of resources were left behind, they were using them.


    "I guess the first part of their campaign was to reach this city as soon as possible¡­e to think of it, Branden memorized and reported about the geography of the magic people''s territory to the king¡­ he probably nned this thanks to that," Rain thought.


    There were no signs of the king''s banner around the city, or Joanis for that matter. So, it would be hard to find them there¡­


    When he left the town behind, Rain found some remains of golems behind¡­ it seemed that some people stayed behind out of stupidity or to just buy time for the others. Either way, the destiny was clear.


    "I guess I won''t be able to see them fighting¡­ but there is another way to get some information about their military power in this situation," Rain thought.


    While he was flying, Rain kept looking around for signs of movements and soon he confirmed that some caravans were crossing in the dark of the night the area toward the human territory. Just like before, he saw with his magic eyes, magic people in cages, he also saw some of the special demi humans leading the caravan, the ones that were part of the main army of Joanis.


    "No time for mercy," Rain thought.


    With unwavering determination, Rain summoned a colossal sphere of water into the night sky. This orb crackled with magical energy as hepressed it, turning it into a high-pressure, concentrated stream. Then, in a burst of power, he released the pent-up energy, unleashing a powerful jet of water that streaked across the darkness like aet.


    This torrent of water struck the enemies and their wagons with devastating force. Some were torn in two by the sheer impact, while others were sent tumbling through the air by the ferocity of the attack.

 Chapter 352: Legendary skill

    Among the chaos and destruction, one figure managed to withstand the onught ¨C the leader of the caravan. Despite being pushed away and rolled across the ground, they rose to their feet, determination burning in their eyes. Rain''s attack had made a powerful statement, but the battle was far from over.


    "I should have known," Rain thought, and then he began to fall. "I guess Joanis is a history nerd."


    When Rainnded in the area, he took a good look at the enemy. He was armored, but his helmet had fallen. Thanks to that, Rain was surprised to see a woman there. It wasn''t surprising that half of Joanis'' soldiers would be women, but it was surprising that one of them would follow his orders when he wasn''t around.


    The woman who had withstood Rain''s devastating water attack had short, tousled hair that framed her face. Her hair, soaked from the water assault, clung to her head, revealing her unique features. What stood out most were her ears, which resembled those of a mermaid, with delicate, glistening scales running along their edges.


    These peculiar ears exined her remarkable resistance to Rain''s water attack, marking her as someone with both human and mermaid lineage.


    "I am not the type of guy to talk with an enemy and try to make them change sides, but why are you still following his orders when he isn''t around?" Rain asked.


    The woman ignored Rain''s words and just pointed her fingers at him¡­ Rain didn''t see any attacks, but he felt some danger¡­ Much to his surprise, some water bullets emerged out of nowhere while they were moving toward him.


    Rain blocked the attacks with his forearm guards, but he still was surprised to see that they pushed him backward despite their small size. The impacts were thunderous, and Rain felt the vibrations across his whole body.


    When Rain stopped, the woman had several ice shurikens spinning and rotating around her¡­ that was another ability that another person in the past once had developed¡­


    Throughout history, a renowned ice mage has carved its legacy with remarkable prowess. Their unique talent allowed them to conjure ice seemingly from thin air. But this power went beyond mere frosty creations. With a mere wave of their hand, they could craft an array of weapons from this ice.


    These weapons, though seemingly fragile, possessed incredible durability. They could effortlessly prate even the most robust suits of armor, leaving no defense unbreached when propelled toward their target.


    The ice mage''s unparalleled mastery over both ice and weaponry solidified their ce in history as a formidable force. Their legend persisted through the ages, leaving all who heard of their incredible abilities in awe and admiration.


    "I suppose I can call this ability the frozen gate of Babylon," Rain thought. "This is very cool¡­ why didn''t I develop this?"


    The woman fired the ice shurikens at Rain, and then he tried to block them with his forearm guards with them, but they suddenly changed direction and began to rotate around him. It seems that blocking them won''t be that easy¡­


    When Rain felt some danger once again, he quickly spun his body and then destroyed the ice shurikens with his forearm guards. It was amazing, but it felt like he had smashed some blocks of steel. He didn''t have time to celebrate since the woman created more of them.


    "She can change their directions fast and control them with pinpoint precision since they are small¡­" Rain thought. "It seems that I am not going to leave this unscathed¡­ even I can use my magic."


    Rain just kicked the ground, and then an earth spike emerged to pierce the legs of that woman, but while the attack pushed her backward, the armor wasn''t prated¡­ Rain wasn''t surprised to see that the armor had been Enhanced by the anti-magic substance.


    Despite that, the woman silently studied Rain¡­ she probably heard that he had defeated the royal guard in the pce, and she was trying to create a strategy based on that knowledge and the current image of Rain.


    At the same time, Rain was thankful for the fact that such enemies were a lot less annoying than the ones that never shut up.


    In any case, Rain knew better than to let the enemies think too much about their ns and then dashed toward her. In thest moment, he used Impulse and Limit Breaker and just punched the shurikens with all his might and destroyed them, even though blood began to gush from his fists¡­ now he could attack the woman.


    Or so he thought. several ice spikes emerged from the ground and tried to impale his legs, but he blocked them with his shin guards. That slowed down Rain just enough to give her enough time to move. Using one hand, she began to slip on the ground creating a path of ice. She was quite fast, too¡­


    "Why is she so damn cool?" Rain thought.


    Rain truly had morepatibility with Water magic, that was why he thought that ice spells were cool. In any case, Rain used Impulse to get closer to her faster, but then an ice wall suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Rain mmed his body and face against the ice wall and for a moment, he passed out¡­ It was no surprise since he used Impulse to move. When he recovered, he barely had time to react to the fact that the ice wall became spears and then were fired at his head.


    Once again, Rain blocked the attacks by the skin of his teeth with his forearm guards, but he was sent rolling on the ground thanks to the massive power of the attacks.


    When Rain got up, he saw some ice saws cutting the ground and moving toward him at insane speeds. Rain blocked the attack with his forearm guards, but then he smashed them with earth pirs that emerged from the sides and hit the saws.

 Chapter 353: Paying the price

    "It doesn''t seem like she is running out of mana¡­" Rain thought. "Even though we are so far away from the ocean¡­ that retarded probably was nning to use her against the sea folk."


    Rain didn''t have time to waste, so he decided to go all out again¡­ before the woman could attack, she could sense Rain''s aura changing and every single part of her body told her to run away, but she stood her ground.


    In the next moment, Rain used Impulse, and then the woman used all of her control over magic to create several spinning swords around her. However, Rain moved to the side instead of attacking and then moved to the opposite side while slowly approaching¡­ The woman realized that his speed was higher than before, and he was nning to increase it further.


    Rain began to move from one side to the other like a lightning bolt, and the woman couldn''t even see his shadow¡­ Thanks to that, she knew that she wouldn''t be able to hit him unless he was extremely close. On the other hand, she knew that while it was risky for her, that speed of his would be his downfall.


    Before long, Rain began to approach more and more, and it was almost impossible to see him stop now. Still, he held her ground and waited until thest moment. When Rain went for the kill, she already knew that Rain would attack from the sides, so she fired her swords to both sides¡­ it would have been better if she could know from which side Rain would attack first, but she didn''t know.


    Still, in the end, he managed to make five swords pierce Rain''s body¡­ three on his stomach, one on his right shoulder, and another on his right arm¡­ that didn''t stop him from attacking with that same arm and then piercing her left side with his hand.


    The shock in her expression was the most emotion that she showed in the whole battle¡­ Rain pierced several of her organs, but she only trembled a little before she lost control of her body and fell. Rain pulled his hand covered in blood and then sighed¡­ his organs also had been pierced, so he didn''t have time for that.


    The skill Reinforced Wisdom received 20.000 experience points.


    The Wind mage''s path leveled up.


    Rain''s struggle continued as he swiftly removed the ice swords embedded in his body. The des now bore the signs of his crimson blood. Each withdrawal sent waves of agony coursing through him, the pain intensifying as the icy weapons left his flesh. The wounds they left behind spewed forth a flow of blood, staining his clothes a deep, ominous red.


    With a sense of urgency, Rain channeled his magical abilities to close the bleeding. He focused on mending the wounds to repair his damaged flesh. Despite his best efforts, the loss of blood persisted, and he felt his strength steadily dwindling with every passing moment.


    "Ugh¡­ even with Limit Breaker, shepletely destroyed my defenses," Rain thought and then sighed. "My physical defense needs some work, or my build is just too focused on offense."


    After managing to control his bleeding and wounds enough to avoid passing out from the pain, Rain proceeded to inspect the contents of the captured wagons. What he uncovered inside was a mix of both relief and concern. The wagons held several individuals, primarily consisting of golem masters and water snipers, all of whom disyed severe injuries.


    Their diminished auras clearly indicated that the anti-magic bars had effectively suppressed their magical abilities.


    Seeing the condition of these captives stirred aplex mix of emotions within Rain. Despite their past roles as adversaries, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of empathy for their suffering. It served as a reminder of the brutal actionsmitted by the human army.


    "I guess I can heal them in exchange for information¡­" Rain thought and then sighed.


    Rain chose the prisoner that was the least wounded and then snapped the iron bars with his hands. He immediately felt that he couldn''t use magic while touching them. So, he had to take out the prisoner, who slowly began to wake up once he healed him.


    "You are¡­" The man muttered.


    Now that Rain thought about it, the guy seemed familiar. After thinking for a short while, he recalled that he was the man who was training the new recruits of the water snipers vige. Before doing anything, that guy looked around and saw the body of the woman who captured and was transporting them. Adding to the fact that he didn''t see Rain during the attack, he connected the dots.


    "What happened?" Rain asked. "If you give me enough Intel, I can free your friends."


    The prisoner recounted a grim tale of his vige''s tragic end. At the stroke of midnight, an ominous force had surrounded their vige, rendering their magic powers useless. Unable to defend themselves, they fell prey to a squad of special soldiers who arrived with deadly abilities.


    As the night unfolded, those who resisted met a gruesome end, their hearts pierced by the merciless assants. The prisoner had been spared due to his role as an instructor and his knowledge of the water snipers'' techniques. Rain absorbed the chilling tale.


    "It seems that he still wants more knowledge to make his soldiers stronger¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain acted swiftly, liberating another captive who happened to be a golem master. As they both paused to regain theirposure, the man recounted the dire events that had befallen his town. In contrast to the fate of the vige, thismunity had received prior warnings thanks to Rain, affording them the opportunity to prepare for a defense.


    However, their preparations proved futile in the face of the special soldiers. These adversaries possessed the ability to reduce the town''s sturdy golems to mere piles of rubble with a single, devastating strike. The defenders barely managed to escape with their lives intact.

 Chapter 354: Few options

    A glimmer of good news emerged as Rain discovered that the members of the small council and the majority of the city''s residents had sessfully escaped the relentless assault. This small victory fueled his determination to press on with his mission and bring an end to the injustice wrought by the human army.


    "Did you guys hear anything from them? Anything that could tell you guys what they were nning?" Rain t.


    "No, they kept us away from theirmand center and around guards that didn''t speak at all," The Water sniper instructor said.


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ he didn''t learn much, but at least he slowed down the advances of the human army. The real problem was that he was unable to contact any member of the king''s de. He could return to the town of the golem masters, but the enemies probably would use the red crystals to seal magic in many spots, including where they were.


    "Do you guys have any secret passages that you can use to reach the city?" Rain asked. "I can slow them down a little more and buy you guys some time to reach your friends who evacuated."


    "No, we don''t have that. We never imagined that humans would have the guts to invade us like this."


    "Of course not¡­" Rain thought and then sighed. "You guys never imagined that we would have the manpower to do so in one hundred years."


    The second goal of the whole trip was to talk with some members of the organization that could be trusted¡­ and while Rain had been away from home for four days already, he couldn''t just return now, he will have to do that eventually and that would be a massive waste of time.


    "Well, you know the path that you will have to follow," Rain said. "I finished my job here."


    In the end, Rain quickly used Impulse to leave the area since he still had things to do that night. One hourter, he could see Teria in the distance and then stopped to drink a potion and recover his mana before flying and thennding in a dark alley.


    Before long, Rain began to focus his magic on the ground to locate some mana potions there as well¡­ At that point in time, he didn''t care if they belonged to Joanis or not. Those who supported him maybe didn''t deserve that, but bankruptcy was fine in Rain''s book.


    In the end, Rain found the location of some, but the number wasn''t that high¡­ it would work, though. Rain also found that there were no red crystals in the city, and he also found the presence of magic people locked down.


    "I can never take a break¡­ but this is necessary since who knows what Joanis is nning to do with them that might enhance the strength of his forces," Rain thought.


    In any case, Rain proceeded to jump over the buildings in the area to check the ces with potions. Thanks to that, he confirmed that only the walls had any guards doing some patrolling¡­ The king and Joanis were investing all of their resources in crushing the magic people as soon as possible.


    When Rain found the buildings that had the potions, he just used his magic to create doors on the walls and then grabbed them. At the same time, he was thinking that the enemies wanted to finish the magic people as soon as possible since the Western side of the country was under his control and the food being produced there wasn''t being sent to the rest of the kingdom.


    "Maybe they wanted to win before resources be a problem¡­ with the magic people skills and some of their soldiers and their territory as well, they will be able to produce more food," Rain thought. "It will take a while, a few months at least, but it was the best option that they had since they could deal with a powerful enemy and ignore Rain''s actions.


    "I should make a tunnel under his city just in case¡­ the other has been sealed, but I need to make it further away," Rain thought.


    The n was to make the tunnel toward the other side of the country¡­ but the run was rising, and Rain didn''t want to let the magic people know of its existence¡­ in the end, Rain was forced to go and free the prisoners first¡­ he could make the tunnel during the day and then finish it at night.


    The prisoners were in a single spot, but it was a heavily guarded warehouse. When Rain approached to check the ce, he found the guys in the caravans that he saw the other day and a bunch of ordinary soldiers patrolling around the ce.


    "Killing the enemies outside is one thing. Killing those that only live beer is another matter¡­" Rain thought. "It will be difficult for my reputation if I kill people weaker than me with assassination tactics."


    In the end, Rain couldn''t let Joanis'' soldiers be a nuisance for him either¡­ Rain also couldn''t let the soldiers that he was going to stay alive see him either, and he couldn''t leave traces of his actions¡­ that sure was a pain in the ass.


    Rain wondered if he should change his mindset a bit. He was too used to war and killing without a care. When he killed during the war, he couldn''t be the Target of the animosity of a lot of people since he wasn''t the one who started the war and was giving orders, but things are different now. He was the main head of his own camp, and he had to be responsible.


    With that in mind, in Rain sniped the ordinary soldiers with stone spheres in their heads, but just enough to make them pass out without knowing what had happened. When Joanis'' soldiers realized what was going on, Rain buried them and then crushed their bodies there and hid them very deeply underground¡­

 Chapter 355: Bad news for the king

    After disposing of all the enemies, Rain entered the warehouse and confirmed that the ce didn''t have anything else aside from the prisoners. Since the ce was big and they couldn''t let most people know that they were capturing some of the enemies, it made sense for the enemies to hid them there.


    In any case, while some of the water snipers recognized Rain, they still didn''t try to hide their anger¡­ a lot of the friends and family died thanks to the humans and their hatred extended toward him as well.


    "Do you want toe at me? I will wee you with open arms," Rain said. "Don''t expect anything aside from that for that, though."


    The prisoners knew that Rain was too strong and facing him would be stupidity¡­ They didn''t know what game he was ying by freeing them, but they didn''t have any other choice.


    "I will take you guys to the other side of the wall, but the rest is up to you," Rain said. "The human army has already reached the golem master''s town, so you need to n your actions with that in mind."


    They had around fifty prisoners already, so Rain had to spend a lot of mana making everyone fly to outside the city. He also had to get rid of the metal cages that could seal the magic of those inside, so there was a lot of cargo¡­ Fortunately, Rain pulled that off before the sun could rise¡­ just barely though.


    Once he finished the job, Rain could hear a lot of noiseing from the city. He used Impulse to the other side of the area and then began to dig the tunnel.


    "In the end, being an underling is a lot easier since I can receive money or ask for money for every single thing I do," Rain thought. "Since I am just considering survival, there is no point in thinking about money. Leaving my fate in the hands of others is also something that I would like to avoid if possible."


    Since he used his hands and the effects of the spear to dig with more speed, Rain finished the tunnel around noon¡­ just around the time people began to eat. That seemed like a good chance¡­ be tried to connect the tunnel to some taverns and see what people were talking about, but everything seemed too quiet.


    In various corners of the city, individuals engaged in discussions regarding the war that had enveloped theirnds.


    "The king''s amassed an army of fifty thousand, they say. Such a colossal force has never been mustered for an invasion into our enemies'' territory."


    "It''s true, and they seem to be achieving swift victories. Reports are pouring in about viges falling with remarkable ease."


    "Atst, we''re taking the fight to them! Those troublesome magic people won''t pose a threat any longer."


    "I can''t help but be concerned. This time, the king''s actions have created numerous adversaries. We''ve attacked a ho''s nest."


    Nods of agreement rippled through the tavern, highlighting the growing apprehension. The joy of victory was offset by worries about the repercussions of their king''s ambitious campaign.


    "I should have known¡­" Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain decided to head home already. The second goal of the mission was a huge failure, but it couldn''t be helped¡­ The king''s de waspletely under control of the king and if people didn''t even try to escape, there was no point in informing them that they had another chance.


    The chances of them seeding in escaping would be basically the same as surviving by joining Rain and the others. With those thoughts, Rain returned home.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    In the former town of the golem masters, the king was checking the council room that once had been used by the members of the small council. It was a simple ce, but he had heard that in the capital, the chamber of the grand council was much bigger and elegant¡­ he felt that it would be a good ce to rule while he establishes his control over the whole territory.


    Exiting the council chamber, the king''s face bore a triumphant grin. He stepped onto a balcony overlooking the vast city sprawled below him. In the distance, his formidable army of fifty thousand soldiers was camped, a testament to his authority and ambition.


    An unprecedented surge of power surged within him, a sensation he had never before encountered. His forces had triumphed, vanquishing the magic people and forcing thousands of them into disorganized retreat. Astonishingly, his own troops had suffered no losses, emerging from the conflict unscathed.


    As he surveyed the city bathed in the gentle glow of the setting sun, the king felt an exhrating sense of dominion. The war was firmly under his control, and the path to victory seemed clearer than ever.


    "With this, I will finally leave my mark in history and my bloodline will be able to control a massive territory," The king said and then smiled.


    While the king was feeling pretty good about himself, he saw a group of soldiers guarding Joanis approaching. Joanis seemed a bit worried, and that was a first.


    "Your Majesty, I have some bad news¡­ the princess was captured," Joanis dered.


    "What? You said that she would be fine with that guard of yours!" The king shouted.


    "I am deeply sorry, your Majesty," Joanis bowed his head. "You saw the strength of that soldier, the other royal guards couldn''tpare and he should have been able to kill all invaders¡­ but it seems that Branden managed to sway some of the royal guards to his side and their betrayal caused the fall of my soldier and thanks to that, they ended up capturing the princess."


    "That is impossible, my royal guards would never betray me!" The king dered while confusion was covering his face.


    "Fear not, Your Majesty, I will soon send my strongest soldiers to solve the issue," Joanis dered with a serious expression. "They won''t have enough time to brainwash the princess and use her against you."

 Chapter 356: Orders

    Joanis''s brow furrowed as he navigated the streets of the town. He couldn''t shake the feeling that Rain was orchestrating aplex scheme. The recent attack on his stronghold had raised countless questions. How had Rain infiltrated so smoothly? What motivated him to strike precisely at this moment? And why did Branden''s arrival seem perfectly timed to coincide with the ensuing chaos?


    Amid these mysteries, Joanis couldn''t help but acknowledge Rain''s audacity. Rain had proven himself a formidable adversary, capable of crafty maneuvers and he didn''t mind taking risks.


    Joanis knew he needed to act swiftly and decisively to deal with this troublesome enemy. He had to confront Rain and neutralize the persistent threat. While he held a firm grip on power, every move felt like a step in the dark. He knew what Rain could do, or at least he thought that he knew¡­ It was surprising that a fourteen-year-old boy could do that much.


    As he continued his journey through the city, Joanis resolved to stop underestimating Rain''s intentions and power and protect his project from this unknown factor. When he reached the camp outside the city, he had an idea.


    "Send word for Ka of the king''s de and Phel''s squad, they are to be at my tent in one hour," Joanis said after he smiled


    Upon hearing Joanis''s summons, Ka felt a deep sense of unease settle within her. Such calls from him were never associated with positive news. She was nobatant, and her current role in enemy territory had already pushed her to her limits.


    Exhausted and drained, Ka couldn''t deny that she was already grappling with the demands of her mission. Joanis''s message only added to her burden, and she couldn''t shake the feeling that it signaled trouble on the horizon. It cast a dark cloud over her already challenging task.


    "Are you fine? We can go with you," Cor said.


    "It is fine, that will probably only cause more problems," Ka said. "Anyway, did you guys learn anything?"


    "Only the higher ups interrogated the prisoners, so we can''t say for sure what happened, but it truly looks like someone alerted the people here, our scouts also disappeared without leaving a trace," Cor exined. "A third party is trying to slow us down, and the only ones who would benefit from that would be¡­"


    "Yeah, I know¡­ I don''t think that they would actually help the enemies, but in this situation¡­" Ka said and then she saw some of the guards of Joanis approaching. "I guess it is time to go."


    Ka left the area while being escorted by the guards. They give her the creeps since they act like people without will, so she wants to get over whatever she has to do.


    In the end, after arriving at the tent where Joanis would have the meetings with his very silent soldiers, she felt like sighing when she saw one of the special teams that had been leading the fights so far. Until now, most of the army only walked, and those few guys killed hundreds of the magic people. As usual, Ka couldn''t see anything aside from their eyes which looked devoid of any emotion.


    She felt shivers and had a hard time controlling her body.


    "Thank you foring, Miss Ka," Joanis said. "You seem tired; I suppose this atmosphere of war isn''t doing you any good."


    "Thank you for your concern, sir," Ka forced a smile. "It means a lot."


    "Thanks to the recent events, we believe that some people are trying to get in our way and they will probably keep doing that," Joanis added. "You should know that one of the former members of the king''s de is cooperating with the sea folk, don''t you? It seems that this person captured Brabden, Lorene, and Orcis. He also captured the princess a few days ago. Do you know who that person is?"


    "I don''t know many people that are that resourceful, but only one person from the organization went missingtely in the capital; the others are his friends who disappeared in the port town," Ka said, trying to keep herposure since she didn''t know that Rain decided to stop pulling his punches.


    "He is truly a remarkable individual, it is a pity that he is a kid too full of himself," Joanis said. "Perhaps people called him a hero a bit too soon? Anyway, we can no longer ignore his actions. He kidnapped all the kids of an orphanage, kidnapped the princess, kidnapped Branden, Lorene and Orcis.


    He hid invaders from the sea, causing a lot of damage to my properties, he stole goods from my warehouses, and finally, he imed the western side of the country for himself. It is about time for him to pay for the crimes of all those treacherous acts, and there is only one position for those who disobey our king. Death. All those on his side will suffer the same fate."


    Ka gulped¡­ she knew that Rain had three little sisters, and the idea of those three being executed made her heart grow cold.


    Truth be told, she didn''t think that Rain was sane in doing all of this, even if he was strong, he couldn''t face an entire kingdom by himself¡­ asionally, she recalled that Jori and the others said that he was a doting brother and that he would do everything for them¡­ perhaps he was doing all of that to keep them protected¡­ Still, if they unleashed the beast inside him to do that, it was hard to imagine what could happen.


    "You will return to our country with Phel squad here and you can bring a team with you of the king''s de as well," Joanis said. "First, you will head to the port town and take control over the soldiers there who want to free their lord. After that, you will head to all the major cities in the kingdom and raise an army to kill the traitors.


    The one who brings me his head will receive ten diamond coins. You are not to return until you seed on that task."

 Chapter 357: Enemies from the other side

    When Rain returned home, he was feeling exhausted, but at least he finally achieved one of his main goals.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    Earth Mage''s Path: This path of mastery harnesses the elemental power of the earth. You will be a Geomancer, an expert in controlling and wielding the forces of the earth. They are capable of manipting solid ground, summoning powerful earthquakes, and imbuing their spells with the unyielding strength of the earth. (Intelligence, Wisdom, and control + 05 per level.)


    Level 1: Grounded: Initiate Begin your journey as a novice Terramancer. Gain a 5% bonus in damage and control to earth-based abilities.


    Level 5: Stone Shaper: Master the maniption of solid ground, allowing you to shape it to your advantage.


    Level 10: Geokic Surge: Harness the raw power of the earth to amplify your spells, increasing their effectiveness by ten percent per level


    ¡­


    Level 40: Seismic Infusion: Infuse your earth spells with seismic energy, creating tremors and disorienting foes. Damage increased by five percent per level.


    The path came at level forty since Stone Shaper was already at level max. Rain smiled since he used his earth magic all that time and that was the result¡­ Still, it should have been at a higher level, if he only had trained other things aside from his fine control.


    "I guess it can''t be helped¡­" Rain thought. "Fortunately, the passive skills will help me level up the path much faster."


    When Rainnded in front of his grandparents'' house, he frowned since the ce waspletely quiet. He immediately checked the interior using his magic and confirmed that it was empty as well. In a hurry, Rain entered and found a note on the table.


    ''The beast people are on the move and we decided to keep an eye on the other side and keep Seadir and the others watching the water way.''


    "Shit¡­ I knew that they woulde fast," Rain thought while biting his nails.


    The house appeared well-kept, indicating that everyone had departed the day before. Rain couldn''t find the orphans either, which suggested they will be sent back to the vige to serve as messengers in case of an emergency. This division of responsibilities posed a challenge since direct contact with Seadir would be dyed.


    Rain understood that his first task was to locate the rest of the group. After that, he could focus on expanding the tunnel to establish a more reliable means ofmunication.


    Rain immediately left the house and then dashed toward the mountains. It didn''t take long for him to see a camp that his family and friends made at the base of it¡­ it seemed that they were testing the beast people and it was too exposed, but they probably had some ideas. When Rain stopped in the area, everyone sighed in relief since his tripsted longer than usual.


    "What did I miss?" Rain asked.


    "You look exhausted, nothing dangerous happened yet, we are here just to be sure to keep a close eye on them," Roan exined.


    Despite the situation, Rain couldn''t locate his sisters. Fortunately, Roan guided him to arge tent, where he discovered a tunnel leading to their house. Rain was taken aback by the tunnel''s impressive length, spanning a substantial thirty kilometers already. There was also the sea water there as well, so Seadir and the others could reach them at any moment.


    "They worked hard during the night, so they are resting now," Roan said. "Still, why does our family have such a fixation with tunnels?"


    "We can talk about thatter¡­" Rain said and then sat on the ground. "I guess I need to give the report on my end as well."


    The group listened with attention about what had happened¡­ They were surprised to hear that the human army had already reached the first big town of the magic people''s territory. It was also a pity, but it seemed that they wouldn''t be able to contact the king''s de.


    For the good or for the worst, Branden built them to be a dependable fighting force, so the king would keep them close. At the same time, now that they are strengthening their first stronghold in the territory, they will probably install crystals everywhere to grant the chance that the enemies won''t be able to use magic.


    "Thanks to you, the magic people should gain some time for us as well¡­ we can focus on the beast people for a while," Branden said. "Before you forget to ask, Esmeralda looks better, Terra and the others managed to make her expel most of the poison within her body, but the rest will take some time even with their focus."


    There were a bunch of tents around, but it seemed that they didn''t have any other option aside from bringing Esmeralda to such a ce. In any case, Rain frowned when he heard the poison was expelled¡­ It made sense now why Terra didn''t want guys seeing the treatment taking ce.


    "Well¡­ what is next?" Jori asked. "We can focus on the beast people, and some of the former prisoners want to help us. Are we going to fight for real?"


    "Seadir said the same that Anna said, the beast people are prideful and stubborn bunch, they only care about their interests and protect their peace," Reca added. "Their society is more than good enough for all of them, but history says that when they let their wild instincts out, things tend to get messy."


    Rain recalled one of the history books that he had read and mentioned something simr. The Beast Uprising¡­ Long oppressed by the dragons and treated as lesser beings, the beasts rise up against their oppressors, demanding equal rights and recognition. The fight for beast rights bes an important movement, sparking fierce debates and shes that challenge the existing social order.


    Once they got what they wanted, they did everything they could not to lose in the future¡­ and that is why they are stubborn.


    "I guess we can try to talk with their leaders before thrashing their armies," Rain replied.

 Chapter 358: Leave it to us

    Within the diversity as a clear sign of the beast society, individuals such as Anna and Alion embodied a distinctive category, bearing traces of formidable and often unique beastly traits. Some members of their society shared remarkable simrities with powerful hairy beasts, boasting wild manes or fur-covered physiques reminiscent of their mighty ancestors.


    Meanwhile, others exhibited feline characteristics, showcasing the grace and agility akin to these creatures. There were many others, though.


    Despite this vibrant diversity, unity remained the cornerstone. All the tribes in the beast society formed strong alliances. They sharedmon goals, recognizing the importance of cooperation in a world where the divide between humans, magic people, and others posed a significant threat.


    To maintain harmony and leadership within thisplex web of rtionships, the beasts organized a significant event every decade¡ªa highly anticipated tournament. Each tribe selected its most skilled warriors topete in this fierce and spirited contest. Representatives from various backgrounds and with diverse attributes engaged in intensebat.


    Ultimately, the victor of this tournament ascended to the revered position of "king of the beasts," responsible for guiding and leading their society for the next decade.


    "Ten years for a leader to rule seems like a long enough time for their society to stay stable, but I wonder if just being strong makes someone a good leader," Terra said.


    "It has worked until now, so it isn''t our ce to judge them," Rain said and then looked around. "I guess it will be better if we go in a small number in order to avoid problems and taunt them."


    "What are you nning to do?" Roan asked.


    "I just want to tell them to stop being a pain in the ass," Rain said. "We don''t have time to waste with them¡­ even if they want to have their revenge against humans, we can''t let them cross our territory that easily. It will only make things more chaotic, so we will make a point that they will only lose more by trying to fight us to reach the others.


    Some aerial attacks probably will be a good starting point."


    "They also have people that can fly among their ranks, you know," Branden said.


    "We will have to fly faster," Rain shrugged. "Either way, we will make the point that if they can''t ept those who had their blood or half of it, they don''t have any right to fight for them. Besides, it isn''t like they tried to find them until now, they are only aware of them because of us. So, we will tell them to fuck off and that will be it."


    "You seem stressed, don''t let the situations cloud your judgment," Leiah said, showing a worried expression.


    "I know. I said that we would attack if we have to in order to make a point, but we don''t have to kill anyone," Rain exined. "We don''t have many people going with us, and we can''t weaken the defenses on our side either. Esmeralda still needs to be treated, so Terra, Dana, Kei, and G will stay behind.


    We also need some melee fighters to cover for them just in case, even though I am nning to invade the beast people''snds and make them follow us."


    The group didn''t have many Melee fighters, so splitting them was really a problem, even more so when the sea folk could only guard the waterway while inside the water.


    "Dad has more experience, and most people here know you, so you should stay behind and let people feel at ease," Rain said. "Jori and Reca wille with me."


    Branden wanted to help, too, but he also wanted to be there when Esmeralda woke up, so there was that. Although the demi-humans and the beast people had some fighting skills, it was better not to count on their strength since that would only make things more chaotic.


    "Please, make sure that he won''t do anything hasty," Leiah said while looking at Jori and Reca. "I don''t think that he will put you all in danger, but..."


    "Of course, ma''am," Jori said. "You can leave that to us."


    "And I thought I was bing more reliable, it seems that few people trust me," Rain shrugged.


    "We don''t know much about the geography of the beast kingdom in thest one hundred years, but to rule all the tribes efficiently, they still should be in the central area, the current king and their tribe," Branden said. "It might be difficult to talk with them without proving your strength first, but you should be able to do that.


    The trick will be doing that without killing them when theye for your heads."


    "I''m guessing their king wouldn''t be able to rule in peace if, during the selection, they were to kill everyone," Rain said. "Anyways, it is time to go."


    The group wanted to ask Rain to rest for a bit, but it didn''t look like he wanted to do that at all. He was the type who could only truly rest when he knew that most of the problems had been solved.


    In any case, he created an earth tform, and then Jori and Reca jumped on it. When they began to move, Rain eventually realized that he actually could fly with them just like that while also not spending more energy than he was actually using.


    If he focused his mind, he actually could recover more mana than he was spending, so he could practice some other skills or even make some spiritual potions just in case.


    The group approached the mountain while flying low in order to check the beast people there. The group glided gracefully above the mountainndscape, maintaining a close proximity to the thick forest below. From their aerial vantage point, they had a view of the towering trees that covered the terrain.


    Rain, utilizing his keen senses, meticulously surveyed the area. The good news was that they didn''t encounter any monsters, offering them a sense of relief.

 Chapter 359: Traits

    However, an enigmatic aura lingered in the air, giving the surroundings an aura of secrecy. It felt as though the very trees concealed hidden truths, while unseen eyes observed their every move.


    The presence of the beasts, though unseen, was unmistakable. Rain could feel their watchful gaze upon them, an ever-present curiosity about the intruders in their domain. Despite this keen awareness of their presence, the creatures themselves remained elusive, leaving behind only the subtle sense of scrutiny to confirm their existence.


    "It seems that we got their attention," Reca said. "Still, will they follow us?"


    "Unless they have some sort ofmunication over long distances, they will," Rain said.


    After crossing that mountain, the group saw a few more in the distance, but they were smaller. The terrain wasn''t that good for an ordinary army to cross it, but Rain had heard that the beasts fight as single soldiers. Their teamwork relies on the power to rally each other in the middle of a fight by showing their martial might.


    Once those mountains had been crossed, the group soon found a vige in the distance. It was pretty close to the mountains and in the open as well, which puzzled the group. Call him biased, but Rain assumed that the beast people would live in tree houses or something.


    The vige was situated in a serene countryside setting, surrounded by rolling hills and lush greenery. Its inhabitants shared their lives while looking like they had some serious dog-like creatures.


    As one strolled through the vige, it was impossible not to notice the diverse appearances of these dog-like beast people. Some closely resembled ordinary dogs, boasting robust bodies and thick fur. Their strength was evident as they actively engaged in y and assisted vigers with various tasks.


    However, not all of these beast people exhibited purely dog-like traits. Some sported distinctive tails that wagged around while their perky ears perked up at even the faintest sound. Most notably, their noses were always at work, sniffing the air.


    These unique characteristics added depth and charm to the vigers'' lives. Whether frolicking in open fields, aiding in agricultural duties, or simply rxing in the shade. They brought both strength and a whimsical touch to the daily routines in the vige.


    "They look more like demi-humans than Alion," Jori said while frowning. "I guess they are still pure-breed beast people, but they can tell the difference thanks to the smell of the blood or something."


    "They can see us," Reca said. "And they look shocked."


    "That is the point of this whole trip," Rain said.


    As the group glided above thendscape, they encountered several viges, each with its own distinct character. These settlements were notable for their rtivelyrge poptions, asmunal living was a fundamental aspect of their society. What set these viges apart was theirmitment to coexisting harmoniously with nature.


    Nestled in a serene valley, one could see a vige in it. Its robust stone houses seamlessly blended with the rocky terrain. The vige was adorned with vibrant gardens and terraced farms, a sign of the vigers'' dedication to sustainable living.


    Spread across a gentle slope, another vige looked like an warm and earthy haven. Most of its homes were crafted from locally sourced y, lending the vige a cozy and organic appearance. Terracotta-tiled roofs provided shelter from the elements.


    Situated at the juncture of two crystal-clear, winding rivers, another vige was a bustling hub for trade and fishing. The vige''s homes were primarily constructed from sustainably sourced wood harvested from nearby forests. Elevated wooden walkways connected the houses, affording residents breathtaking views of the surrounding waterways.


    It didn''t take long for the group to finally see some beast peopleing from the mountains in the south that could fly. It seemed that they had their own method ofmunication, or they just saw the group from a distance.


    "They areing," Reca said, and then she grabbed her spear.


    "It will be better if you leave that behind and your sword too," Rain said, and then he made two earth staves for his friends. "You can use these instead; try not to hit their heads, break a few bones of them, and that will be enough. Birds don''t have strong bones in the first ce."


    "I think you forgot, but we don''t know how to Fly," Jori said.


    "We don''t have time, so we will keep moving while we fight," Rain said and then made some of the earth tforms be boots for Jori and Reca. "I will make you fly, so focus on attacking them and protect yourselves."


    With Rain''s newfound control over the earth boots that Jori and Reca were wearing, he effortlessly manipted them to lift them off the tform. At first, the sensation was undoubtedly strange for the two. They were ustomed to moving under their own power, and being propelled through the air without any control over their destination felt disorienting.


    As they soared above thendscape, their initial unease gave way to a growing sense of trust in Rain''s abilities. They realized that he had their best interests at heart and that this unconventional mode of movement was necessary for the task. The wind whistled past them. They couldn''t deny the exhration of this newfound freedom.


    In time, Jori and Reca grew ustomed to the sensation of flying with the earth boots. They rxed into the experience, and with each passing moment, their trust in him deepened, and the journey ahead seemed just a little less daunting.


    Jori and Reca flew toward the beast people that could fly with the earth staves in their hands. Rain told them to go easy on those guys, but they could tell that the staves were pretty hard¡­ Rain didn''t take any chances since he didn''t want to risk the lives of his friends.


    These individuals showed wings reminiscent of eagles. Their wings featured a robust bone structure covered in thick, feathery plumage. These wings were typically broad, enabling powerful and agile flight.


    Feather colors varied, spanning deep browns, grays, striking whites, and bold cks, with distinct patterns and unique variations among individuals¡­ that confirmed what Rain thought: the more beast-like they looked, the stronger they were.

 Chapter 360: Arena

    Among their most weird features were the feathers adorning their heads. These head feathers resembled a regal crest, with varying sizes and shapes among individuals. Often, they showcased a blend of colors and patterns, enhancing their avian heritage.


    Their hands and feet often bore a resemnce to talons, featuring sharp, curved nails that were robust and dexterous. These adaptations aided in grasping objects and added to their distinctive appearance.


    The beast people were surprised to see humans that could fly as fast as them and soon pped their wings to attack them from a distance. Rain made his friends zig-zag in the air and avoid the wind. des fired by their wings, and soon they approached the beast people.


    Without hesitation, while those groups were shocked by it, they began to hit their stomachs with the staves and, made them grunt in pain and made them fall without air in their lungs.


    "Their defense was really low¡­" Jori said after he and Reca passed the first group of flying beast people with ease.


    "They are flying creatures who attack from a distance¡­ they aren''t used to getting hit," Reca said and then looked in the distance and saw another group of them flying toward them.


    Instead of waiting, Rain made his friends fly to the side and toward him since he was getting too far away and the mana consumption was increasing. Jori and Reca had a hard time dealing with the wind, but soon, they got used to the speed. Despite that, they could look over their shoulders and see the flying beast people gliding through the air insanely fast.


    An unknown skill of this path leveled up..


    The Earth Mage''s path received 10 experience points.


    "I guess this isn''t a bad way to level up the path," Rain thought. "It is quite fun, too."


    It would be even more fun if Rain actually could control how his friends attacked, but he didn''t know the limits of their bodies. He might end up breaking their arms or, while being too careful, not showing their true potential.


    In any case, the flying beast people eventually got close enough to attack, and those two blocked their wind des with the earth staves. The weapons didn''t suffer a single scratch, so the adversaries grunted in annoyance and were forced to get closer to attack. Their numbers increased, and soon, they began to pile up around them.


    "Rain!" Jori shouted. "We can attack for a while!"


    "Rx, I will let you see something good when the timees," Rain said.


    The time came soon enough, and then Rain made his friends spin and made them fly toward both sides. The flying beast people were caught off guard, and soon they were hit and knocked down just like that since the flying speed of those two soon increased. Soon enough, all of the pursuers began to fall.


    "... Ugh¡­ why did you do that?" Jori said while showing that his face was blue and that he was about to throw up.


    "Ah¡­ sorry, I forgot that you guys get dizzy easily," Rain forced a smile.


    "Anyone would get dizzy from this¡­ I never felt this sick before," Reca said and then fell to her knees on the earth tform.


    Rain sighed since his friends were such drama queens¡­ perhaps Rain should experiment with that before thinking that his friends were exaggerating in their reactions.


    In any case, the flying pursuers eventually stoppeding, and the sun began to set in the distance. The group had already crossed a veryrge distance, but Rain couldn''t find any signs of their capital. ording to Branden, he would be able to find some roads that would lead to the city, and he would confirm the ce by seeing arge arena. It will be hard to find such a thing at night¡­


    In the end, the group decided to take a break around midnight and hide underground until morning. Rain took a nap during that time, but soon he woke up when he heard some sounds outside. When he went to check it, Rain was able to listen to some screeches and the wound of wings pping.


    "What is it?" Reca asked. "Are they surrounding us?"


    "No, but they are moving toward their capital to alert others of us," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I know the right direction now, but I think that we will receive one hell of a warm wee."


    The group learned now that the avian beast people probably worked delivering messages to other viges in their realm, and their flying speed easily reached two hundred kilometers per hour, so it was hard for any type of enemy to invade theirnds and surprise the whole kingdom.


    Rain wondered if Joanis had some avian beast people on their side as well¡­ Rain didn''t see them until now. Still, considering how annoyingly resourceful he could be, it wouldn''t be surprising.


    When morning came, the group began to move again, and they didn''t find any blockades in their path. Despite that, they found arge number of people heading in the same direction while running¡­ It seemed that they wanted to serve their King and fight the invaders. They either didn''t trust their King, or they had too much time on their hands.


    Around noon, the group finally could see arge city in the distance¡­ it was actually the only city that they found there. The ce didn''t have a castle, but there was this huge ass arena.


    The beast arena resembled the ancient coliseum but with a unique distinction. It stood alone in the kingdom as a structure crafted entirely from shimmering silver. This extraordinary building sparkled in the sunlight, captivating all who saw it.


    Rain couldn''t help but wonder about the immense wealth this arena represented. He contemted whether selling such a magnificent structure could provide him with a fortune vast enough to purchase a seemingly endless supply of potions for an entire decade.

 Chapter 361: Two options

    As he gazed at the breathtaking sight before him, such fantastical ideas didn''t seem entirely imusible.


    "It is quite gaudy considering what we saw so far¡­ and it seems that a lot of them are waiting for us outside already," Jori said, and then he gulped. "What now?"


    "We will ignore and head in a straight line to where the king lives, whatever that is," Rain replied.


    Standing resolute in front of the city gates was a formidable force, apact army of three hundred beastly warriors, each a distinct embodiment of raw power and ferocity.


    Among them were those who resembled tigers, their bodies adorned with the distinctive stripes of these majestic big felines. Their eyes gleamed with a fierce determination as they scanned the horizon, ever watchful for any approaching threat.


    In the ranks, werewolf-like beast people stood tall, their lupine features marked by sharp fangs and pointed ears. Their fur-covered bodies exuded a primal aura, and their keen senses made them formidable sentinels.


    Beside them were the lion-like beast people, their muscr frames and flowing manes reminiscent of the King of the jungle. Their regal poise and unwavering resolve hinted at theirmanding presence within the army.


    Together, this diverse assembly of beast people formed a united front, a force to be reckoned with, ready to defend their city against any challenge that dared to approach.


    "It would be pretty disappointing if their king was someone from the lion''s tribe, too cliched," Rain thought.


    The group flew over the city, and they saw all of its inhabitants looking at them. It seemed that the flying ones had left the city to warn the other ces, so the group didn''t have to worry about flying attackers for now.


    In any case, it seemed that the whole city was ready for a fight, and the atmosphere was that intense as well. To solve the problems, Rain wondered if he should challenge them in the arena. Since they were stubborn and prideful, they probably wouldn''t attack him all at Once¡­ he could always do that if he didn''t find their leader.


    Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, the group found arge mansion in front of the arena. It was also mainly made of silver, and it seemed like the right ce for the winner of the arena to live. In front of it, the group found a certain individual¡­ He was a red orangutan.


    The colossal beastman orangutan stood at a towering four meters in height, his body draped in fiery-red fur. His massive, calloused hands exuded sheer strength, capable of crushing anything in its path. His pronounced brow ridge added to its fearsome appearance, while its intense eyes hinted at primal instincts.


    As the group looked at these imposing beastmen, a palpable sense of danger hung in the air. The sheer presence of the beast king awakened their deepest instincts, igniting a readiness for bothbat and survival.


    The beastman dominance was evident, and the group couldn''t help but feel aplex mix of respect, fear, and an unwavering acknowledgment of the natural order. While they couldn''t predict the full extent of its power, the beastman''s bloodlust suggested a formidable and untamed potential.


    "It seems that we found the person we were looking for, wait here," Rain said, and then he jumped from the tform and transformed into a thin earth armor that covered the bodies of Jori and Reca.


    "Wait, what are you doing?" Jori asked when he felt his body being covered by the armor.


    "... He wants to be sure that we won''t be surrounded in case something happens," Reca said while trying to push away the armor, but realized that it was as hard as steel. "He also wants to force that guy to face him directly if there is no one other option."


    "Damn it, Rain!" Jori said while they were floating in the air. "Why are you so quick to make this kind of decision?"


    Rain descended gracefully before the imposing figure of the King of the beasts. His boots met the ground with a silent determination, and he stood there, meeting the King''s intense gaze with unwavering confidence.


    A formidable presence in his own right, the King of the beasts radiated an aura of regal authority. His sharp, focused eyes bore into Rain, scrutinizing him with a keen, assessing stare. Every aspect of Rain''s being, from his demeanor to his abilities, seemed to be under examination.


    In this charged moment, the air was thick with unspoken understanding. The gravity of the encounter weighed heavily on the scene as Rain and the King of the beasts locked eyes, conveying profound meaning without the need for words.


    "My name is Rain, temporary leader of the camp of humans beyond the mountains," Rain dered. "Are you the king of the beast people?"


    "What if I am?" The red beastman said.


    "I am here to ask you not to involve yourself or your people in the conflict that is taking ce beyond the mountains," Rain replied. "Your people that are guarding the mountains didn''t receive well those who tried to cross it, and I take it that you share the same thoughts as them."


    "You humans captured my people and treated them like tools to build an army of aberrations, and you want me to stay put?" The King of the beasts asked.


    "Only a single human did that, and others were paid to follow his orders. That guy will soon die anyway, and we don''t need any more interference," Rain dered. "Your guards attacked my father with the intent to kill, and I ignored their actions to avoid more conflict, but I won''t keep showing lenience if you and your people keep causing trouble for us."


    "What if I say that you don''t care about what you say and do?" The beast king asked. "Our honor was tarnished by you humans, and we are going to retaliate to regain our honor."


    "I should have known that you would be the prideful type¡­ I will give you two options then," Rain said. "We can solve this in the arena, or you can risk making your capital sink on the ground fighting me here and now."

 Chapter 362: Duels

    "Hahaha, you want to solve this in a fight?" The beast kingughed, showing a genius smile. "When you humans grew so stupid? You people can''t live even for one hundred years, and you think that you can face us?"


    "If you tried to live more outside of your bubble instead of hugging trees all day long, perhaps you would have known a bit more about us," Rain said. "What are you going to do? I am in a hurry here."


    "Hahaha! I dly wee the challenge," The beast king said. "You are in lucky since I called all the tribe leaders to talk about the invasion of your country. You will have the chance to experiment with your body and their very thoughts about the crimes your peoplemitted against our honor. Let''s see how long you can endure that."


    Rain was instructed to make his way to the arena, where a surprising sight awaited him. As he headed toward this destination, he couldn''t help but notice a growing crowd of beast people converging on the same location. They came from all directions, disying a mix of curiosity and determination on their faces.


    What struck Rain was the apparent nonchnce of these individuals. Despite the unusual gathering, they didn''t seem perturbed or surprised. Instead, they appeared ustomed to such events as if they were part of their regr routine.


    News of the assembly spread rapidly, turning the once-quiet arena into a buzzing hub of activity. People from various backgrounds and walks of life filled the seats, exchanging excited whispers and conversations. The atmosphere, once tranquil, now crackled with palpable energy, hinting at the significance of the uing event.


    "What is going on here¡­" Jori said while the group was waiting in the middle of the arena.


    "I knew that things would end in a fight, but I didn''t think that it would end like this at all¡­ we should have asked Anna more information about this society," Reca said while looking around with her arms crossed.


    "It will be faster this way¡­ probably," Rain said. "We need to solve this situation as soon as possible, so we have to fight and win. If they are worried about their honor as much as they im to be, they will leave us alone once they lose."


    "Can we win?" Jori asked. "I checked the aura of the beast king, and it was glowing in a dark red that made me shiver."


    "Since when can you use magic eyes?" Rain asked while frowning.


    "I practiced with the others while you were away. It is useful to see the aura of others when they are even behind walls or using magic to conceal themselves," Jori said. "We can finally understand howe you were able to find the magic people at night before the war."


    "Aren''t you going to ask why I didn''t teach you that sooner?" Rain asked.


    "Isn''t it because we weren''t skilled enough? Even now, I have a hard time focusing my mind on this technique," Jori exined.


    "Me too," Reca said while nodding.


    They had too much faith in Rain¡­ they never imagined that he did that because he wanted to keep such a useful technique only to himself. Speaking of which, Rain began to think if he could apply the same principle to other techniques¡­ It would be very useful, andtely, he had been using too much elemental magic.


    It was useful, but after being almost impaled by Numerous ice swords, Rain knew that he had to improve much more.


    Rain also felt that the beast king was strong¡­ he also could see a red aura, but it was mixed with orange instead. It meant that the beast king was strong, but he was bearable.


    In any case, the group waited for whatever was going to happen, and Rain kept his eyes closed, thinking about how he could get stronger. Limit Breaker still didn''t reach its max potential, but he needed something else. Even though his body had gotten stronger, Rain probably couldn''t take another skill that consumed Stamina¡­ he needed to use mana this time.


    "Yep, the answer is Dragon''s Rage¡­ I still know nothing about that technique, though," Rain thought.


    As Rain contemted what he could do to get stronger. From the opposite direction of the arena, the imposing figure of the beast king made a grand entrance. A palpable sense of awe descended upon the onlookers, and they began to cheer violently.


    The King''s arrival was nothing short of spectacr. His mere presence demanded the respect and attention of all those present. With deliberate steps, he advanced towards the arena''s center, where Rain stood among the spectators.


    The Beast King wore an awe-inspiring golden armor that covered most of his robust physique. This armor was adorned with intricate tribal patterns, serving as a testament to the cultural heritage of his people. The designs etched onto the armor told tales of bravery, unity, and ancient traditions.


    The armor looked a bit old as well, so it was probably something that only the King of the beasts could wear.


    Interestingly, the King''s hands, feet, joints, and both the front and back of his head remained exposed, revealing the inherent might and toughness of his species. These uncovered areas highlighted the natural beauty of his people,plete with feathered headpieces and intricately braided hair.


    "My brethren, members of our proud tribes and esteemed guests," the Beast King''s voice echoed through the arena, "Today, wee together not merely as individuals but as a united front, a sign of our people''s strength and the bonds that unite us. Before us stand three warriors from the world of humans, not as foes, but as challengers who seek to test their valor and honor in our sacred arena."


    Rain couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows. It seemed that the beast king liked the sound of his own voice, and the audience also liked that gaudy situation¡­ maybe since they were half beasts, they were like cats who liked shining things.


    "It is our long-standing tradition, passed down through generations, to heed themands of those who prove their courage by beating both myself and our tribe leaders. We, the noble beasts of this realm, have always upheld the values of strength, unity, and reverence for our heritage. Our visitors have taken great risks to implore us to show restraint in the human conflict.


    They bear a message of peace, beseeching us to avoid the path of war that could bring devastation to both our worlds. It is a messageden with wisdom and prudence. However, fellow tribespeople, we can''t let go of the opportunity to reim our honor. Our people have been humiliated, and our blood has been used to create aberrations. We can''t tolerate that.


    Let us show these challengers and to the world how much our heritage is valuable to us! Let the duels begin."


    The audience of beast people filled the arena with a resounding roar that resonated throughout the entire space. It was a powerful disy of their excitement and anticipation. From tribal leaders tomon spectators, every member of the crowd joined in, their voices united in a collective fervor, making the entire arena tremble and vibrate in response.

 Chapter 363: Shock

    "That is how we solve things here. If a tribe has a problem with the other, they send their best warriors, and the winner decides how things will be," The beast king dered. "If you want to stop all the tribes from joining the war and forgetting what you humans did to your honor, you will have to defeat all of them. Do you ept these terms?"


    "Naturally," Rain replied.


    "You have the numerical disadvantage, so we will let you fight all of us one at a time," The beast king exined. "If one of us loses, the next can face the same tribe leader, but if all of you three lose against the same tribe leader, then we will do what we want. Even if you lose against one, the loser can face the others."


    "Simple enough," Rain nodded.


    Things weren''t so simple enough, actually. Rain and the others would carry out the damage to the other fights, but so will be their adversaries. It was simple enough for him, who was nning to defeat everyone by himself.


    Jori and Reca wondered if Rain was going to let them fight¡­ it would be a bit annoying if he tried to solo everything. It also would be pretty insane since they didn''t know the power levels of the beast tribe leaders.


    The first leader from the beast tribes to step into the arena was an avian woman, resembling a harpy in some aspects but with a more refined and less monstrous appearance. She possessed a graceful and imposing presence,bining human and avian features. Her attire was practical, consisting of strategically ced armor pieces that provided protection without sacrificing her agility.


    These finely crafted armor pieces reflected her status as a formidable warrior.


    The avian leader possessed a striking appearance. She had a lovely face with sharp, intelligent eyes radiating determination. Her skin had a warm, rich tone, and her hair cascaded down her back in a yellow tone, resembling feathers in shades of brown and gold.


    Her wings, emerging from her shoulders,bined both beauty and functionality. Adorned with vibrant blue and green feathers, they resembled a tropical paradise. When she moved, her wings fluttered gracefully, enhancing her charm.


    She stood confidently, assessing her opponents with a keen eye. Rain realized that Reca and Jori might face a challenging battle against this avian leader, especially considering their limited long-range attack options. This encounter promised to test theirbat skills and adaptability to the fullest.


    "I will deal with her. I have more cards against flying enemies," Rain dered.


    "What about the others?" Reca asked. "I am going to kick your ass if you say some nonsense like you are going to face all of them by yourself."


    "I suppose that I won''t," Rain shrugged. "Just stay sharp and don''t kill them when you have the chance."


    Jori and Reca moved away from the arena while Avian woman and Rain got in the middle of the ce. The entire area grew silent in anticipation of the fight¡­ Although they were wild like beasts¡­ the beast people had many traditions, and they knew when it was time to make noise and when it was time to shut up.


    In the next moment, the beast king raised his right arm while he was standing at the top of one of the walls of the arena, and in the next moment, he swung it down, dering the start of the fight.


    The woman jumped away while pping her wings to gain distance from Rain, but she also fired several Wind des at him. Rain stepped to the sides and avoided those attacks, but they easily pierce the ground, leaving deep marks of their power and shape on it.


    Rain looked to those without paying much mind to it, and the adversary began to fly around the arena while firing those projectiles. Rain immediately understood that despite not literally fighting on equal grounds, the beast people still were following their idea of honor¡­ Their honor required them to use their best attacks and go all out no matter the way they had to fight.


    "I suppose I have to leave a deep impression here just in case they try to ignore their wordster for any reason," Rain thought.


    When the adversary fired more wind des, Rain raised his arms and blocked them with his forearm guards. The impacts of the attacks pushed him back for a short while, but soon, he stopped moving and looked at her. The tribe leader looked at Rain, surprised since his forearm guards werepletely unscathed¡­


    While she was surprised, Rain jumped with all his might and reached her in two hundred meters of height in a single moment. She quickly pped her wings to move away from him, but Rain used his wing magic to create a small explosion under his feet to chase her.


    By blocking her wind des again, she reached and punched her in the stomach, making her body bend forward while an expression of pain was formed.


    In the next moment, Rain grabbed her leg and began to spin himself in the air while he was falling. He eventually began to turn so fast that she was unable to p her wings to slow down. She didn''t even have time to recover¡­ in the end, Rain tossed her toward the beast king''s direction and then made her hit the wall under his feet.


    The wall cracked just a bit, and the woman fell on the ground¡­ still, she soon began to tremble and tried to get up¡­ her eyes eventually turned white, and she passed out.


    The audience was utterly shocked by what they saw. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck the entire arena, leaving everyone in a state of disbelief. No one had seen such a swift and one-sided victorying. The collective gasp of astonishment reverberated throughout the arena as people exchanged incredulous nces. All their prior expectations had beenpletely overturned.


    Seeing Rain emerge from the battle unscathed while his opponenty defeated left the spectators in stunned silence. This was a moment that would remain etched in their memories for years toe.

 Chapter 364: Her turn

    "... The human warrior is the winner," The beast king dered.


    Rain headed toward his friends while some people of the women''s tribe jumped over the wall and began to carry their leader. It didn''t seem like losing tarnished her reputation. Still, it certainly didn''t help Rain since the atmosphere was getting more tense, and the beast king was looking at him even more seriously than before.


    "Maybe we have a chance about this, after all," Jori said while showing a nervous smile.


    "Don''t be so sure of that. They will send the tribe leaders ording to their power level," Rain exined. "Things will only get harder, so we need to defeat them as soon as possible."


    When Jori realized that, he realized that they were in deep Waters¡­ it seemed that Reca had realized that, so she didn''t look that rxed. Moreover, the beast king definitely would be the final opponent, and his aura was very worrisome¡­


    In any case, if the speed and long ranged type that could destroy the ground that easily was the weakest among the tribe leaders, Rain wondered what would be the next challenge. Still, he didn''t think that for long and soon began to think about how he could get stronger using his magic¡­ Perhaps he should level up the enchanter''s path and see if there was some interesting technique there.


    While Rain was thinking about that and looking at the ground while holding his chin, the next adversary showed up, and he didn''t look that pleased since Rain was lost in thought.


    The next challenger to enter the arena was quite the sight. This beastman resembled a colossal orange bear, a hue that was notably unique among the beast people. The striking, vivid shade of his fur stood out dramatically against the backdrop of the arena, making him a visually captivating figure.


    Standing at an imposing height of nearly four meters, his physique was undeniablymanding. The well-defined muscles beneath his fur hinted at his impressive physical power. What truly grabbed one''s attention were the enormous fangs that showed in his mouth. These fearsome fangs were unmistakably prominent, sharp, and menacing, adding to his already intimidating opponent.


    The beastman''s eyes, a deep amber hue, gleamed with an intense and unwavering focus. His gaze remained fixed on Rain, brimming with primal determination and the promise of an intense battle. As he stood firmly in the heart of the arena, the orange bear-like leader radiated an aura of danger and potency, leaving no doubt that he would prove to be a formidable adversary.


    The audience watched in eager anticipation, well aware that this uing battle would be a genuine test of Rain''s capabilities against an opponent who appeared both formidable and ferocious. Unfortunately for them, Rain had other ns.


    "I think one of you guys can go this time," Rain said. "He is tough, but he doesn''t have a weapon, so his range will be limited using his ws and arms alone."


    "Reca, you can go first," Jori dered. "You will have an extra advantage with your spear in terms of range."


    "Hehe, I was waiting to hear that," Reca said and then smiled while moving toward the center of the arena.


    "... Did you let her go first because the next opponent would be stronger?" Rain asked.


    "I don''t know what you possibly must be talking about," Jori said while looking away.


    Just like before, the two fights faced each other in the middle of the arena before the beast king gave them the sign to fight. The second tribe leader didn''t look like he was going to underestimate Reca since she was a woman, and that was probably for the best¡­ Rain would probably think that she would kill him out of sheer anger if he did that.


    Still, he was too busy thinking about something else to even see the start of their fight.


    After the beast king swung down his hand, the second tribe leader charged and tried to punch Reca. She immediately moved her spear to block the attack¡­ Jori felt like sighing since she had nned to measure the strength of the adversary first just like that.


    Still, what happened truly surprised her¡­ the impact almost made her be knocked down, and her stance broke while she was slipping on the ground.


    In the next moment, when she recovered, Reca saw the second tribe leader suddenly kicking her left side, and while she blocked the attack with the spear again, the adversary spun his body in the air and then targeted her head with a roundhouse kick. Reca stopped again, but she was knocked down and rolled on the ground this time.


    Reca saw the adversary falling from the sky and was ready to smash her head with a heavy punch when she stopped rolling. Reca spun her body to the side and avoided the attack while swinging her spear and hitting the arm of the second tribe leader, but that didn''t even scratch him.


    "... Annoying," Reca said after she clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    The second beast leader charged at Reca again. Still, she had been waiting for that¡­ much to everyone''s surprise, her body began to change when she used Limit Breaker and then pointed the spear toward her adversary before punching the butt of the weapon¡­ that was even more shocking.


    The adversary ended up having enough time to raise his arms and block the attack with them. Still, much to his surprise, the weapon pierced his left arm quite deeply¡­ as if that wasn''t enough, Reca charged to impale the other arm with a punch on the weapon.


    The second beast general swung his arm to the side and made the weapon fly to the wall before swinging his uninjured arm at Reca with all his might. The previous attack surprised him, but Reca would be an easier target without a weapon. However, in the next moment, Reca avoided the punch by lowering her body and then hitting his stomach with an elbow strike.

 Chapter 365: Duel wielder

    The adversary lost the air in his lungs and then took a step backward. Still, then Reca continued with the attack by headbutting his chin and paralyzing him once more for a moment before Reca jumped and then hit the side of his head and made him fall.


    The second tribe leader soon got up when he recovered since he couldn''t imagine Reca losing that chance. Still, she just went to pick up her weapon near the wall before anything. At the same time, he realized that her body had returned to normal, and she began to sweat a lot.


    "She overdid it by attacking so many times in quick session without her weapon¡­" Jori said. "What do you think she should do, Rain?"


    "Don''t know," Rain replied while lost in thought.


    Jori felt a bit angry since it didn''t look like Rain was putting any faith in them. While clenching his fists in annoyance, he considered giving him a piece of his mind, but soon Reca charged at the adversary.


    "Recover first, idiot," Jori muttered. "The adversary is bleeding too¡­"


    The second tribe leader assumed a defensive stance with his remaining arm, and he also pointed his ws at Reca as well.


    In a quick session of thrusts, Reca attacked or tried to attack the second leader''s heart, but he blocked and parried her trust with his ws. Sparks spread around the area with each hit, and the tension in the arena was increasing¡­ The audience was in silent, but they looked excited since they could tell that their warrior had the upper hand.


    In the next moment, Reca swung her spear at the neck of the adversary, but he waved his body to the side and avoided it. Reca attacked in the same way on the return stroke, and he tried to do the same thing, but soon, the adversary changed his mind when Reca suddenly made her spear burn. The mes weren''t that powerful, but they could cause some damage¡­


    The adversary stepped away since he didn''t know what she was nning, but that had been a bad move. Once she finished her attack, Reca bent her body forward and then used Impulse and Limit Breaker as well.


    The sudden and instantaneous charge caught the adversary off guard, but he still used his ws to block the attack. The impact caused an explosion that burned the fur of the adversary and pushed his arm to the side as well¡­ but it extinguished the mes. It was the kind of technique a spearman could only use once per use, after all.


    Still, that created the opening that Reca wanted¡­ the adversary raised his wounded arm to block the next thrust. Still, instead of that, Reca swept her weapon from right to left¡­ right above the arm that the adversary just used. He tried to move his head and jump away, but the spear still hit his neck¡­ only the side, though.


    Although Reca didn''t cut the flesh, a bit on the neck while she was using Limit Breaker was still dangerous. In any case, the attack made the opponent fall to the side unconscious. The arena grew even more silent as the beast king waited for any signs of the second tribe leader to get up. However, he waspletely unconscious¡­ he was still breathing, though.


    "... The human warrior is the winner," The beast king dered after a long sigh.


    Once again, the members of the tribe the opponent leads approached to move their leader out of the arena, and then Reca rejoined the others. She was tired, but at least she greeted them with a wide smile and a thumbs up.


    "It seems that you prefer to boost Limit Breaker to the limits and use it for a short amount of time instead of using it for a long time," Rain said.


    "It isn''t like I want it, it is more like I didn''t have any other option against that guy," Reca said. "I need to rest for a bit. Otherwise, I won''t be able to do anything against the others."


    Forcing Limit Breaker to reach its full potential without having the corresponding specialized path was quite an extraordinary feat. While the idea behind it wasn''t overlyplex, executing it required a considerable amount of physical and mental strength.


    What makes this aplishment especially remarkable is the substantial increase in stamina consumption over a rtively short period. Compared to their typical use of Limit Breaker, this unleashed version drained stamina at an astonishing rate ¨C somewhere between five to ten times more than usual. This ced an immense strain on the body, both physically and mentally.


    It''s no surprise that Reca found herselfpletely drained afterward. The rapid and intense depletion of stamina was taxing, pushing her to her limits. The effort required to maintain the heightened state of Limit Breaker, along with the demands of the battle, left her utterly fatigued.


    In any case, soon the next opponent arrived. The next contestant to enter the arena bore a striking resemnce to an orc, with a blend of human and pig-like features that were intimidating. His appearance clearly conveyed his remarkable strength and prowess.


    Standing at a modest height of just two meters, one might mistakenly underestimate his power. However, his body was densely packed with bulging muscles that defined his immense physical strength. He wore lightweight armor that allowed for swift and agile movements, striking a bnce between protection and mobility.


    Two formidable swords were holstered at his waist, gleaming menacingly and ready forbat.


    His unwavering gaze reflected a resolute determination and readiness for battle. Despite his rtively shorter stature, there was an undeniable aura of strength and ferocity that surpassed even the previous opponent in terms of raw might.


    "I guess I will deal with him," Jori said and then stepped forward. "That is fine, right?"


    "Have you ever fought someone that uses dual weapons?" Rain asked.


    "I did. You," Jori replied while grinning from ear to ear.

 Chapter 366: Orc

    Jori had a valid point when you looked at it closely. In a sense, Rain, too, was a wielder of dual weapons, though not in the conventional sense. His fists were his primary weapons, and in many ways, they were the best ones he could ask for. They were also extremely easy to use since they were part of his body, so he could attack whenever and wherever he wanted.


    His hands were formidable tools, capable of delivering devastating punches and strikes. Over time, he had honed his hand-to-handbat skills to a level that made his fists deadly weapons in their own right. With precision and speed, he could deliver a flurry of blows that few could withstand.


    So, while he might not have carried swords or axes like some of their opponents, Rain''s fists were a potent and reliable means of offense. One that Jori had dealt with a bunch of times.


    In any case, both participants moved to the center of the arena, where they faced and measured each other with their eyes alone. It seemed that they were quite serious since they determined that they were on the same level in terms of strength, speed, and technique¡­ that was weird.


    Jori felt that since that was the case, he should have the upper hand with Limit Breaker, but his instincts warned him that he shouldn''t drop his guard.


    Before long, the beast king dered the start of the battle, and both participants grabbed their swords and assumed their fighting stances¡­ it seemed that they were also the same type of fighters too, the type that knew that the situation was too serious and that they couldn''t mess up.


    In the end, Jori was the first one to step in, and he started with a wide side sh. The third tribe leader moved his swords to the side and blocked the attack with ease¡­ sparks emerged from their weapons and spread across the area while Jori tried to overpower the opponent.


    Still, the guard of the orc was more firm, and he was the one who eventually pushed away Jori''s guard. The orc stepped in after pushing away Jori''s sword and then thrust his weapons at him with all his might.


    Jori raised his long sword to block the strikes, and while clenching his teeth, he pulled that off, but each blow pushed him away backward¡­ even if they had the same power, speed, and technique level. The opponent had the upper hand since he was bigger and heavier.


    The orc studied Jori once more while he was fixing his guard. The third tribe leader quickly realized that he had the upper hand there, but he didn''t have to get carried away thanks to it. Even in that sense, he was simr to Jori.


    Rain was pleasantly surprised by Jori''s sudden disy of analytical prowess. He had never considered Jori as such an analytical warrior before. Rain had always thought of him as more of an instinctive fighter. However, at this moment, Jori''s keen observations and insights were shining through.


    Initially, Rain had intended to concentrate solely on his own thoughts and opponents. His mind was upied with his own problems. But as he watched the ongoing battle, he couldn''t help but notice that Jori''s adversary seemed to have a slight upper hand. This realization piqued Rain''s curiosity.


    He became engrossed in the fight, his analytical instinctsing to the forefront as he assessed the situation.


    "When did he be a swordsman that thinks this much?" Rain asked. "Wasn''t his style meant to defeat the enemies as soon as possible with big swings?"


    "Yes, but he is trying to be a more reliable leader as well, after seeing you for a while, he thinks that it is cool to be able to fight while keeping your cool no matter the circumstances," Reca exined.


    "I guess he still is a kid at heart," Rain shrugged.


    Jori charged again, imitating his first attack, and the opponent prepared to block and then make his swords slip through Jori''s before splitting him in half. However, when the weapon collided, a thunderous sound echoed in the area, and the orc was pushed away.


    The arena was left stunned when they saw that¡­ it seemed that Jori suddenly had gotten stronger, or maybe he was fighting for real this time. When the orc stopped moving, he looked at Jori with a bit of a surprised expression, but he remained focused. Until he took a deep breath and then charged again.


    Jori sprang into action with a flurry of rapid side shes. His swords moved with precision and intensity, slicing through the air. While his attackscked variety, there was a calcted purpose behind them. With each strike, Jori relentlessly pushed the dual-wielding swords orc backward. The force he exerted was undeniable, challenging his opponent''s defenses at every turn.


    Although Jori''s approach seemed straightforward, there was an underlying sense that he was holding something in reserve. It was as if he was patiently waiting for the opportune moment to unleash a hidden technique or a surprising maneuver. His unwavering focus and determination in the face of the opponent suggested that he had a well-thought-out n at y.


    "So, it is like that, huh?" Rain thought.


    Rain didn''t see Jori using Limit Breaker, but he was using it, only for a moment, though. It was probably the best way to use it for a long period of time, but it required a fine control over one''s own body. Jori was able to activate the technique just before his attacksnded, and that would make him save his stamina.


    Still, he had to remain one hundred percent focused, and he couldn''t let anything get in his concentration.


    Before long, the orc got tired of being in the defense, and then pointed his swords to the side and blocked the next attack just before Jori used Limit Breaker. In the next moment, the orc''s body also began to turn red, and his face contorted to anger.

 Chapter 367: Rage

    With a surge of power, he pushed Jori''s sword away and then rotated his body to hit him with a roundhouse kick. Jori was pushed in the air and then fell in an arc beforending and coughing a bit. It was amazing that he didn''t tell and roll on the ground since the kick had been strong enough to make him fly for forty meters.


    The orc quickly caught up with him and then used a rain of thrust attacks aimed at Jori''s heart. Jori used his sword to block them and waved his body to avoid others, but he was barely able to do so¡­ the enemies weapons began to cut his flesh a little and little more.


    "That idiot¡­ What is the point of holding back when you are being hurt in the process?" Reca asked after a long sigh.


    The orc possessed a potent technique akin to a berserker rage, granting him a substantial increase in both speed and attack power. It shared simrities with Rain''s Limit Breaker but had distinct characteristics.


    Unlike Limit Breaker, which boosted physical abilities without affecting mental rity to one hundred percent, the berserker rage sacrificed clear thinking for raw strength immediately. The orc''s eyes zed with an intense, uncontrolled fervor as this technique coursed through him, lending an aura of ferocity to his strikes.


    Crucially, unlike Limit Breaker, the berserker rage did not enhance the user''s defensive capabilities. Instead, it prioritized pure offense and swiftness, making it a formidable technique for overpowering opponents with sheer might and rapidity.


    It became a sh of techniques, each with its unique strengths and weaknesses. Jori''s Limit Breaker took a bnced approach, elevating his abilities while maintaining mental rity and enhancing his defense. In contrast, the orc''s berserker rage prioritized overwhelming power and speed at the cost of clear-headedness, resulting in apelling battle of contrasting techniques.


    "Maybe I can use that as well, even if it will probably increase the stamina consumption," Rain thought.


    All of a sudden, Jori suddenly felt his back colliding against the wall of the arena. He looked behind for a moment, and then in the next, he saw the opponent''s sword moving to his head. Jori moved his body to the side, and the swords only hit and pierced the walls made of silver.


    In the next moment, he hit the opponent''s torso with a body m while he was busy pulling his sword that, put some distance between them.


    Jori took a deep breath¡­ fighting like that was hard, fighting not to kill while the opponent was definitely trying to kill him. They were in their turf, so they could do whatever they wanted, after all.


    Still, Jori had gotten tired of staying on the defensive. It was time to fight seriously. When the opponent was about to attack again, Jori pointed his sword to himself and then attacked his wrists and heels. Everyone around looked like Jori had just done something insane¡­ but then the weights fell from his limbs, and everyone was left speechless when they fell on the ground, making a loud noise.


    "... I guess you guys are insane," Rain said while seeing that Reca was also fighting with her weights on, but they were hidden under her clothes.


    "You are the one to talk," Reca frowned.


    Rain was also wearing his weights, but it was only because he felt restless without them. In any case, Jori went to the offensive after he moved his body again and felt lighter like never before. It seemed that it had been a while since he fought without the weights.


    Jori didn''t use Impulse, he just ran toward the adversary, but he was fast enough. When he swung his sword, the opponent moved him to block the attack. Still, Jori suddenly used Limit Breaker to stop the attack and then move his sword upward before swinging down.


    The orc didn''t have time to change his stance and block the attack, so he jumped backward, but the armor in his chest was still hit by Jori''s sword. The sound of metal colliding against each other echoed in the area, and when the oded, his chest armor began to fall on the ground, and a wound in the shape of a line appeared in it.


    The orc was surprised that the de actually cut through the armor like that. Jori was recovering from the effort that he just put in. Changing the sword strike while he was in the middle of it was dangerous since it could damage the muscles, so he had to cool it down before it suffered too much damage.


    The orc''s frustration manifested audibly as he emitted a deep, angry grunt. His face twisted with irritation and displeasure, clearly unhappy with the fact that Jori had outpaced him in strength and speed during their battle.


    Despite the orc''s substantial physical strength and muscr body, he found himself vexed by Jori''s nimbleness and agility. This unexpected disadvantage chipped away at his confidence, as he had always relied on his brawn to establish dominance.


    As the battle raged on, the orc''s growing frustration became increasingly evident. The awareness that he was falling behind in the fight weighed heavily on him, and his angry grunts reflected his determination to regain control and surmount this unexpected challenge.


    While the opponent was pissed, Jori changed his stance a bit¡­ he moved his sword to his right side and then to his back while assuming the tail guard. He was wide open, and that kind of stance truly didn''t agree with him that much. Still, maybe he was going to show some techniques of the swordsman path or even beyond.


    The orc suddenly raised both his swords and moved them in front of him to create a cross-guard¡­ It was probably the best option against a powerful attack. Rain thought that both Fighters were simr, but they changed stances again and again numerous times in the battle. It was time to show who truly had the upper hand.

 Chapter 368: Golden fox

    Both of them charged at the same time. Even if his guard was strong, the orc could enhance it by adding some momentum to it. As for Jori, he swung his sword while the tip hit and cut the floor of the arena. it slowed it down a fair bit, but eventually, it left the ground behind when the two of them were facing each other.


    Jori swung his sword upward with all his might, and the opponent kept his guard. No one heard the sound of metal crashing, so it felt like Jori missed the hit. However, they stopped in front of each other, and that showed that it couldn''t be true¡­


    A sharp, unmistakable sound pierced the air¡ªan ominous creaking followed by a resounding crack. It was the distinct noise of metal yielding to an overwhelming force, the orc''s sword beginning to splinter into pieces. The fractured weapon, now rendered useless, tumbled to the ground in a pile of shattered steel.


    Simultaneously, a grotesque wound materialized on the orc''s chest. It was a bizarre sight¡ªthere was no blood, no crimson flow to apany such a grievous injury. Instead, a peculiar emptiness marked the wound as if life itself had been drained from the afflicted area.


    The orc staggered backward, his eyes swirling with disorientation and confusion. Despite the absence of blood, his body had clearly suffered a devastating blow, leaving him incapacitated and helpless.


    Even Rain had a hard time following the attackpletely. Still, he saw that Jori hit and destroyed the opponent''s swords with the reverse side of his de. That was also the side that he hit the opponent''s chest and chin.


    At that crucial moment, the entire audience found themselves in a state of bewilderment. It wasn''t amon urrence for these diverse beast tribes to unite and cheer for the same side. Their conflicting emotions left them torn.


    On one hand, their loyalty to their respective tribe leaders ran deep, making it challenging to openly support outsiders like Rain and hispanions. However, on the other hand, it was impossible to ignore the remarkable skills and unwavering determination disyed by the human warriors.


    The repeated defeats of their tribe leaders, courtesy of Rain and his friends, left the audience in a state of disarray. They were troubled with conflicting thoughts and a growing sense of frustration as they witnessed their champions being bested one after the other.


    The once-enthusiastic cheers in the arena had given way to an ufortable silence, with spectators exchanging uncertain nces, struggling to make sense of this unexpected turn of events.


    "The human warrior is the winner," The beast king dered.


    Jori breathed a sigh of relief, his tense demeanor finally giving way to a sense of aplishment as he witnessed the defeated orc tribe leader being taken away from the arena while he joined his enemies.


    Meanwhile, the beast king struggled to hide his growing impatience and frustration. He had initially underestimated the true strength of these young humans, and it was bing increasingly apparent that his earlier arrogance had been a costly mistake. He knew he couldn''t continue pretending otherwise.


    "Man, I am beat¡­ copying Rain''s fighting style is too draining," Jori said while massaging his left shoulder. "Still, I guess I don''t have a much better option when fighting alone."


    "You guys need more time to rest, but maybe you won''t have the chance to fight anymore if the level of the fights keep increasing," Rain dered.


    "Hey, we can still fight," Jori and Reca said in unison.


    "I suppose¡­ it will be troublesome if you guys end up losing a limb," Rain said. "Terra isn''t here, and I am not as good as her when ites to healing."


    "I bet you saying that out loud makes your skin crawl," Jori smirked.


    Rain let out a deep sigh, content with his outlook on personal growth. He understood the futility of trying to be the best in every single field, a task that was simply beyond human capability. Instead, he tookfort in the steady progress he made each day. Rain believed that the path of gradual improvement, which had served him well so far, would continue to lead him toward sess in the future.


    The next contender appeared in the arena, and she was a sight to behold. She resembled a stunning golden fox with a strikingly human-like appearance. Her slender figure conveyed an aura of delicacy, though Rain knew better than to underestimate her based on looks alone.


    She wore a simple yet vibrant green dress that swayed gracefully with her every move. It was an unconventional choice for a fighter, leaving Rain to wonder how she nned to engage inbat dressed this way.


    Despite her unassuming appearance, the golden fox exuded an orange aura, indicating her considerable strength. Rain couldn''t help but feel a mix of curiosity and wariness as he prepared for the uing battle. This opponent served as a reminder not to judge someone solely by their appearance.


    "This could be a problem, I hope she isn''t nning to use my horny side against me," Rain thought.


    In the next moment, the woman suddenly made a curved knife appear on her left hand¡­ the sick shape of the weapon made Rain feel his skin crawl¡­ she was the assassin type, apparently. It was unusual to find that type in situations like that, but she probably had a few tricks up her sleeve.


    "Is it a coincidence that I am going to fight another woman?" Rain wondered. "Me thinking that this could be a problem is sexist? Or not thinking at all is sexist? I guess it doesn''t matter in this world."


    In the next moment, the beast king swung down his hand and dered the start of the battle, and then the woman began to move, and that left everyone speechless¡­ that was one thing that Rain wanted to learn, but it was probably a skill that only her trice could use...

 Chapter 369: True power

    The golden fox woman exhibited incredible agility, swiftly circling Rain with grace, her footsteps resounding in the arena. As she continued her dance-like movements, something extraordinary unfolded.


    It was as though she was dividing into multiple versions of herself. Initially, these duplicates appeared somewhat transparent, like mirages in a scorching desert. However, with each passing moment, they solidified, bing increasingly indistinguishable from the original.


    Rain watched in astonishment, struggling to discern the real golden fox amid the sea of lifelike copies. Her illusions were so convincing that it had be nearly impossible to identify the truebatant amidst this captivating illusion. It left Rain perplexed, pondering how to confront this mesmerizing disy of skill.


    Rain used his earth magic to find the location of the real woman. Still, he blinked several times in surprise when he confirmed that all of them actually had weight and were stepping at the same time.


    "The steps are too light¡­ maybe she is trying to fool me," Rain thought, and then he assumed his fighting stance.


    Waiting for the adversary to make her move first wasn''t his style, so Rain jumped in toward her and then kicked several of the clones, but he just passed through them without feeling anything. The clones that were hit began to dissipate, but soon, they appeared when the hole in their formation moved away from Rain. At the same time, he felt a stinging pain in his leg.


    When he looked at it, Rain felt a small cut above his heel, right above his weight, that was bleeding¡­ Rain looked around since he didn''t even feel the movements of a knife approaching, or even bloodlust for that matter¡­ it was probably because she didn''t want to kill him yet but make him stop moving.


    "I guess she prefers to kill targets that can''t move," Rain thought.


    Rain couldn''t find the real target that easily, so he began to run toward them and attacked the clones. However, they soon jumped away from the area and began to run in all directions as well.


    The clones of the golden fox woman moved erratically and chaotically, disying unpredictable actions. Some dashed across the arena floor, while others leaped into the air, executing impressive backflips with remarkable agility.


    In a shocking performance, these duplicates navigated the space around Rain with unparalleled speed and grace. They carried out intricate maneuvers, weaving in and out of one another''s paths and leaving spectators in awe of their fluid and unpredictable movements.


    It was as if a mesmerizing dance of motion had taken over the arena, with each clone performing its own unique routine, creating a stunning and bewildering spectacle.


    Rain ignored that and then punched some of the clones, but he only hit the air, and whenever he punched them, his arms would get minor cuts¡­ this time, she was targeting his elbows since his wrists were being protected by the forearm guards.


    "This is kind of annoying, huh?" Rain thought.


    Rain knew that he didn''t have time to waste, but he had to save his mana as well¡­ in the end, he just closed his eyes and then began to focus on the area around him.


    His previous actions made Rain realize some interesting things about his abilities and the limits of his magic. The Golden fox woman soon realized that Rain was up to something, and she couldn''t let him do as he pleases.


    Before long, her clones began to approach Rain and attack him. Naturally, they hit nothing and just dissipated after that. However, whenever that happened, Rain''s body would be damaged. Cuts in his neck, face, and eyebrows began to increase, and blood began to flow through the wounds.


    Jori and Reca disyedplex expressions as they witnessed Rain being gradually covered in a small but steadily increasing amount of blood. Although they had heard Rain''s words earlier, they hadn''t anticipated the intensity of the situation. In their minds, they had believed that Rain would easily handle any challenge thrown his way.


    It was a clear reminder that even the most skilled and resilient warriors could face unforeseen and formidable adversaries. Rain was now grappling with a test of endurance and strength that surpassed their expectations.


    Still, they soon realized that Rain had a n of his own¡­ he wasn''t the type to go down that easily. Before long, Rain opened his eyes and then raised his right hand. The clones stopped attacking and then jumped away from the area.


    All of the clones stopped moving and waited for what Rain was going to do. A gentle breeze began to swirl around the arena, gradually gaining momentum and producing a soft, whistling sound in the air. The golden fox, surrounded by her numerous duplicates, seemed to understand that Rain was using the wind to track her movements.


    However, she remained confident, knowing that the wind alone couldn''t harm her or her copies.


    As the wind picked up, it formed small swirling patterns, creating tiny vortexes in the arena. Rain appeared to be attempting to disrupt the formation of the clones or disorient the golden fox herself. Despite his efforts, the clever opponent remainedposed. She understood that even if a few clones were disrupted by the gusts, she could effortlessly create recements.


    This was a battle of strategy and wits, and the golden fox was determined to outwit Rain at every step.


    Still, the golden fox was surprised to see all the clones suddenly disappearing¡­ it was impossible for them to receive that much damage with only that much wind, but then she felt some stinging pain in her face and left eye.


    "... What?" The golden fox muttered.


    The golden fox kept feeling the stinging pain in her left side until she eventually realized what was going on¡­ small particles of silver from the arena were hitting her and piercing her body a bit¡­ Rain used the arena with his magic to get rid of all the nuisances, which had been pretty easy since metal reacted to earth magic. While she was in shock, Rain charged at her.

 Chapter 370: No difference

    The golden fox woman raised her knife to fight since she knew that the same trick from before wouldn''t work against Rain and then swung down her knife at Rain''s fist when he attacked her.


    Much to her surprise, that didn''t stop Rain from attacking, and her knife pierced his hand. Her arm was pushed to the side, and Rain followed the attack with a kick on her left side. She quickly raised her elbow and blocked the Attack and ended up hitting Rain''s feet¡­ kicking a bone like that was painful, but the one who suffered the most was the opponent.


    The golden fox woman''s face went pale as she jumped backward to avoid Rain''s next attacks while she felt a throbbing pain in her elbow. Still, Rain had no intention of giving her time to recover. He charged again, and in the Middle of the charge, he covered his fists in the thinyer of silver that he used to get rid of the clones.


    Rain''s right fist collided with the woman and then pushed the knife away while it was spinning in the air. Rain followed the attack with a punch using his left hand, but the woman still had a trick up her sleeve.


    She jumped toward him to grab his neck, and while Rain moved his other arm to block the attack, nothing hit him, and the clone just dissipated¡­ Rain lost the chance to attack, and the woman jumped away, and she summoned more clones.


    Rain ignored them all and kept moving toward her since he knew who the real one was, even though all of them also had blood arms in their bodies.


    In the next moment, after passing through several clones and not suffering any damage, Rain saw the opponent pointing her tail toward him.


    The cunning golden fox unleashed a relentless attack, her shimmering golden hair transformed into long, needle-like strands. These glinting projectiles closed in on Rain, resembling a swarm of deadly metallic needles seeking their mark.


    Instinctively, Rain raised his forearm guards to shield his face. However, this choice brought unintended consequences. The sharp needles struck his body, piercing through his defenses. The pain that surged through Rain''s body was agonizing.


    Each needle felt like a searing hot de, piercing his flesh and tearing through muscle. It was a sensation of intense burning and tearing as if his body was under assault from a thousand fiery des. The pain was overwhelming, forcing Rain to clench his teeth and let out a pained grunt.


    "What the hell¡­" Rain thought. "How did she¡­"


    Rain realized that the golden fox could use her strains of hair to create the clones, and that was what attacked him earlier.


    Rain found himself in a desperate situation, using his forearm guards to deflect the relentless barrage of attacks. The impact of each of the golden fox''s hair needles striking his guards echoed like the sts of cannonballs. With each hit, Rain felt himself being forcefully pushed backward, struggling to maintain his footing.


    The sheer strength and uracy of the golden fox''s strikes were overpowering, pushing Rain''s defenses to their absolute limits.


    The golden fox woman kept moving away while attacking Rain just like that. He wondered if she was fine going bald at that rate because his forearm guards definitely wouldn''t break. Still, she kept going.


    "It must be some kind of beast trait¡­" Rain thought. "Not that knowing that helps me that much."


    Rain knew that he could use some magic to turn around the odds in that fight, but he had already used some when he used the arena against the woman, and he wanted to save even more against the beast king, and he knew that such a thing was absolutely necessary.


    Rain, faced with the relentless onught of golden hair needles, had a moment of inspiration. With lightning-quick reflexes, he adjusted his forearm guards, causing the iing needles to spin upward as they collided with the protective gear. The sudden change in trajectory caught the golden fox off guard.


    Rain, now in control of the situation, used his forearm guards to expertly send the spinning projectiles back at the golden fox. The dozens of needles hurtled toward her, creating a symphony of metallic shes and collisions in the middle of the arena.


    It was a breathtaking disy of skill and precision as Rain turned the tables on his opponent, forcing her to defend against her own deadly hair needles since his attacks were heavier¡­


    With a single of her tail, she blocked the needles when they were about to reach her. Still, that gave Rain the chance to step in and attack her. Rain swung his fist toward her stomach, but she swung her tail upward to stop him. Unfortunately for her, Rain had expected that and pulled away his fist at thest moment, and then her tail only hit the air.


    Before the golden fox woman could recover to defend herself, Rain body-mmed her with his left shoulder and made her spin toward the wall. When her body hit against it, she coughed a mouthful of blood before she fell on her knees and then forward.


    After ten seconds, the beast king dered Rain the winner, and despite that, he felt a bit worried since while the woman was strong, she wasn''t very durable. That was why he went for a shoulder attack¡­ the impact of the attack crossed through her whole arm, but a punch could have pierced her body and killed her.


    "I suppose that since I didn''t get experience, she is alive, and beastmen are usually very tough. Even ifpared to others, she is more on the frail side," Rain thought while moving to where his friends were. "In any case, this kind of fighting style sure is troublesome to adapt to... I wonder if there are others tribe leaders like her.


    It will be dangerous if the others fight such quicky opponents, Jori and Reca are too straightforward for their own good."

 Chapter 371: Barking dog

    A palpable tension hung in the air. Among the spectators, a growing sense of irritation began to take hold. For these individuals, the arena held special significance. It wasn''t just a ce forbat; it was a sacred ground where they could indirectly disy their strength and prowess through their chosen champions.


    The usual pride they felt when their representatives emerged victorious was notably absent on this particr day. Rain found himself embroiled in a fierce struggle with no guaranteed oue. This departure from the norm was difficult for the audience to ept. They were ustomed to seeing their champions dominate thepetition, but today was different.


    Nheless, they persevered, clutching onto a glimmer of hope. The sight of Rain sporting visible wounds served as a stark reminder that their champions were putting forth his utmost effort, even when confronted by a formidable adversary.


    "We are almost halfway through¡­ how are your wounds?" Jori asked. "We are almostpletely rested."


    "I am fine. I avoided critical damage," Rain said. "Some of the needles reached my muscles, but they barely scratched it."


    That was hard to believe. Besides, damaged Bones and muscles hurt like a bitch¡­ Rain was a tough guy, so his friends wondered if he was trying to lookposed even though he was suffering a lot. It was hard to say, considering his usual behavior.


    Regardless, they still had a long way ahead of them, and Rain could heal himself, so things couldn''t be that dangerous. The only downside of the whole situation was that Jori and Reca knew that Rain would do everything to make sure that they would win¡­ defeating the beast king by himself in one way or the other hopefully would do the trick. Still, he was clear that he was also ready for n B.


    Rain''s n B was basically to cause as much damage as possible to make sure that the tribe leaders and the beast king would have a hard time recovering in a matter of months. That would be nice. Not having to worry about several months would definitelye in handy.


    Knowing Rain, Jori and Reca also assumed that if that isn''t possible, Rain would probably split those mountains to make sure that the beast people wouldn''t cross it¡­ that would be inhumanely impossible, but it felt like such a word didn''t exist in Rain''s vocabry¡­ everything will be decided once the six matches are over.


    The next opponent eventually emerged to the arena, and he certainly looked pissed, and the fight didn''t even start. The beastman before them was like an enraged dog, and his anger was evident in every aspect of his appearance. His muscles, already well-defined, seemed to bulge even further as if they might burst through his skin at any moment.


    Veins popped out on his forehead and neck, throbbing with the intensity of his fury.


    His eyes zed with anger, the whites barely visible amidst the fiery re. His bared teeth glistened menacingly, with strands of saliva dripping from the corners of his snarling mouth. In this moment of unchecked wrath, the dog beastman was a formidable opponent, consumed by a primal fury that made him a force to be reckoned with in the arena.


    "I guess a few punches will probably knock him down due to the blood loss if I hit those," Rain said. "It would be a swift end for a fight of this caliber, but I don''t think that I want that..."


    "Ah¡­ he heard you¡­" Reca said feeling a bit ufortable thanks to the gaze of the beastmen and since the opponent began to grunt in sheer anger.


    "It is fine, dogs that bark don''t bite," Rain said and then stepped in again.


    "I am sure that dogs that bark bite as well¡­ just return in one piece," Jori said and then gulped.


    Since the opponent was enraged, the fight in theory ,should be more straightforward, and Rain had the upper hand when itameto that, or so his friends wanted to believe.


    When Rain and the dogman faced each other in the middle of the arena, even Rain began to feel annoyed while seeing his grunts and the opponent''s mmouth-watering Did that guy truly want a piece of him?


    "I will make you pay for what you did to her," the dogman said.


    "What did I do? Should I have surrendered?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "You are the king of retard that I hate the most."


    Rain considered killing the guy since he knew that this type of person would only cause problems in the future¡­ he wondered if he could at least make sure that he wouldn''t be able to fight once again in order to avoid such troublesome situations¡­ Then again, he could send others to do that instead. In the end, there was only one thing that Rain could do to achieve all of his goals.


    In the next moment, the beast king swung down his right hand and the battle started. The dogman suddenly assumed a four-legged stance and then began to run around Rain insanely fast¡­


    Rain had a hard time following the guy with his body while turning, but he didn''t have to. It was hard to believe that such a mad dog would actually hide his bloodlust and manage to surprise Rain while he attacked.


    The opponent began to gain even more speed and then eventually charged at Rain before he swung his sharp ws at Rain and then sliced the clothes on his back and then the flesh as well¡­ the enemy passed by Rain and then looked at him while grinning, but Rain kept his poker face without showing a hint of anger.


    The dogman looked confused for a moment since it was impossible for the attack not to have caused any damage¡­ he could smell the blood in his ws, after all. Still, Rain looked unfazed, and he actually looked a bit bored, and that enraged the dogman even more¡­

 Chapter 372: Teamwork

    The dogman''s movements were a blur of speed and aggression as he dashed around the arena with an intensity that seemed almost unnatural. His already impressive speed had been amplified, and he closed the gap between him and Rain in the blink of an eye.


    With relentless precision, the dogmanunched a flurry of super-fast attacks, targeting Rain''s vulnerable back and sides. Each strike was executed with such speed that Rain had no chance to react. The sound of tearing fabric filled the air as Rain''s clothes were ripped apart, and his skin was left exposed and hurt, bearing the painful evidence of the dogman''s onught.


    Despite the onught and the searing pain of his injuries, Rain maintained a stoic poker face. His determination and resilience were on full disy as he endured the relentless assault, refusing to show any sign of weakness to his opponent or the watching crowd.


    The dogman''s rage was so intense that it seemed he might suffer a dangerous burst of anger. His veins, usually prominent, now pulsed fiercely on his furrowed forehead. His eyes, once sharp and alert, were bloodshot and wide, radiating uncontrolled fury.


    Every muscle in his body appeared ready to burst as he relentlessly attacked Rain. In this enraged state, the dogman resembled a primal force of nature, driven solely by his overwhelming anger and the determination to kill Rain at any cost and making him feel as much pain as possible.


    In the end, Rain had been waiting for that. When the anger of the opponent reached its peak. He went to attack Rain''s nape with all his might and the bloodlust was so intense that even the audience felt shivers down their spine.


    The opponent charged in like a bullet and he seemed like a blur too¡­ he imagined that Rain would never be able to react, but in the end, in thest moment, Rain spun his body and then hit the face of the opponent with his left elbow.


    The power of the impact echoed through the whole arena, and the opponent was lucky that Rain didn''t have any more momentum on his side¡­ or he would have his skull cracked. Still, that had been enough to paralyze the opponent, thanks to the pain.


    Rain followed the attack with a right straight on the stomach of the dogman, and when his body bent forward, Rain kicked him with all his might. Soon after, the dogman spun in the air dozens of times per second and eventually passed above the audience andnded behind the arena.


    "... The human hero is the winner," The beast king dered.


    At that point in time, the audience was no longer angry, they were simply astonished at Rain. They couldn''t believe his sudden turnaround, when his defeat seemed so certain at the start and in the middle of the fight¡­ they could imagine that he had gotten lucky, but that seemed insane.


    "Are you all right?" Reca asked. "Your wounds seem deep."


    "It is fine, I was luring that retard in," Rain said and then sighed. "Here I am fighting to avoid having to worry about the fifth party in a war, and that moron was angry because I hurt that woman a little bit. Pisses me off so much that I thought I was going to be the one to have an aneurism."


    It seemed that Rain went too far trying to lure the enemy, but for him, it was better to lose some health now than lose extra mana and stamina while five more duels were waiting for the group. He could count on his friends to decrease the workload, but Rain had a hard time seeing Jori and Reca defeating the dogman¡­ even if they could, the price could be too high.


    Besides, all that fighting tough opponents in one on one battles was making Rain understand something about himself. They were also sharpening his instincts on how he could fight and improve himself as well. Little by little, the pieces of the puzzle were falling into ce.


    Before long, the next adversary showed up, and when that happened, the beast king was sitting down on the wall of the arena while tapping his index finger. It didn''t look like he was going to wait for long.


    The leader of the sixth tribe was a fearsome werewolf, radiating a menacing presence. He had a formidable build, standing tall and broad, with muscles that spoke of countless battles. His fur was mostly deep ck, with silver-gray patches around his neck and shoulders, resembling battle scars. His eyes were sharp and golden, gleaming with a predatory intensity.


    This werewolf sported massive, protruding fangs and razor-sharp ws, ready forbat. His fur seemed to bristle with a mysterious, electric energy, adding to his intimidating aura. He moved with calcted steps, disying dominance in every step. In essence, he was a creature born for battle, and facing him inbat would be a formidable and perilous challenge for any opponent.


    "Rain¡­" Jori said while showing a serious expression. "This guy looks really strong, and the others will be really stronger¡­ let us handle the next two opponents while you rest for a bit. It is the final chance for us to show what we can do."


    Rain didn''t like that idea a lot¡­ It was too risky, even more risky than letting the enemy attack his back and rip apart his flesh with their ws while he waited for the golden chance to counterattack.


    Still, Rain was fully aware that he needed more time toe up with his newest technique. Sending his friends now to buy time would do the trick, but he hesitated for a bit.


    "All right¡­ but first, hear this and then see if you can do it in battle," Rain said and then said something to Jori.


    "This is¡­ I am not sure," Jori furrowed his eyebrows since he never heard of something like that. "It might be too much for me."

 Chapter 373: Time to show some guts

    "Just try to do it and see what will happen," Rain said. "In thest moment, when you don''t know what to do, try that. Anyway, just be sure to return alive now."


    "Roger," Jori said.


    Jori moved to the center of the arena, and Rain wondered why he didn''t let Reca go first¡­ she would have the upper hand against someone that uses ws like the werewolf.


    Still, Rain knew that he would piss Reca off if he were to say that he would face the seventh tribe leader since he would be stronger than the sixth¡­ in the end, he had already been whipped by Reca.


    "What did you tell him?" Reca asked while showing a bit of concern.


    "That was¡­" Rain said and then began to exin his idea.


    While Rain was exining things to Reca, the beast king dered the start of the fight. The werewolf raised his arms and then made his ws grow even longer¡­ They were as long as short swords, and that was a problem since he had three of them.


    Unlike the previous opponent, the werewolf looked quite calm. He slowly began to move to the side while Jori mimicked his movements. However, all of a sudden, the opponent suddenly disappeared and then appeared behind Jori¡­ he hissed in pain as some scratch marks on his left arm suddenly appeared and began to gush a bit of blood¡­ the Enemy''s charge speed was insane.


    Jori quickly turned around and then took a deep breath to calm down and ignore the pain. He messed up by letting that attacknd and letting the opponent use a brief moment of carelessness to attack him. Still, the same thing wouldn''t happen again.


    As if he was a day predator that wanted to surprise its prey in a weird way, the werewolf began to move to the side again. Still, after a while, he realized that Jori wouldn''t show any more openings.


    Rain couldn''t help but frown while looking at that¡­ it didn''t make sense for Jori''s battles to be such stand offs of analytical thinking and nning. Regardless, he had better things to do instead of worrying, even though Jori could help him solve the issue that he was considering.


    In any case, the werewolf got tired of the staring contest and then charged at Rain and swung his ws. In the next moment, Jori swung his sword down and used Limit Breaker. The thunderous impact made the entire arena tremble, but Jori was still pushed backward.


    The opponent jumped again at him and began to swing his ws up and down with speed and ferocity. The movements of those weapons created sts of wind that scratched Jori''s arms even though he jumped away to avoid them or blocked them with his sword.


    Jori bit his lips after he hissed in pain thanks to the pain and the wounds, but soon he would take a deep breath. Just blocking the hits like that wouldn''t do it¡­ he had to change his approach, but he didn''t have many options in that regard.


    Jori found himself grappling with a growing sense of inadequacy as he battled his current opponent. Despite his opponent not appearing particrly formidable on the surface, Jori was struggling more than he''d like to admit. What stung even more was the fact that he was deliberately holding back his full strength, reserving it for his uing showdown with Rain.


    Even the minor scratches on his body felt like ring reminders of his own limitations, especially when he nced at Rain. Rain had endured far more vicious and deep-seated attacks without showing a hint of weakness. It was a clear contrast that left Jori feeling frustrated with his own shorings.


    The notion of proposing to Reca, a thought that had crossed his mind, still lingered, but he couldn''t muster the courage to do it. He couldn''t shake the feeling that he was far from being a true man, especially whenpared to someone seven years his junior who possessed superior talent,posure, and tactical prowess.


    Jori grappled with these feelings of inadequacy as he continued to battle in the arena.


    "It is time to show my guts¡­ not in a literal way," Jori thought and then moved his sword to his right side.


    It seemed that Jori was showing one hell of an opening, but the beastly senses of the werewolf told him otherwise¡­ Jori was going to show his true power, and he couldn''t hold back against such an opponent¡­ Despite that, Jori didn''t do a single thing, and that annoyed the opponent.


    While grunting in annoyance, the werewolf thought that he might have fallen for a cheap trick to make him waste time. It made no sense for him to feel that guarded against a human who had only been fighting for a decade or so¡­


    The opponent charged at Jori and then began to swing his ws insanely fast. Downwards strikes, horizontal strikes, diagonal strikes¡­ he could attack from all directions without a break. Meanwhile, Jori swung down his sword from one side to the other and blocked the attacks¡­


    Horizontal strikes were his specialty, and he was using Limit Breaker, too. Thanks to that, he was able to fight back against the opponent on equal terms¡­ However, things soon were going to end¡­


    Each beastman tribe boasted its own distinct trait that defined them. The werewolves, among these tribes, possessed a bunch of advantageous qualities. However, it was one particr trait that truly distinguished them¡ªtheir ever-evolving ws.


    As a werewolf''s strength increased, their ws underwent remarkable transformations. They became sharper, longer, and astonishingly more resilient. This transformation rendered their attacks exceptionally lethal, capable of effortlessly piercing through armor and flesh.


    What truly set them apart was the adaptability of their ws in the midst ofbat. The longer a battle raged on, the ws seemed to adjust in response to the user''s intent. They grew lighter and swifter withoutpromising their durability.


    This unique feature gave the werewolves a significant edge, enabling them to excel in prolonged confrontations, making them formidable adversaries in the field of battle.


    Confirming that, all of a sudden, Jori failed to attack fast enough, and then his left elbow was sliced.

 Chapter 374: Secret technique

    Blood gushed from Jori''s wounded elbow, staining his clothes and forming a scarlet trail down his arm. He clenched his teeth, a visible sign of his growing frustration. Despite his relentless efforts, he couldn''t deny the fact that his speed was falling.


    Exasperation consumed his thoughts, a constant reminder of his own limitations. The bite on his lip, now a symbol of his irritation, reflected his inner turmoil as he grappled with feelings of ipetence.


    Despite the mounting frustration and the sharp pain throbbing in his wounded elbow, Jori realized he needed to regain control of his emotions. Letting anger dictate his actions wouldn''t lead to victory. He also understood that his personal pride had to take a backseat to therger objective, he wanted to win by himself, but Jori decided to listen to what Rain said¡­


    Taking a deep breath, Jori focused on centering himself. His opponent, misinterpreting this momentary calm as weakness, charged forward recklessly. Little did he know, Jori had tapped into his inner energy. When their weapons shed again, something extraordinary urred. The arena quaked, and a brilliant surge of blue energy erupted from Jori''s de.


    In the blink of an eye, the werewolf was sent hurtling across the arena, crashing into the wall with a thunderous impact that resonated throughout the entire stadium. This stunning turn of events not only showcased Jori''s regainedposure but also revealed his newfound strength.


    The werewolf grunted in pain, but he soon got up after falling¡­ the attack hadn''t been perfect. The werewolf saw Jori''s body emitting a blue glow for a moment but soon dissipated.


    "That was¡­" Reca said, visibly surprised.


    "It seems that he pulled it off¡­" Rain said while smiling. "As expected of Jori. He is the perfect test subject for this kind of thing. His instincts are pretty good when ites to this kind of thing."


    Reca didn''t like that Rain was calling Jori a test subject, but he didn''t mean it in a bad way. He truly praised Jori¡­ the reason for that was the fact that before, he was a bit of a harsh fighter and impatient as well, but he grew up to be more calm, collected, and patient¡­ to some extent.


    He still had his wild side, but he knew that there was a time and a ce for everything, a time for him to let his harshness take over and a ce for him to clear his mind and do what he just did.


    That was the trick for the new technique that Rain had envisioned, actually. By clearing his mind and burning the mana inside him or perhaps making it vibrate, Jori was able to Enhance his powers for a moment and thus surprise the enemy.


    Rain actually didn''t know with Precision what Jori did he just told him to try to use his mana inside his body to get stronger; he didn''t say how since he didn''t know it.


    Jori seemed a bit confused as well since he didn''t expect that much power from that technique¡­ Still, the werewolf looked fine and was approaching him while trying to understand what just had happened.


    "Let the energy inside explode¡­ I have to keep my head clear while doing that," Jori thought. "This is hard since it is the opposite of what I do with Limit Breaker. Still, that feeling wasn''t half bad... and it is a boost in strength that we certainly need in situations like these..."


    Jori felt like sighing since to use both techniques was the only thing he could do to win, but it was line walking on a very thin rope. At least Jori realized that despite that sudden burst of power, his body wasn''t that tired¡­ The reason for that was probably the fact that his mana made his body get strong enough to be able to endure the effects of Limit Breaker.


    Despite the difficulties, there were no demerits in using the new technique.


    Jori took another deep breath and then moved his sword to the side again and waited for the opponent. That was the best thing he could do in order to win¡­ the adversary wasn''t stupid and began to move to his left side in order to make Jori have a hard time connecting the next attack.


    The werewolf kept moving around him, but he eventually grew tired of waiting while looking Jori in the eye. He could feel his focus and determination, and that made the opponent Angry. While growling in anger and exasperation, the werewolf feels like he is running away from an opponent that wasn''t even that formidable and only had a lucky strike.


    In the next moment, the werewolf put his arms on the ground and stopped moving¡­ if the opponent wanted to focus on a single good hit, then he could do the same andpletely overpower him. He couldn''t let those humans keep defeating them like that¡­ it would be the ultimate humiliation if their king had to fight one of those guys.


    After tensing his body to the limits, the werewolf prepares to attack, and Jori gulps a bit. He wanted to envision what he did before a few more times in his head, but there was no time for that¡­ he cleared his mind and then let his instincts take over.


    After letting the muscles in his legs and arms explode with power, the werewolf jumped toward Jori like a blur¡­ he was so fast that no one saw him. Even Jori¡­ Still, he swung his sword out of instinct alone.


    Jori''s body emitted a faint, ethereal blue glow, surrounding him with a thinyer of energy. It was a moment of intense concentration and power gathering. As his sword shed with the opponent''s deadly ws, the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the arena. The ground beneath Jori''s feet yielded, sinking slightly from the sheer force of the collision.


    Despite that, he barely even felt the pressure of the strike...

 Chapter 375: Proposal

    The shockwave traveled outward, causing everyone in the arena to blink in surprise. The sudden burst of energy took them off guard for a moment. Then, a deafening impact resonated throughout the stadium. When the spectators reopened their eyes, they were met with a stunning sight.


    The werewolf was propelled through the air, spinning vertically like a leaf caught in a storm. His path was set, and there was no way to halt his trajectory. With a resounding crash, he struck the arena wall, making the entire structure shudder once more. Jori''s remarkable disy of power had left an enduring impression on the battle, earning him the shock and wonder of everyone in attendance.


    "The winner is the human warrior," The beast king said and then jumped from the wall and carried the unconscious werewolf to a room on the other side of the arena.


    In the end, the beast king didn''t even give time for the audience to recover¡­ At first, they thought that those two were only tagging along with Rain, but they finally realized that they didn''t win the other rounds by a stroke of luck.


    "I want to celebrate, but I don''t think that this is the right atmosphere for that," Jori said and then joined the others.


    "Who could have thought that fighting in another way would help you this much," Reca said with her arms crossed and while showing a severe expression. "The next time, try not to lose one arm while you are fighting."


    "There won''t be a next time," Rain said and then began to heal the wounded arm of Jori that was bleeding even more since he used all his might in thest attack. "You can take care of the next opponent, but the final three I will defeat alone."


    "Are you sure that you want to lose your mana treating someone that isn''t going to fight anymore?" Jori asked.


    "You need some treatment, just until we return home and Terra can do the rest," Rain exined. "Besides, thanks to you, I will have some mana, so this much is fine."


    What Rain learned during that fight will definitelye in handy when he tried that technique himself. There are some adjustments that need to be made, but at least Rain won''t have to mess up a few times during the battles.


    It took a bit longer for the next opponent toe¡­ It seemed that the beast king had a prep talk with the other fighters. That made sense, considering the gravity of the situation on their side.


    In any case, the beast king eventually returned to the arena, and after a while, the next participant came as well. Entering the arena, the seventh tribe leader immediately caught everyone''s attention. He was a Tigerman, and his appearance was nothing short of striking. His jet-ck fur, brilliantly adorned with bold, shimmering golden stripes, gleamed in the arena''s lighting.


    His robust physique spoke volumes about his rigorous training and countless battles. Powerful muscles and broad shoulders showcased his physical prowess, and every move he made exuded unshakable confidence. It was as though the arena belonged to him, and he was its unquestioned ruler.


    Yet, it wasn''t just his appearance that set him apart. An undeniable aura of authority and strength surrounded him, leaving no doubt about his position among his people. As he stepped into the arena''s spotlight, all eyes were drawn to him, and even the rowdiest spectators fell silent, acknowledging his presence.


    The seventh tribe leadermanded attention, and anticipation rippled through the crowd as he made his entrance.


    "You understand how that technique works, right?" Rain asked.


    "Kind of, I am not sure I can pull it off. I am not that calm when I fight," Reca replied.


    "Reca¡­ when we return home, let''s get married," Jori said.


    "This isn''t truly the right ce to ask that¡­ but I will think about it," Reca said and then left to the center of the arena.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a sense of exasperation wash over him. Jori had made a critical mistake. Proposing marriage to Reca in the midst of this intense battle arena was far from ideal. Rain felt like facepalming at the thought... Still, it was better not to say anything.


    Jori should have known better. Reca wasn''t the type who would appreciate an overly romantic proposal, especially in such a high-stakes environment, but even so¡­. It was evident that this unconventional deration of love could have thrown her off bnce, causing her to lose focus on the fight.


    Furthermore, Rain couldn''t help but think that Jori had inadvertently raised a massive death g. In the heat ofbat, making promises of a future together was akin to tempting fate, and it added an unnecessaryyer of emotional turmoil to an already intense situation. Rain silently hoped that this wouldn''t lead to dire consequences in the battles yet toe.


    In any case, it didn''t look like Reca let that affect her focus that much. She soon began to look at the opponent with an unwavering gaze¡­ now that Rain thought about it, considering all the people that he knew, Reca was thest person who tended to be surprised by the circumstances for one reason or the other.


    She was quite strong mentally¡­ Rain could only hope that such a thing would help her during the fight.


    Before long, the beast king swung down his muscr arm and dered the start of the fight. The ck tiger suddenly opened his arms while Reca assumed her stance, and much to everyone''s surprise, the opponent began to emit sparks of ck lightning from his body¡­ that couldn''t be good.


    Reca opened her eyes in surprise, but only for a moment, and then stepped in while using Limit Breaker. She charged extremely fast and then tried to stab the chest of the opponent, who just disappeared from her sight. It was another thought opponent that had one ability that had some troublesome gimmick...

 Chapter 376: Feeling

    In the next moment, blood began to gush from Reca''s arms as some wounds in the shape of ws appeared on them. At the same time, the opponent appeared behind her and then turned around.


    "What the fuck was that?" Jori asked. "Did you see him moving, Rain?"


    "No," Rain replied while squinting his eyes. "Still, it seems that he has a technique that boosts his speed to the limits, and it must be connected to the ck lightning."


    While Rain didn''t see it, perhaps he could have seen it if he had used Limit Breaker¡­ he wouldn''t do that. Just watch a fight, of course. In any case, he had some confidence in his guess since the enemy should have been able to cause deeper wounds if the technique boosted anything else aside from his speed.


    There was also the fact that if he was only able to attack twice, his speed conditions were rather limited.


    In any case, Reca turned around while showing annoyance in her face. When she was attacked, Limit Breaker was active, so her defenses improved as well¡­ she felt like she probably wouldn''t be able to move her arms if her defenses weren''t that high.


    Without thinking any more than that, Reca charged again and then thrust her spear at the opponent¡­ it felt like her spear suddenly had be ten for the audience. Still, the ck tiger effortlessly dodged those while looking at the tip of the spear without losing his focus.


    Before long, Reca was forced to stop since her stamina had already taken a huge fall by that sequence of attacks¡­ she didn''t like to think too much about it during fights. Still, at that point in time, she couldn''t help but ept that the opponent was much faster than her, even at her best.


    "I guess I will have to grow up a bit too ..." Reca thought.


    She didn''t like that idea that much, but Reca realized that the ck lightning was probably consuming the opponent''s mana at a fast rate, so she just had to slow down a bit and y it safe until the opponent couldn''t no longer keep that technique active.


    Again, Reca didn''t like that¡­ she felt like it was better to beat the opponents while they were at their best¡­ that would be a clear sign of her growth¡­


    Still, the ck tiger could read Reca like an open book¡­ he disappeared at thest moment while the sound of lightning echoed in the area. Reca used Limit Breaker to enhance her defenses, but then her same wounds were hit, and more blood began to gush out from them when the opponent appeared before her.


    "Son of a bitch¡­" Reca grunted in pain as she felt the burning pain in her wounds increase.


    Even though she has enhanced her defenses, the wounded area had been weakened thanks to the previous attacks, and the second one caused two times more damage¡­ Reca never realized that such a thing was possible because that never happened to her.


    "It seems that they are no longer trying to take us lightly¡­" Rain said while showing a serious expression. "The beast king told them to take us seriously¡­ even if they can only take down one of us at a time, that will be enough for them to win¡­"


    "What can Reca do about this?" Jori said while biting his fingernails.


    "Maybe she can turn around with the power of friendship or something," Rain said while showing a difficult expresion. "She is the only one who can think of what she can do since she knows her weakness and strengths more than anyone else."


    Jori was also aware of that, but he couldn''t think that Reca actually would ept in her mind her own weakness. She trained hard and got strong, trying not to think of them and focus solely on her strengths, after all.


    While Jori was thinking about that, he saw Reca silently looking at the adversary. She was annoyed, but she wasn''t enraged, and she wasn''t nning on doing anything reckless¡­ at the very least, she realized that she was slower than the opponent even while using Limit Breaker, and that was something.


    The opponent got caught that Reca could be trying to buy time and think of a n by not doing anything, so he decided to attack again. Just like before, he disappeared, but then Reca spun her spear in front of her while clicking her tongue¡­ in the end, that didn''t stop the attack, and Reca was pushed away from her spot as she felt the heavy blow on her spear.


    However¡­ her wounds were hit, but they didn''t suffer as much damage as before¡­


    Jori found himself in a state of shock as he observed Reca adopting a defensive stance during her battle. This was a surprising departure from her typicalbat style, which leaned heavily on offense rather than defense. While she had certainly blocked attacks before, actively prioritizing defense to buy time was a novel approach for her.


    Jori couldn''t help but wonder what had triggered this change in strategy. It left him both intrigued and somewhat puzzled as they continued their fiercebat¡­ it wasn''t like he couldn''t understand it, but he never thought that she would change like that.


    "I see¡­ so it is like that, huh," Reca thought and then smiled.


    Reca turned around and saw the opponent behind her turning as well. He was truly fast, but his speed truly had some limits; if he was impossibly fast, he would keep attacking nonstop until Reca falls covered in wounds.


    If he was insanely faster, he wouldn''t have to turn around like that¡­ if his speed was impossible to beat, he would have avoided Reca''s spear and hurt her just like usual, but that didn''t happen. In the end, Reca took a deep breath and began to focus¡­ using her head wasn''t so bad; it made her feel smart.

 Chapter 377: Frustration

    Reca swiftly assumed abat stance, her muscles tensing as she prepared for the next exchange. But what set this moment apart was her mental state. Amidst the intense battle, she managed to clear her mind of all distractions and useless thoughts.


    Her usual training routines had always revolved around achieving her peak performance by focusing solely on the act of thrusting her spear, letting her body move instinctively and without thinking about anything. But in a real battle, the chaos and pressure often made it challenging to maintain that level of mental rity. However, in this crucial moment, she had to do it more than ever.


    Reca''s determination to excel in this fight drove her to find that mental serenity amidst the chaos, allowing her to bring her best performance to the battle.


    The adversary charged when he realized that Reca was going on full offensive. Much to everyone''s surprise, he only disappeared when he was in the middle of the way¡­ Still, that didn''t stop Reca from trusting her spear forward¡­ at first, it looked like she had hit nothing. Moreover, her left shoulder suddenly began to bleed as well.


    The ck tiger leader''s swift maneuver left the audience in awe. He had appeared seemingly out of thin air several meters behind Reca, only to swiftly pivot and face her. Gripping his left side, the tigerman''s hand was stained with fresh red blood, prompting gasps from the onlookers.


    A sense of disbelief and curiosity swept through the crowd. Somehow, against all odds, Reca had managed tond a blow on the Tigerman despite his unexpected movement. The arena was filled with a mix of amazement and intrigue as spectators marveled at Reca''s skill and the ck tiger leader''s determination to continue the fight despite his injury.


    Reca turned around and swung her spear to the side while getting rid of the blood, and then she stabbed the air numerous times. It seemed that she was testing something, but no one knew what it was. Still, they could tell that her thrusts were getting faster with each swing.


    "I guess it is like that¡­ even for this, it is better to let the energy suddenly explode," Reca said. "This isn''t so bad for me."


    The Tigerman looked confused after hearing that¡­ he also didn''t know how Reca had hit him, so he was as confused as everyone else. That only made Reca realize that he didn''t have much control over his body when he was moving super fast.


    It didn''t take long for the opponent to realize that he had to move fast¡­ letting someone like Reca get better was too risky, so he decided to drop his facade as well. The Tigerman got on his four legs and began to run around in circles around Reca¡­ it seemed that it was their way to show that they were serious.


    Now, they just have to raise their upper bodies to make them look bigger, and they truly would look like cats.


    Little by little, the opponent began to get faster as well by running normally, and Reca resumed her fighting stance while following the enemy with her eyes and body. All of a sudden, the opponent changed directions and then charged at her before disappearing.


    Reca blinked several times as she didn''t feel any bloodlust in the attack, and when she thought of moving her spear to block the attack, she suddenly felt dangering from behind and swung her spear backward, but then the opponent appeared and sliced her back with his ws before jumping away and avoiding her spear¡­


    Reca hissed in pain¡­ she didn''t expect that at all, and she couldn''t understand what was happening or how the technique of the opponent changed. Reca turned only to see the opponent running again in circles¡­ she couldn''t let another attack hit her since she failed to defend herself¡­ the next attack there definitely would damage her spine¡­


    Jori clenched his teeth in frustration, a growing annoyance gnawing at him. He had managed to keep hisposure this far. Still, the relentless attacks from their opponents were wearing on his patience.


    What irked him even more was the realization that their adversaries were fighting with the intent to kill while Jori and hispanions were forced to restrain themselves, mindful of the precarious political situation that could lead to attacks from two kingdoms.


    As he continued to battle, Jori''s frustration simmered just beneath the surface. The weight of their predicament bore down on him, making it increasingly difficult to maintain his restraint in the face of such ruthless aggression.


    Jori had been on the verge of asking Rain about their contingency n if things took a dire turn, but he thought better of it when he nced at Rain''s clenched fists. Rain''s fingers were already turning a concerning shade of purple, a clear sign ofpromised blood cirction.


    Rain was also angry, and Jori realized that their priority now was to survive this relentless assault rather than discussing future strategies.


    In the end, Jori could only hope that if something were to happen, Rain would be able to heal Reca and avoid anysting damage¡­


    In the next moment, Reca began to spin her spear in front of her. The opponent was imagining that she wanted to keep him away. Still, something like that wouldn''t be enough¡­ he charged again toward her, and when he disappeared, Reca stopped her spear, and then the weapon was engulfed in the wind. She hit the ground with the butt of her weapon, and then a gust of wind spread across the area.


    Soon after that, the opponent appeared behind her, half a secondte from attacking her thanks to the st of wind that she emitted with her spear¡­ the opponent still went to attack Reca, and she ignored the ws ripping apart her flesh¡­ She endured the pain as her body began to turn red and was enveloped by a blue aura¡­

 Chapter 378: Best punch

    Almost instantly, Reca swung her spear sideways and then hit the side of the opponent. He used his right arm to block the attack, but it easily snapped¡­


    The Tigerman, after being struck by Reca''s forceful blow, was sent hurtling through the air, his body twisting and rolling violently as it careened toward the side of the arena. With a resounding crash, he collided with the arena wall, his form absorbing the impact and causing the very ground beneath them to tremble.


    The force of the collision sent shockwaves through the spectators, who watched in astonishment as the Tigerman struggled to regain his footing, his body visibly battered and bruised from the powerful blow.


    The ce trembled once more, and the shape of the body of the opponent was left in the wall¡­ at the same time, Reca almost fell, but she used her spear as support to stay standing. The pain in her back was making her sweat cold, but she had to endure until the end of the fight was dered. Eventually, the Tigerman fell¡­


    "The human warrior is the winner," The beast king dered while looking like he was eating something very sour.


    Rain and Jori quickly approached Reca to help her leave the arena. While Jori helped with a shoulder to lean on, Rain used his healing magic, but it seemed that he wouldn''t have much time for the first aid. Rain suddenly heard footsteps approaching, and then he saw everyone in the arena waiting for the next fight.


    "... Wait here a sec; I will finish this quickly and make them understand that ying games with me won''t work," Rain said.


    Rain''s friends exchanged nces, a collective realization dawning on them that they had never seen him like this before. Rain was typically a calm andposed individual, someone who didn''t let his emotions dictate his actions. However, the sheer anger and frustration radiating from him now were impossible to ignore, and it was a clear departure from his usual demeanor.


    It was bing evident that the situation had pushed him to his limits, and when Rain disyed such unbridled anger, it was a foreboding sign that the oue might not be favorable for their opponents.


    "Just don''t do anything stupid," Reca said. "We don''t want to bring your body to your family and Terra."


    "Reca¡­" Jori said and facepalmed.


    "Rx, have you seen me doing anything stupid?" Rain asked.


    "Picking a fight with two kings isn''t stupid enough?" Reca asked. "I guess you have a very different idea of stupidity ifpared to ordinary people."


    "Touche," Rain shrugged.


    Rain moved to the center of the arena while looking at his next opponent. Standing boldly in the arena, there was a colossal red lion, easily towering over the crowd. His coat was a striking shade of crimson, a stark contrast against the arena''s surroundings. With every step he took, his powerful muscles rippled beneath that fiery fur.


    His arms were firmly crossed over his chest, exuding an air of confidence.


    Yet, it was his eyes that drew the most attention. Gleaming like two orbs of molten gold, they bore into the arena and its spectators with a predatory intensity. His presence was undeniable, a fusion of authority and simmering anger, as if rage itself had found a physical form in this formidable beast.


    This red lion wasn''t just a formidable figure; he symbolized might and fury within the beastmen kingdom,manding respect and caution from all who gazed upon him.


    "I was nning to knock some of you down without serious injuries since we don''t have time to have more enemies, but I guess I will have to change my mind in order to make a point," Rain said, and then he unequipped the weights on his arms and then threw them to the side, making them sink on the silver arena. "This will be yourst chance to give up on the fight¡­ I won''t hold back."


    Rain took out the ankle weights as well, and the opponent could tell that Rain wasn''t joking, but he was fine with that. He wanted to see his full power and make the others prepare and think of countermeasures against it. The lion man just assumed his fighting stance by raising both of his arms and then waited for the beast king to swing down his arm.


    As the beast king''s colossal arm signaled the start of the battle, Rain seemed to vanish from the lionman''s field vision, blending seamlessly with the surroundings. The audience gasped in surprise, all eyes straining to understand what had transpired.


    In the blink of an eye, the lion man was propelled high into the sky, his face showing utter shock. He spun like a top upward, a massive silhouette against the horizon, before crashing hundreds of meters away from the arena.


    Amidst the hushed astonishment of the spectators, Rain reappeared his focus now on his friends. The spectacle was beyond belief. The audience struggled to grasp how Rain, with a single punch, had defeated the beast kingdom''s third mightiest warrior, sending him soaring through the sky like a mere pebble. Such power and prowess left them in awe, and the arena buzzed with whispers of incredulity.


    Rain began to heal Reca again while looking at the beast king and wondering if he was still nning to keep his bullshit. They were ying their game, so it was time for those guys to get a clue that they shouldn''t pull the rope too much¡­


    "Well¡­ that was certainly something¡­" Jori said. "Was it your best punch?"


    "No, I held back a bit since I didn''t want to rip his head out of his neck," Rain replied.


    Jori and Reca wondered if Rain was joking or not¡­ it was hard that even Rain would tell such a morbid joke, and they were correct. Rain didn''t use Impulse or adjust his skills to improve the power of only punches, or only one for that matter.

 Chapter 379: Minotaur

    This time, the beastmen took their time sending their nextbatant¡­ actually, too much time. Rain at first thought that they were nning what they should do, but the beast king didn''t leave the area, so he probably just wanted to face Rain in a one-on-one battle and crush him with strength only.


    After a while, the ground began to tremble a little and very slowly, and Rain realized that something big was approaching¡­ The beast king showed a smile, and it seemed that he was looking forward to the next fight more now.


    The audience fell into a heavy silence, fully aware of the impending spectacle, though not particrly excited about it. Then, out of nowhere, a massive figure leaped over the arena''s towering walls. This colossal beastman, standing an imposing ten meters tall, resembled a minotaur, its massive muscles rippling under a thick coat of fur.


    As itnded, the sheer weight of its body caused the silver arena to sink slightly, sending shockwaves of awe and trepidation through the onlookers. The sight of this formidable opponent left the crowd in stunned silence.


    "And they call Allion an aberration," Rain said while frowning. "I guess everything is fine as long as it has one hundred percent of their blood."


    "Is that a true beastman?" Jori asked, visibly speechless. "That can''t be true¡­"


    Most beastmen were, at best, three meters tall, and the strongest ones could be four meters tall, just like the beast king. Still, that guy was more than two times taller than any other beastman.


    "I guess I will have to get a bit tired before facing their king," Rain said, and then he began to move toward the middle of the arena.


    It was hard to imagine that a tribe was actually being led by that beastman¡­ the reason for that thought was the fact that the giant minotaur wasn''t even looking at Rain. It was looking to the sky as if it was waiting for something to happen¡­ he probably had some issues with his development, but maybe he was as strong as the beast king.


    When Rain approached the minotaur, he finally looked at Rain back and finally realized what he had to do. As soon as the minotaur raised his arm, the beast king swung down, and that determined the start of the fight.


    The minotaur swung down his hand to smash Rain like an insect, but he jumped to the sides and avoided the hit that made the entire arena tremble¡­ still, the beastman suddenly swung his arm to the side when Rain was about tond. Instead of Landing, Rain pped the ground and then pushed himself upward to avoid the hit.


    Still, the enemy pulled his arm and tried to grab Rain, but he punched away the arm beforending. The giant looked at him, annoyed, and then checked his hand that was hurting.


    "Maybe I should just go for the head and try to finish this as soon as possible, but I have the feeling that it will be a bad idea," Rain thought.


    The minotaur began to move toward Rain and then tried to kick him. Still, he jumped to the side and barely avoided the hit¡­ the attack had been surprisingly fast considering the speed of the adversary¡­ The sudden movement created a burst of wind that left the audience shocked when their fur began to move violently.


    Before the minotaur could recover, Rain stepped in and then punched the other knee of the adversary, and while he didn''t use any skills, Rain didn''t hold back, but the attack didn''t make the minotaur even tremble¡­ he grunted a bit, though and then tried to p Rain once more.


    Rain jumped backward, but soon he jumped toward the head of the adversary and then tried to punch him, but the minotaur suddenly increased his speed and tried to grab Rain in the air. With one punch and a kick, Rain pushed away the two hands, but soon the minotaur recovered and tried again¡­


    Rain punched the face of the opponent and then used the impact to propel himself backward and after spinning several times in the air, hended, only to see a giant foot approaching him. Rain didn''t have time to dodge the attack and raised his arms to block the attack while using Limit Breaker. He blocked the bit with his arms, but he was still sent spinning to the wall of the arena¡­


    Somehow, Rainnded on his feet on the wall before falling, but his arms were numb¡­. The power of that kick had been off the charts¡­ the opponent tried to kick him with almost all his might, apparently, and his speed as well¡­


    "I guess he doesn''t like to be hit in the face," Rain thought when hended and saw the opponent ring at him.


    The gigantic beastman radiated an aura of fury, clearly agitated by the situation. However, Rain couldn''t help but furrow his brow in response. The giant''s behavior seemed oddly childish as if he hadn''t received properbat training. His fighting style was unorthodox and chaotic,cking the finesse one might expect from a seasoned warrior.


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    Nheless, Rain recognized the menace that this formidable opponent represented, regardless of his unconventional approach to battle.


    The giant beastmen charged at Rain and then tried to kick him again, but Rain jumped to the side at thest minute and made the giant hit the wall of the arena. The people in the vicinity of the area fell from their seats, and soon they saw the giant beastmen groaning in pain while massaging his feet¡­ he truly looked like a child in a giant''s body.


    "I feel a bit bad for doing this¡­ but I can''t waste time or lose here," Rain thought. "This guy will have to go down in order for me and my friends to have some peace of mind¡­"


    Rain assumed a fighting stance and prepared to get serious¡­

 Chapter 380: Hot Strikes

    When the giant recovered from his own attack against the wall, he turned and saw Rain ready to face him. He readily approached and then tried to punch Rain with his massive fists, but then Rain punched back.


    The impact reverberated throughout the arena as the giant beastman''s and Rain''s fists met in a thunderous collision. The resulting noise was a deafening blend of thunder and the roar of a falling avnche, causing the spectators'' ears to ring.


    The immense force generated by the sh sent shockwaves rippling through the air, creating visible disturbances akin to ripples on the surface of water after a stone''s impact. The arena floor was churned up, filling the air with dust and debris, intensifying the spectacle.


    The crowd watched in awe as the two mighty punches collided, showcasing an extraordinary disy of unbridled strength and power.


    The people saw that Rain was strong, but they still couldn''t believe that Rain was actually fighting against the giant minotaur¡­ no one in their kingdom was able to do that aside from their king¡­


    "He doesn''t look that bothered¡­" Rain thought. "He still isn''t showing his true power."


    Rain knew that the opponent probably had some tricks up his sleeve, or maybe he could only show his true power when he was angry¡­ Either way, it was probably for the best if Rain didn''t give him time to use his full power.


    The giant beastmen kept attacking Rain with punches while fixing his stance and slowly increased the number of hits. Still, Rain punched each one of them with equal force without moving from the spot¡­ eventually, it felt like the entire arena might copse thanks to the endless trembling that followed it.


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    Jori and Reca exchanged worried nces while observing the intense exchange of punches between Rain and the towering beastman.


    "That punch... It''s like a sh of titans. Rain''s fighting style is different from what we''ve seen before. But can he keep at it?" Jori furrowed his brow and asked.


    "I also think that this can be a problem... Rain possesses incredible strength, but this level of fighting is unusual for him. And he hasn''t employed any of his magic abilities yet." Reca nodded, her gaze fixed on the battle.


    "That''s what troubles me. Rain usually has a few tricks up his sleeve, but he''s relying solely on his physical prowess. I can''t help but wonder why." Jori scratched his head while squinting his eyes.


    As they continued to watch, their apprehension deepened with each passing moment. Rain and the massive beastman engaged in their fierce duel within the arena, leaving Jori and Reca increasingly uncertain about Rain''s strategy.


    At some point, the giant beastman got tired of attacking like that¡­ since the area of Rain''s fists was smaller, he caused more damage in a concentrated area. Thanks to that, the giant beastman stepped away and then tried to stomp Rain.


    Rain jumped from one side to the other and avoided the hits, making the opponent grow impatient. Before long, the giant beastman stomped so hard the ground that the entire arena trembled, and then it happened¡­


    With a thunderous howl that resonated throughout the arena, the colossal beastman expressed his agony and fury. Raising one of his immense feet from the ground, a sudden rush of blood streamed forth from a concealed wound, staining the arena''s silver surface a deep, ominous red.


    The audience, gripped by astonishment and confusion, murmured in puzzlement as they tried toprehend the sudden turn of events. All eyes remained fixed upon the towering beastman, whose once-domineering presence had now dwindled into a pitiful and bloodied figure, a clear departure from his previous bravado.


    There was nothing under the feet of the opponent, and there was nothing inside either. The giant beastman checked that, and he felt troubled, but he felt much more annoyed than that, he red at Rain, and his body began to emit some steam out of sheer anger.


    The opponent soon began to carefully walk toward Rain. Despite his anger, he knew that he couldn''t make the same mistake again¡­ still, before long, he also assumed a fighting stance, and his body began to emit more heat.


    Rain raised his eyebrows while looking at that¡­ it didn''t seem like a magic ability or a skill that his tribe would have. Rain didn''t have enough information about the beastmen to assume that, so he wasn''t one hundred percent sure.


    Regardless, all of a sudden, the giant beastman suddenly punched the air, and a sphere of hot air in the shape of a fist was fired at Rain. He didn''t have time to dodge it¡­


    As the enormous fist-shaped air sphere rocketed toward Rain, the atmosphere in the arena grew increasingly tense. Rain reacted swiftly, raising his forearm guards to intercept the impending explosion. The collision was tremendous, resulting in a powerful explosion that enveloped Rain.


    The sheer force of the impact ripped away a significant portion of his clothing, leaving him exposed and vulnerable. Hisplexion turned crimson, not due to the influence of Limit Breaker but rather from the searing heat generated by the attack. The audience watched in awe as the battle''s intensity continued to escte, gasping at the spectacle before them.


    Steam began to leave Rain''s body as well, but he didn''t have time to waste¡­ the giant began to punch the air again and again and tried to hit him. While the attacks didn''t have much weight, they certainly had speed¡­ Rain had to use limit breaker while jumping away to avoid thempletely¡­ Even when he was on the other side of the arena, he had a hard time dodging them.


    "It seems that he won''t run out of energy anytime soon¡­" Rain thought while watching the opponent attacking nonstop. "I can only take so many of those attacks considering the damage that I already suffered¡­ and then there is the beast king¡­ I can''t let him learn too much about me."

 Chapter 381: True power

    The atmosphere in the arena grew increasingly oppressive as the battle raged on. The temperature began to rise dramatically, causing the air to shimmer and vibrate with the intense heat. Even the spectators in the stands found it challenging to endure the sudden surge in temperature. That was probably one of the reasons they weren''t enjoying the fight at all...


    Sweat dripped from the brows of those watching, and some fanned themselves in an attempt to cool down. The very air seemed to crackle with energy as thebatants unleashed their formidable powers. It was as though the very arena itself had be a crucible of elemental forces, and the audience could only watch in amazement and difort as the battle unfolded before their eyes.


    Rain was nning to save some extra energy to use against the beast king, but he probably didn''t have that luxury. After taking a deep breath, he decided to speed things up¡­ Continue exploring on m-vl-em,pyr


    Rain began to run to the side, and when the giant beastmen tried to follow him, he jumped to the side and then changed directions. Just like that, he avoided the hot air spheres, but their explosions on the ground still made him feel like he was melting. Still, he didn''t have any other option aside from enduring it.


    The giant beastmen still had a trick up his sleeve, though. When Rain got too close, he suddenly kicked the air, and then a st of hot air was fired toward Rain like a giant de. In the end, Rain punched the ground below him and then fired a st of wind to counter air¡­


    Rain showed a triumphant smile as he swiftly countered the attacks from his adversary. With the mighty gust of wind, he not only nullified the assault but also caused them to collide, resulting in a spectacr explosion. The arena quivered from the force of the explosion, dispersing the oppressive, rising heat that had been making the battle even more challenging.


    This abrupt change in the atmosphere provided Rain with much-needed relief. The increasing temperature had been amplifying the damage inflicted by his opponents'' strikes, but now, with the dissipation of the scorching air, he had gained valuable time to gather himself and formte his next strategy.


    Both his friends and the spectators watched his skills in shock¡­ It seemed that he was finally using some magic.


    The giant didn''t hide his displeasure, but soon he made his next move¡­ his body began to emit more heat to create an invisible barrier around himself and stop Rain from attacking¡­ he had no idea that such a thing would ever stop Rain.


    The giant beastmen charged toward Rain to fight him at close range once more¡­ Rain wondered if he had lost his mind and forgotten what had happened a while ago¡­ What Rain did was to use his magic to create a silver de using the floor of the arena and pierce the leg of the giant beastmen¡­ he could use that again, but he decided to save his mana.


    When they got in range, both of themunched their punches¡­ when their fists collided, a st of wind pushed Rain backward¡­ It seemed that the heat also increased the damage output of the giant beastman. Still, he only slipped on the ground¡­ he wasn''t knocked away.


    The giant beastmen followed to attack Rain again, but then when the massive fist almost had smashed him, the giant beastmen was suddenly sted away¡­ his arm was suddenly pushed backward, and the impact followed pushed his body as well¡­ The minotaur looked in disbelief for a second without understanding what had just happened¡­ it didn''t even look like Rain attacked since his stance was the same as before¡­


    The Beast King''s gaze shifted from a mix of frustration and anger to one of genuine curiosity as he observed the unfolding battle. He had initially appeared rather irate, but now his expression was tinged with intrigue. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes locked onto bothbatants, eager to witness Rain''s next move.


    The massive, looming figure of the giant minotaur nearly obscured his view entirely during the attack. Still, the Beast King wisely refrained from revealing his intentions too soon, biding his time for the most opportune moment to intervene. Still, Rain could tell that he won''t miss the next time.


    "I guess I can''t hide this for long¡­ Besides, this guy here is too tough," Rain thought.


    The first time that he used his secret technique, no one saw what happened, but the second time, the beast king took a glimpse of it, and he definitely will understand on the third try¡­ Rain wanted to keep him in the dark until he won, but maybe he was hoping for too much.


    In any other situation, he would have dly epted such a challenge, but the peace of mind of his family was at stake, so he didn''t want to risk it¡­


    "I guess it can''t be helped¡­" Rain thought. "Sorry, big guy¡­ you will have to get down."


    Rain assumed his fighting stance since the minotaur was still shocked¡­ in the next moment, he suddenly used Impulse to the side. Then, he used another approach to the opponent''s knee. In the final moment, he used Limit Breaker and the same technique he told Jori and Reca; it didn''t have a name yet¡­


    Rain''s body emitted a thinyer of blue glow and then kicked the knee of the giant beastmen and immediately broke it. In the next moment, the giant beastmen began to fall as his posture broke, and then Rain jumped toward his head¡­


    The giant beastmen raised his arms to block the next attacks, but then Rain ignored that and punched one of the arms. Rain used Impulse with wind magic and then moved to the side and punched the other¡­ The sound of bones cracking echoed in the arena, and after just three punches, the guard of the giant beastmen broke. It was high time to finish things off...

 Chapter 382: It doesn matter

    After breaking the arms of the opponent, Rain just punched the sides of the giant beastman once, and then his eyes turned white¡­ his whole body trembled thanks to the attacks, and that only showed the weight of each of the punches¡­


    The colossal beastman, bearing the unmistakable marks of this brutal encounter, slouched and copsed against the arena wall, causing a thunderous impact as he hit the seats. His gargantuan cheeks were grotesquely swollen, a painful sign to the relentless assault he had endured. His arms hung limp, their coloration a foreboding shade of purple.


    This clear scene vividly illustrated the overwhelming might that had prevailed, leaving the once-intimidating giant now vanquished and unconscious.


    "They will probably need some time to move him out of the arena, so I can rest for a short bit," Rain thought and then walked toward his friends.


    The arena was still in silence and in shock. At the same time, Rain joined Jori and Reca, but soon, people grew excited, and they began to talk excitedly when the beast king jumped to the ce and began to stretch his body.


    Before long, he approached the giant beastman and then began to pull him out of the arena while he was climbing it. It probably wasn''t a good idea to make someone that wounded move like that, but there was no other option¡­ besides, that was the best way for the beast king to show his strength.


    "... He is insanely strong. That guy should weigh many times more than him," Reca said while showing aplicated expression.


    "Do you think that you could have done the same, Rain?" Jori asked.


    "Probably not. You sure know when to ask some depressing questions," Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "Maybe I could if I used all of my buffs."


    That could be a problem¡­ It seemed that the beast king didn''t need buffs, and even if he didn''t have them, he probably had some tricks up his sleeve. Before long, the beast king jumped to the other side of the wall while carrying the giant beastman. At least he was treating hisrade fairly well¡­ if he were a B-rated viin, he probably would have killed or tossed the minotaur in the distance.


    In any case, in the end, Rain''s break onlysted for ten minutes, and soon the beast king arrived¡­ there won''t be any time to waste, so he will have to go all out from the very beginning. Still, he had enough time to fix his build and make it focused on melee fighting and to the way that he was nning to deal with the beast king.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 142 (6000/14.200)


    Current Path: Champion''s Path (Lv 25 (200/2500)


    Health: 12.970/18.370


    Mana: 27.430/33.130


    Stamina: 18.365/19.715


    Strength: 1682


    Dexterity: 1487


    Intelligence: 2675


    Vitality: 1838


    Wisdom: 3293


    Endurance: 1881


    Luck: 307


    Free Points: 175


    Main Skills:


    [Power Strike Lv 12) Get new updates on m-vl_em|p_yr


    [Basic Strikes and Kicks Lv 61]


    [Iron Limbs Lv 35]


    [Precise Strikes Lv 50]


    [Counterflow Lv 21]


    Support Skills:


    [Iron Resilience Lv 31]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 37]


    [Language Lv 88]


    [Second Wind Lv 30]


    [Iron Defense Lv 33]


    "I guess this is it, reinforcedmon attacks that are able to ignore endurance to some extent and decrease the opponent''s stamina," Rain thought and then said to his friends. "We might have to leave in a hurry, so don''t rx too much."


    The group harbored concerns about the need for a swift departure following Rain''s decisive victory over the beast king. There were severalpelling reasons for this. It was clear that defeating the strongest warrior would not go unanswered. The kingdom''s leaders were unlikely to tolerate such a public humiliation without seeking retribution.


    The audience''s growing dissatisfaction with Rain''s consecutive victories over the beastmen warriors hinted at potential public unrest. To avoid getting entangled in a possible uprising, the group might need to make a quick exit.


    Rain looked pretty calm, but Jori and Reca couldn''t help but sweat a little¡­ The aura that the beast king was emanating was no joke. It was stronger than ifpared to the dragons they faced until now. Still, Rain was acting like it was just another day at work.


    "I am truly impressed. I didn''t expect that humans still are able to produce warriors of your caliber. For the first time in a while, I will be able to fight without holding back, and I will like it," The beast king said.


    "Are you sure of that?" Rain asked. "I wouldn''t be so sure considering the damage that will probably spread¡­ at the same time, maybe it is fine if you are the type who keeps hugging trees instead of investigating what is happening outside."


    "It doesn''t matter. Such things as financial costs are useless to us. We don''t care about money," The beast king dered. "That was something created by you humans to make people feel better about yourselves by taking more from nature than you actually need."


    Rain couldn''t help but furrow his brow as the beast kingunched into an unexpected philosophical discussion. It was an unusual turn of events, but beneath the peculiar circumstances, there was a kernel of truth in the King''s words.


    In the early days of civilization, bartering was the norm. However, bartering had its limitations. Finding someone with precisely what you needed, who also wanted what you had, was often a cumbersome process. Money came into y as a universally epted medium of exchange, making transactions smoother.


    The money provided a consistent measure of value. It enabled people to assign worth to various goods and services using amon unit, makingparisons and trades more money enabled indirect transactions.


    Individuals could sell their goods or services for money and then use that money to buy different goods or services from various sources. This indirect system reduced the need for a perfect match of wants, enhancing trade flexibility. There were also other reasons for that, the darker ones, and the beast king probably was thinking about them.

 Chapter 383: Difference in power

    It was an interesting topic, but Rain didn''t have time to think about it too much. It was time to win and head home¡­ The sun was going to set soon as well, so Rain was starting to get kind of hungry.


    "You can decide the start of the battle by attacking me," the beast king dered.


    "Well then¡­ let''s hope that you won''t regret itter," Rain said and then assumed his fighting stance.


    After lowering his stance and then moving his right hand backward, Rain used Limit Breaker and his new technique¡­ at the same time, the beast king''s body also began to emit a powerful aura. Before long, it looked like his aura was burning¡­ it was simr to what the giant beastman could do. Still, it is a lot more concentrated and intense, and that could be a problem¡­


    Still, Rain stepped in with all his might after using Impulse. In the blink of an eye, he approached and punched the beast king, but the target reacted fast enough to block the attack with one of his arms¡­ the beast king was pushed away and collided against the wall of the arena, but he kept standing, and he didn''t cause much damage¡­ Moreover, the wall made of silver began to melt a little.


    "This will be a pain in the ass¡­." Rain thought while looking at his right fist.


    Rain''s right fist bore the marks of an intense battle with the beast king. It was a sight both surprising and rming. The surface of his fist disyed ckened, scorched skin reminiscent of molten metal frozen in time. Fiery lines etched across his knuckles, resembling cracks left by a volcanic eruption. These lines seemed to pulse with an unnatural internal heat.


    On


    The burnt flesh strained and tightened as Rain clenched his hand, revealing the turmoil beneath. It was as though the wrath of a fire dragon had seeped into his bones. The burn not only weakened his punch but also left a throbbing, blistering sensation.


    His once unblemished skin, now charred and blistered, stood as a testament to the power of the beast king''s aura and the relentless battle fought within the arena.


    The beast king began to approach Rain, and while his body could melt the walls of the arena, his fists weren''t doing that. It probably would be annoying if he began to sink on it thanks to that.¡­ he had full control over his aura, and apparently, he didn''t care about the cost over time.


    "That wasn''t half bad, but I hope that you can do better than this," The beast king smiled.


    The beast king changed and then attacked Rain. For themon eyes, it looked like he instantly moved and attacked Rain. However, he was still able to move his forearm guards and block the strike¡­ but he wasn''t able to stop the impact, making him fly to the walls of the arena while making a high-pitched sound¡­ Despite that, Rainnded on his feet and then used Impulse toward the opponent again.


    What happened next, no one could say for sure. Rain and the beast king began to fight while moving at supersonic speeds. They were moving so fast that people could only hear the sound of the impacts happening all over the arena and cracking the ground.


    Jori and Reca shifted their focus from listening to observing, trying to keep up with the chaotic battle between Rain and the beast king. They were met with a mesmerizing spectacle that exceeded their expectations.


    Before their eyes, Rain and the beast king engaged inbat, leaving behind intermittent snapshots of their intense shes. The arena became a canvas for their fierce exchange of blows and counterattacks.


    Their surprise grew as Rain disyed a newfound level of strength, delivering precise and powerful strikes that left asting impression on the arena. Equally astonishing was the beast king''s ability to hold his own against Rain''s relentless assault. His formidable aura matched Rain''s intensity, and his defensive maneuvers were just as remarkable.


    Jori and Reca had to concede that the world held more formidable warriors than they had previously imagined. It wasn''t just the dragons and the sea emperor; the beast kingdom boasted its share of powerful fighters, with the beast king being a prime example.


    The relentless shes between Rain and the beast king sent shockwaves rippling outward, creating a breathtaking disy of power that affected the very fabric of the arena. These shockwaves were more than mere physical forces; they were a fusion of mana and fire, manifesting as ethereal waves in the air.


    As Rain and the beast king traded blows, each impact unleashed these otherworldly shockwaves, cascading through the arena like a mesmerizing dance of energy. The waves appeared as a vivid blend of radiant mana and fiery hues, creating a spectacr disy that left the audience in awe.


    The shockwaves extended in all directions, making it seem as if the very air around them was pulsating with raw power. It was a testament to the incredible energy and magic at y in this extraordinary confrontation.


    In one of those moments, Rain suddenly kicked the beast king with his right shin guard and then clicked his tongue when he blocked with his elbow. The attack lost a lot of power, and the opponent didn''t suffer any damage. However, the impact still reverberated on Rain''s leg and forced him to stop for a moment.


    "He knows how to fight¡­ even though he probably can overpower all of the other tribe leaders," Rain thought. "He trained hard to be this strong¡­ he wasn''t just blessed with a strong physic and awesome fighting sense."


    "What is wrong? You should know that I can fight like this for at least three times more than you," The beast king dered. "Time isn''t on your side."


    Rain didn''t know how he could tell that with so much confidence. Still, he probably wasn''t wrong¡­ the opponent was older and had more time to train, so it was only natural that he had way more stamina, mana, and health than Rain.

 Chapter 384: Tricks

    It goes without saying, but he is faster, stronger, and more durable, too¡­ fighting fists against fists wouldn''t be good for Rain¡­ so he considered making the earth des appear on his forearm guards¡­ that would make things more interesting.


    "No, I can''t leave any room for them to think that they could have defeated me if I hadn''t used that," Rain thought.


    Since he couldn''t rely on that, Rain''s best bet was to rely on the counterflow technique¡­ but since his attacks weren''tnding properly, the enemies'' stamina wasn''t being sapped. He had to think of something else¡­


    "If you aren''ting, then I will attack," The beast king dered.


    The beast king charged with all his might and attempted to punch Rain in the face. Still, his punch hit the air when Rain moved his head to the side and then tried a counter¡­ the opponent reacted fast enough to avoid the counter even in that state¡­ His reflexes were insane.


    The arms of those two got locked for a moment. Still, the beast king ended up winning the exchange and sent Rain spinning to the other side of the arena¡­ he ended upnding in one of the seats with his legs¡­ he almost smashed the body of a little boy thanks to that, but his reflexes helped him avoid that.


    "This is his true strength¡­" Rain said and then fixed his dislocated shoulder with a palm Strike. "He knows how to fight, but he probably never got hit by a counter, so he doesn''t know what it is and showed his true strength out of shock."


    Rain jumped back to the arena and then looked at the beast king, who seemed a bit surprised after seeing what almost had happened¡­ if he had been a moment slower, he would have suffered great damage since the counter uses the weight and the power of the opponent against them as well.


    "Martial arts in this world are developed toplement the strong bodies of the people in this world, so they don''t know many techniques that don''t use that to their advantage," Rain thought while looking at burn marks on his left arm. "I can use that in my favor¡­"


    Rain began to run toward the opponent before he could recover from the initial shock, but it seemed that the beast king''s surprise also made him raise his guard. He lowered his stance to face Rain properly, and when he got in range, he punched Rain''s face, or so he tried¡­ in thest moment, Rain used Impulse to the side and then punched the lower part of the opponent''s elbow.


    The beast king didn''t suffer any damage, but he was still surprised to see that Rain managed to react in time to avoid his attack¡­


    "It was too obvious since I am a bit tense¡­ that technique was truly curious," The beast king thought.


    The beast king''s gaze stayed locked on Rain after he turned. However, he noticed something unusual. Rain wasn''t using his Limit Breaker or his new technique despite the fierce engagement. This puzzled and intrigued the beast king.


    A deep frown etched on the beast king''s face as he pondered Rain''s strategy. He knew Rain was a formidable foe, and his decision to hold back these powerful abilities left the beast king surprised. Was Rain trying to trick him, setting up a trap, or simply conserving energy for a crucial moment?


    This uncertainty addedplexity to their fierce battle. The beast king couldn''t shake the feeling that Rain had more surprises in store¡­ Still, just waiting wasn''t his style, and the audience was cheering for him intensely¡­ he couldn''t let someone just invade his territory and then defeat all the tribe leaders just like that.


    As the beast king contemted his next move, Rain abruptly surged forward with incredible speed, employing his Impulse technique. He moved in a zigzag pattern, darting from side to side. The beast king quickly raised his guard, anticipating Rain''s approach.


    With lightning-quick reflexes, Rain closed in and aimed a punch at the beast king''s right side. Anticipating the attack, the beast king tried to block it. However, Rain expertly pulled back at thest moment, swiftly altering his trajectory to strike from the opposite side.


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    Even with his exceptional reflexes andbat prowess, the beast king found it challenging to keep up. He managed to block Rain''s attack using his left elbow. Still, the sheer speed and unpredictability of Rain''s movements left him on edge, struggling to anticipate each strike.


    Amidst the intense battle, a peculiar sensation pricked at the beast king''s left elbow, a subtle but persistent sting that raised his suspicion. Initially puzzled, he swiftly pieced together Rain''s underlying strategy. Rain''s every move and attack wasn''t arbitrary; they were part of a calcted n.


    Rain had embarked on a deliberate and systematic campaign to target the beast king''s left arm. With each well-ced strike, he aimed to weaken the limb, impair its function, and expose vulnerabilities. The nagging sting in his elbow acted as an ominous signal, warning that Rain had set a trap¡ªan imminent threat.


    A deepening frown creased the beast king''s brow as he grasped the gravity of the situation. Caution became his watchword, for Rain''s strategy nowy bare. Every moment carried the potential to be a pivotal turning point in their fierce duel.


    In the end, the beast king couldn''t help but sigh¡­ he was expecting that Rain would be able to make him fight for real. It wasn''t like he wasn''t expecting him not to use such tactics since the difference in strength was that big, but he still hoped that he would find other ways to do that¡­ It was disappointing.


    After taking a deep breath, the beast king decided to end that fight by going all out instead of waiting for Rain to prove his resourcefulness¡­ but also because he was too cunning to let a fight that interesting keep going.

 Chapter 385: Secret technique

    The beast king''s body began to emit a more powerful aura, and even his feet now began to melt the floor made of silver¡­ Rain immediately understood that he was going to fight for real this time.


    Rain barely had time to raise his arms when the enemy charged for real¡­ he blocked the attack with his forearm guards, but the punch that the beast kingnded made him feel like he didn''t have any protection.


    The attack sent him spinning against the wall of the arena, and the thing easily broke¡­ Rain rolled on the seats of the arena several times before he finally stopped, and he ended up colliding against a bunch of people as well.


    Somehow, no one died, but the people hit were heavily wounded. Rain got up feeling like he had been run over by a truck¡­ he coughed, and a mouthful of blood left his mouth.


    Jori and Reca saw that and couldn''t help but be astonished¡­ they had never seen Rain like that. They had never seen an attack with that much power, actually.


    Rain got up and checked his condition¡­ several of his ribs broke, and his elbows suffered some damage as well¡­ that wasn''t so bad considering what he had endured. He finally knew the true power that he was facing after all.


    In the end, Rain ignored the pain that he was feeling and just jumped back toward the arena¡­ the beast king charged toward Rain again and then opened his eyes widely when the aura around Rain''s body grew more powerful¡­ he punched him in the face¡­ or at least he tried, Rain punched back, and then both fists collided.


    The arena shook violently as Rain and the Beast King''s colossal fists collided with a deafening impact. The force of their sh sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, causing the arena''s very foundations to quiver and crack.


    Dust and debris billowed into the air, obscuring the view of the spectators. The arena echoed with the thunderous roar of the collision, drowning out all other sounds. The sheer magnitude of their confrontation made it seem as if the world itself was trembling.


    Deep cracks began to snake across the arena floor, branching out from the point of impact like intricate veins. These fractures rapidly expanded, bearing witness to the immense forces in y. The ground beneath Rain and the Beast King seemed on the verge of giving way, unable to withstand the colossal energy unleashed by their sh.


    The audience held its collective breath, the tension thick in the air. It was a spectacle of sheer power, a battle between two beings whose might threaten to reshape the very arena they fought in. As the cracks continued to spread, it became increasingly apparent that the ground they stood on might crumble beneath them, adding an extrayer of peril to an already intense confrontation.


    The beast king was astonished¡­ If Rain could do that much, why did he try to use cheap tricks before? While he was busy with that question in his head, Rain suddenly jumped and kicked him in the chin.


    The kick sent the beast king flying upward, and before he could stop, Rain jumped again and then punched him with all his might. The attack made the beast king collide against the border of the arena, and he passed through it and then fell on the ground on the other side, creating arge crater.


    The beast king groaned in pain when he opened his eyes, but then he saw falling and then rolled to the side. In the next moment, Rain felt and his knee hit the ground and made the crater crack and the area tremble.


    The beast king quickly got up, and then body mmed himself against Rain, who blocked the attack with his forearms guards. However, he was still sent flying and rolled on the ground until he collided against a nearby building. The structure copsed over him but soon exploded when Rain got up and then charged toward the beast king.


    The beast king did the same, and then they began to exchange punches.


    As Rain and the Beast King exchanged blows in a quick execution, the buildings around them showed signs of their sh. The shockwaves from their punches and blocks reverberated through the urbanndscape, leading to a spectacr disy of destruction.


    Tall buildings shook from their foundations. ss windows shattered, sending sparkling shards raining down onto the streets below. Cracks snaked up the walls of these structures, dirtying their pristine facades.


    Concrete buildings seemed to protest the immense forces, adding to the chaotic scene as the streets trembled. The deafening noise of destruction filled the city, overwhelming all other sounds. Onlookers watched in both amazement and fear as Rain and the Beast King battled on, their surroundings disintegrating with each colossal collision.


    The once-peaceful cityscape now resembled a battlefield. The immense power unleashed by Rain and the Beast King threatened to reshape the entirendscape, leaving behind a trail of devastation.


    Rain was already hurt from the previous battles, and he also suffered some damage in that battle as well, so soon he showed a bit of weakness as his elbows stung in pain. The beast king used that chance to punch him in the face and made him fly to the distance again. This time, colliding and knocking down a bunch of other structures.


    When Rain got up again, he was covered in blood and bruises, but that didn''t stop him from charging once again¡­ still, before he could reach the beast, King, he suddenly joined his two hands together and then attacked.


    With a swift and calcted movement of his massive hands, the Beast King conjured a devastating st of wind that took on the eerie form of a colossal monkey''s face. This windstorm roared to life, forming an intimidating specter of a primate with fierce, spectral eyes and bared teeth. A true show of power...

 Chapter 386: Final attacks

    The Beast King''s attack surged forward, causing the air itself to quiver with its raw power. The gusts howled as they shaped themselves into the gigantic simian face, hovering menacingly for a moment before hurtling toward Rain.


    In a lightning-fast response, Rain raised his sturdy forearm guards to fend off the impending onught. When the attack struck, it was nothing short of cataclysmic. The wind-formed monkey face collided with Rain''s defenses, resulting in a thunderous force explosion radiating outward like a shockwave.


    Although Rain sessfully shielded himself from the worst of the attack, the sheer power of the wind st wreaked havoc on everything in its path. A wide swath of destruction, spanning over two hundred meters, emanated from the epicenter of the collision. Buildings crumbled, trees were uprooted, and the very ground was torn asunder by the relentless force.


    The deafening roar of the wind attack drowned out all other sounds, leaving behind chaos and devastation. The air filled with dust and debris as the cityscape bore the brunt of this supernatural tempest. Amidst the destruction, Rain stood alone, his forearm guards scorched and battered, but his resolve unbroken.


    Beyond the path of destruction created by the attack, one could see Rain getting up again from the ground. When he felt a sharp pain in his left arm, he noticed that it was bent in the opposite direction, and the pain made him grunt.


    Rain had nned to break one of the opponent''s arms before going for the kill, but he broke his arm first¡­ he didn''t have time toin, though. The beastman was charging once again¡­


    In thest moment, Rain used all his might to ept the attack¡­ not entirely. The punch of the opponent shattered the left side of his jaw and burned the flesh of the area as well¡­ even though it had been only an attack that, in only the tip of his knuckles, hit him¡­ Rain endured that and then countered with a straight right in the middle of the opponent''s face.


    The beast king received the power of his own charge and also Rain''s best punch¡­ not only did he use his limit breaker and his newest technique, but he also used Impulse.


    The Beast King took to the skies in an arc, emitting a haunting, high-pitched howl as he descended. His descent was shocking, akin to a malevolentet streaking across the sky.


    Upon impact, the Beast King struck the heart of a city block with immense force, shaking the ground and rattling the surrounding buildings. His colossal form continued to roll forward, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake. Ten buildings, unable to withstand the impact, crumbled and copsed as their foundations gave way.


    The scene that unfolded was one of chaos and destruction as the Beast King''s relentless momentum reduced the city block to rubble. Once a thriving urbanndscape, it nowy in ruins, obscured by billowing clouds of dust and debris.


    That had been one hell of a counter, but Rain didn''t find confirmation from the system that he killed the beast king. In the heat of the moment, he ended up thinking of doing that¡­ and that could be a problem.


    Still, Rain soon confirmed that the opponent was alive and very much well. Arge explosion happened that blocked and then pushed away all the debris in the area and made several other buildings copse¡­ Rain could tell the bloodlust of the beast king even while he was five hundred meters away.


    "What a tough bastard¡­" Rain muttered and then took a deep breath. "I guess it is time to go all out¡­ I don''t care if he ends up dying. My life is more important than his."


    Rain used his magic to cover his right arm with a heavyyer of earth and hardened it. Before long, it turned into brown and then eventually orange and gray¡­ almost all his mana was sucked to create that. So, he didn''t have any other choice but to finish that battle right at that moment.


    The beast king emerged from the destroyed block. And his body seemed bigger than usual, and his aura was also enhanced to the limits. He wanted to make an example out of Rain before getting rid of the others. Still, he forgot about that¡­ he just wanted to win because he never lost before. He didn''t want to lose his invincibility.


    When he saw that Rain was about to try to finish things up as well, the beast king joined both of his arms again and then prepared tounch his most powerful attack.


    Rain lowered his posture and prepared himself for the final attack¡­ if he failed, he was going to receive the full power of the beast king''s attack while he didn''t have a single point of mana left to defend him¡­ but in the end, that didn''t stop him from charging toward with all his might.


    After crossing that distance in a single moment, Rain punched the beast king, and the beast king pushed his arms forward, unleashing the full power of his secret technique.


    The confrontation between Rain and the Beast King reached its climactic point when their punches collided. This explosive impact generated a powerful energy sphere that expanded outward in all directions, causing devastation and chaos.


    The ground trembled and disintegrated as the energy sphere engulfed it, reducing buildings to scattered debris and uprooting trees. Even the once-sturdy arena, the focal point of their battle, couldn''t withstand the overwhelming force, and the earth beneath it cracked and buckled.


    In the midst of this chaos, the Beast King was sent spinning uncontrobly for several kilometers into the distance. All because of the fact that his left arm broke a lot sooner than the left thanks to the damage that it received before...


    Rain, though resilient, was pushed backward but remained on his feet. However, his mighty metallic fist bore the brunt of the explosion''s impact.


    The incredible force had taken a toll on Rain''s arm as well. His colossal metallic fist, a symbol of his immense strength, had cracked, and his entire arm was bent in an unnatural direction, broken and contorted¡­

 Chapter 387: Bad news incoming

    Every single breath that Rain took made him feel like he was dying instead of living¡­ The final attack certainly broke most of his bones while he was standing. Jori and Reca emerged from the arena while the audience looked around the area and saw the destruction caused by both of them¡­ it felt like dragons had fought there.


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    "What the¡­ you are aplete mess!" Jori said while raising his voice.


    "... What are we going to do now? Is the beast king dead?" Reca asked after hesitating and looking around.


    "We return home¡­" Rain said and then sighed. "He is alive, and this should be enough to buy us some time¡­ A few months, perhaps."


    Fighting without killing was a real pain in the ass since there was no experience gained. Still, using his newest skill made Rain gain some experience since it leveled up thanks to his use. In any case, they could fly rtively fast with Rain''s current mana regeneration, so he soon created an earth tform.


    The audience in the arena looked at Rain and his friends leaving the area while flying¡­ they suffered a lot of damage. However, it was still shocking that they won without losing even once¡­ now they won''t be able to follow the beast king''s orders to war blindly¡­


    Along the way, Rain tried to stay conscious even though every single moment felt like an agony. Still, the earth tform would tremble now and then since his focus was waning. He made a mental note to learn how to control the Earth tform while sleeping, even though that probably was too much.


    "We should stop and rest for a bit. It will be worse if you end up making us fall," Jori said. "It is night, and there is nothing around that will show others about our location."


    "It is fine. I am slowly healing myself," Rain said and then put his bones in the right ces and then kept them immobile by using a bit of earth magic.


    Jori and Reca felt shivers while seeing Rain doing that¡­ they didn''t think that they would be able to do the same since it would be too painful. Fortunately, he finished that soon and thenid down to rest while he was controlling the flying speed of the tform¡­ After that, it didn''t tremble anymore.


    In the end, they returned to the camp where the others were on the morning of the second day of the trip¡­ Rain looked a lot better, but he still looked like a mess, so that made everyone understand that they experienced one hell of some negotiations.


    "... Sit down and don''t move a muscle or open your mouth," Terra said after she let out a long sigh. "Tell us what happened, Jori. Since Reca is terrible at giving a summary of things."


    "I can give a better summary of the events, and I am itching to tell the tales of my bravery and heroism," Rain said.


    "Just shut up before I make you¡­ seriously, how the hell were you able to get this much hurt?" Terra asked.


    "Yes, ma''am," Rain said. "Just don''t stare too much."


    Gathering the team together, Jori provided a clear overview of the mission. Despite its duration, which amounted to less than a week, the negotiations had been remarkably intense. The confrontations had escted to such a degree that it felt as though a considerable amount of time had passed.


    Jori exined that the violent nature of the negotiations had left everyone on edge. The atmosphere had been charged with tension and violence, leaving asting impact on the team members. In light of these challenging circumstances, it was now clear why Rain appeared so battered and worn.


    "Wow¡­ you guys picked a fight with the beast king in less than five minutes," Branden said. "Why am I not surprised?"


    "At least that exins why we didn''t see other beast people around the mountains," Roan said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You definitely bought us some time¡­"


    "You don''t look that happy, what happened?" Rain asked.


    "I told you to shut up, didn''t I?" Terra asked. "You fixed your bones, but your muscles arepletely messed up. You won''t healpletely unless you use all of your energy to recover, and just using healing magic won''t do it. There is no point in using healing magic if you keep opening the same wound."


    "I will use hand signs instead of talking, then," Rain said.


    "Nothing happened, so just follow Terra''s orders for now," Roan said. "I suppose we can return to the vige and onlye here now and then to check things up."


    Rain wanted to know what was going on. Still, he probably wouldn''t get any information out of anyone since they were looking in all directions to avoid the questions. Thanks to that, Rain eventually rxed too much to the point that he fell asleep¡­ he hadn''t slept that much in thest five days, so it couldn''t be helped.


    When Rain woke up, he felt like he was starving¡­ he probably slept for a day or two¡­ he could tell that. Fortunately, his body was much better than before, and only a few of his muscles were sore.


    "I guess she has improved her healing skills yet again¡­" Rain thought and then jumped from his bed. "I feel alive like never before... nothing like feeling like shit for several days."


    As Rain exited the house, he was greeted by a sight that instantly set off warning signals in his mind. The entire group, including Esmeralda, had congregated outside, and their collective expressions bore a gravity that hung heavy in the air. Esmeralda, while appearing a bit thin and wearied, seemed to be in decent health.


    However, the prevailing atmosphere among the group was unlike anything Rain had witnessed before¡ªan uneasiness that pervaded the very essence of their gathering.


    "All right, drop the bomb," Rain said. "Nothing will surprise me after all the shit that has happened."

 Chapter 388: Other ways

    "Seadir and his friends told us that there have been some movements in the port town a few days ago," Orcis said. "It seems that Ka, some other soldiers of the king''s de, and an unknown squad are reuniting the soldiers of the port town and other parts of the kingdom toe for you.


    They are saying that you kidnapped the princess and convinced Brande, Lorene, and I to rebel and take over the kingdom."


    Rain had anticipated the formation of a force aimed at hunting him down, given the risks he had taken and the hostile actions he had done. However, what puzzled him was the choice to dispatch the elite King''s de on this mission. Joanis had left Rain with lingering questions.


    While the King''s de was renowned for its unwavering loyalty to the monarch and their formidablebat skills. Even a small team of them had the potential to sway the bnce of power in Rain''s favor if they chose to ally with him. Their mere presence introduced aplex element into the situation.


    Rain contemted the possible oues of this encounter. If he could convince even a fraction of the King''s de to join his cause, it could bolster his own forces and sow division among his pursuers. Such an unexpected turn of events might trigger a chain reaction, reshaping the course of their conflict.


    Yet, he couldn''t ignore the inherent risks. The sess in recruiting them might escte the conflict, drawing even more formidable foes into the fray.


    "I have to tell them not to fight those guys¡­ they came for me, and the king is in the opposite direction, so it will be better if the sea folk don''t get involved," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose the king sent the king''s de because they were our former friends, and that would cause problems between us."


    "It sounds more like something Joanis would do," Esmeralda said. "I tried to convince the father to stop while he had the chance, but he didn''t listen to me. but he listened to Joanis when he told me to leave me behind with some of the royal guard since he would need to focus on the war."


    "Oh yeah¡­ what do you learn that we don''t know?" Rain asked.


    "My position about father''s choice was clear from the very beginning, so he put me on the sidelines and ignored my opinions all the time, so¡­" Esmeralda said while showing a difficult expression.


    "I see¡­" Rain said and then began to n what they should do. "At least an army will be impossible to miss, but this army won''t have the best soldiers since they are on another campaign¡­ it will be easy to deal with them. However, their movement speed is concerning, and those guys that Joanis sent are also worrisome."


    "Their army will have my soldiers and mainly civilians¡­ Joanis is probably thinking of getting rid of those that could join our side or convince others to do the same," Orcis said while massaging his forehead. "If possible, it will be better to just defeat and disarm them and then give us the chance to talk with them."


    "We can''t let them join our side," Rain dered.


    "What? Why not?" Terra asked while frowning in surprise.


    "... Joanis probably considered such a thing happening, and among the soldiers that once worked for Orcis and the civilians, he might have put someone that could be dangerous to us," Branden exined while showing aplicated expression. "... He is too astute."


    The situation they faced was anything but straightforward. Rain and his group found themselves ensnared in a web of intricate decisions and their ensuing repercussions. On one hand, failing to split the enemies from allies meant exposing themselves to increased risks, depleting precious time and resources, and constantly living on the edge. Find adventures at m v lem|p-yr


    The never-ending worries would take a toll on them physically, mentally, and materially.


    At the same time, resorting to lethal measures against their adversaries carried its own set ofplexities. It would inevitably create fresh foes, as acts of violence often sowed the seeds of vengeance and vendettas.


    Furthermore, the act of killing, particrly when it involved elite forces such as the King''s de, risked invoking the wrath of the kingdom and plunging them into an even deeper peril.


    Another alternative was to attempt to sway their enemies into bing allies, though this path was fraught with danger. Sess might yield potent allies, but it was fraught with peril. Trust would remain a constant challenge, and the group would constantly need to watch their backs, unsure of who might ultimately betray them.


    Therger the army they sought to win over, the more challenging it would be to maintain control and secure unwavering loyalty.


    In thisplex maze of choices, there were no simple solutions. Rain and his friends were navigating a treacherous journey where every step carried far-reaching consequences, and the results of their actions remained uncertain. The sole certainty was that they were embarking on a demanding and perilous path forward.


    "Our best course of action is to keep buying time, I guess," Asche said while she was sharpening some of her arrows. "And then try to interfere with the barrel between the main human army and the magic people, right?"


    "That seems to be the case, but they canst more than one month?" Roan asked. "Based on what Rain said, they are more hot-blooded than I thought¡­ I would assume that this battle is to only make sure that we won''t interfere in that war. Or at least until they can solidify their power in the region that they already took over."


    "We can still cause trouble to them even here," Rain said while massaging his neck. "They are counting that we won''t cause trouble to civilians because that will only harm our reputation further, but there are some ways that we can avoid that kind of oue."


    "How exactly?" Branden asked.


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 Chapter 389: Thinking too much into it

    "First, we deal with this army and take their weapons and armor before letting them go," Rain exined. "After that, we invaded the nearby cities, towns, and viges and forced them to trade war supplies for food with us. We keep a decent rate that it will make them feel a bit satisfied, but not that much since they will feel suspicious."


    "I suppose that could work¡­" Branden said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We won''t be making allies per se, but they won''t feel that inclined to join other campaigns against us."


    "Naturally, we will have to lock down anyone who is working for the king and Joanis. We have to nip troublemakers in the bud before they cause problems," Rain added.


    "That wasn''t something that I wanted to hear¡­ still, I suppose it can''t be helped¡­ those who have money would try to secure it by betting on the side of the king and Joanis," Roan said and then sighed. "They will lose everything sooner orter if we win, so it is better to make that move."


    "How much time do we have before that armyes for us, a week?" Rain asked.


    "At least that much since they probably split to visit all the cities and towns to assemble the army¡­ they should regroup on the nearestrgest city close to the waterway," Branden nodded.


    "In that case, we have one week to prepare as well," Rain said while stretching his body. "Ah, I have to teach you guys something. It is a technique called¡­ called¡­ what should I call it? Super Saiyan transformation? Magic Armor? Magic Pulse?


    I guess Magic Boost will do the trick."


    Rain''s technique for defeating the beast king was well-known among hisrades. Still, the intricacies of its workings remained a mystery to most. What theyprehended was that Rain''s unique approachbined magical and physical skills, resulting in a potentbat strategy.


    At its foundation was Magic Boost, a skill that magnified Rain''s attributes in direct proportion to the amount of magic he infused into it. This meant that the more magic he employed, the greater his enhancement in strength, agility, endurance, and even his magical aspects.


    It was a versatile technique that allowed individuals with less robust bodies to be surprisingly formidable when supported by a substantial reservoir of mana.


    On the flip side, Limit Breaker was more advantageous for those who already possessed formidable physical constitutions. It pushed their physical capabilities to the extreme, providing a significant increase in power and speed. However, it came at the cost of severe strain on the user''s body, often leading to fatigue and exhaustion with prolonged use.


    Magic Boost, conversely, favored individuals deeply attuned to the magical arts. Its benefits came without the drawbacks of physical exhaustion or adverse side effects. As long as one could maintain a steady supply of mana, they could sustain peak performance. This made it an ideal choice for mages whose reliance on magical prowess surpassed all else.


    "That is a useful technique¡­ the girls will increase their survivability considerably," Roan said while nodding several times. "I suppose I am happy that we raised you well. Even though you keep looking for more power, you don''t want to use it to take over the world or something."


    "I am not that bothered to take over the world¡­ for now," Rain said and then showed a devilish smile.


    "Hahaha, that was a good one¡­ please tell me that it was a joke," Roan said.


    "You are getting too paranoid as you age¡­" Leiah said and then shrugged.


    Rain proceeded to teach everyone how to use Magic Boost, and soon, he noticed that those who had a lot of mana were learning faster than others. Everyone was making some progress since the technique wasn''t that simple. One just had to be able to clear their mindspletely.


    Magic Boost has a distinct effect on the user''s body, setting the mana inside them into motion throughout their entire system. This unique phenomenon is closely tied to how mana is continually at work within individuals, even when their mana reserves are at their maximum.


    Mana, the life force of magic, is in perpetual use within a person''s body, albeit in subtle ways. It has a crucial role in maintaining their overall well-being. When someone''s mana pool is full, the effects are often imperceptible but undeniably significant. It reinforces their health and vitality, making them less vulnerable to illness and fatigue. That was why Rain never got sick.


    The constant cirction of mana within the body ensures that various bodily functions operate optimally. It acts as a subtle yet potent source of well-being, reinforcing their physical and mental resilience. While most people are unaware of these intricate inner workings, they usually experience a heightened sense of well-being when their mana is abundant.


    "I guess that is it for today¡­ you guys will have to improve by yourselves," Rain said when the sun was setting. "You can practice for five days, and then you should head to the waterway."


    "You are still recovering. You should restpletely, too," Terra said while looking at Rain with reproachful eyes.


    "I won''t move my body; I will just use magic, so it is fine," Rain said and then shrugged before entering the house and then going to bed since he didn''t know when he would have the chance to sleep on one again.


    "Sorry for that, Terra," Leiah said. "He finally entered his rebellious phase, so it is hard to convince him of anything¡­ It is even more troublesome since his reasoning is sound even when he is rebellious. I hope that you won''t give up on him too soon. You have your blessings."


    "... Ma''am, I think you are thinking too much into this," Terra said and then looked at the others of her group with eyes filled with suspicion, but they looked away from her. "But I am just worried as a friend and because I am the healer of the group. I will be to me for eighty percent of the reason if any of us die, after all."

 Chapter 390: Age of strife

    "It is fine, it is fine," Leiah said. "You don''t have to be so bashful. Rain got my good looks, and he is reliable, too, so it is understandable."


    "He got his reliability from me, right?" Roan asked. "There is no other exnation aside from the fact that I showed him how to be reliable."


    "I wouldn''t know," Leiah shrugged.


    "Hey," Roan protested.


    "You guys are thinking too much about this, and I am not a criminal to be interested in fourteen-year-old boys," Terra said.


    "... It would have been pretty embarrassing if Rain could hear all of this," Asche facepalmed.


    "It is fine. He is already sleeping," Dana said. "He taught me how to find the locations of others with earth magic. He also taught me to even feel their heartbeats with the same¡­ it is a bit tiresome since it requires a lot of focus."


    "...It feels like Rain is turning his little sisters into super soldiers," Jori said while showing aplicated expression.


    Jori didn''t feel that much embarrassed for being weaker than Rain, who was seven years his junior. Still, he would feel embarrassed if he let a little girl nine years younger than him surpass him¡­ Jori made a mental note to train even harder from that day onward.


    Rain woke up along the sunrise the next day and then immediately used Impulse toward the waterway while everyone was still sleeping. He promised Terra that he wouldn''t use his body that much, but time was of the essence."


    "Wait¡­ if I halve the cost of the mana used by Impulse¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain just confirmed that by using half of the mana he usually would spend, he was able to use just enough mana that he recovered¡­ Still, he was able to cross three hundred meters per second with the mana that he recovered¡­ Rain couldn''t help but smile in satisfaction.


    "The fruits of one''s training," Rain thought.


    Once Rain reached the waterway, he soon met with one merman who silently greeted him before vanishing¡­ it seemed that they respected Rain a lot, even though their first impression of him was as bad as it could have been. Regardless, Rain used a bit of his earth magic to expand the waterway.


    While using water magic would be a better option, that path was at level forty-four, and Rain wanted to unlock the next one, probably the fire mage''s path.


    The Earth Mage''s path leveled up.


    Level 45: Earthbound Allies (05) - Forge a pact with earthbound creatures, summoning them to fight by your side. The higher the level of the skill, the more powerful creatures you can summon. Each level increases the limit mana up to one hundred points.


    "Oh¡­ is that¡­" Rain thought when he checked the new skill he learned.


    In the next moment, Rain equipped that skill and tried to use it. In the next moment, he created a one meter tall golem¡­ it was the same technique that the golem masters used. They weren''t golem summoners or anything like¡­ they were earth mage''s through and through.


    Rain quickly realized that his ability to summon golems had an unexpected advantage: these magical creatures gained experience gradually over time without depleting his mana reserves.


    Seeing the potential in this, Rain decided to employ his golems for an interesting purpose. He summoned a multitude of them and directed them to return to his home. Their primary task was to assist with various agricultural activities, such as nting, harvesting, and maintaining the fields.


    Rain''s intention was twofold: to contribute to the prosperity of his vige and to earn valuable experience points for his Farmer''s path and that skill as well.


    By deploying his golems in this manner, Rain aimed to make the most of his unique abilities while simultaneously benefiting both hismunity and himself. If anything, while it wasn''t that useful forbat, it would help him in more ways than one.


    After that, Rain used his spear to expand the waterway, and soon Seadir showed up. At that point in time, Rain couldn''t help but think that the sea emperor was using his son as some kind of diplomat¡­ he also knew Rain rtively well, after all.


    "I heard that you defeated the beast king while you were sleeping," Seadir suddenly said after he jumped out of the water. "It seems that their strength has been increasing over the years. Father said that in thest five centuries, their king had been mainly weaklings."


    "Is that a good thing for you all?" Rain asked.


    "It doesn''t matter that much, but it can serve as a warning for all of us," Seadir exined. "Humans probably don''t know the current power of the beast king, and he probably can get stronger¡­ if they knew that, they wouldn''t be so eager to attack the magic people and take over their territory."


    The strength of the Beast King had a profound impact on the entire Beastmenmunity. It essentially set a new standard for their collective potential, giving them a higher goal to strive for. As the Beast King grew stronger, it inspired and pushed the rest of the Beast People to reach new heights in their abilities.


    Recognizing the significance of this, Seadir promptly reported the oue of the intense duel between Rain and the Beast King. This information was ryed to the Sea Emperor, offering valuable insights into the changing power dynamics among the Beastmen. The Sea Emperor understood the importance of this event and how it could reshape the Beastmen society and, eventually the world.


    Furthermore, Rain and his friends not only disyed their formidable abilities but also revealed the powers of the broader Beastmenmunity. This bold move indicated their willingness to no longer conceal their strengths, even in the face of defeat by Rain''s group.


    Consequently, the Beastmen society was on the brink of experiencing increased turmoil and change as individuals sought to reach greater heights of power, with consequences yet to fully unfold. The world was truly entering an age of strife¡­

 Chapter 391: Scheme

    Rain took satisfaction in using his small golems to help with farming, tending to the fields, and gaining valuable experience in his path as a farmer. However, when he first deployed these golems, his friends were initially startled and identally killed a few of them in their confusion. He scolded them for a while for making him waste mana.


    Luckily, it didn''t take them long to understand the purpose of these golems. They soon realized that the golems were making farming tasks more efficient and productive. This understanding dispelled their initial surprise, and they grew to appreciate the practicality and benefits of Rain''s unique approach to farming with the assistance of golems.


    "I thought that the golem masters could only summon a handful of them, and they consumed mana over time," Branden said while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "That was probably a limitation of those who didn''t unlock the skill yet. Those who did it could even customize their golems," Rain said and then tried to create a golem cart like the one he saw one of the messengers using before. "This one now can be used to carry stuff¡­ his speed isughable, though."


    "Why didn''t we see this kind of thing while we were there?" Branden said and then considered some possibilities. "I guess they did their best to hide from us."


    "We can use this to transport things around with ease and without manpower. This will help a lot when we start the next part of the n," Rain said while smiling. "Anyway, I will return to the waterway."


    Just like the wind, Rain left the area, and his family and friends wondered if the word rxing didn''t exist in Rain''s vocabry. At least he looked fine despite the previous battle¡­ However, they wondered if, at some point, Rain would burn out¡­ They didn''t know that he already lived a life of mediocrity before and wanted to run away from that at his top speed and with all his might.


    "I have to think of other ways to make the golems earn me a lot more experience¡­ soon, they will reach level one hundred and stop leveling up, so only the paths will gain experience," Rain thought while running. "Perhaps not that soon, but eventually. I wonder if there is a way to break the level cap of skills and paths¡­ my level is way above that, after all."


    The only problem was the fact that the golems couldn''t do things that delicate or that required a lot of skill. Anything that required horsepower they would be excellent, but for anything else¡­


    (The Apprentice Path Lv 21 - Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 02 per level up.)


    (Student Path Lv 29 - + 03 Intelligence, + 03 Wisdom per level.)


    (Artisan Path Lv 45 - Dexterity + 04, Luck + 02 per level up.)


    (Farmer Path Lv 30 - All parameters + 1)


    (Worker Path Lv 20 - All parameters + 1)


    "For now, these are my best options to level up using the golems¡­ I guess I can make the golems do some hard work like mining or moving rocks," Rain thought. "They can''t use long-range attacks yet, or maybe that is something I have to control them, so for now, they can''t be used for fighting either."


    While Rain was thinking about that, a few days passed, and on the morning of the fifth day after his return, he was greeted with an unusual sight after working for a few hours on expanding the waterway¡­ in the distance, he could see an army approaching.


    "... They are a lot faster than I had expected," Rain thought.


    Rain was taken aback when heid eyes on the approaching army. It was a substantial force, consisting of at least two thousand soldiers. What made this even more remarkable was the fact that Ka had managed to assemble such a force in just ten days.


    With fifty thousand troops already engaged on the Eastern front, the rapid formation of this army spoke volumes about Ka''s organizational skills and the urgency of their predicament¡­ possibly about the unknown squad of Joanis'' men as well.


    "What should we do?" Seadir suddenly emerged from the water and then asked after just showing his head.


    "They might have some other tricks to capture you, so you shouldn''t join the battle. tell your friends to just watch and not show yourselves," Rain said. "They could be trying to cross other areas, so keep a close eye on all the waterways¡­ the others are leaving the vige today, and they should arrive after noon."


    "Understood," Seadir said and then submerged.


    Rain didn''t know what those guys were going to do, but they certainly were in a hurry¡­ Rain had already doubled the size of the waterway by one-third of its extension now, so it was forty metersrge¡­ that army probably had some mages that would help them cross it with more ease. Still, Rain would make their lives a living hell.


    Rain kept a close watch on the approaching army, studying their movements from a distance. However, the advancing force suddenly came to a halt roughly three kilometers away. While he couldn''t see the presence of Ka or any King''s de members, Rain did spot an intriguing group of five soldiers. Their unique aura suggested that they were probably part of Joanis'' group.


    "Well, now, what are you going to do?" Rain thought after he crossed his arms and began to drink some potions. "Those five guys are dead, but we can use the others¡­ Still, Joanis wouldn''t only send five of them if he didn''t believe that they would definitely be able to kill me."


    Rain recalled the fight with the woman of the ice des and the wind spearman¡­ Joanis should have been aware of their deaths when he came up with that scheme, and he probably had enough information toe up with a good n, and those five guys were at the core of it. Before they were able to do anything, Rain had to kill them¡­

 Chapter 392: Talking first

    When the others arrived in the area and found the enemies setting their camp, they immediately readied themselves for battle and got closer to Rain, but soon they rxed a bit, not that much, though.


    "I didn''t expect that they woulde so soon¡­ even if Ka is leading them, she shouldn''t be this influential," Branden said while squinting his eyes.


    "What are we going to do?" Reca asked.


    "Continue your training as much as possible, and then we will wait for the enemies to make their move," Rained exined. "When they try anything, I will be sure to slow them down."


    Rain had a strategy in mind, one that aimed to not only defeat the enemy but also send a powerful message. His approach involved maintaining relentless pressure on the opposition, depriving them of any chance to catch their breath. This would gradually erode their physical conditions, making them progressively weaker.


    However, Rain wasn''t only targeting their physical strength; he recognized the psychological impact of such an assault. His intention was to shatter their confidence and resolve, undermining their overallbat effectiveness.


    Rain saved his most devastating attacks for a crucial moment. His n was to deliver a crippling blow that would not only inflict physical harm but also leave a deep and enduring emotional scar. He firmly believed that those who had chosen to side with the enemy deserved to face severe consequences for their decisions.


    Still, the enemies didn''t make any move, and the sun eventually began to set. Thanks to the tunnel and the golems, Rain could send anyone to home in less than half an hour, but no one wanted to stay there¡­ even the former prisoners were with them and wanted to help somehow.


    While Rain was thinking about that, he saw Allion and then wondered if it would be a good idea to let that guy join the fight¡­ he probably would end up killing some people whether he wanted to or not.


    "Did you find them?" Branden asked after he approached. "I can''t see Ka or anyone familiar while using Magic Eyes."


    "No, I can''t sense the earth from the other side, thanks to the waterway," Rain exined. "Still, it is clear that they won''t show up since it can cause issues for them. At the same time, I don''t want to contact them anymore."


    "Why not?" Branden asked, visibly surprised.


    "They have families, right?" Rain asked. "If Ka and the others have, betraying their side will put them in a difficult spot. Sorry to say, but if I have to choose between betraying you or my family and the enemy is too far away for me to kill them all in a single moment, then you would be going now."


    "Well, I would do the same thing in the same situation, so I can understand it," Branden said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I guess those are the demerits of fame. Joanis had plenty of time to study us and make sure to know where our weaknesses are."


    "Should we go and shake them up a bit?" Roan joined the conversation and asked.


    "Let''s make them think that they can decide where they will fight, and then we will make them understand that it isn''t the case," Rain said. "Everyone should just rest in the meantime. I will keep an eye on them and slow them down if they try anything too big in the middle of the night."


    As night descended upon them, the group tried to rest, but the looming tension in the air made sleep escape them. The weight of the uing sh with the formidable enemy army cast a heavy shadow over their minds, rendering rest a distant luxury.


    Amidst this uneasy atmosphere, Rain, Roan, and Branden took up the mantle of sentinels, standing guard. In the tranquility of the night, their senses were finely attuned to every subtle sound and movement. This trio stood ready to spring into action at a moment''s notice.


    "What about using me and Esmeralda to make everyone understand on the other side that we are alive and well?" Branden suddenly asked.


    "You can do that once they start fighting during the day; don''t expect much results from that, though," Rain said. "It will be hard for the ordinary soldier to recognize you all from a distance, and those who Joanis sent will probably try to kill you all before anyone can recognize you.


    If we guard you all, people will think that we are keeping you all as prisoners¡­ Since Esmeralda lost some weight, they will probably think that we aren''t giving her food either."


    Branden nodded¡­ There was no easy solution out of that mess. So, they could only target the real enemies and knock down everyone else. Even so, that was risky as well.


    When morning came, the group finally could see some movements on the other side. Rain didn''t notice any scouts approaching to look at them from a closer distance¡­ they probably knew that Rain had gotten rid of the scouts that they had sent to the magic people''s country, so doing the same here would only be a waste of time.


    As the sun was rising, a small contingent of enemy soldiers began to approach the waterway. Among them was Ka, and her presence was confirmed when Rain''s group recognized Cor and the other agents who served Joanis.


    The appearance of this select group from the enemy''s camp raised questions and concerns among Rain and hispanions. It hinted at a possible negotiation or interaction, but the true nature of their intent remained uncertain. With their senses heightened and their guard unwavering, Rain''s group prepared for whatever developments might unfold in the dark of night.


    "I guess they want to demand my surrender before shedding any blood," Rain said. "We will probably hear some interesting sentences."


    Everyone behind stayed on guard while Rain, Roan, and Branden waited for the group to approach on the other side¡­

 Chapter 393 : Immortals...

    Eventually, they saw the look of surprise on Cor and Ka''s face when they saw Branden, Esmeralda, Orcis, and Lorene ready to fight. Still, that didn''t stop Ka from stepping up and then gulping before raising her voice.


    "Listen closely, Rain, and all who stand with him," Ka dered, her tone resolute, "I insist on your immediate surrender. Hand over Rain without resistance, and I can ensure the safety of all the others. In these critical times for our nation, internal strife is a luxury we cannot indulge. Surrender stands as the only logical course of action.


    If he epts punishment for his actions, we can erase this tragic event from the pages of the history of our nation."


    Ka''s words hung heavily in the night air, casting an undeniable weight on Rain and his allies, who found themselves confronted with a daunting decision in the face of her ultimatum.


    "... That is something they wrote, not her," Branden said. "They are forcing her to say all that in order to cause conflicts between us and the king''s de in case things aren''t solved here."


    "I figured as much," Rain said. "I guess I will have to give them my response for wanting my head and asking for it nicely. Stay here and defend this side."


    Branden and Roan sighed when they heard those words¡­ they already knew that Rain could do something like that, but they didn''t think that it would be so soon. Without hesitation, he used Limit Breaker, Magic Boost, and Impulse to charge toward the enemies¡­ In the next moment, a powerful st happened on the sides of the group.


    Ka and Cor fell to the side thanks to the sudden arrival and Rain''s attack. One of the enemies on the left side suddenly was punched by Rain, and his chest waspletely pierced by Rain''s punch and then was sent flying into the distance.


    His friends quickly pointed their swords at Rain while the fallen soldier was flying in the distance and then rolling on the ground for dozens of meters. Rain turned to face those guys while his arm was covered in blood, but he ignored that and just looked them in the eye¡­ just like before, he couldn''t see anything in there, no fear, no tension, only the desire to cut him down.


    Ka looked at Rain in shock as if she was imagining that she would be the next to be killed, but Cor stepped forward and shielded her. However, the four other opponents suddenly attacked Rain.


    As if they were copying each other''s moves, the four soldiers swung their swords from left to right while targeting Rain''s neck, but he blocked them with his forearm guards while frowning¡­ were they holding back, he couldn''t help but think of that since their attacks were too light¡­ weren''t they a special squad made to kill him?


    The enemies tried to step away, but an earth wall blocked their escape, and then Rain stepped in and, punched their chests, and pierced them without holding back. If the enemies were doing that, he wouldn''t, and thanks to that, his arms pierced their torso and ended up covered in blood as they fell one by one.


    "What is going on here?" Rain asked while frowning.


    Rain looked at Cor and Ka with eyes filled with suspicion, and Cor raised his sword¡­ he was shocked as well, but he didn''t look like he was about to attack Rain¡­ if there was a scheme in ce, they weren''t part of it. In any case, before Rain could understand what was going on, he suddenly saw something approaching from the side, and he quickly raised his left arm and blocked an attack.


    While being pushed away, Rain opened his eyes widely when he saw the first guy he killed attacking him¡­ he was supposed to be dead. Still, then he recalled that he didn''t see the messages of the system.


    "What the fuck¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain raised his guard when the enemy stopped and thennded. He took a food look at the chest of the guy and soon found that it was still bloody, but the wound wasn''t there¡­ At the same time, Rain looked to the side and saw the other guys that he supposedly killed getting up¡­ her auras were growing more powerful as well.


    "Now, this is one hell of a weird ability," Rain thought.


    Ka and Cor also looked quite shocked¡­ they saw those guys dying, even though they killed hundreds of magic people without suffering a single scratch¡­ or did they? They couldn''t know now after seeing that.


    As if things weren''t troublesome enough, the army in the distance began to move. Those five guys stayed close to each other while they were waiting for the reinforcements¡­ it seemed that their orders were only to keep Rain busy while the others did the clean up.


    Rain thought of facing them, but he had an idea and just jumped to the other side of the waterway. He didn''t have to fight when those guys wanted, and he also needed to confirm something.


    "Did I see that right?" Roan asked.


    "Yes¡­ I pierced their torso, and they healed from that wound in a matter of seconds," Rain said while he was getting rid of the blood in his arms. "I can''t sense anything weird with the blood so that regeneration speed must be their natural ability or something simr to what the other guys had¡­ have you heard of anyone in history that could do this?"


    "No way," Branden replied. "Humans can''t do that¡­ but if they have the blood of others¡­ we don''t have much information about the warriors of other species¡­ anyway, this isn''t time for that, right?"


    The approaching army disyed an unwavering resolve as they closed in on the waterway. Their ranks stretched far and wide, their formation disciplined and unyielding. With every step they took, the ground seemed to tremble beneath their might. It was evident that they had no intention of retreating; their determined advance painted a clear picture of theirmitment to kill him.

 Chapter 394 : Splitting work

    Rain grabbed his coral spear, channeling the might of the waterway. With a determined focus, hemanded an immense surge of water, shaping it into a colossal wave that surged forward with immense power. This towering wave loomed over the battlefield, crashing into the approaching enemy forces.


    It sent soldiers flying backward, their rmed shouts drowned out by the surging waters. The wave''s sheer force disrupted their formation, sowing chaos and confusion as they collided with one another, bearing the brunt of the assault. This incredible feat of water maniption had depleted a substantial portion of Rain''s mana, but was sessful in halting the enemy''s advance.


    "What now?" Branden asked.


    "Now, we wait for a while¡­ I want to see any changes in the aura of those five guys," Rain replied. "We can''t make any big moves until we understand their abilities a bit more."


    Just as Rain had expected, the army retreated once they recovered from the surprise. At the same time, slowly but surely, the aura of the special squad began to return to normal¡­ Rain didn''t know how, but it seemed that they could grow stronger after suffering death. That was just the main part of their abilities, the other part was their insane regeneration¡­


    "You could have chased them," Seadir suddenly appeared and then said it. "I know of your ns, but you can''t win this war by only killing those who willingly work for your enemies."


    "We will cross that bridge at the right time," Rain dered. "For now, we can afford that¡­ even though the enemy is counting on us wasting time here."


    "We can help and keep sending them away. Twenty of us can do the same as you," Seadir said. "Father told us that we can only do that if you decide to cooperate."


    "I will treat that as ast resort. What has he decided to do for now?" Rain asked after he crossed his arms.


    "... He doesn''t reveal that kind of information to everyone, so I am in the dark," Seadir said while looking away, obviously troubled.


    Rain wondered if the fact that he captured Seadir was part of the problem that the sea emperor didn''t trust his son all that much. If he was captured once, he probably could be captured again¡­ Rain could easily imagine that guy thinking along those lines.


    Regardless, it wasn''t Rain''s problem, and he had better things to worry about. For example, it looked like his friends were cooking something troublesome¡­


    "You should consider what they are thinking and what they want to do," Roan said when he saw everyone approaching. "You may be acting like the leader, but you don''t act like a general that stays on the rear. As such, you don''t have a clear view of the battlefield most of the time."


    That was a difficult dilemma, torn between safeguarding his loved ones and addressing the looming threat without risking them. Roan''s words, though sharp, resonated with him. He realized leadership epassed more than justbat on the front lines. It demanded aprehensive understanding of the enemy''s intentions and strategic thinking.


    Also, using all of the forces avable¡­ like his family and friends.


    "You''re right," Rain said and then sighed. "I''ve been too singrly focused onbat, but now I see the need for a broader perspective. To confront this challenge effectively, we must gather more intelligence¡­ and also use everything we have at our disposal.


    Roan nodded in agreement, recognizing Rain''smitment to adapting and leading with greater foresight. The task ahead was formidable, but by studying the situation and acting decisively, they could confront it head-on. Besides, he trained his friends and family to be strong enough to survive most situations¡­ he didn''t think day and night of new techniques for nothing.


    Magic Boost was the result of all that.


    "Big bro, we have something serious to discuss with you," Dana said with her arms crossed and trying to look serious and imposing.


    "Whatever you want, I am at your mercy," Rain said. "Still, before anything, let''s try to check what we need to do and split the work amongst ourselves."


    Rain gathered his family and friends to discuss their objectives. "Our main goal is to confront and defeat those five individuals who pose a threat to us. We''ll use any means necessary to achieve that. I will deal with that alone since I am their target."


    While everyone didn''t like the start of that conversation, they could tell what Rain was thinking, and it wasn''t everything. Soon, he then outlined their secondary objective.


    "To prevent the enemy from crossing the waterway and advancing further, I''ll entrust my sisters with my coral spear. They''ll serve as a defense, intercepting any magical attacks and holding the line." Rain added. "You can work together to do that, and that should be enough to buy a lot of time.


    "For our final goal, we need quick-footed warriors who can strike and withdraw swiftly, disrupting the enemy''s base. This will keep them on the defensive and disrupt their ns. We also need to destroy their resources as soon as possible."


    "We can do that. The spear also looks cool," Dana said while smiling since she was finally going to join the action.


    "... Understood," Kei said after rolling her eyes for a bit, but soon she tried to hide that.


    "We don''t have to hurt them too much, right?" G asked.


    "Just enough to make them run away and cry to their mamas," Rain exined.


    "Jori and Reca can join me to target their backline and destroy their supplies," Roan dered. "I am not used to that kind of job, but we can surprise them thanks to Limit Breaker and Magic Boost."


    "I always wanted to do that kind of stealth job," Jori said while grinning.


    "What about the rest of us?" Terra asked. "While I can heal everyone from a certain distance, Asche and Liss can''t snipe the enemies without risking serious damage."

 Chapter 395: Combination

    "You three can use your magic to create chaos among the enemies'' ranks. You don''t have to focus on powerful attacks. Justrge ones will do it," Rain exined. "As for everyone else, Mom, Grandpa, and Grandma can work on the resources management and keep an eye on the prisoners if this takes longer than expected.


    The others can split between returning to the mountains to keep an eye on the beast people checking the area, and they can also check the area on the waterways to alleviate the work of the sea folk."


    With their battle n established and roles assigned, a newfound determination coursed through the group. Rain and hisrades fully grasped the gravity of their situation and recognized the need to give their utmost effort. The enemy at their doorstep left no room forcency, and every second counted.


    The sense of urgency was palpable, propelling them to a swift resolution. They understood that their loved one''s safety and the fate of their homnd hung in the bnce. This awareness served as a potent motivator, spurring them to work more efficiently and tirelessly than ever before.


    "This is better than before, but aren''t you trying to do more than you can handle?" Branden asked.


    "It is just damage mitigation, nothing else," Rain replied. "It will be worse for me if I have to worry about others instead of taking the damage myself."


    "Speaking of damage mitigation, are we going to attack them at night?" Branden asked. "If your waves could reach that far, we would be able to cause a lot of damage to their resources."


    "They are probably waiting for that, so it is better that we don''t," Rain said. "Besides, they could have a red crystal somewhere, and that would only make us waste mana. Instead of that, I have some other ideas."


    Rain shaded his battle ns with Branden, and he nodded. While neither of them liked to y defensively, they knew that they could cause a lot of mental damage to the enemies if they kept repelling them. They only need to endure the situation for a while until they reach their results to some extent.


    In the end, the day passed without any issues, and then the night came. The group went to rest soon after dinner, but Rain woke them up around midnight when a lot of the enemy soldiers began to move.


    "It seems that they aren''t joking, and they want to defeat us as soon as possible¡­" Jori said while showing a serious look. "Are you sure that they just want to prevent us from interfering in the war in the west?"


    "That should be their secondary goal, I guess," Rain said. "Anyway, assume positions. This is the chance that we have been waiting for."


    As the enemy forces advanced, a sense of tension permeated the camp. Rain''s group swiftly assumed their designated positions, determination evident on their faces. Rain''s keen instincts detected the presence of Seadir and the others, who remained concealed while observing the unfolding battle.


    It was clear that they harbored doubts about their ability to repel the approaching enemies. However, Rain was resolute in his goal to prove their capabilities and demonstrate that underestimating them would be a serious mistake. The time hade to dispel any doubts and unite for the impending confrontation.


    Rain didn''t see the five soldiers of Joanis, so it seemed that they wanted to make use of the chaos of the battle. Rain smirked while imagining their fate¡­ it seemed that they saw themselves as immortals that get stronger as they die, but theycked the creativity to know that there are things worse than death¡­


    The enemy army advanced methodically, each soldier gripping a towering shield firmly in hand. It was apparent that they had prepared themselves to withstand the wave that Rain had unleashed earlier. However, they remained unaware that Rain had no intention of being the one to repeat such an attack.


    Their disciplined march and the junction of their shield formation painted a picture of determined resilience, suggesting that they were willing to endure whatever challengesy ahead.


    When they were fifty meters away from the waterway, Dana, Kei, and G raised the spear and then used their mana to control the water around them. Before long, a wave as big as the one that Rain created earlier moved toward the enemies, but the soldiers didn''t move an inch.


    Much to everyone''s surprise, when the wave was about to crush the enemy soldiers, the water suddenly stopped around them and began to circte them¡­ before long, everyone could see a long wind barrier circting the one thousand soldiers that came to attack at night¡­


    "As expected, they brought some mages to counter it," Rain said. "Branden¡­ it is your turn."


    Branden nodded, and then he pointed his hands toward the wave around the enemies. Before long, the water began to circte and cover the entire wind barrier, and when that happened, Branden used his magic to freeze all of it.


    The temperature in the area began to drop, and the enemies soon realized the trap that they set for themselves when they began to tremble thanks to the cold. The mages of their group made the wind barrier explode.


    Some of the ice scattered around, and some cracks were formed on the ice around them as well. The mages used their magic to melt the ice around them as fast as possible, but that had been a mistake since it created a wave of steam that covered them.


    Thanks to that, the enemies began to retreat slowly while waiting for some sort of ambush, but after several minutes, it never came¡­ before long, they began to hear somemotioning from behind, and soon they found that an area of their camp was on fire¡­ it seemed that Roan, Jori, and Reca managed to achieve their first goal¡­


    "It seems that those guys weren''t there¡­ Where are they?" Rain thought while looking around.

 Chapter 396: Blow them up

    Roan, Jori, and Reca made clever use of the tunnel Rain had created. This allowed them to infiltrate the enemy''s camp quietly and without notice. They strategically ced torches among the enemy''s food supplies with precision and stealth, causing confusion and disruption. They then sealed the tunnel to cover their tracks, leaving no evidence of their presence.


    Rain remained unaware of their actions, but it seemed that Jori had acquired some skills in earth magic since he wanted to employ Impulse just like Rain without leaving any traces behind. For someone who trained in secret, he was pretty good.


    "It seems that they pulled it off quite early than expected, and the enemies werepletely caught off guard," Branden said while forcing a smile thanks to the exhaustion. "Still, I didn''t find your targets."


    "I didn''t find it either. They are probably scheming something¡­" Rain said. "Anyway, they are doing a full retreat. You can go and rest."


    Rain also decided to rx a bit, but he just alternated between meditating and standing up to keep his body alert. When Roan, Jori, and Reca returned, they looked pretty satisfied, but soon, they resumed their focus. The nearest city was only half a day away. They could get food there as much as they wanted. They could get pretty much anything they wanted for a few months, actually.


    The rest of the group went to rest as well until morning, and while that wasn''t much, it was better than nothing. After that, Rain went to talk with his father to ask what he saw in the enemy''s camp.


    "I didn''t find anything odd, but the atmosphere was a bit weird, but I can''t say for sure since we attacked their supplies without wasting time," Roan exined. "They had some guards on the perimeter, but they weren''t on high alert."


    "If Jori used his magic, it didn''t seem like there was a red crystal nearby¡­ that is what I am worried about," Rain said. "Without a real general to guard, their focus should be on guarding their resources."


    "Maybe they don''t have that many red crystals that they can use, so they didn''t bring one," Roan said and then went silent for a while. "...That doesn''t sound like something Joanis would do, I guess¡­ he had quite a while to prepare for all this. While we are probably an unexpected factor, he still must have had a margin of error for his ns."


    Rain agreed with that, and that is why he was worried¡­ the enemy should know that he was the best mage in the human kingdom¡­ it wouldn''t be impossible for Rain to be able to burn down their entire camp with enough mana.


    In any case, things stayed quiet until noon of the next day, and then everyone saw the enemies moving again.


    When that happened, everyone resumed their positions as fast as they could, but soon it looked like they would have to make some adjustments¡­ The enemies began to split into battalions of our hundred soldiers, and they spread in all directions¡­ they didn''t want to let Rain and his sisters attack them with arge concentration of water¡­ That was a problem.


    At the same time, Rain couldn''t see those five guys, he could only imagine that they were within those battalions in order to surprise him and his friends.


    "They aren''t half bad considering that they are brain-dead followers of Joanis¡­ or maybe Ka is the one who made them do this," Rain thought.


    The five special soldiers appeared to be executing a maneuver with a dual purpose. Firstly, they sought to fragment their forces and strategically position themselves across the battlefield. This strategy aimed to force Rain''s group into splitting up in response to the multiple threats they posed. Secondly, the intention was to exploit this division to iste and eliminate Rain''s family and friends.


    By dispersing both themselves and their troops, these special soldiers aimed to stretch Rain''s attention thin, making it challenging for him to protect everyone simultaneously. This division would create chaos and confusion on the battlefield, leaving openings for the special soldiers to strike at vulnerable targets.


    A crucial element of their n was that these special soldiers could be concealing themselves within these separated enemy groups, making it difficult for Rain to pinpoint and directly confront them.


    "I should blow them up all at once¡­" Rain muttered.


    "Let''s ask for help," Roan said. "Seadir and the others are here for that. They can even capture some of the soldiers for us."


    "That is right¡­ I know that you are cautious of them, but until now, they didn''t do anything that made them look like they wanted to use us," Branden added. "Since the kingdom didn''t submerge until now, we can say that the sea emperor is a reasonable man."


    Branden and Roan had a valid point that couldn''t be overlooked any longer. The safety of their loved ones was now at risk even more than before. Rain needed to put aside his pride and consider the bigger picture at this critical moment.


    Seeking assistance from the sea folk mighte with certain risks and potentialplications. However, it appeared to be the most practical choice given the gravity of the threat they faced. Handling it alone was no longer feasible, and the consequences of inaction could be severe.


    Recognizing that seeking help from the sea folk was the wise course of action, Rain needed to prioritize the safety and well-being of his family and friends above all else.


    "All right¡­" Rain said, and then, before long, Seadir showed up. "We will be counting on you now."


    "Finally, I was starting to think that you aren''t that smart," Seadir said. "What are the goals?"


    "Stop all of them and capture some," Rain said. "I won''t be able to help you since I want to keep my eyes open against those five guys. I just recalled something that they can do to be a real nuisance."

 Chapter 397: Prisoner

    "If you are nning to capture them, you shouldn''t let them go anytime soon. They might be executed on the spot once they return to avoid saying anything," Seadir said. "That will make you waste time and resources keeping an eye on them."


    "It will be fine. I will make them go on a trip to discover themselves and start over from scratch," Rain said while smiling.


    Seadir didn''t understand what Rain meant by that, and he didn''t have time to ask for details since the battalions were approaching.


    Before long, he went to talk with his friends, and soon they were ready to move¡­ when the ten battalions approached the waterway, it was impossible to see them from a single spot. They indeed split themselves in arge area.


    Still, Rain increased his field of vision by flying and looking at them just like that. He had to be fast to act when necessary, after all.


    Hidden beneath the water''s surface, the sea folk unleashed their coordinated assault on the approaching battalions, catching thempletely off guard. With a masterful disy of control over the water, they exerted tremendous pressure, creating surging waves that forcefully pushed the surprised enemy forces.


    The troops, unprepared for such an assault, struggled to maintain their formation once again in the face of this unexpected attack. It became clear that the enemycked the necessary number of mages to counter this water maniption.


    The sea folk''s ability tomand vast amounts of water disrupted the enemy''s advance, causing them to scatter and lose cohesion. This surprise tactic granted Rain and his allies a significant advantage in the unfolding battle.


    When the battalions began to fallpletely, some of the water returned to the waterways while bringing some of the soldiers as well. That was what Seadir told them to do¡­ but because of that moment where they split their focus, the enemies had the chance to move.


    Rain saw all of the five special soldiers crossing the massive waves in the split of a second, and then they approached the waterway and found the sea folk there¡­ That wasn''t good.


    "Shit¡­" Rain said while biting his lips, and then he used Limit Breaker and Magic Boost.


    Since they moved too much water, they could be seen now, and they could be captured or killed. That certainly would make the sea emperor consider destroying the whole human kingdom with something akin to a flood¡­ Rain couldn''t let that happen.


    As fast as he could, Rain reached one of the special soldiers and then kicked him in the head and broke his neck. He wanted to put his n into action. Still, it wasn''t the best moment¡­ either way, he knocked down the first opponent and then dashed to the other with all his might since he was already choking a merman.


    "These fuckers sure are fast¡­ wait," Rain thought, and then he saw something in the distance.


    Roan, Jori, and Reca had realized what was happening and went to attack the enemies, so Rain only had to deal with two of them. Rain saw his father exchanging blows in the air against one of the special soldiers, and it seemed that they were on an equal level.


    With that in mind, Rain decided to put his n into action. After punching the second enemy in the stomach and knocking him down, Rain used his earth magic to cover the second guy in a thickyer of earth and covered the whole body aside from his nose¡­ he couldn''t let him die, after all. He would get stronger, and he would be able to escape¡­


    Still, when Rain turned around to capture the second soldier, he saw him jumping away from the waterway and escaping¡­ when Rain looked in the other direction, he saw the others doing the same.


    "Maybe I revealed my card a bit too soon¡­ despite not being able to think for themselves, they sure have some amazing decision-making skills," Rain thought.


    Rain wanted to keep the enemies in the dark about what he did to capture some of them. However, as soon as the waterway was filled again, that became unnecessary¡­ and he just left it while making the prisoner float in the air. At the same time, the army that was knocked down by the waves began their next retreat.


    "Your guess was right, but I didn''t expect that you would be able to capture one of them¡­ so this is what you were nning," Branden said when Rain returned.


    "I was nning to capture all five of them at once, but I guess that was too much¡­" Rain said.


    "Can we interrogate this guy?" Jori asked when he returned alongside the others.


    "Probably not¡­ they canmunicate with each other somehow. Even in this state, he might be able to pass messages to his friends," Rain exined. "It will be better if they don''t know what we are interested in."


    Seadir joined them and conveyed his thanks to Rain for prioritizing the safety of his friends over sticking rigidly to their initial n. What Seadir didn''t know was the fact that Rain''s main goal was to avert the worst possible oue and protect his loved ones, even if it meant deviating from their original strategy.


    "Even if this guy can regenerate, he can die so many times, right?" Seadir asked. "It might be a good idea to learn how many times he can die."


    "You have a point, but based on what I saw, they can get two times stronger every time they do and for around five minutes," Rain exined. "It is more than enough time for them to wreak chaos¡­ My guess is that they can probably die five times before they either run out of juice to maintain that level of power or their bodies fail to handle such a power-up.


    Still, doubling their power level four times still would make them sixteen times stronger than before."

 Chapter 398: Fear

    Rain''s openmunication might have seemed counterproductive, especially considering their need for secrecy and the absence of the knowledge of how established the means ofmunication of the enemies. However, the group understood that Rain''s transparency came from a deliberate strategy.


    The sea folk arrived as nned, bringing the captured soldiers to the shore. They also gathered up the weapons and shields discarded by the disoriented enemy troops, which had been scattered by the force of the waves. Rain, disying his expertise in earth magic, handcuffed the unconscious prisoners.


    After ensuring their restraints, he confined them within a hut crafted from earth magic, allowing them only their basic undergarments.


    "Ah, I get now what you said before¡­" Roan said and thenughed. "You are quite something, Rain¡­"


    "Ordinary soldiers can''tmunicate with others, right?" Seadir asked. "We just have to move this guy somewhere and ask a few things to the others."


    "Leave that to us. We can make them talk with more ease," Branden said and then went to call Esmeralda, Lorene, and Orcis.


    Those four were the main reason that the battle started, to free them, since most people didn''t know that King left his daughter locked in her room and sent the others to an unknown ind.


    Once those four came, Rain moved behind the hut to keep an eye on the enemies. There was no telling what the special soldiers would do now. He hid their locked ally underground behind that hut with just enough oxygen for him¡­ he probably could recover from dying of asphyxiation, after all.


    "You guys know who we are, right?" Branden asked when the prisoners began to wake up. "What do you really know about the situation?"


    No member of the King''s de had been captured, so it would be a bit harder to convince those guys that Branden and the others weren''t being coerced or brainwashed¡­ they never talked with them, after all. In any case, the twenty prisoners refused to say a single thing. It also seemed that they were unlucky enough not to capture any of Orcis'' soldiers.


    "I am Princess Esmeralda," Esmeralda stepped forward and then said. "Perhaps a former princess would be the best way to introduce myself¡­ I won''t try to convince us to join our side or understand us, but we need you to tell us what you know. Consider yourselves lucky that all of you only had minor injuries when you wanted to kill our friends and even more so when you greatly outnumbered us.


    Do you truly believe that justice is on our side?"


    Esmeralda took on the task of engaging with the captured soldiers who might be swayed by their sense of justice or moral principles. Her objective was to tap into their conscience, making them question their involvement in the hostile operation against Rain and his group.


    She hoped that by doing so, these soldiers would feelpelled to share any vital information about their mission,manders, or ns. Such insights could prove invaluable in their current situation.


    Soldiers undergo rigorous training that instills the values of duty, honor, and safeguarding the innocent. This training cultivates a strong moralpass and a sense of responsibility to uphold justice.


    Most military organizations have a well-defined code of ethics that outlines the ethical principles soldiers must adhere to. This code underscores the importance of fairness, integrity, and respect for the rights of all individuals.


    Effective military leaders often emphasize the significance of justice and ethical behavior. This influence can shape soldiers'' attitudes and actions, making them more inclined to uphold justice. Thanks to all those reasons, the soldiers hesitated a bit.


    "... We heard that the princess was captured by a rebel that was brainwashing Lord Branden to take over the kingdom."


    "Many people began to say that Lord Branden was nning to use the King''s de for a coup. The reason for that was the fact that their strongest soldier was a soldier from the fallen Lonard family. He mes the royal family for the fall of his family."


    "Well, isn''t that convenient?" Rain asked and thenughed. "You would do better in following all mymands, Branden. Apparently, you are too stupid to make decisions on your own. If I could brainwash others, I would just make the KingKing buy and produce all the spiritual potions in the country for me."


    "... What else?" Branden asked after facepalming.


    "The king''s de current leaders are here to prove their loyalty to the king, and they are also fighting in the East for that reason."


    "The entire kingdom is working together and preparing supplies to rescue the princess. Even kids want to join the army and contribute somehow."


    "... Father wouldn''t allow that," Esmeralda said. "He wants too much to leave his name in history books, but he wouldn''t let kids die for that¡­"


    "Joanis¡­ he is controlling the flow of information and rumors all over the kingdom," Branden said while clenching his teeth.


    The group also learned that Joanis, in his relentless pursuit of Rain and his allies, resorted to offering a significant reward for Rain''s assassination. This reward served as a powerful incentive for individuals to take on this dangerous task.


    Joanis knew that to effectively eliminate Rain, he needed to exploit the desperation or greed of those who might be willing to undertake such a dangerous mission.


    However, at this point, only a small and misguided group of people were genuinely considering this treacherous endeavor. These individuals, driven by various motivations, were willing to risk their lives to rescue Esmeralda, even though she wasn''t actually in need of rescue.


    Their mistaken belief that Esmeralda was Rain''s captive and required saving only added to the confusion surrounding the situation.


    Joanis'' offer of a substantial bounty created a moral dilemma for some, as they weighed the appeal of wealth against the grave consequences of attempting to assassinate Rain. While financial incentives naturally attracted a few individuals, most recognized the formidable nature of Rain''s abilities and understood that such a thing would be incredibly deadly¡­ for them.

 Chapter 399 : Countering magic

    The group had gathered more information, shedding light on another aspect of Joanis''s strategy. In addition to his relentless pursuit of Rain and the generous reward offered for Rain''s assassination, Joanis was actively spreading a variety of rumors about his organization, known as the "King''s Shield."


    These rumors portrayed Joanis as an unwavering protector of the royal family, suggesting that he would go to great lengths to safeguard their interests and maintain the kingdom''s stability.


    By crafting an image of steadfast loyalty to the monarchy, Joanis aimed to garner support and solidify his influence within the kingdom, rallying those who valued the preservation of royal lineage and traditions.


    This strategic use of rumors aimed to strengthen Joanis''s standing in the eyes of the public. It positioned him as a defender of the kingdom''s heritage and the royal family, creating an atmosphere where people were more likely to interpret his actions as driven by a sense of duty and honor rather than personal ambition or power-seeking.


    "Who is going to create the king''s armor?" Rain asked. "And the king''s boots, gloves?"


    "... I know that he is with our enemy this time, but please don''t make fun of my father," Esmeralda said while looking away.


    "Sorry¡­ Anyway, it seems that even while he is away, Joanis has some means to make sure that the kingdom won''t turn against him and the King," Rain said. "He has allies everywhere, and we will have to crush them one after the other."


    "But first, we will have to deal with the people here. We got some of their soldiers and gear, but they barely used half of their strength," Branden said.


    "I have an idea. Can you call them back, Rain?" Roan asked. "It is time to teach the enemies that we can go on the offense as well¡­"


    Roan dedicated the rest of the afternoon to exining his idea to the group. Still, they all agreed to postpone its execution for a more suitable time. Like in the middle of the night¡­ Rain wondered if he was bing a bad influence on his family after he heard the n.


    With the arrival of night, Rain took swift action. He incapacitated the prisoners, rendering them unconscious, and then carefully arranged them on makeshift earth tforms. Turning to Seadir, he asked him to make them go to the ocean. However, the release of the prisoners would only ur once they reached the waters. Seadir''spanions would then set them free.


    This strategy had a clear goal. By releasing the prisoners into the ocean, they would be kept far from the ongoing battle. Furthermore, they would face numerous challenges, including distance and ack of resources, which would hinder their ability to return to the conflict swiftly.


    It was a calcted move aimed at ensuring their safety while minimizing their potential to rejoin the battle too soon.


    "All right, it is time to move," Rain said. "They don''t have any scouts around since they don''t think that we have enough people on our side to truly target them at night."


    Everyone nodded, and then they began to move¡­ in the end, only Rain was left on their side before he jumped toward the other side of the waterway and then began to walk toward the enemy''s camp.


    In the end, he just walked for half an hour before some enemies finally took notice of him, and they began to move to face him.


    Despite the fact that they didn''t have scouts, the battalions assumed their positions insanely fast, and soon they began to march to surround Rain¡­


    In the next moment, Rain jumped with all his might, and then he punched the ground when he fell¡­ the soldiers expected that he would attack them, but soon they began to imagine what would have happened if he had done¡­


    Rain''s punch made the ground tremble for a while, and several cracks began to spread in all directions¡­. Facing Rain would be the same as asking to be hit by a punch that powerful. Thanks to that, some soldiers began to sweat cold and tremble a little¡­ Was it really worth risking their lives to save a princess they had never seen before?"


    "Fear not! His attacks can''t cause all that much damage! He is using magic to scare us all!"


    "It seems that someone has some brain," Rain thought.


    Thanks to those words, the enemies began to move with more determination and focus¡­ it seemed that they had a capable and charismatic leader on their side that Rain had to get rid of as soon as possible¡­ it was probably one of Joanis wealthy allies since an ordinary soldier wouldn''t be able to rally so many others.


    Before long, Rain found himselfpletely surrounded, and the soldiers were ready to attack him with all they had. Still, instead of that, they waited, and then, in the next moment, three fire tornadoes emerged and then began to approach Rain.


    The approaching fire tornadoes were a terrifying spectacle, swirling and advancing relentlessly toward Rain. These columns of mes reached high into the sky, casting a foreboding crimson hue over the battlefield. As they moved, they devoured everything in their path, leaving scorched earth and smoldering chaos behind.


    The intense heat radiating from the fiery tornadoes made the air shimmer with waves of blistering energy. The ground beneath them sizzled and cracked, unable to withstand the searing assault. Each tornado spun with an almost malevolent grace, leaving no doubt about its destructive power.


    Amidst this chaos, Rain stood resolute, clearly contrasting to the cataclysmic whirlwinds closing in on him. His eyes remained fixed on the approaching fire tornadoes, and his body poised for action. He understood that facing these formidable spells would test his skills and resolve like never before¡­ not really.


    When the temperature began to increase in the area, Rain decided to make his move. Using his earth magic, he made the ground below the fire tornadoes rise on the ground, and thus the fire tornadoes began to go upward as well¡­

 Chapter 400 : Trap

    In a hurry, the mages made them move and eventually returned to the ground. However, Rain made the earthblocks fall right over the fire tornadoes and dissipated them.


    The powerful attack unleashed a massive explosion of searing heat that rippled outward in all directions, creating a blistering shockwave. The air itself seemed to catch fire as intense energy surged through the area. Soldiers standing nearby found themselves engulfed in an unbearable inferno, their armor now working against them.


    The once-protective metal of their armor quickly became a source of torment as the scorching temperatures prated it. Agonizing cries and grunts filled the battlefield as the burning metal seared through their flesh. Some soldiers, unable to withstand the intense heat, dropped their weapons, their hands blistered and scorched by the onught.


    The ground itself sizzled and warped from the sheer intensity of the attack, transforming the battlefield into a nightmarishndscape of molten metal and smoking armor. Amidst this chaos, Rain stood resolute, his own defenses proving more than capable of resisting the searing heat.


    He knew he had to find a way to counter this devastating assault before it inflicted further destruction and casualties.


    "I will take that," Rain said.


    Using his earth magic, Rain made the weapons and shield sink on the ground¡­ he used a bunch of mana to make hundreds of those disappear and disarm the same amount of opponents, but that would be worth the whileter¡­


    Despite that, some brave and perhaps stupid souls charged toward Rain¡­ when many saw that, they began to charge as well. That was their golden chance to be rich and be worldwide famous by killing the most famous hero of the war against the magic people. So, they sure were eager.


    Rain just raised his guard and began to block their spear thrusts and sword strikes with his forearm guards¡­ while not using Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, their attacks were a bit heavier. Still, Rain stood his ground¡­ until he blocked some attacks, and then something impaled some soldiers from behind, and those same weapons reached Rain.


    Rain blocked those strikes with his guards, but they began to push him backward¡­ at the same time, the blood of the soldiers started to gush on his face¡­ those who realized what had happened soon became the next targets, and soon enough, no one knew what had happened, but they saw Rain covered in blood.


    "They really like to test my patience¡­" Rain thought and then took a deep breath.


    Rain looked around, but he didn''t find it, but he didn''t see the special soldiers¡­ Rain heard that they destroyed the water snipers'' vige in half an hour, so it seemed that they knew a thing or two about stealth¡­ Still, they were dead wrong by thinking that only that much would stop him from finding them.


    "Be patient¡­ this can''t be helped¡­ focus on the goal," Rain muttered to himself. "This is for the best since it will solve this whole mess a lot sooner..."


    The soldiers, driven by an intense fury, attacked Rain with a relentless force as if he were a malevolent entity. Their shouts of anger and loathing resounded through the night, creating a discordant sound of raw emotion. With each strike, their training blended with their deep-seated animosity, casting Rain as a sinister figure.


    Their shields were thrown at his head, and their shields tried to hit him from the back¡­


    Despite the shroud of darkness that enveloped the battlefield, their eyes burned with an unyielding intensity of hatred. Their faces twisted with rage, and their voices carried the weight of retribution; they wanted to avenge their dead friends. Yet, Rain remained steadfast and kept his cool.


    Amidst the tumultuous tempest of anger that surrounded him, he continued to block the enemies'' attacks with unbroken focus.


    Before long, Rain suddenly saw a massive explosion in the distanceing from the enemies camp¡­ everyone looked in the same direction, and then they realized that they had done it again. The enemies had left a bunch of soldiers there, but apparently, it hadn''t been enough to stop another surprise attack¡­


    "Now, it is my turn," Rain thought.


    Rain used his magic, and then he felt the vibrations and the magic presence of all the soldiers around him¡­ soon he found the familiar presence of the special soldiers, and then he charged toward them.


    After using Impulse and knocking down several enemies along the way, RRain found the first special soldier¡­ the guy tried to run away and then threw some bombs at Rain that sealed his magic. A weird powder covered his body, but Rain ignored it and then punched the enemy after using Limit Breaker.


    The enemy raised his sword to block the attack, but the punch broke the weapon and then pierced his chest and heart¡­


    "Let''s see if you can heal while my arm stays here," Rain thought and then dashed toward the next target, but soon Rain saw the special soldiers dashing to the camp.


    Rain used Impulse to leave the area as soon as possible, and in the end, he and all the enemy soldiers realized that such a thing saved their lives. Before Rain could reach the waterway, the prisoner suddenly exploded in Rain''s arm¡­


    A colossal explosion of crimson energy rocked the area, causing the ground to tremble beneath it. This powerful st created an immense crater that measured fifty meters in both length and width. The sheer force of the explosion sent shockwaves through thendscape.


    As the explosion reached its peak, a dark and foreboding mushroom-shaped cloud billowed into the sky, casting a haunting shadow over the battlefield. The striking crimson color of the st starkly contrasted with the deep darkness of the cloud, forming a mesmerizing yet terrifying sight.


    The resounding roar of the explosion echoed far and wide, leaving an unforgettable mark on the surroundings and sending shockwaves through the hearts of all who witnessed it.

 Chapter 401: High damage

    Aside from Rain, who used himself as bait, they were crossing the underground tunnel that was half filled with water by using the golems that now had taken the shape of small boats. They invaded the enemies'' camp to attack and steal most of the supplies that the enemies had.


    Thanks to the diversion, Roan, Jori, and Reca used Limit Breaker and Magic Boost and defeated the guards in no time, so they were in a good mood, but soon they began to worry when that tremor reached them, and part of the tunnel began to copse.


    "... What was that?" Terra asked while showing a worried expression.


    Roan jumped from the boat and then used Magic Boost and limit breaker to leave the tunnel as soon as possible. When that happened, and he approached the waterway, he found Seadir giving a shoulder to Rain, and a shiver ran down his spine when he saw Rain''s condition¡­ While conscious, most of his skin was burned, and his right arm was barely connecting his upper side with the forearm.


    He only didn''t lose his right arm because of his forearm guard.


    "Dad¡­ keep Mom and the girls away. They can''t see me like this," Rain said while he was trembling and fighting to stay conscious.


    Roan felt a cold hand smashing his heart¡­ It was a very cruel one since it didn''t kill him immediately and made him suffer in shock for a while. That n was his, and he med himself for the aftermath. He assumed that Rain would be fine no matter what, but he failed to grasp the real possibilities.


    In the end, Rain took a deep breath and then told Seadir to stop the others and only bring Terra to help him heal faster. Fortunately, the explosion burned all the powder that prevented him from using magic, so he was healing himself, but at that rate, it would take days before that could happen.


    "Listen, Dad¡­ this isn''t your fault. I messed up," Rain said when he sat nearby and began to heal himself and meditate at the same time. "I didn''t consider that the enemy would sacrifice himself like that¡­ It seemed that they had a magic bomb installed inside of them that would blow up if they died and didn''t revive after a short window of time. I learned my lesson, so don''t worry.


    This will only make me stronger."


    Roan nodded once, but he still looked shocked¡­ his n almost cost the life of his son, and that was the only thing in his head. He didn''t want to cause needless killing, and that was the price of such a goal¡­


    When everyone left the tunnel, they tried to approach, but Seadir stopped with his spear in hand. He was severe, and that made everyone raise their guard.


    "Only Terra can see Rain. That was his order," Seadir dered. "Please understand that I can''t exin anymore than this."


    Everyone immediately understood that it seemed that Rain was hit by the attack that made the entire area tremble¡­ and that he was in a state that he didn''t want to show to anyone. Although she was prepared to use her magic, Terra still hesitated in approaching. Still, she soon began to move when she realized that Rain truly needed help.


    In the end, Terra was also left paralyzed by what she saw. Truth be told, Rain didn''t think that it was so bad, but he still couldn''t help but sigh. If people keep looking at him like that, he will get some mental damage.


    "Sorry for being such a sorry figure," Rain said and then shrugged. "I will try to do better and care more about my appearance."


    Terra began to heal Rain without wasting time, and before long, she began to cry endlessly. Rain almost looked like a dead body. It was amazing that he could stay conscious in that state.


    Seadir came to bring some potions now and then, but he mainly focused on keeping the others away. Despite all that hard work, when morning came, Rain''s arm barely had healed enough for the bones and muscles to be covered, and that was despite the fact that Terra focused on healing that area first.


    "... You probably will heal faster if you sleep a little," Seadir said. "I want to scare the opponents a bit like this to see what kind of determination they are going to face by keeping going. Besides, I can''t go before her."


    Terra stopped crying a while ago, but her eyes were bloodshot. While Rain was out of danger, she wanted to keep going. At that rate, she will be the one who will copse, but Rain will be sure that it won''t happen.


    As for Roan, he recovered a bit and was standing guard to fight in Rain''s ce if the enemies decided to do something, but he still was having a hard time preventing his guilt from eating him from the inside out.


    Although Rain suffered a lot of damage, the operation had been a sess. The goal was to steal as many resources as possible from the enemies, and that is why they used the golems that Rain created as boats. Adding to the fact that Rain made a bunch of the enemy''s weapons sink on the ground, they weren''t showing any signs of movement.


    When night came, Rain noticed that things were starting to get noisy behind. Everyone was starting to get pissed at Seadir for preventing them froming to see Rain. He checked his body and still could see a bunch of flesh missing, but he was able to cover most of it by creating something like an earth armor that had no practical use.


    "It is alright, they cane. Sorry for bothering you until now," Rain said while looking at Seadir. "You also need to rest."


    "All right," Seadir said and then took a deep breath since he was also tired of the eyes on him.

 Chapter 402: Use enough of it

    Everyone approached and studied Rain. The only areas that they could see were his feet, left hand, and head. There were some burn marks in there, and the skin waspletely red¡­ also half of his hair had been blown away, so they could imagine what he was hiding beneath the armor.


    "Are you all right?" Leiah asked while checking Rain''s hands. "What happened?"


    "The enemy surprised me once more¡­ I didn''t think that even Joanis would treat his kids like disposable pawns, but I guess he doesn''t see them like that," Rain said. "I won''t hold back anymore against his ns, and I am also nning to show him that his smartass will be his downfall."


    Rain''s sisters soon joined Terra to help her on healing Rain, but all of them had been up for two days straight. While Rain didn''t know any sleeping spells, he knew a thing or two about making people rx.


    As Rain harnessed his magical skills, a gentle warmth enveloped the area, creating a soothing breeze infused with his calming magic. This enchanting atmosphere gradually eased the tension that had gripped everyone''s senses thanks to the nice temperature.


    One by one, the weary group members surrendered to the tranquility. They reclined, finding a moment of sce amidst the chaos, and drifted into a peaceful slumber. Even Terra, who initially resisted, sumbed to the soothing effect of Rain''s magic.


    The lone exception was Roan, who remained vignt. He clenched his fists, the pain evident from his clenched hands, with blood slowly oozing from his injured palms. Despite the physical agony, his unwavering determination kept him as a silent sentinel amidst his sleepingrades.


    "Hey, Dad," Rain said while showing a cold smile.


    "Yes?" Roan said after he trembled a little.


    "You are starting to annoy me," Rain said without hesitation.


    "Can''t I at least me myself this much?" Roan asked.


    "Everything in moderation. You are going well overboard with the guilt thing," Rain said. "This isn''t the first time that I suffered a lot of damage. I was way worse when I faced the fire dragon that exploded himself to kill me. I got unconscious for a while as well, so this much is nothing."


    "This much¡­ perhaps, no¡­ that will never happen," Roan said while biting his lips. "You won''t ever understand this because you aren''t stupid like me to put your kid in danger like this."


    "Technically, I put myself in this whole situation by going agaisnt the king," Rain said. "It all started when I decided to protect the honor of our family by not ignoring the King and Joanis'' scheme. You also showed me how far you were willing to protect your honor and our family when you returned with only one leg from the war."


    "You still remember that, huh?" Roan asked and then sighed. "I wish that everyone could forget that sorry sight that I was."


    "Why am I getting all sentimental?" Rain asked and then sighed. "A person who is willing to go to such extent to protect their family and friends isn''t stupid. They are pretty cool. Still, you have a long way ahead of you before you be as cool as me."


    "It isn''t the other way around?" Roan asked, thenughed a bit. "But I guess you have a point. I still have a long way ahead of me¡­ I don''t want to talk badly about myself anymore since that troubles you, but..."


    "This might sound arrogant, but I am still nning to draw all the danger toward me," Rain dered. "For as long as I think that I am stronger and that I am not sure if everyone''s safety isn''t certain, I will draw the danger to myself."


    "That sounds like you all right¡­ I suppose if you are that determined, I can''t stop you," Roan said while looking in the distance with a serious expression. "If you survived a dragon''s breath, a suicidal attack of a dragon, and that, then your confidence is probably well founded. Just don''t let it be arrogance."


    "It never will," Rain dered. "I don''t have the luxury to be careless when the enemies are willing to go this far."


    Rain''s anger ran deep, not merely from the peril he had faced but actually far from it. He wasn''t angry thanks to the fact that he almost died, but due to the chilling prospect that his enemies might have deployed that devastating explosion against his friends or family.


    This thought infuriated him, intensifying his anger until it felt like his entire being was shrouded in darkness, reminiscent of the sensation he experienced during extended periods of using Limit Breaker. The mere notion of his loved ones suffering harm ignited a rage within him that surpassed all other emotions. He was determined to protect them at any cost.


    When morning came, Terra scolded Rain harshly for making everyone fall asleep like that. Still, Rain ignored that and focused on looking at the enemies. Thanks to that, he saw some dust curtains emerging from the distance¡­ it seemed that they received supplies from the nearest town.


    "It seems that we will make a killing when we sell it back to the people there," Rain said.


    "Of all things you could be worried about right now, you mention money?" Terra asked while facepalming.


    "Money is the same as violence; if it isn''t solving your problems, you aren''t using enough," Rain exined. "Maybe I shouldn''t say that while my little sisters are around¡­ anyway, we will need resources to fight and keep on fighting, so it is only natural to think about money."


    "I take it that you are nning to finish things soon after seeing what would have happened if you hadn''t left the area. Some people probably aren''t that eager to keep fighting," Branden said. "Still, we need a clear n to end this battle as soon as possible."


    "I have the right n for that," Rain said. "Hahaha, this will be a st in more ways than one."

 Chapter 403: Direct confrontation

    The group was taken aback when Rain revealed his intention to engage in another battle. He had just endured a grueling fight that had pushed him to almost death, and the prospect of facing more danger left them anxious and on edge. Hearts raced, and an uneasy atmosphere settled among them.


    However, Rain didn''t leave them in suspense for long. He began to exin his strategy, outlining how he aimed to prevent a repeat of the near-fatal disaster he had experienced. As he provided the details, his words started to make sense, gradually easing the tension within the group. They realized that Rain had carefully thought through his n, and in theory, it appeared to be a viable solution.


    Though uncertainty still lingered, his exnation offered a glimmer of hope and renewed determination. The group began to consider the n more thoughtfully, assessing the risks against the potential rewards.


    "Considering what you saidst night, I didn''t think that you would do this," Roan said while showing a serious expression and looking at the enemies.


    "What did he say?" Leiah asked.


    "It was a man''s thing," Roan replied.


    "Wow¡­ sexism when most of the people here are girls?" Leiah asked while squinting her eyes. "Can''t say that I am amused."


    Rain wondered if it was rude of him to think that it was weird for his mother to refer to herself as a girl, given that she was a mother of four¡­ but he decided to seal those thoughts away to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    "All right, all thebatants will prepare to head to the enemy''s camp while the others will retreat," Rain added. "What do you want to do, help even though we aren''t going to kill anyone aside from the real targets? I suppose we can split the spoils with you."


    "We have no need for human supplies," Seadir replied. "Still, while I won''t ask for anything, I think that my father would be pleased if you all could take back the port town as soon as possible and obtain full control over that coast to avoid the same incidents happening again."


    "... We didn''t want to take over any cities in order to avoid future problems, but the port town was Orcis from the beginning, so we can do that," Branden said when Rain looked at him. "We can also make him control all the fleet to be sure that the kidnappings won''t happen again¡­ it will take a while to find enough trustworthy captains, though."


    "As long as you are nning to do that eventually, I am sure that we will be able to cooperate," Seadir said. "So, what should we do?"


    "Seal their escape paths. I don''t think that I will fail, but I want to be sure that I won''t give those three the chance to escape," Rain exined. "It is better to prepare for that kind of oue instead of being surprised in the end."


    "All right, we can do that for around five minutes," Seadir said.


    "More than enough, I will let you decide when it will be the best time to seal their escape routes," Rain said.


    Seadir went to exin to his friends the n and how they should put the n into action, and then others went to prepare as well. There weren''t many things for them to do in the end aside from walking together toward the enemies and then using everything in their power to stop them from attacking them.


    "I still need to keep healing you, so don''t move from my side," Terra dered.


    "I will have to jump once, but it shouldn''t take long. don''t kill me for that; it would be a pity," Rain shrugged.


    Once everything was ready, the group began to move, and soon Rain made a bridge made of earth for the group to cross. It didn''t take long for the group to be found by the enemies, but they still had some time for the enemies to sort out since they just got their supplies. Still, that didn''t change a thing, and they just walked as if they were just sightseeing.


    Tension gripped the group as they got closer to the enemies, even though they believed in Rain''s n. The situation they faced was far from ideal. Marching straight towards the enemy in broad daylight, without any numerical advantage, seemed like a risky and irrational choice. Doubts lingered in their minds, casting doubt on their determination.


    Every step they took felt heavy, burdened by the looming confrontation ahead. They couldn''t shake the feeling that they might be walking into a trap or that their trust in Rain''s strategy was misced. Yet, they pressed forward, driven by their faith in Rain''s leadership and the hope that his n would ultimately lead them to victory and end that battle once and for all.


    Eventually, the enemy''s army waspletely formed, and then they started their encirclement around the group. However, Rain looked at everyone, and then he nodded at them.


    In the next moment, Rain jumped with all his might and then reached five hundred meters of height¡­ his whole body screamed in pain since he hadn''t healedpletely, but he ignored that and scanned the whole enemy camp with Magic Eyes¡­ in that window of time, he found the special soldiers moving and trying to hide inside some tents, but it was useless.


    Rain soared through the skies, and he rapidly condensed the atmospheric moisture into lethal icy spears by showing his skills with water magic. Every droplet obedientlyplied with hismands, transforming into sharp, crystalline projectiles. In a fluid and practiced motion, he unleashed this icy barrage, setting them into a furious, high-speed spin as they descended upon the targets below.


    The ice spears sliced through the air like a whirlwind, covering vast distances within the blink of an eye. Their rapid rotation heightened their deadliness. The special soldiers caught off guard, had no time to react as the ice spears impaled them, killing them instantly.


    With a gracefulnding, Rain wasted no time. He swiftly summoned earth pirs from the ground, positioning them precisely beneath the fallen foes. Then, the enemies exploded a massive concentration of energy in all directions¡­

 Chapter 404: Surrender

    The explosions created some spheres of pure energy and destruction, and those three immense spheres crackling with malevolent purple energy emerged amidst the battlefield. Their presence cast an eerie, foreboding glow over the scene, sending shivers down the spines of all who witnessed it.


    As these colossal orbs hung ominously in the air, they threatened to consume the enemy soldiers in their impending, dreadful embrace, but they didn''t it. The earth pirs made their start point above them.


    Rain calcted that after ten agonizing seconds, the bodies would explode. With a chilling inevitability, the countdown reached its grim end, and the fallen soldiers met their fate. Their bodies erupted in a cataclysmic explosion of pulsating purple energy, engulfing them in a fiery maelstrom of annihtion.


    The chaos in the sky made everyone paralyzed out of fear, they didn''t expect to see that again.


    The skill Rock Solid Precision leveled up.


    The skill Rock Solid Precision leveled up.


    The skill Rock Solid Precision leveled up.


    ¡­


    Lv 50: Chaotic Tremor: decreases the defense of the targets in the area by making the ground beneath them tremble for ten seconds at the cost of five hundred points of mana.


    Fire Mage Path: This path of mastery embraces the elemental fury of fire. Fire Mages who follow this path, known as Pyromancers, be adept at harnessing and wielding the relentless power of mes. They have the ability to conjure and control searing fires, engulfing their enemies and imbuing their spells with the scorching intensity of fire. (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.)


    Level 1: Ember Initiator Increases your power and leveling speed over fire rted spells and attacks, granting a 5% bonus to fire-based abilities.


    Level 5: me Maniptor Master the maniption of mes, allowing you to shape and control them with five percent more ease per level.


    Level 10: Pyrokic Surge Channel the might of fire to enhance your spells, increasing their damage and intensity by five percent per level.


    Level 15: Infernal Resilience Strengthen your connection to the zing inferno, boosting your maximum mana by twenty points per level.


    Level 20: Fiery Precision Sharpen your precision in wielding fire magic, enabling you to target vulnerabilities and achieve more critical hits. Enjoy more content from m-v l''e-NovelBin


    After the explosions dissipated, the enemy''s soldiers stopped looking at the sky and soon looked at Rain and the others without knowing what to do. The people who kept them in check are dead now, so they don''t have that many reasons to fight anymore, but soon, they would face severe consequences for not dealing with Rain.


    "Do you guys want to keep fighting?" Rain asked. "That will be fine by me. I will make sure that your deaths will be painless."


    "Ka, Cor, step forward. We need to talk," Branden said.


    Before long, Ka and Cor appeared while showing difficult expressions. They are the leaders now, but they didn''t want to give the order for the soldiers to attack. It would be the same as telling them to jump into the ocean with their legs and hands tied up; it was suicide.


    "... Yes, Lord Branden," Ka said.


    "We aren''t going to ask you guys to join our side, we know that it will only cause more problems to all of us, but you need to understand that we no longer can pull our punches," Branden exined. "You all should know that despite wanting his neck, Rain saved you all two times already. Those explosions would have killed hundreds, and Joanis was willing to go that far.


    That being said, we also know that you have your families that would suffer if you have to fall back now, so we will only hurt you enough, take your weapons, and scatter you around if you don''t do anything."


    The group was acutely aware of the dangerous situation they found themselves in. Continuing the fight seemed like a daunting and risky task, but they understood that they had no other viable options. Reluctantly, they steeled themselves to follow their leader''s instructions, knowing that they needed to engage inbat without any intent to take lives.


    It was a difficult decision, and they were well aware that some might ridicule them for their approach when attempting to regroupter. However, in their minds, it was a far better oue than facing the prospect of imminent death on the battlefield.


    "Where is Lord Orcis and Lady Lorene?" A female soldier suddenly stepped forward and then said. "I want to talk with them."


    Rain recalled Julie, the female guard who worked for Orcis and was the leader of his guard. No one could say if she was part of the guys who led the attack against Rain''s friends and sisters. When Rain looked at the others, they just shook their heads. It seemed that Julie wasn''t part of the problem.


    "Drop your weapons and give the orders to all of your men, and then we will let you see them," Rain said. "What is your answer?"


    Julie nodded and dropped her weapons, her most loyal guards did the same but some of them stepped back while looking uneasy. They didn''t want to do that since they probably tried to attack Rain''s friends and sisters.


    "You all have half five minutes to drop your weapons," Rain added while not holding back his bloodlust. "Those who keep their weapons will face me."


    The enemy soldiers found themselves on the battlefield, gripped by fear and drenched in cold sweat as they confronted the formidable aura emanating from Rain. It was an aura that left no room for doubt, suffocating them with its overwhelming presence. They couldn''t deny the grim reality that they stood no chance against this force.


    This bloodlust was unlike anything they had ever encountered. It was the embodiment of someone who had faced death head-on and narrowly escaped its grasp. It sent shivers down their spines, instilling bone-deep fear and trepidation. Faced with such an insurmountable presence, they felt powerless and defeated even before the battle had truly begun.

 Chapter 405: Ten silver coins per head

    One by one, the soldiers began to drop their weapons, and those who thought of resisting dropped their weapons when Rain approached them before the countdown of the five minutes.


    Truth be told, Rain wanted to kill some of them to make sure that they wouldn''t spread lies when they returned, but he didn''t want to back on his word, and that would only cause more problems as well, so it was better to avoid that.


    Once their surrender was clear, Branden took Julie and some soldiers to see Orcis and Lorene. At the same time, Rain handcuffed all of the soldiers there. He also stored away all of their weapons and armor to resell them in the future.


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    "I was thinking that it would be a better idea to take the prisoners back to the nearest city and ask for the lord there to pay for their freedom; we don''t have to ask for arge sum," Roan exined. "That would make them return as soon as possible, show that we don''t want to kill anyone needlessly and it will earn us some battle funds as well."


    "I suppose that is the best option," Rain said while scratching his chin. "We can also give some hints that in the future, we can sell the food that we are producing and the items that we took for them. It is only a matter of time before food bes a problem when fifty thousand soldiers are in a war beyond the borders."


    Seadir observed the unfolding scene with a mix of awe and shock. The shock on his face was unmistakable, for he couldn''t understand how Rain, after enduring such a near-death experience and the ensuing suffering, could still maintain his resolve not to indiscriminately ughter his enemies.


    It was a testament to Rain''s strength of character and his unwavering determination to find a more measured path to justice.


    Seadir couldn''t help but admire Rain''s restraint. He realized that Rain wasn''t seeking wholesale vengeance or a mindless bloodbath. Instead, Rain had chosen in on a select few individuals whose actions had directly caused harm and sought closure through a more targeted approach.


    It was a demonstration of Rain''s unique perspective on revenge, one that sought to bnce the scales without resorting to needless violence. It left Seadir both astonished and deeply contemtive.


    Before long, Julie and the other soldiers returned with Branden. While they wanted to stay with Orcis and Lorene, they knew that they couldn''t since it would be suspicious. In the end, they were told to return to the port town without knowing that soon Orcis and everyone were nning to take it back.


    Unfortunately, such a thing will only be possible once they deal with the king and Joanis and all of Joanis'' underlings that also belonged to great noble houses. The kingdom was going to ensure some turbulent periods since a lot of important people will have to die¡­ the most troublesome of them all was the king, it was clear that they couldn''t leave him alone after defeating him.


    Their predicament was a tangled web ofplexity. Killing the king, as tempting as it may have been, was a dangerous path. It could ignite a political firestorm, resulting in chaos and potentially harming Esmeralda. Even if the king had a son, the thirst for vengeance could linger for generations, creating a perpetual cycle of conflict.


    On the other hand, if Esmeralda assumed the throne, many would still doubt her legitimacy. Branden''s influence could cast a shadow over her reign, leaving people to believe that she was merely a puppet in his grand schemes. It was a difficult situation, a massive headache in every sense of the phrase.


    Navigating this political minefield required finesse and careful nning. They needed to find a solution that allowed them to bring the culprits to justice while minimizing the risk of coteral damage. It was a daunting task, but they were determined to find a way out of this intricate puzzle.


    "We are going to negotiate the release of the prisoners, we don''t have many people to go with us," Rain said. "I suppose Dad, Branden and I will be enough."


    "You still need healing, so I am going as well," Terra dered.


    "All right, but first¡­ I have to deal with that guy," Rain said and then returned to where he left the first special soldier that he defeated."


    After taking out the guy from underground, Rain sent the earth sphere that kept him locked down upward, and then he eventually crushed the prisoner with it. This time, the enemy exploded instantly¡­ therge sphere of energy appeared and then sent sts of winds in all directions.


    "I guess he exploded sooner because he didn''t eat anything in several days and he got weaker to the point that his body wouldn''t regenerate despite his abilities," Rain thought.


    Eventually, Rain and the others left the area and then began to guide them toward the nearest town. They arrived at sunset and soon found guards moving to block their path in a hurry¡­ they could only see four enemies, so they assumed that they could face them, even though they had two thousand prisoners behind them.


    "Bring out your leader, we are here to negotiate the release of our prisoners," Rain raised his voice.


    Rain was in a hurry to the point that he felt like demanding that the leader there were toe in half an hour, but Branden warned him that in situations like that, he should try to negotiate while standing on equal footing and respecting the other side¡­ he had a point, even more so when they have to worry about their reputation.


    In the end, the leader of the guards of the town approached alongside a group of twenty soldiers. He looked like a reasonable guy, but he was making a nervous expression that also showed that all that was a waste of time¡­ he sure had a lot of expressions.

 Chapter 406: I guess I do

    "What is it?" The guard asked in an annoyed tone.


    "We havee to negotiate the release of all the soldiers, tell your lord that we are asking, for two tinum coins, to release all of the soldiers here," Branden said.


    In times of war, demanding ransom for prisoners was not umon, though typically reserved for high-ranking officials or individuals of strategic importance. However, it was rare formon soldiers to face such demands.


    In this scenario, the Captain of the city''s guard, well-versed in military matters, recognized the subtlety in Branden''s request for a rtively modest sum of ten silver coins per captured soldier. This apparently low cost concealed a clever strategy.


    With a significant number of soldiers avable for release, the city could amass a potent force that would serve as a formidable work force for at least a month. This would give them time to recoup the expenses spent on releasing the soldiers.


    Understanding the captured soldiers'' value and the security they could provide, the Captain wasted no time in making a prudent decision. His choice was grounded in practicality, ensuring the town''s safety and stability during these uncertain times.


    "I will deliver the offer to my lord immediately," the captain said.


    The captain left, and only his underlings stayed behind, forming a walk in front of Rain. As if that would be enough to stop them¡­


    "That doesn''t seem like a high enough amount considering that we will have to split amongst ourselves," Rain said.


    "You want to split it?" Branden asked, frowning. "We can''t spend it anywhere. We might as well keep as war funds. Our territory is basically arge farm, remember?" Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Branden had a point, they were fighting for survival, so it made sense that they would focus only on that as a group and think about other things once their enemies have been dealt with.


    Fortunately, the group didn''t have to think too much about that since the captain returned with some bags filled with gold coins¡­ Branden asked for two tinum coins, but two hundred gold coins were valuable as much.


    The town''s lord, cautious and preferring to keep a low profile, assigned one of his trusted subordinates to handle the negotiations for the release of the prisoners. This approach was driven by his desire to avoid direct involvement, maintain anonymity, and mitigate potential risks associated with being too publicly visible.


    Rain, on the other hand, wanted to distance himself from the image of a bloodthirsty warmonger. However, his reputation as a war hero made it challenging to get rid of this perception. Despite his sincere intentions, his past actions had earned him both fame and notoriety that were difficult to shake.


    In this situation, he found himself trying to strike a delicate bnce between his genuine desire for a peaceful resolution and the expectations and perceptions that apanied his status.


    "Here are the money that you asked," The captain said. "Where are the keys to free the prisoners?"


    Rain snapped his fingers, and all the handcuffs fell when Branden received the money. He only did that for appearance sake, since he could have done the same with his mind alone.


    "All the money is here, so we are going to leave," Branden said after he counted the coins. "But we will return with the weapons and supplies that we got during this war. Tell your lord that you can recover them for a good price below the market."


    The captain didn''t know if he should feel good about that or not¡­ he didn''t want to fight people that were able to deal with armies by themselves, after all. In any case, Branden and the others soon left and looked at Julie for a moment. Those who went to talk with Orcis had to be careful since they could be silenced¡­ they also had to try to learn as much as possible in that town.


    "It seems that things went well¡­ if the lord ns to use that army against us, he will have to use ten times more money or arm and armor all those soldiers, but their fighting spirit ispletely broken," Roan said while looking over his shoulder. "The original n was to go around and take more resources from Joanis allies, but I take it that we will have to change that."


    "Yes¡­ it will be better if we don''t start the conflicts and just focus on building our foundation for the next battles," Rain said and nodded.


    Rain knew that his family and friends had to rest as much as possible when they were surrounded by enemies. So, he couldn''t be careless. He recognized the importance of allowing his group time to grow stronger and reshape the kingdom''s perception of them.


    By giving hispanions the opportunity to enhance their abilities and demonstrate their worth, Rain was growing a formidable team. This approach, while time-consuming, was a prudent one. It allowed them to build a foundation of strength and support that would prove invaluable in the tumultuous times ahead.


    Rain understood that, in the face of uncertainty, preparation and a favorable public image were powerful allies.


    In a hurry, the group dashed toward the others, and as they rejoined the rest of the group for dinner, Rain found himself thinking about Terra''s remarkable healing abilities. She had been a crucial factor in his recovery, and he couldn''t help but admire her dedication.


    Despite having run out of potions earlier, Terra continued to channel her magical healing powers to mend his wounds. Rain was curious about the source of her seemingly endless strength and how she managed to sustain it for such a prolonged period.


    "Oh, I thought you would never ask," Terra said and then smirked. "I now know how to absorb mana from the surroundings while keeping a constant state of meditation and doing other things."


    "I never thought that you were that type¡­ but it is like they say, the quiet ones are the most dangerous," Rain shrugged. "How cunning of you to wait until someone realizes what you have learned."


    "You do that all the time!" Terra raised her voice.


    "I do? I guess I do," Rain shrugged once again.

 Chapter 407: The next step

    Over the next few days, a sense of calm settled over their group, allowing Rain to make a full recovery from his injuries. Terra''s dedication to his healing continued to amaze him. Even without potions, she somehow managed to sustain her healing abilities, aiding in his swift recuperation.


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    Meanwhile, Rain diligently worked on his secret underground passage, ensuring its concealment from prying eyes. He had a pressing desire to locate Julie, the mysterious figure operating within the nearby town.


    However, he proceeded with caution, fully aware of the risks associated with prematurely revealing the entrance to Julie. Such a disclosure could jeopardize their mission, potentially leading to her defection to the enemy or subjecting her to torture.


    Rain''s careful approach aimed to safeguard their mission''s integrity and maintain the crucial element of surprise, a decisive advantage for their impending endeavors.


    The advanced level of meditation required the user to enter a unique state of consciousness. In this state, they operated in a seemingly automatic manner. Terra''s healing process of Rain confirmed this state. While she worked on healing his injuries, her outward demeanor might have suggested a detached approach. However, beneath the surface, Terra was fully attuned to her surroundings.


    During this meditative state, she maintained a keen awareness of her environment and knew precisely how to navigate it. Although she directed only a fraction of her focus towards the immediate task of healing Rain''s wounds, the majority of her attention was directed towards a more intricate task: harnessing mana from the surrounding environment.


    Terra had learned her mastery of this technique to a point where she could efficiently tap into avable mana sources in her vicinity. She first learned this ability when the first special soldier exploded. The subsequent release of a significant amount of mana created a concentrated pool of energy in the area.


    Terra seized this opportunity to draw upon an abundant supply of mana, which she skillfully incorporated into her healing efforts.


    "It is three times more efficient than Meditation, so it is definitely worth the hassle," Terra exined. "Still, people who don''t use much magic will have a hard time learning."


    "Since they are more used to sitting still than focusing on some kind of mental task¡­ I guess it makes sense," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose it is a good way to kill time when one is bored and also needs mana. Well done."


    "I was a bit lucky, so I don''t deserve all the credit, you also are the one who started the development of the technique," Terra said.


    "You are right," Rain nodded. "In that case, well done, me."


    "Well, what now?" Branden asked. "We have some leeway when ites to not fighting¡­ should we just focus on improving our reputation in the Kingdom? I think that we should intervene in the war between the humans and the magic people."


    "It will be bad if father and Joanis take over their territory and pick a fight with the dragons¡­" Esmeralda said while biting her fingernails, imagining dragons flying over the human kingdom. "We can split the work and if we work with Seadir and the seafolk, we will have enough manpower to keep repelling attacks."


    "Are you suggesting that I should go and stop your father?" Rain asked. "While I am not afraid of a direct fight, their anti magic bombs are able to seal half of my power¡­ speaking of power, did you guys learn anything about that spear?"


    "Yes, the spear was able to work in a ce where magic was sealed because it had the blood of someone that could use the technique that you mentioned," Seadir exined. "It was probably the blood of the spearman that you killed, and he was able to store a lot of mana thanks to it and bypass the effects of the red crystals barrier."


    Rain wondered if Seadir wouldn''t have said that if he hadn''t asked¡­ it would have been weird if he just leaned that. Regardless, that kind of thing probably wasn''t something that Rain and the others couldn''t replicate¡­ it was probably because of some special trait that the spearman had. His blood would only have that kind of effect if that were the case¡­


    If Rain were to do the same¡­ the weapon would be weird since he has many skills at level one hundred, but the way he fights wasn''t determined by a single skill alone.


    "I don''t want to see my father die¡­ and I don''t want you to take such risks either since they will be waiting for you," Esmeralda exined. "I think that it would be wiser if we could work with the magic people to gain time. Father night changed his mind if that were to happen."


    The king''s ambition knew no bounds, driven by his recent military sesses and overflowing treasury. While conquering a significant portion of the magic people''s territory would have sufficed for many, his insatiable greed urged him to press further, desiring even more power andnd.


    On the other hand, Rain remained resolute in his decision not to assist the magic people. His history with them was marked by pain and loss, as they had attempted to assassinate his father, forcibly taken his home, and relentlessly pursued him. Although he had previously set aside his pride for the sake of peace during truce negotiations, the current circumstances demanded a different approach.


    "I understand your concerns, but the situation requires drastic measures," Roan said while he was swinging down his sword with all his might and sweating a lot while cutting the air. "Anna said that Joanis didn''t create his soldiers the conventional way, so his army could be muchrger than we imagine¡­ we can''t let it grow further."


    Since they returned a few days ago, Roan had been training hard, to the point that he would keep going until he could barely raise his arms. It seemed that he was still dead set in making up for the incident by bing stronger¡­ Besides, he had a point¡­ since that was the case, Rain had to make his move.

 Chapter 408: Awakening

    "... I guess I can ask for some potions from them in exchange for my services," Rain said while smiling mischievously. "For each person that I rescue, I will ask for one bottle of their best spiritual potions. It is a fair trade, equivalent exchange to the rescue."


    "Big bro, you are a mercenary, through and through," Dana said while frowning a bit.


    "Yes, I am," Rain shrugged. "When you have something in high demand, you have to sell it. If you put low value on your possessions and skills, it is the same as asking to be exploited. In any case, just to be safe and to move as fast as possible, I will go alone.


    With Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, Dad, Jori, and Reca can be strong as a battalion, but it will be better if most of our frontline stays here."


    "I am going too. Someone has to be sure that you won''t return half-dead," Terra dered. "Besides, I want to keep improving my healing skills, and there is no better ce for that than a battlefield."


    "Really, is that what you truly want?" Rain asked while looking at Terra with his eyes filled with suspicion.


    "... What else would I want by going with you?" Terra asked, visibly surprised.


    "Don''t y dumb¡­ you want half of the potions that I will ask for!" Rain replied after raising his voice.


    "Yeah, sure¡­ I am sick of drinking potions instead of water," Terra said after a long sigh.


    The group collectively released a group of exasperated sighs and exchanged incredulous looks, their hands rising almost in unison to meet their faces in a synchronized disy of disbelief. It was as though they couldn''t fathom whether Rain was genuinely that naive or if he was intentionally feigning ignorance for some hidden purpose.


    The room was filled with a palpable sense of frustration and amusement as they grappled with the perplexing situation.


    In any case, while Terra could use Impulse and Magic Boost to enhance her speed, Rain decided that it would be better to go by flying as he practices the new level of meditation.¡­ nothing better than some real practice to learn that kind of thing.


    The group reunited the next morning to say bye to Rain and Terra temporarily¡­ at least that was what Rain thought¡­ they just woke up earlier to ask him to make their weights heavier, and they felt the need to push themselves harder before the next big confrontation.


    "I suppose it is better if I make them easy to be taken off without breaking it," Rain said and then made the new weights, and they looked like handcuffs that didn''t need keys. "Anyway, I am not nning to stay there for more than one week, but keep your guard up."


    "Just try not to do anything unreasonable," Leiah said. "Terra, you have my permission to pull his ears if he does anything too dangerous."


    "Yes, ma''am," Terra nodded. "Although I don''t think that there are things more dangerous than fighting dragons and picking fights with kings, I still think that Rain can find ways to surpass himself in that regard."


    "I never doubt that," Leiah said. "Things should be fine here for a few weeks, so don''t do anything dangerous to return in a hurry."


    "Understood," Rain said, and then he created the earth tform and had an idea.


    Rain wondered if he could make arge tower and then create some path above the clouds that he could use while using Impulse. There isn''t much dust the higher one goes into the atmosphere, so he would be able to fly without much resistance, and thus he would be able to fly faster¡­ but that was something for the future.


    In any case, they began to fly, and soon Rain began to focus on the exercise of controlling the earth''s tform, turning into a chamber and then increasing its speed. Once that was over, Rain began to focus on splitting his mind into driving and using Meditation at the same time.


    It didn''t take long for Rain to make some progress; he didn''t use his magic and sharpened the feeling on a daily basis for nothing, after all. Still, while he was doing that¡­ the chamber would lose speed and also would decrease in altitude as well.


    "At least the mana regeneration speed is already two times better than when I use Meditation¡­ I am still halfway through, though," Rain thought.


    Terra was already in her deep state of meditation even though she wasn''t using mana. Or maybe she was alternating between using that technique and Magic Boost.


    Rain took a good look at her and soon realized that she wasn''t moving at all, and she looked like a cat as well, staring at nothing, so Rain decided to use that as a guide.


    Little by little, Rain began to enter that deep stage of meditation. As Rain delved deeper into the advanced Meditation technique, he noticed a remarkable transformation in his sensory perception. Even without shifting his gaze, it was as if his field of vision had expanded, offering a clearer and more detailed view of his surroundings.


    Every minute detail became vivid and distinct, allowing him to discern even the subtlest of changes.


    His heightened senses extended beyond sight. Rain''s hearing became exceptionally acute, capturing sounds that previously escaped his notice. He could detect the faint rustling of leaves, the distant calls of birds, and even the soft, rhythmic thumping of Terra''s heartbeat, each sensation bing more pronounced and distinct in his newfound state of heightened awareness.


    It was as if the world hade into sharper focus¡­ before long, Rain also began to sense her scent as well, and that broke his concentration.


    "She didn''t say that this is actually possible¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.


    The smell was quite good and rxing, but Rain soon broke his attention since it was starting to get dangerous¡­ The beast was awakening.

 Chapter 409: Legendary figure

    The tripsted just one day and a half, and that had been more than enough time for Rain to master the technique. He was also imagining that the skill was rted to the Sage''s path, so he kept that one equipped during the whole time. It will be awesome when he gets the next path¡­ the level should be quite high and his mana pool will increase drastically.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 100 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 110 experience points.


    Sage Lv 80 - Wisdom + 10 per level up)


    Water Mage Path: Lv 50 (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.)


    Wind Mage Path Lv 50 (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.)


    Earth Mage''s Path Lv 60 (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.)


    Fire Mage Path Lv 21 (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity + 05 per level.)


    "Only twenty more levels, huh?" Rain thought. "It shouldn''t take too long if I keep this path equipped¡­"


    That would be hard since it would decrease his physical and magical powers¡­ it would increase Rain''s mana pool, though. Still, he assumed that it would be fine as long as he doesn''t do anything too risky.


    "It looks like we arrived just in time," Terra said while looking downward and seeing the golem masters city.


    Rain looked in the same direction, and he could see that most of the human army was ready to move again. He imagined that if they had the chance to check the nearby viges, the humans would have taken over as well, but they didn''t have time for that.


    "Do you think that they will receive us well?" Terra asked while tilting her head. "While you helped them, they probably suffered a lot of losses already¡­"


    "It will be fine, we can always turn around if they act like a massive pain in the ass," Rain exined. "At the same time, we can attack the back of the human army or take back the golem masters city and plunder what we can." Continue your journey at m_v--NovelBin


    Terra let out a long sigh¡­ Rain talked too much about moneytely. Still, she could understand where he wasing from since they couldn''t appear weak when they try to negotiate with other cities¡­ nor physically or economically.


    Terra wasn''t that good at handling money, so she was watching him mumbling a lot about what they should do, for how long and how much of each thing that they needed. Magic could only cover so many things and for so long.


    Since they were operating on an agricultural area, which wasrge, they needed arge force to avoid wild animals and monsters from attacking, medicine, tools for farming and other things like furniture for houses, clothes and so on and so forth¡­


    In any case, four hourster, they finally arrived at the capital of the magic people and then found quite the massive army stationed there¡­ they had the same number as the humans at very least. Fifty thousand seemed quite therge number since they were mainly soldiers who could put up a good fight.


    As one would expect, Rain and Terra made quite the scene as they arrived in front of the council building out of nowhere, the ce was heavily guarded by the best warriors of the magic tribes and soon they cast their best skills to attack Rain, but they stopped when they recognized him¡­ but they didn''t hide their annoyance.


    "... I wasn''t expecting to see you return," Geio said while showing a tired and annoyed expression.


    "You seem very stressed," Rain said. "We could havee sooner, but we had to deal with our own problems. The beast king wasn''t the type who negotiates with his mouth, and some soldiers were rallied on the other side toe for my head."


    Just much like Geio, the other vice leaders of the tribes looked like they didn''t have many chances to sleeptely¡­ they had dark circles and bags under their eyes and that was something since the more mana someone has in that world, the healthier they be¡­ Rain wondered if their lifespan was also increased thanks to their mana pool.


    He was thankful for his second chance, but having the chance to live for a bit longer than one hundred years had more than a little appeal as well.


    "... We heard that you helped some prisoners escape, so I suppose we have to at least think for a while longer that you aren''t an enemy," Geio said while massaging his eyes. "You havee to fight with us?"


    "If that is the only option," Rain shrugged. "First of all, I have to tell you what we learned."


    Rain shared with Geio several critical concerns: the most formidable foes on the opposing side possessed the disturbing ability to explode, potentially setting off a devastating chain reaction that could im the lives of hundreds of magic people nearby. This revtion emphasized the need for extreme caution and careful strategy when killing them¡­ if they could be killed.


    Complicating matters further, some enemy soldiers could use the skill of using their magic while keeping their targets magic sealed. This posed a significant threat, as it allowed them to wield their powers freely, making the conflict even more challenging.


    In addition, Rain pointed out that their adversaries included elite soldiers who could replicate the abilities of famous heroes from the past, possibly of those from the magic people''s side. These enemybatants, with the skills and techniques of renowned figures, presented a formidable challenge that required careful consideration in their strategy and approach.


    "The ability to explode others¡­ there was a person in our history that was able to do that," Geio said while showing a thoughtful expression. "She lived five hundred years ago, and ording to her, she could create magic spheres that were invisible to the enemies¡­ it not only exploded the energy, but also exploded the mana in the area of the target''s body."

 Chapter 410: Setting differences aside, kind of

    "That sounds exactly like the technique that I faced¡­" Rain said.


    "Still, that kind of technique wasn''t passed down, and no one knew the secrets of it, I can''t think that a human would be able to make someone learn that," Geio said.


    "You probably didn''t think that a human would be able to invade your country either and win with ease," Rain shrugged. "So, maybe it is about time for you to change your perspective a bit."


    Geio''s frustration was clear as he furrowed his brow, visibly annoyed by Rain''s revtions. Terra, seated beside Rain, couldn''t help but show her irritation as well, giving him a light yet pointed punch on his left side. It was a subtle but effective way of expressing her disapproval.


    The others in the group shared a simr sentiment, their expressions reflecting a mix of discontent and annoyance. While they may not have been pleased with Rain''s words, they couldn''t deny the truth in his words. The seriousness of the situation weighed heavily on their minds, and they understood the importance of careful nning and unity more than ever.


    "Anyway, I don''t have all the time in the world to help and the human army should be here in three days," Rain said. "Do you want our help or not?"


    "... I take it that you two didn''te to help for free," Geio rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "Of course, you should always doubt someone that says that will give you free stuff," Rain said. "That is why we are going to ask for a reasonable price, it doesn''t have to be money. We prefer potions."


    "... Come with me," Geio said while showing a serious expression." The council is having a meeting, but they will want to hear what you told me and then we can negotiate what is going to happen afterwards."


    Rain nodded and then Terra and him followed Geio to the council. As they approached the gathering of council members, Terra couldn''t help but feel a bit nervous. She had never met these individuals before, and the reputation of their formidable power weighed heavily on her mind.


    The uing encounter with these influential figures was serious, and Terra knew the importance of remainingposed and focused during the meeting.


    Despite her apprehension, Terra had confidence in her ability to support Rain. Her healing powers were a valuable asset, and she believed that as long as she kept him in good health, few enemies would pose a serious threat to him. With this assurance, she took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for the challenges thaty ahead.


    In the end, Terra confirmed that the atmosphere was even more intense inside the council hall because all of the tribe leaders kept their faces hidden under veils, the room was also pretty dark. Still, they went silent when Rain began to share the information that he had.


    "It doesn''t seem like you want to join us, even though we came this far to help," Josar''s voice echoed in the hall. "We also heard that you helped the sea folk, but don''t want to cooperate with them that much¡­ What is your true goal?"


    "Just make sure that Joanis will die and the king will be stopped before too many people die," Rain exined. "I don''t want either side to be annihted since that will cause more trouble than solve, that is all."


    "Are you willing to kill the humans of the army to prove that you truly want to help us?" Josar asked.


    "That is probably the only way to avoid too many deaths, so it can''t be helped," Rain replied. "My goal is to kill Joanis and his soldiers, when that happens, the others will only be ordinary warriors protected by their anti-magic substance."


    "... Usually, we wouldn''t agree to cooperate with you that fast, but we don''t have a choice right now," Josar said after a resigned sigh.


    "Is that so¡­ how are things with the dragons?" Rain asked.


    Josar''s message struck a chord with those around as they surveyed the grim state of the capital. Once a bustling and vibrant city, it now stood as a stark symbol of disorder and hopelessness, inundated with refugees fleeing the dragon-ridden regions of West. The mass discement of people provided irrefutable proof that the dragons were aggressively expanding into previously secure territories.


    This intrusion had ced an immense burden on the magic people, diverting their attention and resources away from their ongoing conflict with the opposing factions.


    Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    With their focus split between internal crises and external threats, the magic people found themselves in a precarious situation, struggling to maintain control over theirnds and shield their popce from relentless dragon assaults.


    "We want us to help until the battle starts with some things, but when it starts, we want you to be in the very frontlines," Josar dered.


    "That is fine by me, but if I do that, she wille too," Rain said while pointing to Terra. "She is probably better than your best healers, but her main goal here is to make sure that I return in one piece."


    "That is fine if it is what you want," Josar said. "Come with me."


    As Rain''s journey continued, he found himself face-to-face with the formidable power of the magic people. Many of these tribes and their abilities had remained hidden from him until now. This new path he had chosen was not without its risks, as it could potentially cast him as a rebel and traitor among his own kind. Yet, Rain hade to terms with this possibility.


    Rain was determined to shape his own destiny, free from the constraints of societal expectations and biases that came with his history. In this uncertain and challenging journey, he firmly grasped the pen to write his own future, ready to face whatevery ahead with unwavering determination.


    Just like Rain told the magic people, three dayster, the human army approached the city. Even when the sun began to set, they kept marching since they were only ten kilometers away¡­

 Chapter 411: Preparation

    At first, the scouts approached, but Rain got rid of them with his magic. Just like before, he made them disappear underground and killed them by piercing their hearts.


    Once that happened, the human army slowed down since they knew that something was off from the very moment they stopped receiving reports from the scouts, and there were no signs of them.


    Three kilometers away from the capital, the human army came to a halt. In the dead of night, the soldiers worked diligently to establish their camps, their actions synchronized with military precision. However, only half of the soldiers focused on setting up the camp, while the other half fell into formation, preparing for an imminent task.


    The night air was filled with an aura of anticipation and tension as they readied themselves for whaty ahead.


    The King and Joanis decided to save half of their strength after marching almost nonstop for three days, but they still wanted to decrease the enemy''s forces a bit while also making them get tired by forcing them to fight at night.


    One hourter, an army of five thousand strong approached the Capital¡­ It was such a small numberpared to half of the strength of the human army, but only a few people could tell the numbers in the middle of that cloudy night¡­ Even though they had been winning nonstop, they didn''t drop their guard and kept using their heads to increase their chances of sess while losing as little resources as possible.


    The main unit leading the charge was an army of five hundred being led by the king''s de¡­ without Ka and Branden, they had to work even harder to prove their worth, so they looked determined. However, their determination wavered when they found an army of magic people blocking their path and a familiar figure in front of them with his arms crossed.


    The members of the king''s de couldn''t hide their uneasy expressions when they recognized Rain among their enemies. A palpable tension filled the air as they faced the man they once knew as an ally.


    Mixed emotions churned within them, as they came with the knowledge that they might have to fight against someone who had not only shown immense strength but had also saved many of their lives in the past.


    Fear was evident in their eyes, not just because of Rain''s known strength, but also because they were aware of the potent healing abilities he possessed and Terra possessed as well, which had saved countless lives during their previous encounters. Many felt a sense of indebtedness to him, knowing that hisbat prowess had often drawn enemy attention away from them, allowing them to survive.


    The conflicting feelings of fear, uncertainty, and the weight of past alliances were clear on their faces, creating an atmosphere of unease among the members of the king''s de as they faced off against their formerrade.


    Many others who weren''t members of the organization also recognized Rain, so they couldn''t help but gulp nervously¡­ a single punch would be enough for them to lose their lives, but they couldn''t run away now. Dying facing the enemy was honorable. Running away would bring shame to their entire family. Even those who didn''te from military families valued that a lot.


    The entire army kept marching, so the members of the king''s de didn''t have the chance to hesitate for long¡­ usually, some captains would be leading them, but not this time, they received the order to kill some of the magic people in one way or the other and they could only retreat once they receive the orders from the king and Joanis and it seemed that until now, they didn''t receive the news that Rain was there or if they received it, they didn''t care.


    When they were three hundred meters away, several of the magic people took several steps forward and then pointed their hands at the enemies. Then, a barrage of water spears was fired at them¡­


    The soldiers on the frontlines raised their shields and then it felt like they were being attacked by an army throwing buckets filled with water at them¡­ even the sound of the impacts had been a joke. Some of them grinned from ear to ear.


    The magic people didn''t let that faze them, and they kept firing multiple water spears as the humans kept marching nonstop. Before long, the water snipers moved backward and another line of magic attackers arrived¡­ in the next moment, countless wind des flew toward the enemies.


    The human soldiers kept holding their shields high, but this time, they slowed down a little¡­ the wind des were faster and had a bit more punch. Even if their shields had the power to nullify magic, they couldn''t nullify weight. Moreover, the enemies were wet, and so was the ground¡­ their footing wasn''t perfect.


    As the tension on the battlefield grew, a long line of heat sorcerers stepped forward. With practiced precision, they began summoning several fire tornadoes, theirbined efforts creating a formidable disy of magic. Although it wasn''t daytime and the terrain was humid, the power of their spells remained high thanks to the mana used...


    The sorcerers persisted in their spells, directing the fire tornadoes towards the human forces. The soldiers reacted swiftly, raising their shields to protect themselves and using them to dispel the mes when they came into contact. However, this defensive maneuver had an unintended consequence¡­


    The intense heat from the fire tornadoes meeting the cold and damp terrain gave rise to a massive wave of steam that spread across the battlefield. The sudden veil of steam created an additionalyer of chaos and confusion, obscuring the view and adding yet another challenge for the human army to contend with in their encounter with the magic people.


    The wave of steam moved toward the magic people, so advancing didn''t help the humans for a while¡­ and then it happened¡­

 Chapter 412: Sure-fire way

    A deafening crash of metal being smashed echoed through the area, sending shockwaves of terror through the human army. In the next moment, a violent st of wind erupted with tremendous force, catching the soldiers off guard. The sudden st ripped through their ranks, lifting several hapless humans off their feet and sending them hurtling backward tond in the middle of their fellow soldiers.


    The unfortunate soldiers who found themselves airborne crashed into theirrades, creating a chaotic and painful pile-up. The impact was brutal, and many of themnded with bone-crushing force, their bodies wracked with pain as bones were fractured and limbs were injured. The unexpected assault left them disoriented and struggling to regain their footing amid the tumultuous battlefield.


    The same thing happened several times in a quick session of attacks¡­ the humans didn''t know what was going on, so they took several steps backward to move away from the steam curtain¡­ the impacts injured hundreds of soldiers, but it didn''t kill any of them.


    When the steam screen dissipated, the humans looked confused since the magic people''s army still didn''t move an inch from their spot and they couldn''t understand why, nor could they see any signs of their magic in action.


    "It is working well, just as you predicted¡­ but why everyone here looks so pissed?" Terra asked while looking around.


    "They are pissed exactly because of that, because my n is working," Rain said. "Besides, they are too bloodthirsty to think logically, they just want to kill all humans, I am their main targets since I killed their former leader."


    Rain was surrounded by martial artits with the crazy healing skills, they were from the tribe of the second general, so it was no surprised that they felt like that. They also had to follow his orders until his ns stopped working¡­ so, they felt like they were being eaten from inside out.


    Rain and Terra also had the mercury warriors nearby, but they didn''t have any weapons with them for now¡­ their n was to buy time while other preparations were being made and since they also needed to save their strength in order not to get on the pace of the human army.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    While things were getting confused on the battlefield, things were getting tense in the king''s tent as well. He was constantly receiving reports of what was happening, and in the end, the worst news had been delivered by his most trusted right-handed man.


    "Your Majesty, it seems that the rebel known as Rainendall joined the magic people to face us," Joanis said with a straight face.


    "... didn''t you send one of your best groups of soldiers to deal with him?" The King asked while not hiding his annoyance.


    "Yes, your Majesty," Joanis said and then bowed his head deeply. "It looks like he also joined ranks with the sea folk and managed to defeat that army¡­ the princess still is under his control."


    "It seems¡­ it looks¡­ is that all you can say?" The King asked.


    "My deepest apologies, Your Majesty," Joanis said and then bowed once more. "I have no excuses."


    The King was running out of patience¡­ he thought that a single fourteen years old boy wouldn''t cause that much trouble¡­ while he heard things about Rain, he assumed that people were just thinking too much or that Branden had spread rumors to create a figurehead hero to boost the influence of his organization.


    He never truly believed that a twelve-year-old boy would have killed two generals of the magic people.


    Still, right now¡­ Rain was confirming that he was a far more troublesome adversary than the king had assumed that he was¡­ the sea folk didn''t contact the humans for hundreds of years and now they were working with him.


    There was also the ridiculous rumor that Rain split the country in two with his magic by creating a two thousand kilometers long waterway, from one ocean to the other¡­ that rumor was starting to sound a lot less ridiculous.


    "Do you have any n to deal with him, or should I take matters into my own hands?" The King asked.


    "I believe it would be wiser for Your Majesty only to make your move in the worst-case scenario," Joanis exined after he raised his head. "In case this war bes moreplicated¡­ ording to my informants, the magic people are still trying to hold their ground on the other side and the dragons are bound to join this battle.


    Once that happens, we will have the chance to use our best cards and take down both sides."


    "Just be sure to crush this boy as soon as possible," The king said. "Our side will keep losing face if we keep a kid getting in our way and the soldiers will lose faith in our cause."


    "Of course, your Majesty," Joanis said and then bowed again. "I will do my very best to crush him as fast as possible."


    After that, Joanis left the tent and received thetest reports of the battle¡­ aside from the trick with the steam cloud, now Rain and the some melee fighters of the magic people were able to knock down several soldiers with attacks that no one could see yet. That didn''t make any sense¡­


    "His level is higher than I predicted, and he keeps getting stronger¡­" Joanis rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If those five were defeated and he still looks fine, his a lot tougher and he also has some high healing abilities, almost on par with those martial artists. No¡­ if he was caught by the explosions, his magic could have been so effective¡­ someone has better healing skills than him."


    Joanis recalled that a member of Rain''s group came with him¡­ that was unusual. Most of the time, he woulde alone or with a six-man party¡­ Jaonis could only assume that Rain was being cautious and that his friend was the one who would keep him alive if something were to happen¡­

 Chapter 413: Target

    "Someone has to kill her¡­ that will decrease his ability to recover and also will enrage him," Joanis thought. "After that, he will make enough mistakes¡­ to make sure that he will fall, I will have to sacrifice ten of them at least all at once."


    Joanis kept his soldiers away from the first conflict since the Frontline had shields that were highly resistant against magic, and he assumed that it would be enough¡­ Still, Rain''s presence would affect his ns.


    "Perhaps I should have considered a better n to get him and Branden on our side and then deal with themter," Joanis thought. "Revan''s jealousy made me think that I had to gain his support by doing whatever was necessary."


    After arriving at his tent, he recalled some of his soldiers and told him what they should do¡­ despite the insane order, the soldiers didn''t even blink. Once the soldiers left, Joanis couldn''t help but think about the next step, and his main focus came to be Rain¡­ even though he had confidence in his n, he also felt like he had toe up with a n B just in case.


    "Sealing his magic didn''t work¡­ my watchdog on the ind was defeated by him as well, even though magic didn''t work against him," Joanis rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose I will have to use someone that is also highly bnced like him¡­ or just wait for the right opportunity."


    ¡ª ¡ª


    The soldiers in the human army were starting to get impatient¡­ whenever they tried to get too close, they would be sted away by an unknown force¡­ There were many reasons for that. The main reason was the fact that their formation was too tight¡­ They wanted to enter the capital through the main path, which was a long stone and diagonaldder.


    Only around fifty people could cross it at the same time¡­ and they wanted to reach the council as fast as possible.


    While they didn''t want to go all out from the beginning, they wanted to make the enemies think that they will once the opening is shown.


    In any case, the other reason was Rain¡­ when the humans began to move again, the martial artists readied themselves and then Rain used Impulse and made the martial artists kick the ground as well¡­ in the next moment, they hit the shields of the enemies with a body m.


    The impacts made dozens of human soldiers be pushed away and roll on the ground after flying¡­ even before they could fall, Rain used Impulse again and made the martial artists return to their position.


    Despite the fact that they were gaining time and more or less causing a lot of damage to the enemies, the martial artists clenched their teeth since they were forced to obey Rain''smand¡­ it was the perfect chance to attack the fallen soldiers¡­ The only downside was the fact that the enemies from the sides would kill them.


    Rain exined that reason and another one, but they couldn''t ept itpletely.


    "Aren''t you using a lot of mana?" Terra asked.


    "No, I am fine," Rain replied.


    Although things were going well, Rain was a bit worried since the soldiers were taking their time to retreat or advance with all their might¡­ they always could attack other sides of the city, but they didn''t want to, and that was obvious. Joanis was cooking something¡­


    "If I had an idea of the number of his special soldiers and all of their abilities, I would be able to attack him directly¡­" Rain thought. "In the end, since I am defending, I guess I can only focus on this."


    Before long, Rain realized that the enemies began to take a few steps backward¡­ while using his magic, Rain realized that some people were approaching them and joining their ranks as well while passing some new pieces of information¡­ naturally, Rain could tell that Joanis soldiers were among them.


    "Let''s see what you are nning¡­ asshole," Rain thought.


    Just as Rain thought that they should do it¡­ the human army began to split and move to the other sides of the region to invade the capital. While they will have to take a roundabout path, and that won''t take them directly to the council, at least that would make the magic people split. Still¡­ that didn''t happen.


    Since they lost their scouts, the human army also didn''t know what they did during the whole day¡­


    The human soldiers moved cautiously across the uneven terrain, their boots sinking into the soft earth with each step. Little did they know that beneath the surface, a treacherous trapy in wait. As they advanced, the ground they tread upon began to betray them, yielding to the weight of their armored bodies¡­ or so they thought.


    With an ominous rumble, the earth gave way beneath the soldiers, creating yawning chasms that seemed to appear out of nowhere. One by one, they tumbled into these sudden pits, their startled cries filling the air as they plummeted into the darkness below.


    The once-stable ground now crumbled and shifted, swallowing the soldiers into its depths. It was a harrowing sight as the very earth itself seemed to conspire against them, leaving them to struggle and w their way out of the unexpected chasms that had materialized beneath their feet.


    Before long, the soldiers stopped moving since some fifty-meter-long holes were blocking their path, and with their heavy gear, they couldn''t jump those long distances¡­


    Amidst the darkness of the holes, the humans flinched since they couldn''t cross it, and they didn''t know for how long they were, and as if that wasn''t enough, they began to hear the screams of their allies being killed.


    The skill Rock Solid Precision leveled up.


    The skill Rock Solid Precision leveled up.


    The skill Rock Solid Precision leveled up.


    ¡­


    "I helped them create those, but I didn''t expect that I would still gain experience¡­" Rain thought.

 Chapter 414: Strategy

    Rain thought that he would feel something about helping killing humans, but he didn''t feel anything¡­ in the end, he had killed beastmen, demi humans, dragons¡­ they were all the same to him, if they tried to kill him, they were his enemies.


    Without any other choice, the human army was forced to retreat¡­ keep attacking when they didn''t know the conditions of the terrain that would be too dangerous for them. Thanks to that, Rain didn''t know what Joanis had prepared for him¡­ but he would learn eventually.


    "You are pretty good at thinking of what others would do," Terra said. "While they didn''t use their special soldiers, we defeated a bunch of them without losing a single person."


    "That is something you eventually learn if you try for long enough," Rain said. "Consider what the enemy wants, the best ways for them to achieve that and then you will learn how they operate¡­ anyway, we should retreat, they will try to find the holes during the day without sacrificing many soldiers."


    Rain also used a bunch of mana to confuse the enemies and make them act the way he wanted, so not everything had been perfect¡­ so, he had to recover naturally.


    Most of the magic people stayed behind. The Frontline soldiers were camping in the border of the capital where a bunch of temporary houses had been made using the magic of the golem masters¡­ that was what Rain told them to do.


    The situation was worse than Rain had imagined¡­ the invasion started one month ago, but the magic people still didn''t know what they had to do or how to use their abilities properly.


    While it couldn''t be helped since they were being attacked from two directions, the real issue was the fact that they didn''t lose territory in hundreds of years, so they didn''t know how to fight while defending only. As such, Rain had to give some orders, and they didn''t like that.


    Rain and Terra were taking shelter in one of the houses very close to the long stairway, but they didn''t sleep at all, they kept using the level of meditation. Rain wanted more mana, while Terra wanted to level up her Magic Boost, even though he told her not to even think of attacking.


    "Your guesses have been correct until now, thanks to it, the peopleining can''t do anything, but that won''tst forever, right?" Josar asked when Rain left the house, it seemed that he was camping nearby as well.


    "Right, when that happens, both sides will lose a lot of soldiers, so that should satisfy their bloodthirsty needs," Rain nodded. "What are you going to do once that happens?"


    "The tribe leaders are nning to join the fight to rally their brothers," Josar exined. "That should boost our attack power more than a little bit."


    "It will also make them easy targets," Rain said.


    Josar could only shrug¡­ he warned them about that, but it didn''t work, if they were going to die, there was nothing that could be helped. After a quick breakfast, they headed toward the area where the magic people were having their breakfast¡­ Once again, Rain found some people ring at them. He smiled at them with arge grin and waved his hands, making their veins in their forehead bulge¡­


    "Stop that¡­ we can change their attitude by working with them and helping each other, but things won''t improve if you keep taunting them," Terra said.


    "They have to be annoyed as well if they keep trying to annoy me," Rain said.


    After walking for a while, the group found that the long holes had be even longer¡­ at least the parts exposed. It seemed that overnight, some earth mages on the human side tested the ground and confirmed their length.


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    They were five hundred meters long and had the shape of diagonal corridors¡­ all for the sake of making the enemies take the long path if they tried to change directions after getting too close.


    During the whole morning, Rain rxed while the soldiers waited for battle¡­ he told them that the enemies wouldn''t attack in the morning, only in the afternoon, but that was supposed to be stupid¡­ Rain thought that he should have told them, but he decided not to.


    The reason why was the sun¡­ the morning sun would be against the human army, but the afternoon sun would be agaisnt the magic people. now, thanks to their stupid pride, they were going to fight a bit more tired, and Rain didn''t care if they die¡­ he only cared if they would die before making themselves useful at least once.


    "I guess you guys have been suffering from sess for thest decades," Rain said when noon arrived, and the human army began to move.


    "... You are right once again, but your attitude doesn''t make people feel like they should listen to you," Josar said while looking around at the soldiers.


    "Not really my problem," Rain said.


    Even the officers in the magic people''s army were a problem¡­ Josar was also among them. Rain asked what the Gemini tribe could do, but he said that he couldn''t reveal that kind of secret and other tribes. He was fine losing, apparently, and taking the secrets to the grave.


    The daylight couldn''t conceal the numbers of soldiers that Joanis and the king were employing now, so they didn''t hesitate in. sending ten thousand soldiers to attack the northern side of the city, ten more thousand soldiers to attack the southern side, and five thousand to attack the western side¡­ that was quite the suspicion division and that wasn''t something that Rain expected¡­


    "Do you understand why they are doing this?" Terra asked.


    "They are probably trying to make us drop our guard or split up¡­" Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully and then looked at Josar. "We are going to stay here, so you should do your best to hold the other armies with your secret techniques."

 Chapter 415: Are you ready now?

    When the enemies began to march in his direction, Rain at first assumed that the enemies were using fewer soldiers in that direction because the path was tighter there¡­ but soon he found some individuals with weird auras leading them¡­ all kinds of auras and none of them were simr to the ones he faced before.


    "I am starting to dislike surprises," Rain thought.


    If they focus on him, it will be fine¡­ but the magic people around him won''t have the experience to deal with them. At the same time, those guys, at the very least, will have equipment that will be highly resistant to magic¡­ so only a handful of people could actually damage them.


    "You guys can fight freely," Rain said while looking at the soldiers around him. "I will be too busy dealing with those guys to pay attention to the battlefield. However, you shouldn''t chase them too far or pass the location I will be. Also, don''t get too close, or you will get hurt."


    The soldiers at least nodded in response, and Terra also began to focus on the task ahead¡­ Her main goal was to keep Rain alive, but she also had to avoid as many casualties on their side. It was the only way for them to actually gain some time or to win that battle.


    The squads of the magic people began to work independently and for starters, the heat sorcerers stepped forward and began to summon their fire tornadoes.


    The fire tornadoes conjured by the heat sorcerers showed a formidable disy of elemental might. In the harsh noon sunlight, they zed with an intensity that made the very air quiver with heat. As they twisted and swirled across the battlefield, they left behind a mighty sight of devastation.


    These tornadoes roared with an unearthly rage, their mes extending greedily to consume all in their path. The heat they emitted was so searing that it almost felt tangible, causing the ground to sizzle and emit smoke as they passed over it. The air itself shimmered with their scorching presence, making it a challenge for those nearby to breathe.


    Dozens of the fire tornadoes moved toward the human army, but that didn''t stop or slow down their advance¡­ all of a sudden, one of the special soldiers used their magic to make some fire tornadoes stop spinning and then the mes dissipated.


    Another soldier just controlled the ground and made earth walls emerge andpletely destroyed some other fire tornadoes¡­ in no time, the spells were canceled one after the other.


    Only a handful of them reached the human army, but soon, they began to decrease in size when they came in contact with the shields of the human army. It took a short while, so their defense against magic wasn''t perfect.


    "Will those dispel Magic Boost if they touch us?" Terra asked.


    "You should bet on it," Rain said. "Focus on defense if you have to, and by defense, I mean dodging."


    "I would be thankful if you didn''t treat me like I am made of ss," Terra said.


    "Anyway, I am going, we can''t afford to let them decide where the fight will take ce," Rain said.


    Terra nodded, and then Rain used Impulse toward the enemies. At the same time, the human army stopped their march, and their captains retreated¡­ Rain could attack them by jumping just like he did it before, but he wanted to understand a bit more how Joanis think, so he decided not to do that.


    The magic people soon followed him, and then the battlefield was engulfed in chaos with many people shouting.


    "They aren''t half assed soldiers like the ones who tried to invade our territory¡­ I can''t hold back against them," Rain thought.


    Rain used Limit Breaker, Magic Boost and Impulse.


    In the next moment, he charged and collided against dozens of soldiers and made them fly in several directions¡­ some of their spears cut him and nullified the effects of Magic Boost, but their damage was minimal¡­ in the end, Rain stopped in the middle of their army when he found the first target¡­ It was the guy who used earth walls to dissipate some fire tornadoes.


    His appearance waspletely concealed since he was using a full te armor and a helmet, but Rain could see in his eyes that he didn''t run out of fear.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 590 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 590 experience points.


    ¡­


    "Are you ready now?" Rain asked. "Or should I try againter?"


    Rain''s attempt to taunt the enemy went without results, leaving him with a sense of annoyance. While he was no stranger to taunts and provocations, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated by the soldiers'' seemingly lifeless responses. It left him wondering whether it would be better if they had their own thoughts and reactions, even if it meant more challenges on the battlefield.


    The absence of any response from the enemy only added to the eerie atmosphere of the confrontation.


    All of a sudden, several earth spikes emerged from the ground and almost impaled Rain, but he blocked them with his shin Guards and cracked them as well. The enemy didn''t make any clear signs that he was about to use magic, so that showed that he was good¡­


    Rain looked around and found some people ready to throw their spears at him, but he didn''t find any of the other special soldiers¡­ were they just nning to watch to report what they learned? That seemed the only exnation¡­ surprising Rain with magic would be hard with his focus.


    When the enemy sensed some danger when Rain lowered his stance, he quickly grabbed some knives and assumed his fighting stance as well¡­ it was a weirdbination, a fully armored warrior with a pair of knives in his hands¡­ However, Rain knew that he came prepared with those for some reason¡­

 Chapter 416: Stopped

    As Rain charged forward to attack the enemy, his target disyed an incredible feat of agility. The soldier seemed to glide across the ground at an astonishing speed, almost as if he were skating. Rain couldn''t see any overt use of Impulse magic.


    Still, it was clear that the soldier had employed earth magic to enhance his swiftness, making him a difficult adversary to catch or engage inbat in a ce so crowded¡­


    Before Rain could decide what to do next, the enemy kept moving like that. Sometimes, he would approach to make his guard be raised, and then he would move away¡­


    The enemy wanted Rain to waste his time, so he quickly charged in again. Out of reflex, the enemy summoned several earth walls to block his Charge, but Rain destroyed them all with his Charge. Out of reflex as well, the enemy began to zigzag among the enemies lines and moved away from the battlefield¡­ his speed was quite annoying.


    "This guy¡­" Rain thought.


    The enemy wasn''t emitting any bloodlust¡­ he didn''t want to fight Rain at all, only to lure him to a trap or something else. In the end, Rain looked around, but he didn''t find any signs of the special soldiers, and he didn''t like that¡­


    With a serious expression, Rain turned around and then retreated¡­ he could influence the whole battlefield without having to kill those guys first, and he was okay with that.


    After just two steps, Rain returned to where Terra was and then checked the surroundings again¡­ Rain observed the human soldiers advancing with raised shields, and menacing spears pointed toward the magic people. It was a coordinated and aggressive approach. However, Rain soon witnessed how the magic people responded to this imminent threat.


    Among them, Martial artists disyed incredible agility and skill. They expertly disarmed the human soldiers with swift movements, snatching away their weapons and casting them aside. Then, they executed a series of powerful body ms against the shields, causing them to tremble and ultimately copse.


    Simultaneously, the mages positioned at the rear of the magic people''s formation demonstrated their own talents. They adeptly intercepted the small projectilesunched by the human soldiers, manipting their trajectories with magic.


    These projectiles soared upwards before elegantly arcing down, creating a sense of vulnerability among the human soldiers who now remained vignt against potential aerial attacks. It was a disy of both martial and magical prowess that kept the enemy forces on edge.


    "What is wrong?" Terra asked.


    "They showed themselves to lure me toward them, but they don''t want to fight," Rain said. "I don''t like this. They are plotting something different than usual."


    "They are scheming again, I guess¡­" Terra furrowed her eyebrows. "I will inform you if I notice anything suspicious. For now, you should focus on disarming them and decreasing their numbers as well. Help those who are being pushed backward."


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ helping those guys who truly didn''t want to follow his orders was annoying, but Terra had a point¡­ that would decrease his workload in the future.


    After turning around again, Rain charged toward the enemies and soon knocked down several of them with Charge. After that, he began to throw shields around like they were boomerangs¡­ they never returned, but they sure caused a lot of damage. They could have high resistance to magic now, but they weren''t highly resistant to impacts.


    The skill Power Strike leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 130 experience points. Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    The skill Power Strike leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 140 experience points.


    ¡­


    Just using stamina was enough to wreak havoc among the enemy''s lines, so Rain did exactly that¡­ At the same time, he focused on attacking and killing the soldiers who looked the most enraged. The reason for that was the fact that Rain would stop fighting and look around and analyze the battlefield.


    The battlefield transformed into a maelstrom of chaos as humans shed fiercely with magic people. The relentless sh of weapons and the explosive release of magic spells created an overwhelming cacophony, drowning out all other sounds. This starkly contrasted with the previous war, which had been more structured and less brutal.


    Mercury Swords shed against shields with a resounding ng while spears and staffs jabbed incessantly, aiming to prate armor and flesh. The air crackled with the unleashed power of magic, manifesting in dazzling disys of color and energy.


    Fireballs detonated, enveloping thebatants in scorching mes, while ice shards streaked through the chaotic fray, freezing soldiers in their tracks. The very ground quaked as earth mages summoned rock formations and tremors, disrupting enemy formations and sending troops sprawling.


    Amid this tumultuous scene, there was no room for mercy. Combatants fought with unyielding determination and desperate resolve. Blood was spilled without hesitation, and the battlefield echoed with cries of pain and fury. The once-orderly battleground had descended into a nightmarish tableau of brutality and carnage, serving as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of war.


    "I guess one side is letting out all the frustration that they got during the war, and the other ispletely pissed since they don''t like being attacked," Rain thought.


    Now and then, Rain would catch glimpses of magic people being killed out of nowhere¡­ wind des would behead them, or earth spikes would impale them to death¡­ the special soldiers were working, but they didn''t want to reveal themselves, so they were working stealthily.


    "They keep moving erratically, entering the range of my detection and then leaving¡­ they must know now that I find them with earth Magic, but not all the time," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain jumped to have a clear view of the battlefield, but before he could look around that much, several ice and earth spheres were fired at him¡­ they were big, too. Rain punched and destroyed them one after the other, but soon, he began to fall without being able to scan the surroundings from above¡­

 Chapter 417: Survival

    It was clear that the enemies knew that he could do that. That shouldn¡¯t be possible¡­ Those who saw him in the previous battle either died or shouldn¡¯t have been able to send a message this far. Unless¡­


    "Those five guys passed the message on how I killed them before they died¡­" Rain thought. "That must be why¡­ every time I fight them, they learn more about me no matter where I am."


    That was a bit annoying, but information was the bread and butter of war¡­ Rain had been looking for a way tomunicate with his friends over long distances, so perhaps he will learn that now.


    Before he had the chance to do that, though, Rain learned something else. He had nned to train a bit before with the martial artists and the mercury warriors, but he didn¡¯t have the chance to do so. Still, they began to show their best techniques now to wipe out the human army¡­ the martial artists showed an weird almost suicidal technique.


    When they charged to attack, sometimes they would ignore their defense in order to take down the enemies as fast as possible, as such, they ended up with spears on their stomachs.


    Still, after pulling those out, Rain would see their backs glowing a bit as if they were emitting some mana from there, and then their wounds would heal in no time.


    "I guess their fast healing has some tricks too¡­ that makes sense, otherwise, their skill level would be way too above the other tribes," Rain thought.


    While using his magic eyes, Rain found several invisible spheres of mana on their back¡­ Rain couldn¡¯t help but assume that those wererge concentrations of mana that they stored overtime to use almost instantaneous healing.


    While making mental notes to share that information with Terrater, he saw the mercury warriors making their weapons emerge from all parts of their bodies¡­ clothes, boots¡­ Some of them even made them emerge from their pores¡­ that was a way to store their weapons that Rain didn¡¯t want to copy, but he wondered if he could change it to be less gross and more useful.


    After studying that for a while, Rain decided that it was time to speed things up a bit. He didn¡¯t know how things were happening on the other battlefields, after all and he might have to send some help there.


    Rain immediately charged toward the enemies and his charge alone knocked down some of them and killed others. All the weight of the impacts against his body made Rain feel his bones cracking, but he endured that in order to destroy their formation.


    Still, Rain eventually changed his approach when he heard the sounds of explosions¡­ they weren¡¯t explosions of magic. When Rain looked toward their Frontline, Rain saw a red cloud spreading around their ranks.


    "Shit¡­ they want to seal Terra¡¯s magic," Rain thought and immediately turned around and charged toward her.


    The red cloud prevented Rain from seeing her location, but he charged through it without hesitation¡­ only to be hit by numerous earth walls blocking his path. They were thick as they could be, so eventually Rain was forced to stop and his head began to spin.


    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, something weird happened¡­ something grabbed him from behind. Before long, Rain felt the same thing again and again, unable to use his magic, Rain could only trust his senses and it seemed that the special soldiers wanted to lock him down and their intentions couldn¡¯t be good¡­


    When the fifth one grabbed him, Rain tensed his body and then used Limit Breaker. In the next moment, he jumped with all his might and that movement created a small crater on the ground¡­ in the next moment, Rain crossed the sky and reached one kilometer of height. He saw the special soldiers looking at him without a care for their lives.


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    In the next instant, the earth mage created an earth spear that has pierced the hearts of all the special soldiers¡­


    On the ground, Terra jumped away from the area and ordered the magic people to do the same since she knew about the anti-magic bombs¡­ still, while the enemies threw those in her direction, they didn¡¯tunch it that far¡­ it didn¡¯t take long for Terra to connect the dots¡­ the enemies were targeting Rain again.


    Unfortunately, before she could alert Rain, she saw him jumping to the sky while the special soldiers were hugging him¡­ when they disappeared in the sky, it eventually happened.


    In the sky above, a chain reaction of explosions ignited, giving birth to vivid purple energy spheres. These spheres rapidly swelled in size, their spherical shapes seemingly unable to contain the surging energy within.


    All around, the battlefield fell into an eerie pause as soldiers from both sides turned their attention upward. The expanding energy spheresmanded a moment of silence, their pulsating brilliance holding everyone¡¯s gaze.


    Then, a thunderous release of energy erupted. Each sphere unleashed a powerful shockwave apanied by deafening sts of wind. The battlefield became a maelstrom of chaos as dust and debris swirled through the turbulent gusts, obscuring vision and sending troops sprawling.


    The explosions¡¯ impact resonated widely, shaking the very ground beneath thebatants. It was a breathtaking and frightening disy of might that momentarily forced both sides to halt their furious battle, their attention drawn to the unexpected turmoil unfolding in the sky above.


    As the explosions took ce, Terra watched all of it with expectancy in her eyes¡­ in the end, she saw Rain falling from that massive cloud of smoke, and after several seconds, hended on his feet. Terra knew that he would survive that¡­ he wasn¡¯t the type to fall for the same trick twice.


    Although Terra was still expecting to find Rain in a bloody mess, his body was mostly fine, he was emitting a lot of steam, and he had some burn wounds here and there, but aside from that, he was fine.

 Chapter 418: Buffy

    "Those guys are so¡­" Rain said and then took a deep breath. "It seems that they don¡¯t want a quick death."


    "Sit still and let me heal you," Terra said and then smiled in relief. "How did you escape several of those explosions?"


    "I didn¡¯t¡­ I took them head-on," Rain replied. "But since I was expecting that this would happen and I wanted to unlock the next path to Sage¡¯s path, I kept Mana Barrier and Mana Shield equipped."


    "I know Mana Barrier, it is one of the first skills of that path," Terra said.


    "Mana Shield is basically the same thing, but you can equip it as well, and it is two times more efficient," Rain exined. "Long story short, my mana pool was evaporated to protect me from those attacks, but even though I have so much, it wasn¡¯t enough topletely nullify it."


    While that was true, Terra was still impressed that Rain¡¯s mana was strong enough to withstand all the explosion of energy within those five soldiers¡­ they were pretty strong mages as well, so their abilities were more than decent¡­ but Rain¡¯s magic skills were even better, even when he couldn¡¯t control them properly.


    Amidst the ongoing battle, the human soldiers found themselves unable to shake the haunting image of Rain surviving the devastating aerial explosions. It defied theirprehension and left them feeling unnerved. To them, Rain had transcended the limits of mortal capability, bing an almost otherworldly figure. This unexpected turn of events sowed doubt and uncertainty among their ranks.


    The noble sacrifice of the special soldiers, whilemendable, had unintended consequences. The regr troops, who had mentally prepared themselves for the harsh realities of war, now grappled with a different kind of horror. They had be unwitting pawns, seemingly expendable for the greater good. This realization instilled fear and unease among them.


    The soldiers¡¯ once-unshakable resolve had begun to falter, with their morale taking a significant blow. In the midst of chaos, they looked to their leaders for guidance and reassurance, desperately seeking stability in an increasingly turbulent battlefield. Emotions on the battlefield were now in conflict as courage and determination battled against doubt and trepidation.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Even from a distance¡­ Joanis saw what had happened. While squinting his eyes, he kept looking at the battlefield while not hiding his displeasure¡­ that was why he disliked using the same tactics twice against the same adversary¡­ they coulde up with ways to counterattack them.


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    "His reserves of mana are astounding to be able to endure that," Joanis thought. "He came prepared to face that again¡­ did he survive in the same manner against Phel¡¯s squad?


    No, there are times that he shows much stronger magic and much stronger physical capabilities, and he is trying not to show either of them now, he knows that my soldiers can pass information to me insanely fast¡­ it is a pity that Phel¡¯s squad only informed me how they were killed."


    Trying to keep targeting Rain seemed too reckless now¡­ thanks to the suicidal attacks, he got stronger once again, not by arge margin, but Joanis knew that he was closer to another path and whenever he got a new path, his potential would increase, that was the real problem.


    Joanis waited for the information regarding the other sides of the battlefield, and without assistance, the human soldiers were able to fight on equal terms thanks to their equipment, highly resistant to magic. However, only that¡­ if they couldn¡¯t win at least on one front, insisting on that battle n was useless.


    "We have to slow things down¡­ he probably won¡¯t stay here for long. Even if he stays, there is another unknown factor that we can use," Joanis thought.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Once Terra finished healing Rain, they realized that the enemies suddenly began to retreat¡­ not even half an hour had passed since the start of the battle, and they didn¡¯t have the chance to use the sunlight agaisnt the magic people either. Still, it was clear that Joanis decided to cut his losses.


    "Did you predict that?" Terra asked. "Your frown says no."


    "No, I didn¡¯t predict it¡­ but it seems that Joanis wants to slow things down since the favor is on our side," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He knows that we can¡¯t stay here forever. Besides, the magic people are fighting on two fronts. Time is on the human side while the flow of the battle is on ours."


    While Rain was being healed and he couldn¡¯t use magic, he was able to recover it, so he went to help Terra and heal some people. Despite his good intentions, some of them actually tried to push him away since they didn¡¯t want to be healed by a human, on the right side of that guy, there was the corpse of his friend that died by the hands of the humans, after all.


    "Patients should obediently follow the rmendations of the healers," Rain said and then punched the guy in the stomach and almost knocked him down before he had the chance to heal his limping leg.


    "What is the point of breaking his ribs to heal his broken leg?" Terra asked.


    "He can run now, but he couldn¡¯t before, that is why," Rain replied. "Anyway, you should be buffy enough now to knock them down with a punch in the gut, so use that as you see fit."


    "I am not buffy, I am a perfectly slender and delicate girl," Terra said.


    "Your six packed abs have something to say against that argument," Rain shrugged.


    There were too many people injured, so it didn¡¯t take long for Rain to run out of stamina. Fortunately, some of the inhabitants of the capital were passing around spiritual potions for the healers for them to continue their work and they didn¡¯t hesitate in giving some for Rain and Terra. They were using their brains and they were a lot less hot-blooded than the guys on the battlefield¡­

 Chapter 419: Support

    When the day ended, most of the wounded had been healed and Terra actually was forced to punch some stubborn patients as well, but no one tried to stop her or Rain.


    "It seems that despite what we saw, finds here hadn''t been as dangerous¡­" Josar said while looking around. "More humans still died ifpared to our people."


    "That would be usually a good thing, if you hadn''t your forces split, aren''t the dragons gaining terrain day by day?" Rain asked.


    Josar looked away since he couldn''t bring himself to confirm that. It was pretty evident considering the number of people in their capital¡­ it was only a matter of time before they run out of resources for so many people, after all and once that happens, it will be a checkmate.


    Rain realzist that the dragons, particrly the younger ones, seemed to be seizing the opportunity presented by the Magic People''s focus on the human conflict. In their usual territorial disputes, these young dragons would have rivals of other ns, vying to prove their worthiness and earn respect.


    However, with the Magic People''s attention divided between two formidable adversaries, the dragons saw a chance to expand their territories and assert dominance.


    It was as if these young dragons were engaged in a silentpetition among themselves. Winning battles against foes who were simultaneously contending with other threats carried less prestige. Thus, they wanted to demonstrate their prowess by seizing more ground and resources, all while the Magic People struggled to defend their borders against the relentless onught from two sides.


    In this tumultuous environment, Rain could envision the dragonspeting fiercely, each one striving to outdo the others and make their mark in the annals of dragon history.


    "Annals¡­" Rain thought and then chuckled.


    Rain anticipated another troubling scenario where the young dragons might choose to enter the battle, not out of necessity but for the sheer excitement of it. Joanis appeared to be waiting for this moment, knowing it was inevitable. However, Rain realized that the real problem would arise when some of these young dragons met their demise during the conflict.


    Inevitably, the adult dragons, particrly the parents and rtives of the young ones, would be consumed by a mix of grief and anger. Their fury wouldn''t be directed solely at the Magic People; it would extend to the human forces responsible for the deaths of their kin.


    This situation had the potential to unleash absolute chaos, as the adult dragons, armed with their tremendous power and seething emotions, would join the fray seeking vengeance.


    Rain could vividly imagine the catastrophic consequences of such an esction. The already turbulent battlefield would transform into a maelstrom of destruction, presenting an unprecedented challenge for both the Magic People and the human armies.


    "By the way, I noticed something unusual among the martial artists, you should see if you can learn it," Rain said and then exined how they could heal fast. "It is probably a technique of one of the evolutions of the Healer''s path, so it shouldn''t be impossible for you to learn it."


    It was better to change the mood instead of worrying about that, so Rain told Terra how their technique worked¡­ the only problem was the fact that the anti magic bombs probably could cancel the spheres of health.


    "That certainly is interesting¡­ it would be nice if we had the chance to practice it," Terra rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, it seems that we are going to get busy¡­"


    Some movements in the camp began to spread around and soon the magic people noticed what was going. Rain and Terra went to check it and it seemed that the human army was splitting in the middle of the night¡­ several battalions were heading North and South.


    "What are they doing?" Josar suddenly approached and asked nervously. "Are they baiting us?"


    "No¡­ they probably are nning to target viges, towns and cities in those directions," Rain relied after thinking for a short while. "They probably are starting to consider a siege and they don''t want you guys getting resources from anywhere else."


    Josar bit his lips in annoyance to the point that it began to bleed¡­ he was truly bad at imagining the worst case scenarios, since they were always on the attack.


    In any case, that was a problem for Rain too since he couldn''t stay away from home for that long. In the end, they only had one option¡­ making the enemies stop or attack their headquarters and im the heads of Joanis and the king, but that was easier said than done.


    "You should stop them, wear their resources and soldiers," Rain said. "I know that you don''t have the luxury to be that reckless since you are fighting the enemies on the other side, but you don''t have any other option."


    "Won''t they be waiting for that?" Josar asked.


    "They will be waiting for anything," Rain replied. "Still, you can''t let them do what they want."


    "Rain, can''t you do that thing that you did to find Branden in order to find the weak spots in the enemies formation?" Terra asked after thinking for a while. "If the enemy keeps enduring rain, cold and bad terrain, their morale will drop."


    "... I suppose it isn''tpletely out of question with the coral spear," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "However, I can''t do all that alone and for long."


    Josar learned what the coral spear could do, and he was astonished when he heard that the sea emperor gave Rain the weapon¡­ it was more efficient in terms of potion usage if Rain used most of them¡­ Josar was worried about Rain bing even stronger, but it couldn''t be helped¡­ rebuilding that region of the country will take too long.


    "Do it, we will support you," Josar said.


    Readtest chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    Rain scratched the back of his head¡­ he was helping too much. He came to offer some assistance, but it will be troublesome if he bes the hero of the war for the magic people too.

 Chapter 420: Changes in the enemies camp

    Still, the chance to use his magic and level up his path wasn''t something that he wanted to miss. After thinking for a while, Rain had an idea. He couldn''t help but smile from ear to ear, that will work to traumatize some people.


    "It is time to make them understand that despite my mom''s weird naming sense, my name sure suits me," Rain said and then grabbed his spear.


    After approaching the enemy''s territory, Rain and Terra saw a bunch of soldiers preparing to fight. Too bad for them, but Rain had no intention of doing that¡­ after raising his weapon, Rain began to focus and created a rain cloud over the enemy''s camp.


    Creating that out of nowhere was no easy feat, but that didn''t faze the soldiers¡­ they didn''t fear a little rain and they had another reason for that¡­ When the first droplets of water began to fall, it didn''t take long for Rain to confirm that their entire camp was protected by an anti magic barrier. One much bigger than the one that protected the castle.


    "I guess they want to have some peace of mind¡­" Rain thought when he felt the water disappearing. "Too bad for them, but they will have to feel how I feel everyday."


    Rain controlled the rain clouds once more and made them expand around the camp. Before long, they were no longer above the invisible anti magic barrier. When that happened, he began to make it Rain.


    At first, the humans seeing that couldn''t help but frown, what was the point of that? The ground began to get wet once the droplets of water began to fall and then the rain got more intense.


    "Did you change your mind?" Terra asked while frowning.


    "I figured out that making them feel depressed would take too long, it is better to make them fear," Rain exined.


    It has to be one hell of a Rain to scare anyone¡­ in any case, Rain kept going until his mana was empty. Still, with his focus and the new stage of meditation, he could keep the clouds under his control, even though they were no longer dropping any water.


    When Josar returned with the potions, he also had several questions, but he decided to leave those forter. Rain began to drink the potions and then made it Rain again.


    Before long, all the water around the human camp began to float and the humans raised their guard¡­ They assumed that Rain was nned to destroy the barrier with brute strength when the water began to spin, but soon it touched the ground again and like a saw, it began to cut the ground¡­


    "You are really going to¡­" Terra furrowed her eyebrows.


    "Hehehe, just watch," Rain smiled. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    The enemies noticed the danger that they were facing when they realized that their entire camp was being surrounded by a one meter long hole that was getting deeper. Soon, they realized that they couldn''t stop Rain anymore and went to inform their allies.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    "What?" Joanis calm and serious demeanor broke when he heard the most recent report.


    Joanis exined to the king how they would quickly attack and destroy the cities and towns in the central area of the magic people''s territory. Their goal was to take their resources and use them in the siege.


    Their original n was to take the capital in less than one week and solidify their power there and the defenses against the dragons as well, but thanks to Rain''s intervention, they had to change their one week n to a three weeks n.


    However, while he had noticed the Rain and confirmed that it wasn''t a natural phenomena, he didn''t think that it would be an issue since their anti magic barrier covered their whole camp and then some¡­ but the news about a hole enveloping their territory was worrisome.


    "Why didn''t you stop it?" Joanis asked, visibly annoyed.


    "We didn''t have the chance, sir," the soldier exined. "It just rained for a couple of minutes and then he used the water on the ground to make the hole.


    "Attack him now!" Joanis shouted. "His magic should have limitations like range! We can''t afford to let him iste us in this ce!"


    The soldiers left in a hurry and the news quickly spread in the camp. Joanis was losing his cool since Rain''s skills and tactics defied the norm in too many aspects.


    He had done some investigation on him and he knew that he only studied tactics for three months, so he assumed that half of these results were thanks to Branden leadership, but he finally realized that it had been a serious mistake and he also had a good head for nning ahead.


    "Joanis¡­ it seems that this boy keeps getting in our way in ways that you never expected," The king said.


    "Yes, Your Majesty," Joanis said while cleaning his forehead from sweat. "If we weren''t certain of his background, I would think that he has dragon''s blood in his veins considering how resourceful he is. Still, even dragons only learn how to use their powers effectively after hundreds of years since they believe that they should grow and learn by trial and error."


    "That doesn''t matter," The king said. "I am tired of him, and it seems that yourmonly employed tactics won''t defeat him for good."


    "... There are some ways to do that, but not without causing astronomic losses on our side," Joanis exined. "If we kill him and end up sacrificing many of our soldiers, we will lose morale and they might join the rebels."


    "I don''t desire to sacrifice my people to kill a single boy and at this point in time, it would be foolish to try to keep fighting him," The king said. "Call Revan, we will use him to deliver a message to this boy. We can''t keep wasting time and resources and the best option now is to make hime to our side."

 Chapter 421: Execution

    Joanis didn''t like to hear that, even though he knew that it was truly the best option¡­ until now, he assumed that a fourteen years old boy wouldn''t change his ns that much, but after losing dozens of his special soldiers to take him down, he realized that having Rain on his side would be more than a little useful¡­ perhaps with his help, they could take over the magic people''s capital in less than three days.


    Joanis sent the word for one of the guards, and then they went to fetch Revan, who was guarding the front of the camp¡­ during the wait, he stopped to think about what he knew about Rain. The only thing that he knew was the fact that he had noble traces in his appearance. Some members of the king''s de said that Rain was also recruited by Branden when he was eight years old.


    "I thought that it would be unusual to recruit a mercenary organization a kid of that age, even if they had high magical power¡­ but it seems that Branden realized the potential of this boy," Joanis thought while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "Unlike my soldiers who followed the training regimen that I made them to have the abilities that I wanted, he followed his own that enhanced his own talents¡­ I have to investigate more about him¡­ I have the feeling that the negotiations won''t start well."


    It was annoying, but Joanis told the king that they should call back the troops that left. The king readily epted that offer since he was certainn that Joanis was no longer underestimating Rain. At the same time, Joanis called for an assembly of the king''s de¡­ it was troublesome to give them orders when Ka wasn''t around, but it would be fine since they were just going to ask some questions.


    "Yes, Your Majesty?" Revan asked after he knelt in front of the king.


    Revan also looked quite surprised by the recent events¡­ they assumed that their defenses were perfect against everything, but Rain showed them that it wasn''t the case¡­ the anti-magic barrier had the shape of a perfect sphere, but it wouldn''t protect them if the ground below them were to give in and it seemed that Rain was nning to do that.


    "I want you to go and negotiate in my ce," the king dered. "This boy can no longer be ignored or be treated like a mere pawn. Do what you must to convince him to join our side."


    "I can offer him anything, your Majesty?" Revan asked after gulping. "While that is very generous of you, I think we need a more concrete n for this. We gave orders to some soldiers to capture his friends and sisters in the port town and that army was assembled to kill him, after all."


    "You have a point, we will sign a document dering that all thends that he took belong to him now," The king rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "All of his crimes are to be pardoned if he withdraws from this battle and he will receive the title of Baron if he joins our side."


    Revan was surprised by the offer, the Baron was only below the king and the only Baron in the kingdom was Joanis right now¡­ that offer seemed suitable and Revan nodded and then got up to stop wasting the king''s time. Still, he had a feeling that even that much wouldn''t be enough¡­


    After waiting for a couple of minutes, the entire king''s de was assembled in front of the king''s tent and then the king and Joanis left it to talk with them. That was their best option if they wanted to gain time and learn as much as possible about Rain, everything would be necessary and few people would even think of lying to the king.


    "As you have recently witnessed, the former member of the king''s de known as Rainendall joined the enemies ranks, he not only orchestrated a coup against His Majesty, but now he joined the ranks of the magic people," Joanis said while walking from one side to the other.


    "The King is magnanimous and decides to forgive him if he stops causing problems, but we must be cautious and try to learn as much as possible about him to avoid more losses on our side. Anything that you know about him, you should speak before our King now."


    For a moment, the king''s de hesitated, but soon they decided to spill the beans, they only knew one side of the story, so they believed that Rain was truly a criminal.


    "Your Majesty, all that I know is that he often visited the same cksmith shop to repair his gear."


    "Your Majesty, I never asked why, but it seemed that he and his friends were often wearing weird things on their wrists and ankles." Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    "I heard that they were weights created by Rain himself, but no one ever asked what it was for¡­ but Jori would often put in his sword, so it must have been for training."


    "During the war, the only type of magic that he didn''t use was fire, so he is probably weak against that."


    "There is this rumor that he is a great cook, Jori and his party would often eat at his home and they praised his skills highly."


    "I heard that he would get pretty depressed when his sisters didn''t want to hang out with him. He was the type of guy who would spoil them a lot."


    Joanis began to bite his lips in annoyance. Some useless information were being passed to him now, he didn''t care about that. He wanted to know Rain''s weakness, but at least he learned a few things that could be the secret of his strength¡­ This cksmith shop was also worth investigating. Still, before they could learn anything useful, a messenger arrived in the area, visibly flustered.


    "Your Majesty¡­ Captain Revan was killed."

 Chapter 422: Counter offer

    A profound and unsettling silence fell upon the area. Revan''s untimely demise, despite being sent as a messenger during negotiations, sent shockwaves through those gathered. The act of killing a messenger engaged in diplomatic discussions was a grant vition of the rules of warfare, one that carried grave consequences.


    The severity of this transgression was not lost on anyone present. Eliminating a messenger who had arrived with intentions of negotiation was a crime with significant implications.


    "How dare he!" The king shouted. "That dirty barbarian! How dare he kill my most loyal soldier?!"


    "Who killed him? What happened?" Joanis asked.


    "... We don''t know sir, not even the messengers that went with him saw what had happened. It was too fast."


    "Joanis¡­ use everything that you have to kill that boy and all of those dirty peasants," The king said while grinding his teeth. "It doesn''t matter the cost, all of them have to die."


    That was convenient for Joanis, with that chance, he will have the opportunity to kill someone who might try to stab him in the back for whatever reason, Rain was too much of an unknown factor to him.


    "As you wish, Your Majesty," Joanis said and then bowed. "Come with me and tell me how the conversation went with them."


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Half an hour earlier, Rain was forced to retreat a bit when he saw the human army moving to attack him. He had nned to kill them, even though he probably would lose some water thanks to their shields, but then he saw the other armies that had left the area returning and he felt satisfied for now.


    "Won''t this give them the chance to fill the holes?" Terra asked.


    "Not a problem, I can use more potions and my experience to recreate this whole thing a lot faster," Rain exined. "We don''t have to worry about the costs since it ising from the pockets of the magic people."


    Terra sighed¡­ while it made sense, she wished that Rain hadn''t said that when so many of the magic people were Listening to them. Still, everyone soon forgot about that when they saw suspicious movements in the enemy''s camp. Before long, they could see a small group of soldiers approaching while carrying a white g.


    "... They want to surrender?" Terra frowned.


    The appearance of a white g amidst the gathered crowd triggered widespread confusion. It was difficult for many toprehend why the humans, who had recently vited the truce byunching a significant invasion into the magic people''s territory, were now proposing a truce themselves. This abrupt shift in their stance seemed illogical and left everyone bewildered.


    The magic people present couldn''t grasp the rationale behind the humans'' sudden desire for peace, especially given the gravity of their recent actions. The situation appeared devoid of reason, leaving most attendees skeptical about the authenticity of the truce offer.


    While everyone was confused, Rain considered the options and soon he realized what was going on when he saw Revan. A guy like thating in the ce of Joanis or the king was a sign of how desperate they were¡­ he was the third most important person when ites to military power in that world, after all.


    "We came by themand of our king and wish to negotiate with Rainendall in the ce of the magic people," Revan raised his voice.


    "So, it is like that, huh?" Rain muttered.


    "Are they stupid? They think that you became a high ranked officer here?" Josar furrowed his eyebrows and then stepped forward with his arms crossed.


    "Let me handle this, you will like it," Rain dered.


    Josar didn''t like to see a human negotiating with humans in that situation, but he knew that Rain wasn''t stupid, so he nodded and decided to wait and see¡­ Besides, he was starting to learn a lot from Rain and perhaps they could use what they learned from him to fight back.


    "Stay here, they might try something funny since it should bemon knowledge that you are here to be my health walking potions," Rain said.


    "No way, I have to keep an eye on you and no one dare to think like that about me," Terra raised her right eyebrow.


    "I suppose that makes sense after you punched so many people in the stomach," Rain shrugged.


    In the end, Rain and Terra moved a bit ahead to talk with Revan, but soon they stopped thirty meters ahead. They want to let the magic people listen to the conversation, after all.


    Revan and the others apparently didn''t like that, but soon they moved to talk. It has been a while since Revan saw Rain, but he couldn''t help but frown in surprise. He had grown a bit too much for a fourteen years old boy. Still, forget about his stature¡­ Revan could tell with a simple nce that Rain was definitely the strongest person he had ever met.


    There was this aura of danger that Revan could see on him, even though he couldn''t use Magic Eyes.


    "I am here to deliver a pardon letter from His Majesty," Revan said with a low tone. "Please read the terms that His Majesty offers to you."


    One messenger approached Rain and then gave him a letter, he began to read it and so did Tera and she couldn''t help but frown after what she had read¡­ there wasn''t a single mention of apologies after all the issues and things that they did against Rain, his friends and family.


    "It isn''t enough," Rain said and then tossed the letter back to the message. "This much isn''t enough to make me forget that you targeted my friends and family."


    "... His Majesty sent me here with the order to negotiate with you further," Revan said with his voice still low. "What do you wish for?"


    "I want the king to be a baron, and I will be the new king," Rain readily dered with his voice as loud as possible. Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelBin

 Chapter 423: Worst parts

    A profound sense of shock swept through the gathered group upon hearing Rain''s audacious deration. His promation, which revealed his desire to ascend to the throne and relegate the current king to a subordinate role, left everyone around in a state of disbelief. Wide-eyed and ck-jawed, they exchanged murmurs of surprise as they tried toe to terms with this unexpected revtion.


    Terra, who had apanied Rain on his journey and had never anticipated such ambitions from him, wore an expression of shock that mirrored that of the others. Rain''s startling announcement had cast a significant shadow of surprise over the entire area, leaving them all grappling with the profound implications of his newfound aspirations.


    "As my first royal decree, I will give myself another surname and I will be King Rain King, amazing, right?" Rain asked. "Our royal family name will be king, you canugh now if you want. My second decree is that all the potions produced by the kingdom should be sold to me only. The others decrees I will think about them afterzing around on the throne for a few months."


    "... Know your ce!" Revan shouted. "You? Bing a king? You are nothing but a half blood peasant! You don''t have the prestige to rule anyone when youe from the junction of a dirty peasant woman!"


    In the next moment, a weird sound echoed in the area that made everyone frown in confusion¡­ It seemed that something big and powerful had crossed the area, but they didn''t find signs of that anywhere. Still, in the next moment, Revan fell on the ground and then his head began to roll¡­ blood silently left his head and neck and everyone wondered what Rain had done¡­ they didn''t see it.


    "Oh no!" Rain said and put his hands on his cheeks. "I enraged him too much with my jokes and his neck literally exploded out of anger! What are we going to do? Oh, we should at least bury him before something bad happens to him!"


    Rain snapped his fingers and then the ground swallowed Revan''s body and head instantly, no one could see signs of him and of his blood¡­ Thanks to that, the other Messengers couldn''t help but tremble violently.


    "You guys can return and spread the good news to the royal guard, some lucky guy will receive a promotion," Rain said. "Tell the king and Joanis that I sent my condolences. Tell them that they shouldn''t get enraged either since it is bad for the heart, and for the neck too apparently."


    Rain''s feelings after Revan''s death were aplex mix. He generally preferred not to take lives, especially in cold blood. However, there was a sense of closure and even a bit of satisfaction that washed over him. Revan had been a persistent adversary, and he had nearly caused Roan''s death.


    Moreover, Revan had yed a significant role in aiding Joanis''s schemes, which had put Rain''s friends and family in danger. As Rain reflected on these actions, it became clear to him that Revan had deserved his fate for a very long time.


    "He certainly deserved to die for insulting your mother, but do you think that now was the right time for it?" Terra asked.


    "It was, I was getting tired of letting him bark in my ears, that was too much sound pollution," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, this should enrage a lot of people, and that will make them easy to read¡­ it would be nice if Joanis were also to get enraged. There is nothing better than a predictable enemy."


    After returning to the camp, the magic people were looking at Rain with more respect in their eyes and some fear as well¡­ respect sometimeses with that. They had no idea how Rain killed Revan instantly, but it seemed like something that couldn''t be blocked.


    Truth be told, Rain imagined that Revan''s death would cause a lot of unrest and then increase the hatred of the human army toward Rain, but he didn''t think that they would move so soon. The human armies began to move¡­. And at least half of them were ready for a night battle.


    "... Did your ns consider that this would happen?" Josar asked.


    "Aren''t you happy?" Rain asked. "Look at how excited your people are when they know that they can kill some more humans; look at those sweet smiles. It almost looks like they found true happiness and their reason for living. It warms my heart."


    The transformation in the expressions of the magic people was unsettling for Josar. As they grasped the implications of the recent events and the fact that they were going to fight the humans soon, devilish and sadistic, smiles began to creep across their faces.


    It was a disturbing sight for some of them, but it couldn''t be helped, as they seemed to relish the idea of exacting revenge and causing more harm to humans. Their anticipation for the impending conflict was palpable, and it sent a chill down the spines of those who witnessed their twisted delight.


    "That being said, it is better if we increase the pace of this battle, don''t you think?" Rain asked.


    Josar sighed¡­ Rain could read him like an open book¡­ He also wanted to end that battle as soon as possible since the dragons were closing in. With Rain''s help and if the dragons weren''t causing trouble, they would be able to repel the humans with a lot more ease since they also had a bunch of their strongest warriors fighting the dragons day in and day out.


    "I need more potions, and fast, there is something that I want to test," Rain said.


    Terra, at that point in time, she decided to stop sighing every time Rain acted like that¡­ it was impossible to correct every single bad traits of his personality. Besides, they were in a war and wars were supposed to bring to the surface the worst parts of human nature.

 Chapter 424: Throwing away

    When the human army began to move again, they soon realized that the temperature around them was dropping¡­. the clouds in the sky were also changing and getting thicker¡­ before long, they received the orders to march as soon as possible since Rain was cooking something troublesome again.


    They were right¡­ the human army began to march, but before long, snow began to fall on the battlefield and made the whole ce get a colder¡­ but it was hard to imagine what Rain was going to do with that alone. The anger and grief of the humans after losing themander of the royal guards fueled their hearts and warmed them up.


    When the human army was about to reach the magic people, they were attacked by a barrage of water spears¡­ that didn''t slow them down that much, at least the impacts didn''t, thanks to their shields¡­ but the fact that some soldiers were getting wet while the temperature was dropping was concerning.


    "Charge!" Josar shouted.


    The martial artists and the mercury warriors charged toward the enemies without hesitation, and even in the darkness of the night, they could see some humans with their faces blue and with their bodies trembling¡­ they chose to attack those.


    With their malevolent grins, the magic people turned their attention to the human soldiers who were shivering in the cold. They knew that these soldiers'' armor wouldn''t offer much protection against the biting frostbite. With malicious intent, they unleashed their fury agaisnt them.


    The chilling winds, added with their zing fury, were aimed at exploiting the vulnerability of those unable to fend off thanks to their trembling bodies.


    The areas where the martial artists and mercury warriors were attacking were being ignored by the water snipers. Still, even so, their numbers weren''t high enough to fend off all the armies that were approaching¡­ around five of them on each side were passing by the holes in the ground and moving to attack the corners of the capital.


    "They areing in fast¡­" Terra said with her arms crossed.


    "Well, I can see that," Rain said. "I need some more time¡­"


    "Can''t you use the water on the ground? The ones that the water snipers fired?" Terra asked.


    "Controlling clouds isn''t easy, you know," Rain said. "Besides, the other side isn''t exactly filled with brain-dead idiots."


    Mages from the back of the human army started to shoot fireballs. They crossed the battlefield in an arc and then eventually began to hit some magic people and increase the temperature around them.


    Rain knew that such a thing would happen, and he also knew what would happen next¡­ It didn''t take long before the whole battlefield was slowly taken by a mist¡­ the soldiers with their shields were able to push away some of the mist, but not all of it, and certainly not fast enough.


    Before long, half of the battlefield was taken by the mist, and soon, the humans realized that it was the worstbination¡­ the darkness of the night and the fog.


    The magic people moved forward and used their best attacks to attack and kill as many soldiers as possible before the other armies reached the city, but the humans just raised their shields and blocked those attacks with ease¡­ However, soon, they started to fall one after the other¡­


    The human soldiers that were preparing to cross the mist soon realized that something was off¡­ they couldn''t see it. Still, they could see the sound of their allies falling¡­ before long, some soldiers fell out of the mist, and their bodies showed what had happened¡­ all of them had wounds on their heads¡­ small size wounds that were barely the size of needles, but it had been enough to kill them.


    "Fall back! Don''t cross the mist!"


    Many more soldiers soon understood that only those inside the mist were being attacked for one reason or the other, so they began to retreat and waited for the fog to dissipate¡­ but that didn''t happen. Only a lot of heat would do that¡­ Moreover, the mist began to move toward the human camp, and they realized that only one person could do that¡­


    The humans were correct; Rain was indeed manipting the mist on the battlefield. This particr mist, unlike a typical body of water, posed a unique challenge to control. It demanded intense focus and concentration. Nevertheless, it served as the perfect tool for pinpointing the locations of his enemies.


    When Rain identified their positions, he would condense a portion of the mist, shaping it into a water bullet that he couldunch precisely at his intended target. It didn''t matter whether the enemies hid behind their shields; Rain had the ability to make the water bullet materialize wherever he desired, ensuring his uracy and ability to strike effectively.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 200 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 200 experience points.


    The Sage''s path leveled up. Wisdom + 10


    ¡­


    "Almost there¡­." Rain thought.


    Rain was nning to turn the mist into arge water body and then dig around the camp of the enemies again, but things didn''t go as he had nnedpletely.


    Some of the special soldiers that had left with their other armies returned to that area and then fired a massive wave of mes that heated up the area and then dissipated the mist. Still¡­ a pinch is a chance¡­


    Rain suddenly disappeared, and in the next moment, he appeared in front of one of those special soldiers and then pierced their chest¡­ Rain felt a bit bad since he only now realized that he had chosen a woman, but he didn''t have time to think about that¡­ Rain pulled his arm and then left an ice spear at the wound before he threw the enemy in the distance.


    Rain had expected that he would make the enemy cross the anti-magic barrier, but she actually stopped midair, right above the barrier, and then she exploded.

 Chapter 425: Worries

    The human camp quaked as a massive purple sphere roared menacingly above. This startling event was a rare alignment of mana sources, revealing the anti-magic barrier cast by the red crystal that Joanis had.


    Soldiers and their equipment trembled in response to the intense vibrations, their attention fixed on the mesmerizing disy. It showcased the special soldier''s remarkable magical abilities and served as a stark reminder of the formidable power that they showed at the moment of their deaths.


    Until now, they didn''t find any evidence of it, but now they couldn''t deny it. As for the special soldiers, they retreated since they didn''t want to be targets for Rain, but the other armies kept moving to the sides, and the one in front of Rain and the others stopped to keep him away from increasing the size of the hole.


    "I guess this is fine for now¡­" Rain thought and then retreated.


    The human army stopped moving as well, but with a single order, they would be able to attack three ces in the capital of the magic people in a matter of minutes¡­ they wanted to split their focus further.


    "It seems that they want to keep us awake the whole night¡­ this isn''t good," Terra said when Rain returned. "What is your n?"


    "I can only do things on my own now since the magic people are letting the blood rush to their heads," Rain exined. "The real question is what he wants to do. You are the leader on this front, right?"


    "Yes¡­ we will have to keep fighting, and I want you to get rid of the special soldiers when they expose themselves," Josar dered and then turned to face Terra. "I want you to keep your soldiers alive as well."


    "She is here to keep an eye on me so she can''t be exposed. Tell your soldiers to retreat and bring the wounded when they find them," Rain said. "Also, where are my potions? It doesn''t have to be only the high-quality ones."


    "You should have said that earlier¡­" Josar facepalmed.


    It seemed that Josar assumed that Rain was some sort of connoisseur of potions, and he only drank the giga Chad high-quality spiritual potions instead of the vani ones. Thanks to that, some boxes arrivedter for him to use filled with them.


    "I want to send some reinforcements to the other sides, so try to keep the enemies at bay here with your magic," Josar said.


    "Mist won''t work again, so I need to think for a bit¡­" Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    Since soon Rain will unlock the next path after Sage, he wanted to keep the use of earth and water magic to a minimum, but he wasn''t one hundred percent sure the new path woulde at a high level, so he had to choose his options carefully.


    In the end, Rain''s options were wind and fire¡­ not his best elements. Still, they had a lot of potential¡­


    "I guess this will do it¡­ if anything, it will make them tired faster, even if their gear protects them against magic," Rain said. "Hey, do you have any relics that can enhance fire spells?"


    "... No," Josar replied.


    Rain wanted to punch that guy in the gut with all his might¡­ he had some relics they should have used the dragons they defeated for that purpose, but he didn''t want to share for one reason or the other. Still, Rain couldn''tin much since he was already getting the potions. He could only be so shameless.


    In any case, once Rain''s mana was back to full again, he began to focus. Since he didn''t have any relics that could improve his wind or fire magic, he could only rely on his skills.


    When the battle between the two armies started to get too bloody, Rain put his n into action. While controlling the air in the area, Rain made it rotate around the enemy''s army. They raised their guard since they knew that Rain was up to something again, but they didn''t feel any danger.


    Still, the wind soon began to get hotter and hotter¡­ the enemies began to sweat a lot, and breathing started to get hard. Moreover, even in the middle of the night, their vision started to get blurry.


    The magic people realized that the hot air was only around the enemies¡­ Since they were bloodthirsty retards, at least in Rain''s eyes, they didn''t care about the opening that Rain gave them¡­ they could have used long ranged attacks at close range and surprise the humans, but they just charged at them¡­ at least the martial artists and mercury warriors did.


    Still, while it wasn''t efficient, it was enough to push the enemies backward and knock them down. The mercury warriors used their Mercury to summon hammers. They knocked down the humans left and right while agonizing. Thanks to the heat, the humans were unable to recover, and soon, the mercury warriors finished them off.


    The skill Ember Initiator leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 300 experience points.


    Explore more stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin


    The skill Ember Initiator leveled up.


    The Sage''s path received 310 experience points.


    The humans began to die in droves again¡­ to the point that they began to retreat once more and eventually crossed the anti-magic barrier. Unfortunately, Rain couldn''t dig the hole with the hot wind alone¡­ so he dispersed the spell.


    "It looks like they can''t use magic inside the anti-magic barrier either¡­ but they are using arrows and bolts to kill your people," Terra said while Rain was canceling the spell.


    "Stupid morons¡­ that is what happens when you don''t elect your new leader soon enough," Josar said and then advanced through the area.


    Rain was the cause that those tribes didn''t have leaders¡­ so he wondered. If Josar wasining to him as well. Still, he didn''t care about that¡­ he was only worried that those guys might end up exterminated before they teach him anything.

 Chapter 426: Surprise attack

    Josar quickly ordered his soldiers to drive back the mercury warriors and martial artists, saving many of their own from further harm. However, due to their recklessness, a number of theirrades had already perished by arrows and bolts fired by the human army.


    The intense battle that had raged through the night eventually came to an abrupt halt as the other armies, perhaps realizing the risks of further bloodshed, began to withdraw. Despite the loss of Revan just hours ago, it appeared that cooler heads had prevailed among the enemy forces.


    While biting his lips in annoyance, Josar and the other leaders decided to retreat¡­ it would be too dangerous if the enemies had some traps waiting for them, after all. They already fell for too many of them¡­


    "Just three more levels¡­ I guess it can''t be helped," Rain thought. "I could try to attack the other armies, but that would force the magic people to back me up¡­ they need to rest¡­ and I also don''t want to make them annoy me further."


    "We should rest too, Joanis will probablye up with some troublesome n tomorrow," Terra said. "Thanks to Revan''s death, I think that the humans are being more reckless and that could be a response to the king''s orders as well."


    Rain nodded in agreement with Terr''s words. He realized that by eliminating Revan, he had essentially taken out the king''s most loyal and trusted soldier. This would undoubtedly enrage the old man and, in all likelihood, push him to take greater risks to eliminate Rain.


    The king had been cautious, using his soldiers as pawns, but now, with Revan gone, the dynamics of the conflict were shifting, and things were bound to be even more challenging. An all-out attack like that in the middle of the night was a clear sign of that¡­


    "I will keep an eye on them here," Rain said. "You can go and rest there."


    "No can do. Who knows what you are going to do once I take my eyes off you," Terra shrugged. "I guess I will keep working on healing the wounded and use some of these potions."


    "Not the potions¡­ have mercy," Rain said.


    In the end, Terra stayed there as well and began to heal the wounded. She had originally nned to let the bloodthirsty idiots suffer a bit in order to make them use their heads a bit more, but it was better to avoid that and recover as much as possible.


    Although things were going well for them, Rain had the weird feeling that something drastic was about to happen.


    After sitting down to rx and use the new level of Meditation, Rain kept his eyes on the enemy''s camp for several hours, but he didn''t find any signs of weird movementsing from them. Still, eventually, he heard something around one hour before sunrise.


    As Rain maintained his vignce over the enemy camp, he was suddenly stopped from his meditative state by an unfamiliar sound. His eyes remained fixed on the magic people, but he couldn''t discern anything unusual at first. The troublesome anti-magic barrier obstructed his vision.


    Focusing intently, Rain''s heightened senses picked up on the sound of something swiftly cutting through the air. His gaze shot upwards, and he spotted a colossal boulder hurtling down from the sky. What made it even more dangerous was the ominous purple energy enveloping it. It was headed directly toward Terra''s location, poised to strike with devastating force.


    "Shit!" Rain said while clenching his teeth.


    After touching the ground, Rain sent flying upward a massive stone pir that stopped the massive boulder that it was flying, but upon contact, he also made it explode.


    A brilliant burst of purple energy exploded in the night sky, startling everyone within the camp. This magical disy illuminated the battlefield, filling it with an eerie glow that left the magic people on edge.


    As the dazzling spectacle faded, a disconcerting realization hit them all ¨C the humans had shifted tactics to indirect attacks. A rain of stones and pebbles descended from above, creating an ominous and chaotic rain of projectiles that threatened the camp''s safety.


    Amid this tumultuous bombardment, Rain scanned the area anxiously, searching for Terra. His heart raced until he spotted her, standing resolute amidst the storm of stones. She had raised her forearm guards to shield herself and those nearby from the iing projectiles.


    Each stone that struck Terra''s improvised barrier produced a defiant ng. Despite the relentless assault, Terra remained steadfast and focused on protecting the wound around her. After that was over, Rain furrowed his eyebrows when he found some magic people looking at her with yearning eyes.


    "... You drew too much attention, some of the enemies were able to find you and target you," Rain said when he approached after using Impulse.


    "... Sorry, I didn''t notice that," Terra said when she realized why the enemies did that.


    Terra understood that the humans were specifically targeting her to provoke Rain. She didn''t appreciate being used as a pawn in this dangerous game, but she understood that, for someone as physically and magically formidable as Rain, his friends and family were his Achilles'' heel.


    Terra knew that Rain''s protective instincts were incredibly strong, especially when it came to those he cared about. She had seen it time and again ¨C hismitment to keeping his loved ones safe was both a source of strength and a vulnerability. While she admired his dedication, she also knew that it made him susceptible to maniption and emotional distress.


    In this type of situation, Terra understood the importance of maintaining her ownposure and staying vignt. She was determined to protect not only herself but also the people she hade to care about, all while refusing to y into the hands of those who sought to exploit Rain''s instincts.


    "I didn''t notice it either¡­ probably because they didn''t use conventional ways to find you," Rain said and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

 Chapter 427 : Crystals

    Rain took a good look at the human army before, and he knew that they didn''t bring siege weapons. The reason for that was the fact that it was a slow way to win battles, but if a catapult didn''t fire the massive boulder and make it cross their kilometers, what did it do?


    "Unless it is some magic catapult that was assembled in a couple of hours, it wasn''t such a tool that did that¡­ it was a person or perhaps several," Rain thought while squinting his eyes. "They never stop surprising me."


    The human army kept firing those massive boulders toward the camp. Rain was able to stop them midway until the magic people became ready to receive them. The water snipers bombarded them with their water spears, but it took a while for them to make the projectiles explode¡­ the next explosions almost reached their camp, and the sts destroyed their tents.


    "It seems that only heavy things can make those explode¡­" Rain said while looking at Josar.


    The golem masters weren''t there, but they would be able to use high-level earth magic to copy Rain¡­ without any other choice, Rain took that role again until the sun began to rise, and they realized that all those attacks had only been a distraction¡­ they had filled the holes that Rain had created around their camp, and now their base was moving to the south.


    "What is their goal this time¡­" Rain thought while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    The most obvious option was that they wanted to avoid Rain''s traps¡­ they knew that he couldn''t have set them all around the city. Another one was that they wanted to fight when and where they wanted¡­ that would keep the magic people on their toes.


    "Do you think that they found some sort of weakness in the other areas, even though they don''t have direct routes to the council hall and they didn''t fight in those locations?" Terra asked.


    "I don''t know¡­ they probably know something that we don''t," Rain said, and then he looked at Josar, who looked more nervous than usual.


    Rain knew that Josar wouldn''t do or say anything that would put the magic people on the spot¡­ he probably was thinking that Rain would abandon them at the first sign of trouble. Those thoughts were more or less confirmed when he saw the human army stopping moving while they faced one of the cornerstones of the magic people capital¡­ that was a weird spot to stop.


    After thinking for a while, Rain realized that the humans now would be able to fight on two fronts and send help to the western side and southern side of the battlefield with more speed¡­ they wanted to increase their chances while betting on two fronts, instead of just one which Rain could defend.


    The other possibility was the fact that, in fact, the humans wanted to keep an eye on the eastern side of the city¡­ which was the direction the dragons coulde from.


    "I guess this is it," Rain thought. "They will Invade at the very moment they see the dragonsing¡­ the magic people wouldn''t be able to defend themselves against two all-out attacks from two different directions. They will rush to take over the capital and defend themselves with their red crystal and prepare to face the dragons eventually."


    That was one hell of a campaign¡­ Rain was honestly surprised that the king heard that and agreed with the n. They might not try to subjugate two species but secure arge territory and then kill or perhaps capture some dragons that would give them what they needed to keep increasing their strength.


    Still, Rain wondered how the king and Joanis sold that campaign to the regr soldiers¡­ keep Fighting or defending their territories for months, if not years¡­ that sure will wear them down.


    "We can''t rely on the magic people, I didn''t trust them to begin with, but the fact that they want to keep hiding information from us only proves that they eventually will turn against us," Rain thought while rubbing his chin. "I will use them to get stronger and weaker our enemies and then get out of here. No point in risking my skin for them."


    "What are we going to do?" Terra asked when she noticed that the air around Rain had changed.


    "The same as usual, get in the way of the enemies as much as possible," Rain said. "I will be more reckless now, so I will trust you to heal me when I return. Don''t expose yourself."


    "Understood," Terra nodded.


    Terra also knew that there was time for everything, to help and to be helped¡­ to take chances and to fall back and run away from risks. While she fought the magic people, she didn''t know much about them until now, and she grew weary of their unreasonable actions.


    Before long, the human army began to move, and Rain kept an eye on them, but he didn''t see any of the special soldiers. They were hiding to do Joanis'' binding in the shadows¡­


    "It can''t be helped¡­" Josar said and then raised his hands toward Rain while holding some crystals.


    Rain raised his guard and then readied himself to pierce Josar''s heart and then escape with Terra, but nothing happened. The stones in his hands cracked and became dust, and then Rain felt the power inside him growing.


    "... My apologies for being so indecisive until now," Josar said. "The magic of my tribe is to create these crystals, and when we use them, we grant some power to those we use them on. The crystals that I just used will increase the power of water and earth magic for half an hour."


    Rain couldn''t see that on his Status, but he could feel it¡­ even without his coral spear, he could tell that his control and power over water magic had increased a lot. It seemed that Josar and the magic people were more cornered than they thought¡­ perhaps the dragons would arrive in a few days.

 Chapter 428 : Speech

    Rain observed Josar''s use of the crystals, recognizing them as the same ones he had seen being sold in the capital in the past. However, despite sensing their magical power, he had never truly understood their purpose. The magic employed by his tribe had always struck him as peculiar and different from what he had encountered elsewhere.


    The magic of his people, the Geminis, was enigmatic. Rain couldn''t help but wonder how his tribe was considered the most powerful when their magic seemed to revolve around support and unconventional methods. It was a clear contrast to the more aggressive and destructive forms of magic wielded by other groups.


    Rain found himself intrigued and, at times, perplexed by the nature of Geminis'' magic. It had a unique quality that made it difficult to pin down, and he often felt like he was only scratching the surface of its potential.


    As he continued to witness Josar''s utilization of the crystals, he couldn''t help but ponder the depths of the tribe''s magical abilities and how they could be harnessed to their fullest extent when they seemed focused on support.


    Josar also used some crystals on Terra and Rain could tell that her mana pool was increased by two times¡­ those crystals sure were useful¡­


    "I take it that you are going all out now without trying to hide anyone''s abilities," Rain said while studying Josar. "Why won''t you ask why? So tell me what you want to do."


    "We reached a point that we have to ept the lesser evil¡­ we will fight with all our power, it doesn''t matter if we will end up losing too many of us, it doesn''t matter if the council members die as well," Josar said and then got rid of his cloak. "We will lead the charge. We just want you to kill as many of them as possible."


    They were facing the possibility that they were going to be exterminated¡­ It was the only exnation. Still, showing that much desperation would make the enemies realize that, and it will also make them make use of it.


    Rain looked at Terra, and she just nodded¡­ she didn''t like the fact that a lot of people were going to die. She was a true healer at heart, after all. However, that perhaps was the only option that they had¡­ make both sides lose as many people as possible and force them to retreat.


    "All right, let''s do this," Rain said while twitching his fingers.


    When the human army saw all of the warriors of the magic people leaving the capital to fight, they immediately realized that they were no longer trying to hold back. Going all out so soon seemed stupid, but the leaders on the human side knew the exact reason for that, and they just had to hold the positions and wait for their golden chance.


    The human army remained still, opting for a strategy of patience as they understood it was their best means of gaining time in their situation. On the other side, the magic people also adopted a waiting stance as well, ensuring that all of their soldiers were fully prepared for the impending confrontation.


    Both sides recognized the significance of proper preparation in the face of the imminent battle, and they stood ready, each for their own reasons, as the tension in the air continued to mount.


    Rain wanted to make use of the buffs that Josar gave him, but he showed crystals that he could use on him¡­ a bunch of them, in fact. So, he told Rain to wait and fight alongside the others.


    "I guess they would have won the war two years ago if his tribe was there¡­ his territory is probably in the East, close to the border of the dragons," Rain thought. "That would exin why he was the leader there thest time I had been there, and he is the representative of the council."


    After half an hour, the magic people managed to separate all of the forty-five thousand soldiers into three fronts to face the human army.


    The air was filled with tense anticipation as both sides positioned their forces meticulously, preparing for the inevitable final confrontation. It was clear that there would be no turning back once the battle started. The magic people, resolute and undaunted, eagerly awaited the impending conflict¡­


    Their expressions revealed no fear, only a steely determination. They were ready to confront death head-on, focused on theirmitment. Their goal was clear ¨C to take down as many of their foes as possible, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives in the process.


    "What is the n now?" Terra asked.


    "As usual, I will look for the special soldiers, but I will keep an eye on you," Rain lowered his voice to exin it. "There is no telling what both sides will do once they realize that they could lose in the next minutes. Save as much energy as possible for Magic Boost, and be wary of the anti-magic bombs."


    "I was the one who should keep my eyes on you¡­" Terra facepalmed. "Just try to stop moving for a moment after dealing with the enemies. I can help you a bit every time as long as you are one hundred meters away from me."


    That was quite arge range¡­ Since Rain didn''t try to heal people from a distance, that skill was at a low level. In any case, it was fine to let his friends and family fill some gaps in the things that he couldn''t do or that he couldn''t do in a very efficient way.


    Regardless, Rain and Terra began to focus on the battle ahead when the council members took the lead of the armies.


    "Men, I don''t have anything to say aside from the fact that we kill those dirty invaders!" Josar roared. "Our country, our history, our people won''t fall here. We will kill them all and prove how foolish they are!"

 Chapter 429: Wisemans path

    The morale of the magic people was soaring, reaching a fever pitch. Their spirits were so high that they couldn''t contain their excitement, and a resounding roar erupted from their ranks in response to Josar''s words.


    The enthusiasm was so infectious that even those back in the city joined in, adding their voices to the thunderous cacophony. The collective power of their roars caused the entire area to tremble and vibrate as if the very earth itself acknowledged their fervor.


    Some people say that stars shine the brightest just before they die¡­ Rain wondered if that was the case in that situation. Rain didn''t like the fact that either side could be exterminated, even if it was because their own actions led them to that path.


    Still, in the end, he was only a single person; he could only help so many people, and he chose to help those he cared about in order to increase their chances of survival.


    When you have too many things to consider, you have to select the most important things for you, and among them, you have to choose the one thing that stands above the others¡­


    "Charge!" Josar roared onest time.


    The magic people began to charge and pass by Josar. At the same time, Rain waited until both arms collided against each other with his arms crossed. When that happened¡­ the sound that echoed in the area couldn''t be described.


    People, weapons, and armor were trashed around in all directions, spinning in the air violently before falling down. That was the first impact, but soon those who were only good at long-ranged attacks began to work¡­ clouds of fire emerged in the sky and then began to spin until fire tornadoes began to descend on the battlefield and in the middle of the human army.


    Still, before they could reach them¡­ they were stopped.


    Wind tornadoes spinning in the opposite direction emerged from the ground rea,ched those, and stopped them. At another point, a sandstorm emerged as well and eventually swallowed the mes.


    Rain looked at Terra for a moment, and then she nodded. In the next moment, he disappeared¡­ Usually, Rain would leave a trail of destruction and people flying in all directions when he used the Impulse. Still, it seemed that he learned how to control it better¡­


    It didn''t pass even five seconds before his disappearance that something happened¡­ another explosion happened, creating a sphere of blue energy, and this time, it engulfed and hit hundreds of magic people and humans.


    The st caused by the explosion reached Terra, and she was forced to protect herself with her arms. When she lowered them, she saw Rain in front of her with his body emitting a lot of steam¡­


    "What happened?" Terra asked as she began to heal Rain''s body.


    "... He exploded as soon as I killed him¡­ that wasn''t supposed to happen," Rain said while breathing roughly.


    Rain was surprised¡­ although he considered that the king might lose his mind if he saw his army losing, he didn''t think that he would sacrifice his soldiers so soon¡­ he could only guess that Joanis told his special soldiers to self-explode as soon as they see Rain in order to drain his energy with each attack and decrease his influence on the battlefield¡­ unfortunately, his n might not work that well.


    The Sage''s Path reached the max level.


    Level 100: Sage''s Ascendancy - Achieve the pinnacle of wisdom and power, unlocking the full potential of your mana and wisdom and gaining ess to the most potent spells and abilities of the Sage''s Path.


    (You reached the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.)


    The Wiseman''s Path is a journey of profound enlightenment and mastery over the arcane arts. Wisemen are revered for their vast knowledge and the immense power they wield through their connection with mana. (Wisdow + 20 per level.)


    Level 1: Arcane Insight - Gain an innate understanding of mana, enhancing your ability to harness its power by three percent per level.


    Level 5: Meditation Mastery - Perfect your meditative state, rapidly restoring mana and significantly increasing mana regeneration rate. You can use Meditation in all situations by concentrating enough. Mana restoration rate increases by four hundred percent. Higher levels in this skill decrease the amount of focus necessary.


    Level 10: Grand Mana Infusion - Imbue your spells with extra mana, amplifying their potency and effects by five percent per level.


    ¡­


    While Terra was healing him, Rain couldn''t help but smirk. Thanks to that, Terra was thinking that Rain had Awakened to the world of pleasure through pain¡­ she wondered how she was going to exin that to his family.


    Regardless, Rain was really unlucky. The new level of Meditation was Meditation Mastery, and since that skill was already at level forty, the path came to level twenty¡­ the math didn''t add up, so he probably knew other skills of that path beforehand, but he didn''t care, he also could check the other skillster and for now, he just equipped that path.


    Rain felt his body being filled with power, hisrge mana pool increased by almost thirty percent in thest week, so it made sense that he felt great. He still had a lot of free points, but he decided to save them for now¡­ Moreover, soon, he woke up to reality.


    Numerous explosions of the purple sphere began to happen around the battlefield¡­ right on the frontlines as well¡­ Rain didn''t think that the magic people were putting that much pressure on the humans. Still, Joanis decided to sacrifice his pawns more often since he knew that they couldn''t face Rain directly.


    "I am going to deal with that. Stay clear," Rain dered.


    "Can''t you do that from here and just make them explode in the air with your earth magic?" Terra asked.


    "It is impossible¡­ there are too many magic people around, I feel like my head will explode if I try to use Magic Eyes or even my earth magic to track them," Rain exined.

 Chapter 430: Rumbling

    That made sense, so Terra couldn''t help but sigh¡­ it couldn''t be helped, and that was the only thing that they could do.


    "All right, just don''t show me your body like that again, ever again," Terra said.


    Rain wanted to tell a joke in that situation, but he couldn''t when people were dying in droves around, so he just nodded at her. Using Magic Boost and Limit Breaker alone, Rain was able to dash through the battlefield and maneuver between the waves of human and magic people without hitting them¡­ few people could see him, and what they could see was basically a blur.


    It would be nice if Rain could just attack everyone like that, but he couldn''t. He had to keep a perfect stance to decrease the pressure of the wind on his body and to avoid creating sts of wind with his supersonic movement speeds.


    His reflexes were enhanced, but it wasn''t like he could see everything in slow motion¡­ so attacking and killing five targets in the blink of an eye was impossible for him, so he just looked for the special soldiers countering therge scales spells.


    When Rain found the tornado spellcaster, he stopped moving and immediately touched the ground and then sent him flying upward with an earth pir¡­ Still, even though he was nning to pierce him in the sky with ice spears¡­ the guy exploded even before it reached ten meters of height¡­


    "... Damn you, Joanis¡­" Rain bit his lips in annoyance when the sts of the wind echoed in the area, and the explosion imed the lives of hundreds more soldiers. "I am a soldier. I can''t preach that much about the importance of life when I killed hundreds as well¡­ but you are really the lowest of the low."


    Rain wished that he could have found the guy who could create these magic bombs and get rid of them already, but that was one of Joanis'' trump cards¡­ of course, he wouldn''t expose such a soldier.


    Despite seeing their friends being sacrificed like that, the human army didn''t stop and kept attacking fiercely¡­ to the point that even the magic people began to be pushed back. At that point in time, Rain realized that the explosions were iming more lives on the magic people''s side, and that was why Joanis was so willing to sacrifice the human soldiers to win¡­


    Rain stopped moving for a moment to think what he should do to prevent the enemies from achieving their goals¡­ but even though he only stopped for two seconds, soon he regretted that¡­ some giant guys, despite their size, sneakily approached Rain and tried to grab him from behind¡­


    When Rain felt the danger, he immediately turned his body and enveloped his left arm with mana before swinging it¡­ in the next moment, the two giants stopped in the air, and then their heads rolled, and then they exploded.


    Although he used Impulse in the opposite direction while also using Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, Rain was hit again and engulfed in the spheres of energy¡­ his Mana Barrier and Magic Shield protected him again, and those behind him, but everyone else had their flesh destroyed and their bones disintegrated¡­ Rain''s skin had some bubbles thanks to the heat and damage he ended up absorbing for the others when he stopped moving.


    "These guys must be the ones who threw the rocks¡­" Rain thought when he felt a wave of warm energy passing through him and healing his wounds. Terra was already working. "I told her to stay clear¡­ Anyway, it seems that Joanis can''t afford not to conquer at least the capital if he is using his pawns like disposable resources¡­"


    Rain considered dashing toward their camp and getting rid of Joanis and the king. they were probably the ones making the soldiers explode like that, but he didn''t know if they were waiting for that¡­ Besides, Rain didn''t want to take the chances and leave Terra out of his sight.


    In that short moment of hesitation¡­ as if the enemies could read Rain''s thoughts, they decided to go all out¡­ the human army began to fall back, and all of a suddenly, the special soldiers all charged with all their might toward the magic people.


    "Shit¡­" Rain bit his lips in annoyance and then raised a massive wall of earth that stopped their charge.


    The wall trembled in the moment of the collision, but it was still able to stop the thirty or so special soldiers¡­ Still, not for long.


    A disturbing sound echoed in the area, and the bodies of the special soldiers began to glow. It onlysted for a moment, and then they exploded.


    The special soldiers kept a fine distance away from each other¡­ thanks to that, the explosion of their suicidal attack reached an area that was more than one kilometer longer in length. It goes without saying that itpletely annihted Rain''s wall and killed thousands of magic people in its reach.


    The explosions made the whole area in dozens of kilometers tremble, and some parts of the magic people''s capital began to crack¡­ that attack not only left a permanent mark on the area but also drew the attention of certain creatures¡­


    The wall didn''t fall, but its debris hit many people, mainly Rain, who didn''t even escape the range of the st of the attacks. He was pushed backward and almost fell, but soon he felt Terra healing him again¡­ his arms needed that since the skin had beenpletely damaged by the attacks.


    "I told you to be careful," Terra said after she approached while showing her swollen arms. It seemed that she was damaged by the debris as well. "At least this is a far cry from before... they only wanted to cause as much damage as possible on the army as a whole."


    "My apologies; I didn''t think that being careful with you also required some level of precognition," Rain said.

 Chapter 431: Real challenge

    Rain looked to the side, and he saw the bodies of those that survived the attack¡­ around two thousand of them were heavily wounded, while around five thousand were destroyed without leaving anything behind¡­ Amidst that chaos, Josar ended up losing his two legs, and then he looked at Rain while being dragged by his soldiers.


    "Do it now!" Josar shouted.


    The human army began to advance again, so that was the right moment to make his move¡­ while Rain didn''t like Josar''s tone, it wasn''t time to think about that.


    Rain grabbed the coral spear and then raised it while he began to focus. Thanks to his new path, he had ess to a lot more mana and the chance to use it faster, so it didn''t take long before arge and dark rain cloud appeared in the sky¡­ Rain had nned to drown everyone down to gain time for the magic people, but he changed his mind. With that much power and mana, he could do it¡­


    shes of light appeared in the sky, and the sounding from the clouds gathered the attention of a lot of people¡­ they didn''t expect that such a thing would happen on the battlefield, after all.


    Rain made all the energy in the clouds grind against each other, and in the end, a single thought had been enough to make six lightning bolts fall from the sky at different points of the human army.


    It goes without saying, but lightning bolts move as fast as light, so the human soldiers don''t have the chance to react. They didn''t raise their shields, and hundreds of them were hit and were killed on the spot¡­ hundreds more were electrocuted and ended up hurt or unconscious, and the attacks stopped the whole battlefield for several seconds.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 1500 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 1600 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain got several of those notifications¡­ that much experience was shocking. Still, it was probably because it belonged to a path much higher than anything that Rain had until now¡­ it was lightning, after all.


    "Don''t look at me like that. More than half of this is thanks to the coral spear and Josar''s buff," Rain said while frowning at thepletely stupefied Terra.


    "... I suppose so¡­" Terra said while looking around and understanding that everyone was looking the same as she had been five seconds before.


    "Attack! Attack!" Josar shouted. Read thetest on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    Josar lost his legs but not his fighting spirit. Thanks to that, the magic people answered his voice and began to fight against him, even though they just lost thousands of them. Rain''s attack didn''t equal things in numberspletely, but at least it shocked the humans and made the magic people feel reassured that such a person was on their side.


    While Rain was drinking some more potions, he saw quite the chaotic scene¡­ the magic people weren''t nning to pace themselves, so they were going all out.


    Fire Tornadoes, Golems, Water Spears, Quicksand¡­ all that were being cast against the human army, and since a bunch of their allies were on the ground thanks to the lightning bolts, the human army found themselves in a bad spot since they couldn''t retreat in any shape or form.


    "It doesn''t seem like they are nning to sacrifice more special soldiers," Terra said when she finished healing Rain.


    "Raising them takes a lot of time¡­ even with the red crystal, Joanis will need some proper power to face the dragons and kill them," Rain said. "Anyway, I am going to attack again. Perhaps you should help Josar and make him owe you some favors."


    "Thinking like that is the worst thing for a Healer," Terra said.


    "I know, I know. Phnthropy and all that," Rain shrugged.


    Rain raised his coral spear before Josar''s buff could end, but in the end, he stopped right there. As the battle raged on between the magic people and the human forces, a deafening roar resonated through the skies, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. It was a sound that sent shivers down the spines of all those present, a sound that was all too familiar for Rain and many others.


    Several dragons, majestic and terrifying, had arrived, and their mighty roars echoed across the battlefield.


    The reaction among the magic people was immediate and striking. Everybatant halted in their tracks, their expressions filled with shock and disbelief. The sudden arrival of dragons was thest thing they had expected, and the situation had taken a dire turn. Now, they found themselves caught between two formidable forces, both relentless in their pursuit.


    The moment of stillness hung in the air as the magic people grasped the gravity of their predicament. The dragons'' roars reverberated like a prelude to impending doom, and the magic people now faced an even more challenging and mortal battle. Their situation had taken a grim turn, and their determination would be tried like never before.


    Rain looked at Terra, and she also looked at him¡­ for a moment, it was clear in their expressions that they didn''t know what to do. Still, their doubts onlysted for a moment¡­ when they saw the human army retreating a bit and reforming their ranks¡­ it was clear that they wanted to make their moves as soon as the magic people showed any signs of weakness.


    "Retreat with Josar¡­ I will see what I can do with those guys," Rain dered. "I won''t be able to fight with focus if I don''t know if you are safe or not."


    "I should be the one getting worried here¡­" Terra said while seeing over ten dragons approaching and chasing a battalion of magic people in the distance. "Just retreat if you get wounded¡­ this will all be useless if you end up dying."


    Rain nodded and then charged toward the other direction¡­ it was time to have a showdown with ten dragons.

 Chapter 432: Dragons power

    Rain ascended the long, winding staircase that led to the heart of the capital of the magic people. Each step he took seemed like a journey in itself, and with every stride, the weight of the impending confrontation pressed heavily on his shoulders.


    As he reached the top, the view that greeted him was both awe-inspiring and scary. The dragons'' colossal forms dominated the skyline, their powerful wings unfurled, and their eyes fixated on the unfolding scene below. The dragons exuded an aura of regal authority and raw, primal power, and their presence alone was enough to send shivers down Rain''s spine.


    "I told her that I would deal with them, but how exactly?" Rain thought while furrowing his eyebrows.


    Rain could see three fire dragons, two water dragons, two wind dragons, and two earth dragons being led by one ice dragon chasing a battalion of magic people¡­ the ice dragon should be at least three hundred years old. That guy was just watching the others chasing and attacking the magic people from above as if it were just evaluating the younger dragons.


    "I guess I should bring that guy down¡­ easier said than done," Rain thought.


    If anything, at least Rain would buy some time for that group being chased to escape¡­ then again, he wondered if that crazy bitch was among them since he didn''t see her until now. At the same time, there was also Leo¡­ Rain wondered if he had be a snack for dragons already.


    After taking a deep breath, Rain calmed down and then made up his mind. Helping those assholes sucked, but Rain would gain a lot of experience by killing that dragon, and this time, he definitely will bring some of its parts back home. At the same time, he would increase the morale of the magic people, and the humans would lose the momentum to strike¡­ It was a three-against-one victory.


    "Well, here Ie¡­" Rain said.


    After jumping from the top of the building, Rainnded on the staircase of the other side of the city and then inclined his body upward as if he was falling. Still, in thest moment, he used Limit Breaker, Magic Boost, and Impulse toward the ice dragon.


    In a single moment, Rain crossed almost one kilometer of distance, but the target was still two kilometers away¡­ he created an ice tform under his feet, and then he used Impulse again¡­ he crossed all that distance in the blink of an eye before punching the ice dragon in the face.


    The powerful impact echoed like a thunderbolt in the area as the ice dragon stopped in the air,pletely stunned and unaware of what just had happened¡­ but it wasn''t over. Rain jumped afternding on the face of the creature and then summoned a giant earth arm over his¡­ when he fell, he punched the beast downward with all his might¡­ making it fall and then collide with the earth dragons.


    "Wait¡­ since this is an ice dragon, wouldn''t lightning be insanely effective against it?" Rain thought while he was falling. "Maybe not, since I used water magic to create the lightning bolt conditions."


    All the dragons looked around and saw Rain falling, but soon, he stopped when he created giant earth boots around his shin guards as well. He could control them and make them float, so he basically could fly now. At the same time, the battalion that was running away slowed down to see who stopped the enemies, and they couldn''t help but show their astonishment when they recognized Rain.


    "Shit¡­" Rain clicked his tongue in annoyance when he recognized that woman leading the group. "It seems that she lost that dragon already¡­ serves her right."


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    In any case, Rain pulled off the task of stopping the dragons¡­ now he just had to do that for who knows how long. The ice dragon eventually recovered from the surprise, shook its head, and then eventually saw Rain flying above.


    The ice dragon began to re at Rain, and then its bloodlust made the other dragons retreat¡­ it was so intense that it could only be described as earth-shattering¡­ Before long, the beast began to emit its cold aura thanks to the dragon''s rage, and even the ground began to freeze and caused the earth dragons to run away¡­ still, all of them stopped moving and turned around to see the battle¡­ it seemed that they wanted to see the power of their upperssmen in action.


    "Fine by me," Rain thought.


    The dragon opened its mouth and then fired a barrage of ice spears through it. Rain didn''t know if that was its version of dragon breath, but it didn''t matter¡­ he immediately flew away to escape the attack.


    The monster kept chasing him with the attack while it took flight as well and slowly recovered its speed¡­ At first, Rain tried to fly in circles to be able to watch the battle in the vicinity of the capital¡­ but the more the dragon attacked, the colder the area got. Or maybe it was thanks to its freezing aura.


    At some point, Rain decided to close the mouth of the creature, and then he turned around and stopped moving. When the enemy''s attack was about to reach him, Rain began to move again while zigzagging, from one side to the other, up and down¡­


    As he got closer, Rain felt his body trembling due to the cold¡­ the monster dragon''s rage was much more intense than the others¡­ Still, Rain kept going and eventually punched the right side of the creature¡­ Rain felt like he had punched a dragon made of steel¡­ His arm began to hurt despite the protection offered by the giant earth gloves, and the head of the dragon only moved to the side a little.


    It seemed that things would be way harder than he had expected, but it exined a lot given the actions of the other dragons.

 Chapter 433: Hardships

    The dragon looked at Rain with its vicious eyes, and adding to the already chilling atmosphere, Rain felt more shivers¡­ it seemed that not even while using his strongest buffs and the best way of attacking, he would have a good chance of damaging the monster.


    In the next moment, the dragon swung its right paw to smash Rain, but he blocked the attack with his gloves, and he was sent flying to the ground¡­ when hended, the ground beneath his feet cracked and sank, but Rain didn''t suffer much damage.


    "It seems that its dragon''s rage increased the power of its ice magic and endurance but not its physical strength and speed," Rain thought.


    In the next moment, the dragon breath was fired again, and this time, Rain took it directly¡­ the cold wind made his lips get blue for a moment, but he was able to punch all the ice spears fired with his giant gloves, and they didn''t suffer any damage.


    The dragon''s eyes zed with an infernal rage as it watched Rain blocking its mighty dragon breath. Its pupils, usually resembling deep, fiery chasms, now showed a searing intensity that bore down on Rain like twin suns. The fury within those eyes was almost physical, and it was as if the great creature felt personally affronted by Rain''s audacity.


    The dragon, a majestic and elegant beast with scales like gemstones and wings that could eclipse the sky, was not used to having its power contested. Rain, inparison, seemed like a mere worm before the wrathful enormity of the dragon. The creature''s anger was so overwhelming that it felt as though a monstrous tempest was growing within its soul.


    At that moment, it was clear that the dragon considered Rain nothing more than an insignificant irritant, a pitiful worm daring to challenge its majestic authority.


    "So unreasonable¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "Maybe I should retreat and ask Josar to use some earth crystals on me to gain time. It isn''t running away, it is a strategic retreat."


    That probably wasn''t a good idea¡­ not only would Rain probably get less experience by defeating the dragon that way, but he also wouldn''t raise the morale of the magic people that much. He didn''t care about their feelings if they died or lived, but Rain needed them to put up a good fight.


    While Rain was thinking about that, the aura of the dragon began to change and became more contained¡­ It wasn''t affecting the environment in arge area like before, but the creature''s aura was thicker and more ominous than before.


    In the next moment, the ice dragon opened its mouth just a bit and then fired an ice beam on the ground that immediately began to freeze the entire area and eventually reached Rain. He just kicked the ground and smashed all the ice around him.


    The ice dragon was annoyed thanks to that, but it kept freezing the whole area¡­ the creature was probably trying to create a battlefield that Rain wouldn''t have the upper hand, and the beast would have.


    "This one doesn''t seem that prideful, and that makes it smarter¡­ too bad, it arrived a bit toote to the party," Rain thought and then inclined his body again.


    Rain used Impulse and then frosted the area insanely fast¡­ the dragon tried to chase him with its eyes and soon found him sliding on the ice quite fast as well¡­ while moving around the area.


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    The dragon ended up epting the challenge and thennded in the frozen area and before anything, the creature made some ice spikes that were ten meters long emerge from the ground and right below Rain, but he suddenly increased his speed and then avoided them.


    The ice dragon did that several times and missed all of them¡­ how could that be possible? The attacks were almost instantaneous, and yet¡­ while Rain was circting around the monster, the creature eventually took notice of the coral spear on his back¡­ that was the reason for Rain''s Ability to move so fast, even on the ice.


    While Rain was trying to gain some time for the magic people and for himself toe up with a winning strategy. The ice dragon began to move as well¡­ without moving its legs¡­ just like him, the creature was sliding on the ice and slowly gaining speed.


    "It isn''t like I didn''t consider this, but¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Eventually, the ice dragon began to chase Rain at his same speed¡­ It was quite insane that a several-ton beast could move as fast as him, which was around three hundred kilometers per hour.


    As if that wasn''t enough, the monster began to zigzag as well and soon appeared in front of him. The monster swung its ws at Rain, and then he punched it. The impact made the ice in the area crack and created a shockwave that crossed hundreds of meters¡­ still, even with all his might, Rain wasn''t able to push away the w.


    "When it has some footing¡­ things end up like this, huh?" Rain thought.


    The endurance of the dragon increased thanks to that powerful aura. Thanks to that, a hint of pride crossed over the eyes of the creature before the monster used an ice beam directly at Rain¡­ he immediately jumped and kicked the w of the beast to propel himself backward and avoid the attack¡­ that all happened in the blink of an eye.


    "This might be bad¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain still had one option¡­ change his build. Fighting at close range with the Wiseman''s Path and skills wasn''t the best option, even if he could use Magic Boost to its limits with all that mana. Still, Rain wanted to keep leveling up that path because it was evident that he needed more mana from now on.


    The battles were bing toorge in scale, and he needed more energy to deploy strategies that would hinder his enemies.

 Chapter 434: Ice Age

    Rain began to ski around the area once more, trying to find the chance to attack the back of the ice dragon¡­ the creature began to use its ice breath while also making ice spikes emerge from the ground.


    Sometimes, thatbination almost bit Rain, but he would jump and then spin in the air and avoid thempletely¡­ after failing that kind ofbination a few more times, the ice dragon grew weary of Rain''s tactics.


    The ice dragon used the ice beam in the area again, and before long, Rain was able to see the ice in the area expanding upward¡­ the monster wanted to seal him in a cage.


    "I am ttered, but no, thank you," Rain said and then used Impulse.


    Rain couldn''t let himself be separated from the outside world, and he had to keep an eye on Terra as well, after all. He had no idea what he would do if something were to happen to the person who was supporting him in that crazy battle¡­


    Rain punched the dragon again, but the beast was expecting that and blocked the attack with its left w again¡­ the body of the monster trembled, and that stopped the ice beam for a moment, but only for a moment.


    "If you are nning to ignore me, then¡­" Rain said and then used Impulse to the side.


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    The ice Dragon looked to the side and then didn''t even see Rain stopping. The creature saw the part of the ground cracking, but only that¡­ and then pain. A powerful blow hit the side of the Monster''s face and pushed it to the side. In the next moment, another blow from the side came and pushed the head of the monster in the opposite direction.


    At that point in time, the beast waspletely stunned by Rain''s speed, and even when it raised its paws to block the attack, it didn''t change a single thing. Rain kept sending the head of the monster from one side to the other.


    Unfortunately¡­ Rain was forced to stop a lot sooner than he had expected¡­ his giant earth gloves had frozen, and they were cracking since that ice wasn''t created by him.


    "My fingers are already numb to the cold¡­ what an annoying aura," Rain thought when he jumped away from the enemy.


    Rain still could change the earth gloves, but that could only be done so many times, and he wondered if that was the best option. He was never forced to change them in a single battle, after all.


    While Rain was surprised by that oue¡­ the dragon emitted an even more intense wave of rage. The dragons in the distance actually decided to turn tail and flee¡­ Rain frowned when he saw that¡­ they were five kilometers away, and they weren''t safe at that distance.


    Soon Rain would learn why they felt that way¡­ the ice dragon began to fly upward¡­ the monster was pissed since blood was leaving its mouth. Dragons sure were prideful¡­ the creature probably didn''t lose even five percent of its total health, and the creature truly believed that Rain didn''t have the right to even do that much.


    When the monster was high in the sky, it began to use its ice beam upward, and the cold began to change the clouds in the sky¡­. That part of the country usually was quite warm, but eventually began to get cold¡­ very cold.


    Snowkes began to fall on the ground, and when they touched it, they froze everything in a ten-meter radius and made flowers made of ice spikes emerge in the spot they touched.


    The spell reached the city and even the battlefield on the other side¡­ people began to panic as magic people and humans began to get touched by those and immediately be ice statues. Humans began to run away to their barrier while the magic people began to do their best to push away the snowkes¡­


    "I guess we can call this spell¡­ Ice Age," Rain thought. "It is powerful to the point that I am feeling like my balls are freezing."


    An area of dozens of kilometers began to get covered in a real thickyer of ice, and people were forced to take shelter in their homes¡­ maybe that dragon wasn''t only three hundred years old¡­ Considering what Rain learned, if a single dragon that wasn''t the strongest of their species could stop two armies that together numbered one hundred thousand like that¡­ What could their dragon god do?


    Destroy the world by itself?


    "Things are getting too big in scale¡­" Rain thought.


    That was a thought forter¡­ Right now, Rain had to make sure that he wouldn''t freeze to death. When he used Magic Barrier, he was able to fight the cold, but he was losing fifty points of mana per second¡­ that was too much for a single defensive spell that could only make him defend.


    "Humm¡­ I guess there is no other choice," Rain thought while looking upward. "Even if it is my weakest magic, it should offer some defense and attack power."


    Rain began to focus and then covered his entire body with an armor made of earth. Only a small part of his face wasn''t being covered¡­ but he didn''t stop that. Using his fire magic, Rain made his armor burn¡­ the brown armor eventually became red and ck, thanks to the mes and smoke. That wasn''t good for Rain''s lungs, so he couldn''t use that for long.


    With all his might, Rain jumped toward the dragon, who was still using Ice Age. It seemed like it wasn''t a poor, sweet child of summer¡­ the monster eventually noticed Rain''s approach and frowned while seeing him in his new form¡­ he was faster than before, and his aura was stronger as well.


    Considering the nature of his armor, he was going to be a much better challenge, and the dragon braced itself for the confrontation.

 Chapter 435: Test

    Rain flew to the monstrous creature to punch its face again¡­ it was the only vulnerable part, and the quickest way to kill the monster was to cause brain damage. Still, the beast knew that and blocked Rain''s charge with both arms, but then the creature was pushed backward as the scales on its arms began to crack¡­


    "Ugh, this is so weird," Rain thought. "I really need to feel the ground beneath my feet to like my punches¡­"


    Rain pushed those thoughts aside when he noticed the fire on his armor decreasing¡­ while his attack caused more damage than before, the dragon''s aura also was fighting his spell¡­ at least he wasn''t cold anymore, and his armor wasn''t being covered in ice.


    When Rain retreated a bit, the dragon used its ice breath again to force him to keep his distance and also to decrease the fire on his armor and make him consume his mana faster. However, Rain flew from one side to the other while approaching the beast and avoiding those attacks.


    The dragon grunted in annoyance¡­ It was the first time that the monster was able to see another creature that could fight against dragons in the air so well, after all. Rather than praising Rain, the monster only wanted to get rid of him faster.


    The ice dragon''s furiously roared, and it echoed across thend, causing the ground to tremble beneath its might. It was a deafening cry of rage, heard for miles, making it clear that the creature was consumed by anger.


    Its chilling aura grew even stronger. The icy presence that surrounded it grew denser, causing the temperature to drop dramatically. The air became dense with the frigid aura, and anyone nearby could feel the biting cold radiating from the creature.


    The dragon''s scales began to glisten with an otherworldly brilliance as ice formed and spread across its body. The ice dragon expanded its massive body, increasing its size to appear even more intimidating. The icy aura that enveloped it transformed, turning itself into a formidable armor-like structure, enhancing the creature''s already eerie presence.


    Rain couldn''t help but frown as he observed this. It seemed that the dragon was mimicking his tactics yet again. From a distance, the dragon''s expanded form, covered in ice, took on an appearance akin to a colossal frozen fortress or, as Rain humorously noted, like a frozen airne. This imitation was not only impressive but also hinted at the intelligence and adaptability of the creature.


    The roar of the dragon was deafening, so Rain couldn''t approach and was forced to watch the monster transformpletely. The creature looked a lot more menacing with the ice armor¡­


    "I thought that they had just dragon breath and dragon rage¡­ but it seems that I was dead wrong," Rain thought when he felt the eyes of the beast on him again when the ice dragon stopped roaring. "Those are their most basic techniques, and even young dragons know them¡­"


    That was worrisome¡­ to the point that Rain considered that it was better not to kill that dragon in order not to draw the rage of other dragons¡­ the risks were too high, after all.


    While Rain was thinking about that, the ice dragon suddenly charged¡­ as if the beast didn''t have to worry about pesky things such as elerating. It suddenly hit Rain with its head.


    The impact made Rain lose all the air in its lungs, and he nked out for a moment¡­ The cold was back, and the dragon was still pushing him away from the city at supersonic speeds.


    "You are not going to introduce me to your parents!" Rain raised his arms and then hit the face of the dragon with his elbows.


    The attack hit and cracked a bit of the ice armor of the dragon, but it was soon repaired¡­ Rain opened his eyes widely, but soon he recovered from the surprise and increased the output of his Magic Boost¡­ he never reached the limits, but he did that now, and it consumed one thousand points of mana per second.


    Rain kept that active only for a moment and then hit the face of the dragon with his elbows again.


    The attack cracked all the armor in the face of the beast and made it fall while still pushing Rain. He used all his might to jump away and avoid being crushed to death.


    Rain escaped at thest moment, and his heart was racing when he saw the dragon colliding against the ground¡­ it left a trail of destruction while it was slowing down.


    The monster eventually got up when Rainnded, and the creature turned around while its armor was being repaired¡­ Instead of total rage, the monster waspletely astonished while arge amount of blood was leaving its mouth.


    Still, the monster soon fixed its posture to charge again¡­ it was nning to fly low to avoid that unpleasant counterattack and fall again.


    In the end, Rain turned around and then used Impulse in the opposite direction. The dragon was leftpletely shocked at that unexpected development¡­ it didn''t think that Rain would actually run away, but in the end, the monster assumed that he had used too much mana in the counterattack¡­


    The ice dragon took flight and then began to fly again without pping its wings. The monster was so fast, and since it was flying low, it destroyed all the ice below with the st of its insane speed. The monster could fly as fast as Rain when he used Impulse, Limit Breaker, and Magic Boost!


    It didn''t take long for the creature to approach the city and see Rain standing on the staircase and looking at the ice dragon¡­ at that moment, the creature felt a shiver for the first time in its life.


    "This will be a good test¡­ I just hope that I won''t lose my arms in exchange for this," Rain said and then charged.

 Chapter 436: Price

    Rain had forgotten one important thing when he began to fight the dragon¡­ his weights. He returned to the city and realized that and got rid of them¡­ at the same time, he prepared himself to end the fight¡­ he knew that in a usual confrontation, he wouldn''t be able to take down the ice dragon, so he had to do so before the beast truly fights seriously.


    Rain tensed his whole body like a spring, controlling his breathing to also push Limit Breaker to its limits, and then he used Magic Boost and focused all of his mana on his armor. Rain''s charge made the whole city tremble and made a crater appear on the spot he was standing a moment ago.


    While making a high-pitching sound, Rain charged toward the ice dragon¡­ for a moment, he became a meteor on fire that was targeting the ice dragon''s head, but the creature wasn''t at the apex of the species of that world for no reason¡­ it reacted fast enough to open its mouth to fire a giant ice spear from it.


    Rain''s body collided agaisnt the colossal weapon only for a moment, and while he felt his body crumbling, the spear cracked first eventually, Rain reached the enemy and punched its forehead with his two hands¡­ he used all the muscles of his body during Impulse, there was no need to put his back on a single punch.


    Rain and the ice dragon stopped on the same spot, and the thunderous collision created a massive shockwave that made the entire area tremble, and the ice that the ice dragon had created crackedpletely¡­ for a moment, the expressions of both of them didn''t change at all, but then their armor began to crackpletely, and they felt on the ground.


    Rain fell with his eyes open, filled with shock, and he stayed like that until all the armor of the dragon fell apart, and his skull got swollen as well. His eyes, nose, and ears began to bleed¡­


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 10.000 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 10.000 experience points.


    The Grand Arcane Infusion received 50.000 experience points


    The Wiseman''s Path received 5.000 experience points.


    Rain won¡­ but it came with a great cost, he immediately began to heal himself with the extra mana he just received thanks to the level-ups of his path, but that didn''t change a thing. After a few minutes, Terra arrived and noticed that Rain was awake, but she couldn''t see his body well, thanks to the fragments of the armor. but when she moved them away, she realized it.


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    Pretty much all his bones had cracked, and his body was purple only his head was fine.


    "Heal my back, please," Rain said. "I can''t feel anything below my head¡­ I can''t show weaknesses to either side now."


    Terra opened her eyes widely¡­ she knew that damage on the back was extremely dangerous since it could stop people from moving for the rest of their lives.


    "I can''t heal that much damage so quickly. I don''t even know if I can at all!" Terra said.


    "Just heal the bones of my back. I can use my magic to move afterward," Rain exined.


    Terra approached fast while using Impulse, but the others soon woulde, so she started to work.


    It wasn''t only the bones and Rain''s spine that suffered damage¡­ all his muscles were a mess¡­ stopping the charge of the dragon made the beast suffer a lot of damage, but Rain endured half of the impact with a much smaller body¡­ the dragon suffered all of that in its head, while Rain suffered all of it in his whole body aside from his head.


    Terra helped Rain drink some potions as well, so while he still could feel a thing, he still used his earth magic to keep his legs and body steady. He only used it in some parts in order not to let the others see it¡­ it would be suspicious if he kept wearing earth armor, after all.


    Before long, Josar, while being carried by two of his allies, arrived with the battalion that escaped thanks to Rain, and while he still didn''t have his legs, he was surprised by what he saw.


    "You are something else¡­ that dragon should be at least five hundred years old," Josar said.


    "It is mine, and I am not going to sell it," Rain dered.


    "I shouldn''t have expected anything less¡­." Josar furrowed his eyebrows. "The human army is retreating¡­ it seems that they don''t want to face us without the chaos that the dragons could cause."


    While Rain was fighting, the slowpokes that were holding back finally decided to show their true might¡­ they were the draco soldiers that Rain had heard off and they were strong enough to even face the special soldiers in a one-on-one fight¡­ if they had more of them, Joanis would have kept the fight, but he decided to retreat¡­ or maybe it had been the king''s orders.


    Either way, Rain''s victory over the ice dragon changed the whole battlefield.


    Rain returned to the capital just in time to see therge human army in the distance¡­ he didn''t think that they would retreat back to their base¡­ even though they had still the numerical advantage, it seemed that they decided to change their ns.


    No one realized how messed up the situation of Rain''s body was, but at least they stopped looking at him, annoyed. He saved their asses, after all¡­ if it weren''t for him, the ice dragon would have turned their capital and its surroundings into an ice field.


    In any case, nothing of that mattered, and Rain and Terra went to their base to heal his wounds¡­ while he knew that basic was useful in that world, he was still a bit afraid of the cost of that fight.

 Chapter 437: Returning home

    Terra kept healing Rain nonstop until the next day, using her Meditation Mastery and her focus on the damaged spine¡­ Rain didn''t expect that in just one day, he would have some results, but soon, he was able to sense his fingers again and then slowly his arms.


    "Thanks, it seems that a full recovery is on the path," Rain said while moving his fingers and then sighing in relief. "I guess I should change my way of finishing big enemies in the future."


    "Yeah, you should!" Terra said while massaging her eyebrows. "How can you almost die in so many ways? I would punch you if that couldn''t undo my work."


    Fighting the way he liked was fun, but even while using magic, it was dangerous to fight dragons like a boxer¡­ it was hard to deliver the most powerful blows without risking taking some feedback of the hits as well. While he was being healed, Rain wondered what he should do about that, but at least he gained a lot in exchange for those problems.


    Level 25: Mana Flow - Improve your mana control, allowing you to channel spells more efficiently and faster by three percent per level.


    Level 30: Mind Ward - Shield your mind from mental attacks, gaining resistance to mind-altering effects.


    Level 35: Mana Arrow - Conjure a powerful arrow made of pure mana and shoot it at a distant foe. The more mana used, the more powerful and faster it will fly.


    Level 40: Wisdom''s Blessing - Bestow a boost in wisdom to yourself and nearby allies of ten points per level.


    Level 45: Mana Burst - Release a burst of mana, creating a small explosion around you to knock back enemies.


    When Rain equipped Wisdom''s Blessing, Terra immediately noticed that her magic power increased¡­ that skill was awesome since it could level up pretty fast the more allies Rain had on his side. He was looking forward to more skills like that.


    "Our job here is done. We came to help, not solve the war," Rain dered. "We need to go home and check things there."


    "Can''t at least wait until you can move your entire body without magic?" Terra asked. "You could damage yourself further, and your stress will only make your recovery slower."


    "I will be fine, and I will only get more stressed staying here and not knowing how the others are," Rain exined.


    As long as he doesn''t make it obvious, the human army won''t be able to tell that Rain left the area. They didn''t know that he got severely hurt, either. Still, they should have lost around twenty percent of their forces, and another operation like that will take months to prepare.


    "I guess I will have to skin the dragon for the scales and the leather. Anything else will be too heavy to carry," Rain thought. "I guess I will sell the rest to Josar."


    After packing their things, they waited until morning to leave the city. When they went to look for Josar, Rain was informed that he was overseeing the dismantling of the ice dragon for him. It seemed that he wanted to repay the favor for buying the magic people some more time. When he found him with some magic people working, Rain also found some boxes with potions there.


    "I imagined that you two would return tonight, so everything is ready for the departure, everything aside from the dragon," Josar exined.


    "We will only take the hide and the scales. You can keep everything else for the work of dismantling the creature," Rain said.


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    "That will help¡­" Josar said and then let out a sigh.


    Josar grappled with a mix of emotions, each pulling him in different directions. First and foremost, he had an intense and abiding hatred for humans, fueled by the relentless war and the human''s initial vition of the truce. The scars of human transgressions ran deep, and he couldn''t simply forget them.


    Moreover, the humans had gone to great lengths to capture and exploit his people, using them as pawns to boost their own power. This criminal act only served to stoke the fires of resentment and distrust he felt towards the human side.


    In the midst of these tumultuous feelings, Josar found himself ensnared in a profound dilemma. While the prospect of forging an alliance seemed virtually unattainable, given the tensions and festering grievances on both sides, he also couldn''t bring himself to request Rain''s further assistance.


    He recognized that Rain had his own reasons for mistrusting the magic people, having lost his home twice and almost lost his father at their hands.


    These deep-rooted emotions and animosities weighed heavily on Josar, forming aplex and inextricable web of inner conflict, making it a daunting challenge to find any resolution or rity in the situation.


    "If you are interested in being paid for it, we will wee you to join us in this war," Josar could only say that.


    "I will consider it," Rain said.


    In the end, they couldn''t even shake hands because of the situation. Rain just put the boxes on his earth tform and then stored the leather and the scales of the ice dragon as well. Before long, Rain and Terra were flying back home.


    "Maybe with all this, I can convince Lotto to join our side¡­ this will test his skills, and he likes that," Rain thought.


    The leather and scales harvested from the ice dragon can be fashioned into an array of remarkable items, each possessing unique and formidable attributes such as Dragonhide Armor. These scales are excellent for crafting exceptionally durable and frost-resistant armor. It offers superior protection against cold-based attacks and ensures the wearer''s safety even in frigid conditions.


    des or spear tips made from these materials would have a chilling effect, freezing the wounds they inflict. Such weapons are highly effective inbat, especially against adversaries vulnerable to cold damage. By reinforcing shields with dragon scales, they be more adept at blocking and absorbing cold-based attacks.

 Chapter 438: Talk

    The trip to the capitalsted for only one day, thanks to the increase in mana that Rain had. They arrived at night as well, so Rain was able to approach Lotto''s cksmith shop¡­ but soon he confirmed that it was empty.


    "The whole city is sleeping¡­ Where is he?" Rain thought.


    Rain probably could find him once he healspletely, so there was no point in hurrying. He returned to the earth chamber, flying in the sky, and then they flew home.


    In the end, Rain wished that he could hide the fact from his family about the wounds, but he couldn''t lie straight to their face¡­ his lower half was still dormant, but eventually, it would be back to normal.


    "It shouldn''t take long. I am about to master the Medic Path and unlock a new one," Terra dered. "I am expecting a lot from the next."


    It seemed that Terra could read Rain''s mind based on his expressions¡­ they have been working together for a while, so it was natural. Maybe Rain needed to start working on his poker face.


    In the end, Rain slowed down to give Terra as much time as possible to keep healing him, and they arrived at home when the sun was rising¡­ Much to his surprise, Rain found Jori and Roan fighting with their swords.


    Before they could notice him, Rain decided to approach slowly and see it for a while. It would have been awesome if he had some popcorn¡­


    Roan charged with all his might and swung down his sword. Jori swung his sword vertically and easily repelled the attack, but Roan kept swinging down his sword faster and faster. Jori was unable to repel the strikes with his own attacks and assumed a defensive stance. Sparks spread in the area alongside the sound of steel as both of them kept pushing each other to their limits.


    "They are fighting for real¡­" Terra furrowed her eyebrows.


    "Rx, they are making a lot of noise, but no one ising to check things, so this is only training," Rain said.


    In the end, Roan had more experience, and he was faster as well, so it didn''t take long for him to pull his sword at thest moment and then disarm Jori with a reverse grip strike that made his sword fly and spin in the air. That was probably some sort of advanced technique since it was executed with extreme speed and precision.


    Jori let out a sigh and then frowned when his sword didn''t fall, but then he found it in Rain''s hands.


    "Rain! Terra!" Jori said and then showed arge smile.


    "It seems that you guys are doing something interesting early in the morning," Rain said and then theynded.


    Rain wished that they didn''te to do that while they were covered in sweat, but Jori and Roan tried to hug him. Fortunately, Terra showed her mainly sided and protected him.


    "He is wounded, so don''t touch him," Terra said. Enjoy new stories from mvl


    Jori made a lot of noise, so it didn''t take long for everyone to eventually show up with their bed hair and sleepy faces. Since too many people tried to hug Rain, Terra spilled the beans before he could prepare the terrain.


    "He is better and will recover soon, but he can''t move his legs yet," Terra added. "He is only standing because of his magic."


    Rain facepalmed and stayed like that for a while since the eyes of everyone hurt¡­ eventually, things calmed down a bit when they heard that before, his whole body was paralyzed¡­ Terra''s unrivaled healing skills would return to normal in no time.


    "My heart can''t take much bad news¡­" Leiah said. "I try so hard to fight the wrinkles, but you aren''t cooperating, Rain."


    "Maybe I can dy the report about the mission for a few days, then," Rain shrugged.


    "It is useless, we know that you enraged the king already and that he was determined to sacrifice thousands for it," Roan exined.


    "How?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows in surprise.


    "Lotto arrived yesterday, someone alerted him that he could be targeted, fortunately, the girls wanted some clothes that they left on your home, so heard about that as well and brought him with us," Roan replied.


    "I guess It can''t be helped¡­ I will tell you the heroic adventures of Rain fighting dragons and crazy humans while being helped by his sidekick, Terra."


    "I am more like the cleaner of the messes that you leave behind, since your body always ends up in a mess," Terra said.


    Rain recounted the details of the mission; a bit of fatigue was evident in his voice as he spoke. Terra, who had tirelessly provided her healing support for nearly three days without rest, gradually fell into a deep slumber.


    As Rain''s report was given, the expressions on the faces of those gathered around were a mix of concern and apprehension. The situation remained far from resolved, and the impending decisions weighed heavily on their minds.


    Notably, Seadir was absent at this early hour, but the sea folk and he would undoubtedly receive the news and updates when the time was right. The challenges they faced were daunting, and the uncertainty of whaty ahead continued to cast a shadow over their group.


    "... Killing Revan will make father hate you until the end of his days," Esmeralda said while showing a worried expression. "He was a true friend for him¡­ probably the only one that he ever had."


    Roan studied Rain for a while, wondering if Rain killed Revan so readily out of revenge¡­ he didn''t want to think that his son would do that, but the words that Revan said about Leiah made Rain forget all the restraining that he tried to keep.


    "Why do you get all the fun?" Reca asked while checking the dragon scales. "I want to fight another dragon soon."


    "Be reasonable¡­" Asche facepalmed. "We already have too much on our te¡­"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 439: Best Bros!

    "What next?" Liss joined the conversation while thinking that she didn''t have many chances to test her skillstely. "I wish that I could get something with those scales¡­ I have been only training and doing nothing elsetely."


    "We need to rest, and we have been working too much. Give me a break!" Terra suddenly woke up and said it.


    "... Someone is stressed, but she has a point," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We should start working on the projects that will force the enemies to not think about fighting us¡­ it is also time to do some business with the nearby cities and towns."


    "Seadir looked like they were going to make a big move soon. Shouldn''t we join them?" Jori asked. "They helped us a lot, after all."


    "I will talk with him eventually about what he has in mind, but we can''t do anything that will risk the whole kingdom or innocent people," Rain exined. "First of all, let''s weaken those who support Joanis that stayed behind and then¡­ see what will happen."


    Truth be told, Rain was tired, too¡­ even though he didn''t let that be obvious by others who could see his expression. Only someone like Terra could since she knew her healing powers and had healed plenty of people trying to look tough when they were about to die.


    In the end, Rain slept for a full day before he finally woke up starving¡­ when he went to have breakfast, he found everyone eating outside. The houses were too small for so many people, and it was better and more refreshing to eat out with a lot of people¡­


    "Hey, kid, it has been a while," Lotto said when Rain arrived.


    "Uhhmm¡­ sorry for the trouble I had caused," Rain forced a smile.


    "It was bound to happen. Besides, I arrived at a good time, right?" Lotto said while pointing to the leather and scales of the ice dragon. "I can make a lot of master pieces with that¡­ materials of ice dragons have never been used in the human kingdom¡­ probably."


    "I guess I need you to apologize for making you lose your home and shop, and what better way than to make you work for us?" Rain shrugged. "We don''t have enough people that can fight, so you can totally focus on quality over quantity."


    "Those were the words I wanted to hear," Lotto grinned.


    On the next day, Lotto began to work on the items for the group¡­ Rain''s new forearm guards and shin guards were the first ones to be forged since his oldest ones were about to break¡­ all thanks to numerous suicidal attacks of the special soldiers.


    While Rain waited for those, he just rxed at home¡­ at least as much as he could do, he also kept using his healing magic to increase his recovery speed. There were a lot of things that he needed to be done, so recovering w single day faster was worth the hassle.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 179 (11.000/17.900)


    Current Path: Wiseman''s Path (Lv 47 (1300/4700)


    Health: 18.470/18.480


    Mana: 47.300/47.300


    Stamina: 19.815/19.815


    Strength: 1692


    Dexterity: 1697


    Intelligence: 2885


    Vitality: 1848


    Wisdom: 4703


    Endurance: 1891


    Luck: 317


    Free Points: 360


    Main Skills:


    [Grand Arcane Infusion Lv 42)


    [Meditation Mastery Lv 41]


    [Wisdom Blessing Lv 11]


    [Mana Burst Lv 01]


    [Mana Arrow Lv 04]


    Support Skills:


    [Iron Resilience Lv 41]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 47]


    [Language Lv 98]


    [Second Wind Lv 40]


    [Iron Defense Lv 43]


    "I survived against the ice dragon while keeping a lot of free points unused¡­ perhaps I wouldn''t have ended up like this if I had used them," Rain thought. "Wisdom and my mana are getting too high, so I should focus on the parameters¡­"


    Maybe Rain''s low luck was the problem, but he wasn''t sure about that since he still always managed to survive..


    More strength wasn''t the problem, Rain could always buff himself with his skills and techniques, it seemed that the real problem was his defense¡­. Increasing his endurance and Vitality seemed like the right thing. Still, even if he chooses one of them and issues all his free points, Rain will only increase them by twenty percent at best.


    "I guess I need to equip all the skills that increase my health and level the hell out of them," Rain tonight. "Once I recover, I should train my body to be even tougher."


    After one week, Rain''s body had beenpletely healed and he felt alive like never before. It was like getting over a cold the next morning. He immediately equipped his weights and proceeded to resume his training.


    "You have been saving my skin a lot, I need to repay the debt instead of taking your help for granted," Rain said.


    As Rain mentioned the need to repay his debt to Terra in front of the group, a sense of curiosity and anticipation seemed to spread among those who were listening. It was clear that they were all eager to hear what Terra might request in return for her invaluable assistance and unwavering support.


    "It would be helpful if you stopped getting beaten up that much," Terra replied. "Don''t worry about that. We are friends, right?"


    "Of course we are!" Rain said and then gave a side hug to Terra before their fists bumped. "Best bros, forever."


    Terraughed a little before epting the fist bump, and everyone else facepalmed¡­ it was her golden chance to ask anything, and she did that¡­ in any case, Rain immediately Increased the weight on his limbs to the point that his steps could be sensed by everyone around. Then he left the house and started to do some handstands¡­ that was the perfect way to increase his vitality.


    When that training was over, Rain was covered in sweat, and his body was emitting a lot of steam. Still, he quickly cleaned himself to have a meeting with the others, but then Seadir appeared.

 Chapter 440: Time to payback

    "It has been a while," Seadir said.


    "It seems that you have been busy, is your father going to make his move soon?" Rain asked.


    "We are about to," Seadir replied. "The others told me what happened in the magic people''s country and that the human army has been weakened."


    "Did they tell you that their barrier is most likely impossible to destroy?" Rain asked. "How do you n to reach them in the middle of the magic people''s country?"


    "We will do the same that you did, bring the ocean to them with a waterway and surround them," Seadir replied. "Eventually, they will run out of resources if they don''t fight us."


    "The dragons might sense that and they will join the fray, I take it that they respect your Father to some extent," Rain crossed his arms.


    Seadir nodded in agreement, though Rain could sense a hint of reluctance in his friend''s expression. It was evident that Seadir, like Rain, harbored thoughts about the n. However, both of them understood the need for retribution against the human army for their actions.


    Rain found satisfaction in the fact that the proposed course of action would primarily impact those who had actively participated in the conflict. This approach aimed to avoid harming innocent civilians from the turmoil and suffering that apanies war.


    Nevertheless, all that would leave the human kingdom in a precarious state. With their military strength weakened, they would be exposed to external threats, and the general popce would likely endure hardships as a consequence.


    "We are about to take our next steps and bring down those who supported Joanis, does your father want to have a word with them?" Rain asked.


    "... He might want to," Seadir replied. "That should quench our desire for Revenge a bit."


    Rain didn''t want to say in front of his little friends that they would bring down some the heads of some noble houses and give them as prisoners for the sea emperor, but that was exactly what they were going to do.


    Once that happens, the people in the cities and towns will do whatever they want, they could choose between living their lives without worrying about taxes for a while or risking their necks fighting Rain and his friends.


    "I will report this to father," Seadir nodded. "However, he is impatient."


    "We will make our move soon," Rain added.


    Seadir nodded once more, and then he left to the ocean. It was about time for them to make changes in the human country, and that was change the whole history and future of the ce.


    "What do you think that we should do?" Rain asked while looking at Branden and Esmeralda.


    "... If possible, I want the king, his wife and son to be spared," Branden said. "We can keep him guarded and locked in some vi where he won''t have any influence."


    "Father is too angry about Revan, I am sure¡­ he won''t stop until all of those who can fight for him are dead," Esmeralda said. "Also, I kept this as a secret until now since I didn''t think that it was possible, but after hearing about the barrier that could protect their entire camp even from dragon magic, I suppose I can no longer keep it hidden.


    I think that father and Joanis have a trick against the dragons¡­ I overheard them talking about controlling the power of the dragons one day¡­ before I could hear more, Revan almost found me spying on the throne room."


    The group''s expressions were a mix of blend emotions, primarily confusion, as they tried to wrap their heads around the startling revtion. The notion that the king and Joanis possessed some concealed power capable of influencing dragons'' might was almost absurd. They exchanged confused looks, struggling to fathom the true potential of such an advantage.


    The mere idea of controlling these creatures was insane, stretching theirprehension to its limits. As Rain and hispanions mulled over this revtion, they couldn''t help but feel a mix of astonishment and uncertainty regarding the king''s motives and the scope of his abilities.


    "While it sounds suspicious¡­ it makes sense considering the fact that they wanted to conquer the magic people''s country and then risk fighting the dragons as well," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "A battle with dragons was impossible to ignore."


    "In terms of power and for his supposed goal to leave a mark in history, the king would have a better chance fighting the beast people, they are stronger but not very organized," Roan exined.


    "I thought that the anti-magic stuff was the reason that they chose the magic people, but it seems that the dragons were their targets all along¡­ to deal with the sea folk, they definitely would need the dragons and some dragons to fight more dragons as well."


    "Do we have any idea how they are nning to do that?" Jori asked.


    "... I am sorry," Esmeralda said and then bowed her head. "All that I can think is the fact that it is weird that Joanis needed father to pull this off."


    "This is a good starting point for our research," Rain said. "We will have to do some digging and literal digging as well to learn about it more. Perhaps the sea emperor can help us with that."


    "Are we going to fight the lords with numbers?" Branden asked.


    "No, we don''t need to make a scene and our primary goal is to make business, after all," Rain said. "We will make them disappear before we arrive where they live and see how things will y out. Hopefully, the first target will be a talker and we will confirm the others involved. This should be a lot easier than the previous mission, so I am going alone with Branden, Esmeralda, Orcis and Lorene.


    The others will have to keep an eye on the mountains. There is also something that I need my sisters to do and they will need some escorts."

 Chapter 441: Other paths

    The next day, the group began to work early in the morning. After packing their things, Rain passed his forearm and shin guards to his sisters.


    "You can use them while Lotto makes the new ones, who wants to keep the spear?" Rain asked.


    In the end, no one raised their hands, and while she was better with earth magic, Rain gave Dana the spear since she was the oldest.


    "This division is a bit unbnced when you don''t have any weapons, are you sure that you will be fine?" Roan asked when he saw that Rain was the only one who was going to guard Branden, Esmeralda, Orcis and Lorene, he wondered if his son was getting carried away.


    "If anything happens, the best soldiers are with the king and Joanis," Rain exined. "Everyone here can use magic boost now, so if anything happens, they can run before I can do anything. I find it hard to believe that at this point in time I would mess things up, though."


    "Alright¡­ just be careful," Roan said after a long sigh.


    Rain and the others had to use the underground route for several reasons. The first was to gain time since they just had to use a bit of water magic to make a boat move in the direction that they wanted, they could carry a ton of stuff with them.


    The other was the fact that Rain wanted to keep expanding his tunnels¡­ they were too useful to moverge groups of people and stuff without being noticed. To steal stuff from the enemies as well when necessary and to surprise them when a fight breaks out.


    That being said, everyone aside from Rain felt a bit odd while moving underground since they didn''t have any idea how much was the distance that they had covered. At the same time, Rain began to dig the tunnel toward their destination while they were there¡­ the fear of everything copsing was there. Even though Rain was using everything with magic alone.


    Taking huge chunks of the walls and then reinforcing them to avoid making the whole thing copse.


    "... Just how much has your mana pool increased?" Branden furrowed his eyebrows since Rain wasn''t using potions at all.


    "Meditation Mastery makes part of the path unlocked when the Sage''s path is mastered, so you can gain a bunch of points in wisdom when you get it," Rain exined. "It is two times better than the Sage''s path¡­ also, I got a bunch of levels in the war."


    "That exins a lot," Branden shrugged.


    Another path that was about to unlock a new one was the farmer''s path¡­ Rain never met anyone that had mastered that had unlocked the next path for some reason, so he was curious about it.


    In any case, the trip was supposed tost ten hours, but it onlysted six and while they could have been even faster, they had to stop outside of the town and go by foot, even though the final part of the tunnel was alreadypleted since they made it to keep contact with Julie.


    When they left the tunnel, Rain quickly assembled with his magic a wagon that was essential, abination of several golems connected to each other to carry them and the weapons and armor that they wanted to resell.


    "This is one weird wagon," Branden said.


    "Did you get any news from Julie?" Rain asked.


    "Nothing aside that they are doing all kinds of odd jobs to repay for the money that was used to free them," Orcis dered. "She also said that some people think that the lord wants to curry favor with Joanis thanks to his aplishments."


    "So, I guess this guy doesn''t have any connections with Joanis¡­ I need to get someone for the sea emperor to relieve his stress," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully while they approached the town.


    "Lotto mentioned that two influential families are taking care of things in the capital in the ce of the king and Joanis, they are working to send supplies for the frontlines as well," Orcis exined.


    "I guess they will be my targets, then," Rain thought.


    The group wondered how and when Rain was nning to do that¡­ he said that he didn''t want to cause unnecessary deaths, but it was unlikely that those individuals would be unguarded.


    Regardless, it didn''t take long for the group to be seen by the guards of the town. They stood out like a sore thumb because they didn''t have horses pulling their wagon, after all. In any case, the guards eventually got in their way¡­ while sweating bullets.


    "We havee to sell weapons and armor to the specialized shops of the town," Branden dered. "Is that possible?"


    The guards looked at each other, unsure of that¡­ They knew Rain, and they knew that he didn''t need weapons, and the town was actually needing a lot of them since they were sent to the war.


    "... You aren''t part of the usual group of merchants that visits our town, so we will have to keep escorting you during the whole time," one of the guards said.


    "That will be fine, thank you," Branden said while smiling.


    Rain wondered if there were no traces not of civility inside him¡­ because he thought that the whole exchange was a waste of time. If they didn''t want to let the group enter, Rain would force them to stand down. He also thought that pretending that they had to be diplomatic with those that send soldiers to kill him was also a waste of time.


    At first, the group didn''t draw much attention since few people had seen famous figures like Branden and Esmeralda¡­ still, the soldiers that surrendered in the previous battle began to spread rumors about them¡­ despite that, the merchants who wanted armor and weapons readily bought them them thanks to the thirty percent off.


    "Stop here¡­ I want to check this building," Rain suddenly said.

 Chapter 442: Buying time

    The group came to a stop before an aging and deserted warehouse. The structure wasrge, indicating that it might have served some substantial purpose in the past. However, its current condition and location were far from ideal. Situated in a rather remote and unfavorable spot, it was no wonder that the warehouse had fallen into disuse and neglect.


    Despite its size, it appeared to have been abandoned for some time, perhaps due to the inconvenience of its surroundings.


    "I want to buy this ce," Rain dered after he used his magic to contain their conversation with the guards who were following them.


    "Why?" Branden asked while frowning.


    "... Do you want to make a shop or something like that here to sell the things that we have?" Orcis asked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That makes sense, but eventually, we will run out of things to sell."


    "I am also nning to automate the process of selling things like grains and other goods," Rain exined. "Grandpa usually did that for the people in the region while they focused in producing it. By doing that in his ce and by using my magic, we can save a lot of time and make money passively."


    "This ce could be a target for enemies, though," Branden said. "Even more so if you leave someone important here."


    "That is why I won''t, to avoid problems, I will also won''t leave anything of value here, this will be just a stop for the money the resources to stop for a short while," Rain added. "People will send a document with what they need to the person who will work here, with how much they wanted, and then they will be able to grab what they wanted the next day.


    Naturally, I also want to make this business as a means to gather Intel periodically."


    "That seems like a good idea¡­ but I am not sure if that is one hundred percent feasible," Branden said while showing aplicated expression.


    Branden was unsure since some of his spies betrayed him, but Rain was considering that too. He was going to do that once he gets rid of those that can be a nuisance in the near future and Joanis and the king''s supporters. Eventually, others will emerge and so will the same, but he will get rid of them too.


    A single action against him and his business, and then he will send them at the tip of a rocket to the moon.


    Thinking militaristically all the time was a bit tiresome, but Rain knew that it had to be done. Maybe to deal with the possible problems that might arise there, Rain could use the former prisoners that he freed from Joanis'' clutches. They wouldn''t have any reason to help anyone that wasn''t Rain and his friends, and they are strong enough to protect themselves.


    In the end, Rain asked around for the person who was the owner of the warehouse while they sold their goods and eventually found the person. It was a middle aged man that had been trying for ages to sell the building, thanks to that, Orcis managed to get a good price for it.


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    Orcic was essentially a loaded merchant, and he knew what he was doing, so Rain bought the ce for only ten gold coins. Orcis convinced the seller for that price even though he wanted three times more because the building was in a bad area of the town, they were too far away from the capital, and the building hadn''t been repaired and cleaned in a while.


    "It has been a while since I did something like that¡­ it is good to know that I didn''t lose my edge," Orcis smiled. "If the owner were a woman, I probably could have used a nice smile to haggle a bit more. Ouch!"


    Lorene didn''t like to hear thest part, so he got punched on the side. In any case, at the end of the day, the group finished selling half of the stuff and then proceeded to the next city. They disappeared in the middle of the darkness and entered the underground tunnel to camp, but Rain headed to the capital.


    While using his magic, Rain was able to ski on the surface of the water that was in the tunnel and he unsealed the routes that he had sealed before.


    "I can''t let the sea emperor know if this¡­ he might try to drown the capital from inside out," Rain thought.


    In any case, since he was wearing his weights too, Rain had to keep focused in order not to sink on the water and he had to keep his speed constant to avoid problems. He actually easily pulled it off and reached the capital in the middle of the night.


    After confirming that his former house wasn''t being watched, Rain quickly left the underground tunnel and then looked for the tallest building in the area.


    Lotto told him that two guys were managing the capital in the ce of the king, but no one knew where they worked or lived¡­ some guys just moved around from building to building collecting taxes and making them disappear while they moved around¡­ it was their way to stay out of the radar of those who could possibly target them.


    In any case, Rain used his magic to summon a storm that covered the whole area, and then he made it Rain for a while¡­ in the end, he confirmed that there were no anti-magic barriers in the capital¡­ it seemed that Joanis was using all the material that he could make on their own anti-magic crystal.


    Still, Rain was able to sense some interesting presences guarding some buildings and they were all in the part of the capital¡­ the northern side behind the castle.


    "I guess even though it was obvious, it was also too unexpected," Rain flew to the area and eventually found the spot where he found the presence of two special guards.

 Chapter 443: Guilty as charged

    It seemed like the regr houses of some nobleman that were a bit on the lower side of their ranks. Two guards only seemed like a small number, but maybe they were mainly there to make sure that the guys behind wouldn''t try to take the money and resources for themselves.


    Regardless, Rain used Magic Eyes on them and he was unable to confirm if they had the magic bombs inside them. So, killing them even as fast as possible would be too risky¡­ still, unlike thest ones that Rain had seen exploding, they probably would be fine in making them fly to high in the sky.


    "I can''t risk them alerting the people of the capital of the guys that they were watching notice that I am the one who got rid of them¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "My best option is to make them disappear in less than seconds and make them explode in a ce that it won''t leave any signs behind."


    Rain knew that he only had a single option, but he wondered if it would actually work¡­ that was the kind of thing that was insane, it didn''t matter how much he thought about it. Still, it was his only option.


    Rain had to send them flying out of the atmosphere of that world¡­ It was truly a crazy n that would require insane amounts of mana, unless Rain flies them out of orbit himself, but in the end, he decided to think of a more reasonable approach.


    "I guess that will do it," Rain thought after he had a certain idea.


    After doing some training and recovering some mana, Rain decided to put his n into action. He flew to the area above his destination and then began to fall toward the garden of the area, where the targets were.


    When hended there, they barely had the chance to turn their eyes to the side¡­ they were immediately covered in water spheres. The water entered all the holes in their bodies before Rainpletely froze them.


    That usually would stop them from killing themselves or self exploding¡­ they weren''t dead, after all. Still, their self destruction spell still was activated. The ice spheres began to vibrate and crack and expand, but Rain quickly repaired them and increased their size. The atmosphere grew weird thanks to the fact that the energy wanted to consume everything, but ultimately, it never happened.


    Severe cold can significantly impede the process of energy propagation, particrly when ites to explosive situations. When the temperature drops to sub-freezing levels, several important factorse into y.


    Cold temperatures cause chemical reactions within explosive materials to slow down. Essentially, theponents necessary for an explosion be less active when it''s cold. This results in dys in the detonation process and a decrease in the overall explosive power.


    Explosions generate a substantial amount of gas. In colder conditions, gases tend to contract and have lower pressure. This constrains the force with which the explosion''s shockwave expands, making it less destructive.


    "Phew¡­ I didn''t think that I would be able topletely seal the mana from consuming everything around," Rain thought.


    Rain looked at the ice spheres and then wondered what he should do with them: just bury them underground? That seemed like the most efficient method in terms of mana cost, Rain still had to save some to return home and join the others. Continue reading on mvl


    In the end, he did that and then checked the house with his earth magic¡­ Rain sighed when he felt a bunch of presences on the first floor and seven of them on the upper floors.


    With his magic as he was now, Rain was able to create a door on the walls of those rooms and slowly open them without making any noises. He found some kids and the partners of the targets, but then Rain realized if only the husbands were part of schemes¡­ wasn''t it sexist to assume that women could also be capable enough to work with Joanis?


    "Well, I guess I wille back for themter if they do anything suspicious," Rain shrugged.


    Using wind and fire magic to keep the rooms warm and keep everyone rxed, Rain made sure that they didn''t wake up while also levitating the man with wind magic. It was kind of hard to do that, but it eventually worked.. at least Rain waited until those two were out of the rooms and he made the doors return to their original spots and be walls again¡­


    Once that happened, Rain covered them up to their mouths in earth to avoid noise. After that, he returned to his former home and then left the capital using the tunnel, he resealed the whole thing again, just to be sure.


    When morning came, the two prisoners woke up on the beach, their limbs werepletely sealed¡­ the rising sun made them have a hard time seeing what was ahead of them, but they could see two silhouettes standing at the beach and in front of them.


    "It is time for a morning questionnaire, guys," Rain said, and at the sound of his voice, the prisoners trembled. "... Is this a clear sign of guilty as charged?"


    "I would say so," Seadir said.


    "Well, let''s try a bit more¡­ I will let you guys talk, and you guys need to answer me with a yes or no," Rain said. "Are you Joanis'' dogs? Don''t do anything weird or buy time, all right? We aren''t the patient types."


    Rain removed the earth covering their mouths, and they immediately tried to bit their tongues¡­ Rain knocked them down with some earth fists in their temples¡­ he sighed in exasperation since he knew it would happen.


    "It doesn''t seem like we will get some information at this rate," Rain scratched the back of his head.


    "We can do something about that. You can leave it to us," Seadir said while having a hard time holding back his bloodlust.

 Chapter 444: Cooks Path

    Rain had imagined that some of the mermaids of the Seafolk possessed an intriguing talent: the ability to induce a state of brainwashing in their targets through the enchanting allure of their voices. However, this ability posed certain challenges when utilized inbat.


    The effect of their voices had a rtively short reach, necessitating that the mermaids venture dangerously close to their intended subjects. This proximity put them in harm''s way.


    While employing their captivating voices, mermaids were unable to perform any otherbat-rted actions. This meant they couldn''t attack, defend, or provide alternate support to their allies. This one-track approach made them vulnerable during the process; they couldn''t move either.


    Rain didn''t ask that, but it seemed that Seadir had a big mouth and that was most likely one of the reasons why he wasn''t at the top of the hierarchy when ites to the sea emperor kids.


    Nevertheless, over the course of the next week, Rain captured ten more people that had ties with Joanis and all of them spilled the beans after Seadir made them listen to some nice songsing from bewitching mermaids¡­ Rain was thinking that he should invent the earphones in that world, just to be sure that he wouldn''t fall for those.


    "My apologies, while we confirmed their ties with Joanis, we didn''t learn anything of any use," Seadir exined when he went to report to Rain and his friend about the findings.


    "Well, it was obvious that Joanis and the king wouldn''t leave any real important information behind," Branden said.


    Experience more tales on mvl


    "They are all working just to fund the war, and none of them were actually filling their pockets while they were at it¡­" Esmeralda said while thinking about some things. "Either they were scared of the guys, or they truly wanted arge chunk of the magic people''s country."


    "My apologies in advance if I sound too demanding, but it would be helpful if you could help us take over the port town with the sound magic," Orcis suddenly said. "We would be able to weed out those who are spies."


    "We can help with that since that will benefit us as well," Seadir smiled in satisfaction. "Father is in a good mood, so he had raised that possibility already. We kept hidden the fact that we could do that just to be cautious, but you all proved too many times that you can be trusted."


    "I am amazed that Rain can be more guarded than the sea emperor¡­" Lorene said while frowning as they watched Rain building the underground foundation of the first shop that he had bought. "Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    "I am kind of busy here, but I am listening," Rain exined. "Things are fine as they are, the sea emperor might not realize this, but we are not dering that we are allies for the best. Who would be allies with a much smaller force? I bet a lot of his underlings and supporters would contest his decisions if he were to do that."


    "... You may be right¡­ I didn''t consider that," Seadir said after blinking several times. "I guess father didn''t consider either since he doesn''t care about that kind of stuff."


    Father and son were pretty simr, even though they don''t get along that well. Rain didn''t want to say that out loud, but Seadir would be more important for his people if he had a bit more vision. That was extremely necessary, given that his father wascking in that field.


    Regardless, Rain couldn''t stop talking because he had a lot of work to do. Only he could design the foundation of his shops since only he knew how it was going to work. His ideas and ns were hard to phantom more often than not, after all. At the same time, he had bought two other shops already, and they needed to be reformed faster than something else could happen and slow down his ns.


    In any case, during that time, Rain''s golems made him unlock a new path. The farmer''s path reached level fifty, and he actually unlocked the Cook''s path¡­ naturally, it came at a high level since he cooked a lot for his sisters and friends.


    At the same time, he realized that few people could unlock that path because too little experience was given while using the usual work of a farmer¡­ he only pulled it off because his golems basically did in a few months something that was worthy of decades of work by a single person. Still, it had a lot of potential.


    You fulfilled the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.


    Cook''s Path: This path of culinary expertise empowers individuals to be skilled cooks and chefs. These culinary artists possess profound knowledge of ingredients, culinary techniques, and vorbinations. They are capable of preparing delicious dishes that not only nourish the body but also fills them with energy. All stats + 2.


    Level 1: Novice Cook - Embark on your culinary journey as a Novice Cook. Gain a 5% bonus to your cooking abilities and speed preparation.


    Level 5: Ingredient Insight Master - the art of selecting and working with a wide variety of ingredients, enhancing your ability to create delightful dishes.


    Level 10: vor Fusion - Hone your pte and discover the secrets of blending vors. Experiment with uniquebinations to create extraordinary taste sensations. Improved taste by five percent per level.


    Level 15: Culinary Prowess - Develop your culinary skills, increasing your proficiency in preparing dishes that boost health and energy. Each dish will recover the same amount of health mana and stamina that is equal to the level of the skill per minute over ten minutes.


    Over the course of the next week, Rain managed to make the shops the way that he had envisioned. While he wanted to buy others already, he decided to wait and see if his ns would actually work the way he wanted¡­ he could invest that much time and money into something so uncertain, after all.

 Chapter 445: Two options

    Usually, farmers would only level one or two skills, and others wouldplement their job. That was terrible to gain experience, but it was the best option to grow more crops. So, it couldn''t be helped.


    In any case, at first, people hesitated to do business with Rain and his workers, but soon they realized how useful it was. The prices were the same on the market, and the buyers didn''t have to waste time and resources to go buy what they wanted. They would send their requests one day in the warehouses, and in the next day, it would be there¡­


    Once money started toe in, Rain began to pay the farmers on the spot instead of waiting to receive his payment. Thanks to that, they began to work faster and better, and they also left everything ready to be transported to get on Rain''s good side.


    "... When did you be such a good businessman?" Branden furrowed his eyebrows while Orcis was making the ounting of the business.


    "I helped Grandpa and Grandma for a while before you recruited me," Rain said.


    "Weren''t you six or seven at that time?" Branden still looked dumbfounded.


    "Yeah, what about it?" Rain shrugged. "I learn fast. When I see something interesting, I dissect it and try to learn every single part of it."


    Rain wasn''t a businessman in his previous life, but he learned a thing or two about marketing and doing business. To make money, you generally have to engage in some form of economic exchange, where you provide value to others in return forpensation.


    You can design, manufacture, or source products that fulfill a need or desire in the market. You make money by selling these items at a price higher than your production or acquisition costs.


    You exchange your time, skills, and expertise for a sry or hourly wage by working for an employer. The value you provide to the employer is yourbor, which contributes to thepany''s goals or operations.


    You can invest in or start a business. If the business is sessful, it can generate profits, and you can receive a share of those profits as an owner or investor.


    You can hire others to do tasks for you while you focus on more profitable or higher-value activities. This could involve managing a team, delegating tasks, or outsourcing certain functions of a business. The difference between what you earn or save and what you pay to others is your profit.


    Find adventures at mvl


    Everyone was surprised when Rain exined that to them, Orcis knew all that because he learned by doing it, but he never thought about it in detail as Rain exined everything¡­ it made too much sense since it was too obvious.


    "Anyway, it is time to take back the port town, are you guys ready?" Rain asked.


    "What about the others?" Branden asked. "Are you nning to ask Seadir for help?"


    "No, we are going to do that alone, using peaceful methods at day and I will do the dirty work at night," Rain exined.


    "You don''t think that things will end in a confrontation there?" Orcis asked. "Most of the soldiers that had been releasedid their debts and returned to their homes, some of them will be there."


    "They won''t, if they actually have a functional brain," Rain replied. "This is how we are going to work there¡­"


    Rain exined to his friends that his family and other friends couldn''te because they were too busy in the mountains. They were doing another important work that would be vital to their defense when ites to the beast people. Until now, they have been quiet, but that could be the calm before the storm¡­


    In any case, the next day, the group began to head to the port town using the underground routes¡­ the only problem was the fact that Rain didn''t even start the tunnel in that direction because he was busy with his business¡­ Still, he easily solved the problem by using the potions that he got from the magic people.


    The trip on foot was supposed to take three days, but the trip underground while the tunnel was being made onlysted for three days and then they eventually reached the port town.


    As one would expect, things got a lot weird when the people there saw Orcis and Lorene returning when they disappeared all of a sudden¡­ At the same time, they heard rumors that they had been put in jail when they tried to rebel against the king; some other rumors said that they were still setting up a coup¡­ things were quite chaotic there, so the poption didn''t know how to react.


    When they reached Orcis house, they immediately found the cepletely taken by guards. They were using it as their headquarters, even after Orcis left, and since they were following the king''s orders, they immediately grabbed their weapons, but then they flinched when Rain dropped from the wagon.


    "Wait, Rain¡­ please," Orcis said, and then he did the same. "You must be the new captain of the guards of the city¡­ I don''t see many of my former soldiers around."


    A fully armored man equipped with a helmet that had a red feather stepped forward.


    "They were sent to serve in other parts of the kingdom or joined the war," the captain said. "By the decree of His Majesty, I ammanding the city in his ce against criminals that are working with the sea folk that attacked the port town."


    "... I suppose you see me as a criminal then," Orcis rubbed his chin thoughtfully while studying the captain. "The king is too far away and he won''t benefit if you try to stop us and end up dying. So, can you please leave my town? Too much blood has already been shed, and too much blood still will be shed. If you want to join His Majesty and believe in what Joanis said, you can do so freely.


    I am sure you will feel better dying by fighting alongside him than dying here."

 Chapter 446: Ancestors

    The captain of the guards knew that fighting against Rain, even before they took a single step forward, he could bury them underground and be done with it. Even against Branden, they wouldn''tst ten seconds if he had the chance to cast one of hisrge spells¡­ the captain also knew that his soldiers didn''t want to fight, even more so when the sea folk could join the battle.


    In the end, they silently moved to the side and then headed toward the exit of the city¡­ a bunch of people joined them.


    "Are you sure about that?" Rain asked. "While fifty soldiers won''t be much of a problem in the future, they probably took everything of value from your house to use as war funds."


    "It is fine¡­" Orcis said and then sighed. "Today marks the start of a new history for the city, and it would be a pity to start it with bloodshed¡­ I also think that I deserve losing almost everything, but it is fine, I can start over."


    "We can start over," Lorene said while grabbing Orcis hands.


    "Oh my¡­ this is so sweet it gave me diabetes," Rain shrugged. "Ah, I should have at least taken their weapons and armor."


    "It would be a bad start for your reputation here," Orcis said. "Anyway, Julie should be here, and she will help us weed out the future traitors."


    The group went inside Orcis mansion, and although he had said all that before¡­ he couldn''t help but let out a long sigh when he entered and found the ce practically empty and gathering dust.


    For a moment, he regretted his choice of letting those guys go since all the stuff that his family had gathered over the years had been taken by the king and Joanis'' men¡­ the king had the authority to do whatever he wanted, and his soldiers were only following orders, whether they were justified or not, it didn''t matter.


    In the end, Orcis took several deep breaths and calmed down while reminding himself that he did the right thing¡­ to win over the poption. They couldn''t kill everyone that opposed them in cold blood.


    In any case, Rain cleaned the ce with his magic in no time and soon connected his tunnel to the mansion. When he finished the job, Julie appeared with some information. She had lost her rank upon returning, but her house was still there, and no one bothered her, but she still had some friends who informed her of many things.


    "Bruh, she wants the D!" Rain thought when he found Julie.


    "Rain, it seems that most of the troublesome. guys left the port town, now only some people who actually live here but who have been recruited as spies are left," Orcis exined. "It doesn''t seem like we are going to ask Seadir for help."


    "What about the fleet that you had?" Rain asked.


    "Gone, I have no idea where the other ships from other families are," Julie exined.


    "Seadir and the sea folk didn''t find them either," Orcis added. "Well, not like we need to use the ocean to move anytime soon."


    "You could be wrong about that," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Anyway, what are you nning to do?"


    "We will continue to help you, of course," Orcis replied. "You saved our asses a bunch of times, and while I don''t think that we are overestimating the value of our lives, I don''t think that we can repay that with money. Not like we have any right now."


    "The real question is what you truly want, Rain," Lorene said and then she crossed her arms. "Until now, you never mentioned your end goal, you mentioned it as a joke a few times, but it is hard to tell what you truly want."


    "World domination," Rain replied. "I will do that once I am bored out of my mind. While I don''t have much knowledge about the history of the world, I do know that Esmeralda''s family has been the rulers for centuries, and I am fine leaving that troublesome job in her hands."


    "Wouldn''t you leave in my hands if it weren''t troublesome?" Esmeralda frowned, and then she realized something. "Wait¡­ isn''t it because of that that Joanis needs Father''s help?"


    "... To control the dragons?" Rain frowned for a moment before asking. "It could be¡­ do you guys descend for someone famous or powerful?"


    "Some of our ancestors were strong warriors, but I don''t think that they reached the peak when ites to powers even among the humans," Esmeralda thought for a while. "We should ask Seadrei if he knows about something."


    "We kept that hidden for a while, but I guess it can''t be helped," Branden said.


    The next day, the group walked around the port town exining their business¡­ Some people frowned when they heard that, but it seemed that some people that knew Orcis and his family for a while got interested.


    When night came, they reunited with Seadir, and for some reason, his little sister came as well. Maybe she also could lure people with her voice, but soon they exined that it wouldn''t be necessary. Explore more at mvl


    "Your way of doing things sometimes really leaves me speechless¡­" Seadir said when he heard that fifty of the guards were just left alone and left the city. "While I have to confirm a few things with my father about the other countries, I know for a fact that our family has always been the rulers of the ocean. We always have been the strongest, so it is easy to gain the support of others.


    The only issue is to decide whom in the family can be the ruler since the sea emperor usually has a lot of heirs."


    "Is it a coincidence that your family has always have been the strongest?" Rain asked. "Do you know if the first Sea Emperor had some unknown history or something? There could be a clue somewhere."

 Chapter 447: Hydra

    "No, Father never said that¡­ it will be hard to tell that since the first sea emperor appeared thirty thousand years ago," Seadir said. "Well¡­ I will talk with Father ande tomorrow night again. I should have some ideas about that, then."


    Seadir and Seara soon left, and the group wondered what they should do¡­ setting the business in the port town shouldn''t take more than three days, and after that, they could keep opening new businesses in other cities and towns. However, the sea folk were bound to make their next move soon.


    They just killed ten or so of their enemies, and they weren''t those who truly were leading the problems and humiliation that the sea folk suffered.


    "We are slowly gaining the support of those who don''t have interest in political strife, so we can keep doing that until we cut off the human army from the rest of the country," Rain said. "However, that probably will raise woke conflicts. Naturally, blood will be shed."


    "It seems that you have some other n in mind," Branden said.


    "Cutting the enemies'' supply lines is necessary when ites to warfare, so taking over Teria is the best option," Rain exined. "Naturally, Joanis and the king know that, so they left arge number of soldiers there.


    Making them disappear without damaging our reputation won''t be good, but we can work with Seadir and the others and make arge waterway beyond the border to do that for us¡­ it will take a few weeks, though."


    "And the downside?" Lorene asked. "It seems the best option, but you left it forst."


    "We will be leaving a clear mark in the history of working with the sea folk by doing that, thousands more will die. They won''t surrender knowing that the sea emperor might kill the king," Rain exined. "In that kind of situation, people fight until theirst breath to do what they truly believe what is right¡­ for them, the fall of the king will be the end of the human kingdom.


    Besides, the sea folk will learn a clear method to deal with humans, the magic people, and even the beast people with this. Their original n was just to reach the back of the human army and fight."


    Everyone realized what Rain said was the truth¡­ They wanted to spare the king and keep him locked up for Esmeralda''s sake and to avoid further rebellions, but that would be difficult to do in that situation.


    "It seems that we are at the crossroads of a very important moment¡­" Branden said while showing a difficult expression. "Still, this whole situation has to end¡­ it will be better if we are involved to make sure that his Majesty will be spared than just keep ignoring it further and risk letting him die."


    "I agree with that," Rain nodded. "However, we will have to make them realize that fighting ispletely useless. We will have to show them that their ns, their forces and their relics are useless. Without that, they will starve to death first before they assume their defeat."


    "Any idea how we can do that?" Orcis asked.


    "None," Rain readily replied.


    In the end, it was only natural that it would be the case, there were no easy paths in a situation like that.


    The group went silent for a while and began to think about what they could do¡­ nothing came to mind, while the anti magic barrier couldn''t stop people from entering it, it was risky for anyone to face forty thousand human soldiers in a confined space¡­ they probably had some ideas on how to eliminate the enemies that try to do that with insane precision and speed, after all.


    "Well, we still have some time, so let''s not think too much about that," Rain shrugged.


    In the end, the group went to bed and then worked the next day, setting Rain''s business to work as soon as possible. Their first request arrived that day¡­ someone wanted ten sacks of grains. Thanks to Rain, the emend could reach the port town in one day and he decided to do that to build their reputation, but he will have to find a way to do that without doing it himself.


    Still, before Rain went to that, Seadir and Seara returned¡­ he wondered why she was back when it was faster and more efficient for Seadir toe alone.


    "... Father mentioned that in thest five hundred years, he heard that most of the beast king''s had been for the same family," Seadir said after hesitating for a while. "While he didn''t hear about the dragon god giving the throne to another in thest five hundred years, he knows, thanks to our ancestors, that the dragon god always has been a nine-headed hydra."


    "... From the same family of dragons, I believe," Rain squinted his eyes.


    A heavy silence descended upon the room, as the shocking revtion that the dragon god was, in fact, a nine-headed hydra, rippled through the room. As the truth sank in, the atmosphere grew filled with unease. Everyone struggled toe to terms with the revtion. How had such a monumental secret remained hidden?


    Explore new worlds at §Þ??


    Tension hung in the air, wrapping around each individual like a vice. Faces in the crowd disyed a mix of emotions, ranging from shock and confusion to anger and doubt. The very core of their beliefs had been challenged, and they were left grappling with the consequences of this revtion.


    Some cast uncertain nces at their fellow friends, seeking confirmation in their reactions, while others gazed into the distance, lost in contemtion. The weight of the newfound truth pressed upon the group. The idea of imagining such a creature existing as the ruler of the dragon species was that worrisome¡­ since all of them knew what hydras were capable of doing.


    It was probably one of the most dangerous creatures that even had walked on that world...

 Chapter 448: Final push

    Hydras pose a formidable challenge to those who dare confront them due to abination of unique characteristics that make them fearsome opponents. Hydras boast multiple heads, and their numbers can vary. Each head can act independently, enabling them to strike from various angles simultaneously. Continue reading on §Þ??


    A well-known trait of hydras is their swift regenerative ability. When a head is severed, it rapidly regrows, and in some legends, two new heads may sprout in its ce. This makes conventional methods of decapitation less effective. Hydras are often covered in robust, scaly skin that serves as natural armor, mitigating the damage inflicted on them.


    Hydras are typically powerful creatures. Their fearsome size and strength make them formidable even without their regenerative prowess. Hydras may also adapt to specific threats by growing new heads with unique abilities or resistances, confounding opponents who rely on consistent strategies. It was like a mix of all troublesome traits a monster could have.


    "Only their family can give birth to hydras and it goes without saying that their potential can''t bepared to other types of dragons," Seadir added.


    "Why don''t they try to take over the world?" Lorene asked. "It should be easy if their leader is that strong."


    "They probably don''t think that it is worth the hassle since it would probably be too easy for them," Seadir exined. "Besides, they live for thousands of years, so their sense of time is very different from ours¡­ they could be nning to do that eventually and we don''t know, or maybe that will happen when a new dragon god appears and they want to subjugate or exterminate all the other species."


    "That sure would be troublesome¡­" Rain said and then stretched his body. "Well, that didn''t happen until now, so I am sure it won''t happen. Murphy''sw shouldn''t be a thing here."


    "Who is Murphy?" Branden asked.


    "I will exin another time," Rain said. "Anyway, after discussing for a while, we decided to work with you to stop the king and Joanis once and for all, but we have some conditions."


    "I am listening and I will pass them on to my father," Seadir said.


    "First of all, we fight to defeat the human army, but the moment they surrender, all the killing should end," Rain started. "Second of all, the king, his wife, and son will be spared unless he resists until the very end, and he will be our prisoner.


    Anyone that has ties with Joanis in the war will be handed to you all, but if the magic people try to get in the way of those goals, we will fight together to repel them."


    "Only to repel them?" Seadir asked.


    "That will depend on them, if they try too much, I will make them sink on the ground," Rain exined.


    "All right, Ie again with father''s answer, this might take a while since all the important people in the ocean are gathered in our Castle," Seadir exined.


    "No problem," Rain said.


    Rain''s mind showed him two distinct images of what the sea emperor''s castle might be like. In one vision, the castle stood as a magnificent and vibrant structure, an ode to the ocean''s collection of colors. Its coral walls bore intricate patterns, painted in the rich blues, soothing greens, fiery reds, and soft purples borrowed from the marine world''s own palette.


    But Rain also contemted an alternative, recognizing the nature of the sea. In this version, the castle was shrouded in mystery, a darker ce that invoked the profound secrets hidden within the ocean''s depths. Its architecture featured a deep indigo and obsidian palette, hinting at the unfathomable mysteries concealed beneath the waves.


    "We are returning now, but I will send of the guys back home to work and protect you, they must be sick and tired of only seeing farms day in and day out," Rain said.


    "All right, Orcis said.


    "Inform us when the time to head to end this, we want to be there too," Lorene said.


    Since they had been involved in the whole mess more than a little bit, it made sense that Orcis and Lorene would want to be there when they surrounded the human army, but they weren''t warriors, so they didn''t have to be there.


    Rain returned home and then left Branden and Esmeralda there before taking the first emend toward the port city and then he returned again. That seemed a lot of work, but since he was gaining two cold coins for all that work, it was worth the castle.


    On the next day, the others returned from the mountains as well, and it seemed that they had finished their work as well.


    "That was quite fast," Rain said.


    "We worked hard, even though it was pretty boring," Kei said while rolling her eyes.


    "Then I will make something nice as your reward," Rain said. "I will make the legendary pizza."


    "Yay!" Dana, Kei, and G raised their arms and celebrated.


    Even though they never ate that, they liked all the new dishes that Rain prepared for them. Thanks to the newly attained Cook path, the taste was even better than the other things that Rain had made. Everyone kept asking for more slices¡­


    "Maybe I should sell my food around as well¡­ I have to find a way to automate the process first, though," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Anyway, did you see the beast people moving?"


    "No, we kept an eye on their closest town to the mountains, but we found nothing," Roan said. "It seems that you have made up your mind as well to finish things with Joanis."


    "It isn''t certain yet, but we told the sea folk our offer, we just have to wait for their answer now," Rain exined. "I don''t know for how long we will have to work there, so I will fill the warehouses with as much stuff as possible and I think that it would be better if everyone were toe this time."

 Chapter 449: Moving island

    "That is unusual considering your usual choice of treating everyone like we are made of ss," Leiah furrowed her eyebrows.


    "That is only because I don¡¯t know when we will be away¡­ I am nning to leave the golems behind to guard the mountains and scare the beast people," Rain exined. "To make sure that I won¡¯t miss anything and do anything too reckless, it will be better if youe as well¡­ I might try to rush things if I don¡¯t know the situation here."


    Everyone nodded¡­ Rain was a worrywart through and through. Besides, they liked that idea¡­ they wanted to see the end of that messy situation and finally have the chance to live in peace again. They also wanted to be sure that Rain wouldn¡¯t return all messed up.


    The whole group slowly made their preparations for the trip, but Sender was taking his time toe up with the sea emperor¡¯s answer. At least they had time to work on making the business have enough stock of everything¡­ Rain also used some of his money to buy more potions. He had arge stock, but he was going to move with a lot of people, so he needed more.


    After one week, everything was ready¡­ but they didn¡¯t get any news from Seadir. In the end, Rain spent another week increasing the size of his tunnel and he ended up connecting the capital to half of the path toward Teria¡­ but in the end, that had been a waste of time.


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    "My apologies, as I had expected, convincing all of our supporters to ept your conditions took a while," Seadir suddenly showed up looking exhausted. "We are ready to go."


    "Isn¡¯t things on the seapletely under your father¡¯s control?" Branden asked.


    "It is, but he isn¡¯t a tyrant¡­ unless someone annoys him," Seadir looked away. "Anyway, he isn¡¯t good at talking others down either, so making everyone do as he wanted without fussing takes a while. Anyway, we can go, but the only condition on our side is that you need to fight and stay with us all the time."


    "... Was that something that your father asked?" Rain asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "... No," Seadir said while looking away again.


    It seems that the sea folk politics were a pain as well, even though Seadrei had been their ruler for five hundred years, even though he was also respected. His usual modus operandi was difficult.


    "That is fine, we will enjoy the cruise," Rain said. "I hope that you aren¡¯t nning to make us swim the whole time and underwater as well."


    "Only if you can," Seadir said while smiling. "We won¡¯t hold back this time, so we are going all out to end this chapter in our story as soon as possible."


    Esmeralda wasn¡¯t veryfortable considering what she had heard, but she knew that the sea emperor wouldn¡¯t go back to his world, she also knew that Rain and the others wouldn¡¯t let him if anything happens and he changes his mind¡­ Still, those possibilities began to worry her quite a bit.


    The next day, the group headed to the port town and met with Orcis and Lorene. Julie wanted to go as well, but it would be difficult if only Rain¡¯s workers were to manage the business.


    It would have been easier if they just could wait for their escort in the port town, but that was an incognito job, so they flew over the ocean for a while and then stopped when they found something stupid waiting for them.


    The group stood in utter disbelief, their voices stolen by the surreal sight before them. An entire ind, unmistakably adrift in the vast expanse of the ocean, moved with a slow and deliberate pace. Rain¡¯s gaze, amplified by the Magic Eyes, confirmed his suspicion that some colossal creature was indeed propelling the ind through the waters.


    Rain moved closer, drawn to investigate the mystery that held the ind in motion. As he approached, the unimaginable truth slowly unveiled itself: the mountainous terrain dominating the ind¡¯s center was not merely a geological formation. Rather, it was a colossal fin belonging to an enormous creature hidden beneath the ocean¡¯s surface.


    The revtion dawned on him as he caught sight of the colossal being: a gargantuan, azure-hued shark of giant proportions. Stretching an astonishing ten kilometers in length and boasting a width of one kilometer, the behemoth effortlessly navigated the ocean depths, carrying the ind upon its back.


    The sheer scale of the creature left Rain and the others awestruck, their minds struggling toprehend the magnitude of the living titan that effortlessly bore the weight of the ind.


    "How are you nning to make your friend reach the middle of thend?" Rain asked.


    "You will see," Seadir grinned.


    Seadir and Seara were waiting for them on the Ind with a bunch of other sea folk. Sirenus and Coraline were there, but the sea emperor wasn¡¯t. In any case, Rain could tell that he soon would find a lot more people since the sea folk were nning to show off their might for the first time in a while to get rid of the enemies and make everyone think twice before they pick a fight with them again.


    When the giant shark began to move, everyone aboard soon had to fight against the powerful wind against their faces. The creature was moving quite fast, after all¡­ there was a small forest behind them, so some people used the trees as shields.


    "We are going to meet with your father and his generals ahead, do you want to share your battle ns only when we arrive there?" Seadir asked.


    "It is fine either way, I suppose you can give me your opinion about what your people would think of this," Rain said. "We are going to mind redefine the borders between the magic people and the human country. I was imagining that it would take a few days to open another waterway and seal the escape routes of the human army, but with people here helping, it shouldn¡¯t take that long."

 Chapter 450: Other talents

    "We were nning to create a path with our friend here and also father¡¯s power," Seadir said. "So, that should help a bit. What else?"


    "After cutting their escape route, we will try to negotiate first and demand their surrender. Naturally, we will demand to kill Joanis and his soldiers," Rain exined. "You can have the pleasure of finishing them off in the unlikely chance that they will surrender. If not, we will attack them. Their barrier protects them from magic and stops magic from being used inside, but anything else works.


    We will wear them down until they break. With your big friend here, perhaps we can make them give up quite soon. They panicked when I almost made them sink on the ground."


    "... It seems like a good enough n for me, but some of the generals and their soldiers might not like the fact that we can fight them for a while," Seadir added. "We don¡¯t have toplete the waterway either, and they will voice that."


    "True, we don¡¯t, but I want some other sort of barrier to divide the human country and the magic people," Rain said. "Arge enough waterway will make them think twice before starting any other wars against us."


    Seadir felt a bit troubled¡­ Rain wanted to essentially use the magic people to give some time of peace to the humans. He probably shouldn¡¯t mention that to the generals¡­ in any case, and the group traveled for six hours until they found arge group of giant sea creatures ahead¡­ it seemed that Seadrei wanted to bring the whole sea zoo for the war.


    Standing above thergest coral kraken, Rain was able to see Seadrei surrounded by a bunch of mermaids and mermen also armed with coral spears¡­ that weapon was starting to look a lot less VIP.


    "So, that is the sea emperor, Seadrei¡­ even from a distance, I can tell that his presence alone demands respect," Roan said while nodding several times. Experience new stories on NovelBin.C?m


    "Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Rain?" Terra asked while forcing a smile.


    "Maybe?" Rain shrugged.


    Terra seemed to be in a bad mood for some reason¡­ probably because a lot of people were going to die, and she couldn¡¯t prevent that. In any case, Seadrei jumped from the Kraken when the giant shark got close enough. Even though he couldn¡¯t use Impulse, he crossed three hundred meters quite fast¡­ that showed how strong he was physically, even out of the water.


    "It has been a while," Seadrei said and then looked at the group, and then his eyes stopped on his daughter before frowning. "You brought quite the group this time."


    "They will make themselves useful," Rain said. "Anyway, this is a big shark. When one of your ancestors tried to drown the world, did they use creatures like this?"


    "So, you figured out, huh?" Seadrei asked.


    "Not really. I was just doing small talk before going for the serious conversation," Rain said. "Since that is the case, do you have three more creatures like this under your control?"


    Seadrei groaned and then looked away. He was easy to read like a book¡­ he was probably nning to drown arge area of the magic country with those beasts. The people in the capital will probably be fine; they will just have to climb theirdder a bit, but they won¡¯t like that kind of thing.


    "Your generals look angry while looking at me," Rain said. "While I do know that I tend to make people jealous of my good looks, no one showed that so soon until now."


    "They are a bit jealous because we are following your n and not theirs," Seadrei said and then crossed his arms. "There are other things that you don¡¯t have to know as well."


    Seadrei pointed to the East, and then all the monsters began to swim in that direction¡­ at that speed, they should reach their destination in a day and a half.


    After that, they will create the path for the ocean onnd¡­ while they were moving, Rain wondered how things would y out¡­ a lot of the sea folk were following them through the ocean alongside twenty or so giant monsters¡­ which would more than a few people on both sides.


    "I should have asked about his ns¡­ with this many people and creatures, it won¡¯t surprise me if the dragons show up as well," Rain thought while squinting his eyes. "For the better or for the worse, the magic people are their prey¡­ and so am I for killing several of them."


    When night came, the group began to reunite on the ind to have dinner. Much to everyone¡¯s surprise, Seadrei, Seadir, and Seara stayed behind to eat with them¡­ Rain wanted to ask if they only eat seaweed, but he could feel the stares of everyone looking at him, almost shouting for him to stay quiet.


    "We can eat meat andnd vegetables just fine, even though we don¡¯t usually eat it," Seadrei said.


    "Just to be safe, Rain should cook tonight," Leiah said.


    "Why me? We need to have a meeting now, right?" Rain asked.


    "No, we don¡¯t need to talk about anything right now," Seadrei exined.


    Then why the hell are you there? That was what Rain wanted to ask, but everyone¡¯s eyes were looking at him with the same message: shut up.


    "You are the best cook in the group, so it goes without saying," Leiah said.


    Rain wondered how his mother could say that so easily¡­ admiring that her culinary skills paled inparison to a fourteen-year-old boy. In the end, Rain decided to make some extra spicy curry to change his mood. The air of the ocean was a bit chilling as well, so that would make everyone feel warm.


    "I can see that you are skilled. It is quite surprising to see that your talents expand to many fields," Seadrei said.


    "You can¡¯t fight and train all the time. Everyone needs some hobbies," Rain shrugged.


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 Chapter 451: Cyclone

    "Hmm¡­ this is pretty good," Seadrei said while he was eating the curry. "Hot food is pretty good now and then."


    Rain liked the praise, but he wished that he had made it more spicy¡­ It was more satisfying seeing people having a hard time eating and sweating.


    "For real, Rain," Jori said. "Forget about fighting. Being a chef is your call. You can be rich selling your food."


    That would take too much time, and the ie would be determined by how much food he makes, Rain would rathere up with a passive ie method. In any case, everyone nodded when Rain looked around. Only Seara did that at first and then stopped since they weren''t that close for her to have such an opinion. At the same time, she looked away.


    Just like the other sea folks, Rain imagined that she didn''t have good opinions of humans¡­ even though she was eating with them, and that was why she kept her distance.


    "... How many sea folks are going to join the battle?" Rain asked.


    "Fifteen hundred," Seadrei replied.


    That wasn''t arge number considering that they would face forty thousand, perhaps two times more, if the magic people saw them as enemies¡­ Rain Considered the possibility that he might have to talk with them, but things probably won''t end well¡­ he came with another army to their territory instead of a small group, like before, after all.


    "Have you considered the possibility that your creatures might attract the dragons?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, they will go down too if they try to get in the way of our path for justice," Seadrei readily dered.


    Rain was starting to think that he should have left everyone home¡­ In any case, the group had prepared to camp anywhere, so they didn''t have a hard time sleeping that night.


    On the next day, they didn''t have to do anything but wait until they finally reached their destination in the middle of the afternoon¡­ it was a random area of the continent that was one hundred kilometers on the magic people''s side of the border. Around that time, Seadrei suddenly made a coral spear appear out of nowhere, and then he pointed it toward the beach¡­


    Without warning, the tranquil surface of the ocean transformed into chaos. A colossal maelstrom, spiraling upward from the depths, began to take shape before their very eyes. This gargantuan water cyclone was unlike anything they had ever witnessed.


    It truly dominated the seascape, its immense size, and power causing even the sea monsters under Seadrei''s control to retreat hastily, for they knew the sheer force it possessed.


    Despite their swift withdrawal to a distance of ten kilometers, the gravitational pull of the spiraling tempest was nothing short of mind-boggling. It tugged ferociously at the very fabric of the ocean, creating a relentless vortex that would have easily ensnared anything unfortunate enough to venture too close.


    The powerful cyclone appeared to defy thews of nature with its sheer scale and uncontroble might.


    Rain''spanions were left in a state of profound shock and awe as they beheld the raw, unchecked power of the Sea Emperor. The sight of this powerful guy who couldmand and conjure such an immense water cyclone was staggering. It was now abundantly clear why the Sea Emperor had exuded an air of confidence that seemed unwavering, even in the face of the looming dragon threat.


    The reality of the situation began to dawn on everyone. The sea, a realmrgely uncharted by the people of their kingdom, was home to titanic beings of unimaginable might. It was no wonder that the Sea Emperor believed they held the upper hand, even if the dragons were to enter the fray.


    The shock and reverence for this underwater realm''s guardian was clear, and for the first time, Rain and his group were beginning to grasp the incredible extent of the forces they were now allied with.


    As for Rain, he was more interested in learning the secrets of Seadrei''s power¡­ considering that he waited until now to kill the one who orchestrated the whole kidnapping of his people. Rain knew that the original coral spear would be many times stronger than his own, but he couldn''t help but think that the power of the sea emperor was more conditional than it appeared to be.


    "He looks like that, but he knows rtively well how to control his rage, but would that be enough to make him wait?" Rain thought.


    After thinking for a short while, Rain recalled that Seadrei''s first task for the war had been to call his generals and supporters. they weren''t as strong as him, but he should have some reason for that¡­ was the fact that they came with coral spears the only reason? Or does their presence make him stronger?


    While Rain was thinking about all that, the colossal water cyclone surged forward, and it bore down upon thend, its immense force wreaking havoc on the natural terrain. Sand, earth, and rocks were helplessly torn asunder, forming a vast and destructive pathway for the ocean to reim. The veryndscape was reshaped before their eyes, forever altered by the fury of this tempest.


    Amidst this tumultuous disy of power, the giant blue shark, the Kraken, and the other sea monsters understanding the need for a united effort, joined forces to amplify the cyclone''s might. With precise and synchronized movements, they released powerful sts of water into the heart of the swirling vortex.


    These added surges of aquatic force only served to intensify the cyclone, making it an even more formidable and awe-inspiring spectacle of natural fury. Thend, once dry and stable, was now witness to the unstoppable might of the sea.


    "He was starting to look more and more like Poseidon," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Dragons weren''t the only ones that could destroy the world¡­ that became evident for everyone as they saw their path being created.

 Chapter 452: Recklessness

    With that much power, the sea emperor and his beasties could create their own path in the human territory and then move toward all cities and towns to destroy every single one of them, and they wouldn''t be able to do a single thing against it.


    "You don''t look very impressed. I knew that father could do that, but I feel goosebumps while seeing this," Seadir said while showing a nervous smile.


    "I am the type of person who uses situations like this to learn as much as possible," Rain exined. "Instead of getting nervous, I prefer to choose to analyze the situation and gain some things in exchange. Like the fact that, possibly, these creatures are somewhat bound to your father''s spear. Was your father able to control them as soon as he was able to hold the spear?"


    "Eh? I am not sure¡­" Seadir frowned.


    Rain noticed a slight change in the aura of the sea emperor, and since he heard that, Rain assumed that his assumption was correct. Still, maybe he shouldn''t have said that out loud now. People will think that he might one day target the spear to obtain control of the beasties.


    In fact, what Rain was truly interested in was the possibility that the presence of other coral spears made Seadrei''s weapon be stronger or make him stronger¡­ he was using a lot of mana, after all.


    Before long, everyone was able to see a massive path in the continent that they could use, and soon, they began to cross it. It was at least two kilometers wide and several hundred deep since the monsters were able to cross it. It was truly a spell that could reshape the world.


    "He wants to show his true might, even if he is just showing off. It is a way to avoid future problems," Rain thought.


    As the group crossed the path while following the water cyclone in the distance, they could see the whole area trembling thanks to it. Some rocks and pieces of the ground were raining around the area, but it should be fine since no one lived there.


    Far away, in distantnds, people felt the earth tremble beneath their feet, sending waves of concern through theirmunities. Anxiety rippled through the hearts of many, and wild spections filled their thoughts. Were the colossal creatures of old, the ancient terrors of the world, awakening from their slumber?


    These unsettling tremors sparked fears in the human country that their past nightmares might be resurfacing.


    In the king''s camp, the notion of dragons making such monumental movements crossed their minds. They pondered if the dragons were orchestrating some insane event that would shape their fate. Meanwhile, the magic people believed that the humans were behind these tremors, preparing to unleash a formidable attack or scheme of their own.


    As for the dragons, nestled in their dominions, they sensed the seismic shifts and felt that a truly formidable challenge had arrived. Upon a colossal throne that soared five hundred meters into the heavens, the Dragon God awoke from its prolonged slumber. Its numerous eyes flickered open, and an aura of ancient and unfathomable power stirred as the creature slowly moved¡­


    "What she said before makes a lot of sense now¡­" Jori said as he watched the group moving.


    "What did I say?" Rain asked.


    "About the fact that we are a much weaker force and that it didn''t make sense for us to ally with the sea folk as if we were on the same level," Jori replied. "I knew that, but this is beyond my wildest dreams. My goal to be the strongest swordsman seems pretty silly."


    "You just have to find some legendary sword somewhere and then start your journey by challenging all the swordsmen that you find," Rain shrugged.


    "If you can''t defeat me, then it is useless on that journey," Roan smirked.


    "I won''t give up on my dream, but I will skip this journey. I have other things that I am nning to do soon enough," Jori said. "Oh yeah¡­ we forgot to tell Rain, but we are going to take a break from all the fighting once this situation is over. Reca and me and then live for a while somewhere else."


    "Well, that seemed like a minor detail in your life, so it makes sense you would forget that," Rain said.


    Reca punched Jori''s side a few times thanks to that¡­ he had messed up. At the same time, that was one hell of a death g. While seeing Reca punching Jori, Rain finally realized¡­ he was looking into the future too much that he didn''t realize many things in the present¡­ one of them was the fact that Reca''s stomach was a bit bigger. Rain immediately facepalmed.


    Jori was too dumb to realize that, but Reca should have realized the changes in her body¡­ when Rain looked at the others in the group, mainly the women, they all looked away.


    "What is wrong? The atmosphere suddenly changed," Roan said while looking around.


    Rain realized that Orcis and Branden werepletely unaware of that as well. Lorene stayed away from the group, so she didn''t know it, but Esmeralda certainly knew.


    "I will give you guys a lessonter about risk management. When I am done with it, your ears will be throbbing," Rain said.


    In the end, Rain decided to keep that as a secret for now¡­ there was no point in informing everyone of that and making their focus waver.


    When midnight came, Rain began to recognize the area that they were in, so he stopped his lecture. He separated the guys from the girls and told them over and over again that hiding such a thing had been beyond reckless. It has been stupid¡­ even his mother and grandmother didn''t escape from the earful.


    "This area is twenty or so kilometers West of their current base, and we can stop here," Rain said when he approached Seadrei.

 Chapter 453: New Gear

    "We will continue until both oceans are connected," Seadir shook his head. "We need toplete the encirclement."


    "I didn''t say that we would stop it for good here," Rain shrugged.


    The Sea Emperor understood the weight of his responsibility. Despite his immense strength and the legions of sea monsters under his control, he was well aware that he had to act as themander of his underlings at this moment. As the leader of the aquatic forces, he held the most potent arsenal of the ocean''s might.


    In this important moment, it was his role to ensure that the sea''s dominance was upheld and that the forces of the deep ocean asserted their supremacy over the encroachingnd. Despite the challenges ahead, the Sea Emperor stood resolute since he was the emperor, and he couldn''t let his subordinates see him following all the instructions of a simple and weaker human.


    "What did you talk about with the girls?" Jori asked when Rain joined the guys.


    "About how incredibly reckless they can be and how much stupid you guys can be¡­" Rain said while massaging his temples.


    "Why are you so pissed¡­ I guess we messed up at some point without realizing it," Jori frowned since he knew that Rain wouldn''t get angry for no reason.


    Rain was stupefied at how dense even his father was¡­ maybe it was his fault that everyone had be training freaks who lost all of their brain cells and could only think about training and eating.


    "Big bro is showing the same expression that everyone shows when he isn''t looking¡­ like he is the densest person in the world," Dana said and then showed a tired smile. "It is kind of annoying since he is the densest person around."


    "Just keep your mouth shut about matters where you aren''tpletely rted about," Leiah said and then put her hands on the heads of her daughters. "It is gettingte. Let''s rest because the next few days will be pretty dense."


    While everyone waited for the time to make their move, one person kept working almost nonstop during the whole trip¡­ that person was Lotto. Upon realizing that Rain''s equipment would take a while to reach the level that he wanted, he decided to work on the other items that the others would use as well.


    In the past month, Lotto made bows, swords, spears, armor, and even wands for everyone¡­ not on the level that he wanted, but they would need them, and he had enough materials to make more in the future.


    Still, Lotto wanted to make Rain''s items to be as good as possible since he heard about his fights, and he knew that he needed the best of the best of the gear to survive those insane battles. Thanks to that, when morning came, Lotto presented Rain with his equipment with a very tired expression.


    "My masterpieces¡­ these are¡­" Lotto said, and then he fell asleep while standing.


    The forearm and shin guards were a striking example of the Lotto''s resourcefulness and skill. They had been meticulously crafted from the formidable scales and hide of the ice dragon, showcasing a fusion of strength and elegance.


    The forearm guards, with their curvaceous design, offered robust protection without hindering mobility. The glistening, silvery-blue scales formed an intricate pattern reminiscent of frost on a winter window. As they caught the light, they created an ethereal glow around the wearer.


    Matching the forearm guards, the shin guards provided lower leg protection. They shared the same alluring scale pattern, and the addition of the ice qdragon''s hide ensured a snug andfortable fit. This hide had been specially treated to absorb and disperse impacts effectively.


    "You can rest in peace, Lotto¡­ knowing that you will have the honor of crafting my gear," Rain said.


    "Don''t talk as if he is dead¡­" Terra said. "Yours look better than mine, I will have a little talk with Lotto when he wakes up. By the way, why didn''t you ask him to make some armor as well for you?"


    "It would only slow me down," Rain exined while he lent a shoulder for Lotto to lean on. "I can move these to block the attacks on other parts of my body and that would be enough."


    After Rain left Lotto in the tent that they had made for the cksmith that he had yet to use, Rain decided to test his new equipment. Much to Rain''s surprise, his water magic became a lot more efficient, around five times, but it seemed a small amount considering that his gear was made of four pieces.


    Still, things improved a fair bit when Rain tried to use ice magic¡­ he had to use a lot more mana before, and he had to focus as well, but it had been a lot easier¡­ just like the coral spear improved his water magic, he the guards increased the cost and power of his ice magic ten times.


    "Now, with this, I can freeze a small part of the ocean and ride a bike around it without sinking," Rain said while he made several ice spheres rotate around him. they were so fast that Terra couldn''t even see it. "This is a good chance for you to learn some elemental magic. You will gain experience faster with the forearm and shin guards."


    "I am fine using those only¡­ to defend myself," Terra said, and then her expression turned sour for some reason.


    "Sorry for interrupting, but Father told me to inform everyone that the path connecting both oceans is almostplete," Seadir said after he approached with his little sister.


    "I imagine that the giant shark will turn around once we reach the ocean," Rain said while he could see the water cyclone decreasing in size in the distance. "I suppose we can try to negotiate with the king today¡­ should we try to talk with the magic people as well?"


    "You have to talk with my father about that," Seadir said.

 Chapter 454: Conditions

    Rain went to talk with Seadrei alongside Seadir and Seara. The sea emperor was talking with his generals, so he waited for a bit. He had around fifteen of them, and Rain was truly surprised by his poprity since all of them clearly hated him and they didn''t try to hide it.


    The generals of the Sea Emperor were quite the group, a formidable assembly of rugged mermen and mermaids who bore the unmistakable marks of battle-hardened leaders. Their physiques spoke of strength, their expressions held unwavering determination, and their eyes sparkled with annoyance at Rain. Each of them was d in resplendent armor, their regal appearance befitting their rank.


    What particrly caught Rain''s attention was the weapon they all carried ¨C the famed coral spears. These weapons had be synonymous with the sea-folk''s martial prowess, and Rain couldn''t help but imagine theirbat techniques and spearmanship that must have developed over generations.


    He wondered if he would get a chance to witness theirbat skills and the unique techniques that had been cultivated beneath the waves. The prospect of observing their spearmanship in action left him intrigued and eager to learn more about them¡­


    "What is it?" Seadrei asked.


    "I havee to talk with you about how we will proceed from here on out," Rain said. "Should we talk with the magic people first or not and then tell them what we want?"


    "What do you think that we should do?" Seadrei asked after he crossed his arms.


    "You basically annexed ten percent of their territory to the human size, so they won''t be that pleased, but if they still have some brain cells, they will know that antagonizing us will be a waste of time," Rain exined. "We might have to change our strategy a bit, but maybe we won''t have if we defeat the human army as fast as possible.


    The trip to the capital to their base willst around five days, perhaps four or three if they don''t stop to rest."


    "Will they stille if we drown the entire area?" Seadrei asked.


    "Some wille, and they eventually will find a way," Rain replied.


    Rain exined that the golem masters could turn their golems into vehicles as well, and each one of them could at least control three. Aside from that, the martial artists could run over water, and the mercury warriors probably could float as well using their materials¡­ the magic people were a resourceful bunch. Even if they had to sacrifice a lot of their own, they would join the fight.


    "Shall Ie with you?" Seadrei asked.


    "No¡­ it probably won''t be the best idea," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Still, I suppose it would be best if Seadir were toe with me. Your presence would make me look like I am forcing them to cooperate, and Seadir will confirm that I won''t do or say anything that will put you all in a bad spot."


    Seadrei nodded¡­ that was for the best, but he still was surprised that Rain still could think that far ahead. He was only trying to avoid future problems, but his ability to have those insights and think of ways to avoid most issues was simply surprising.


    In the end, Seadrei called Seadir, and Rain went to exin to his friends what he was going to do. They also understood that it would be better if they were to go on a smaller group to avoid making the magic people feel that they didn''t have a chance in a fight.


    "Just be careful and avoid any unnecessary confrontation since we are writing with others," Roan said.


    "Roger that," Rain said.


    Rain said to his friends and family and then created an ice tform¡­ Thanks to the relics that he had, using magic now was much more efficient. At the same time, when it began to move, the speed was off the charts¡­


    "We are going to fly high, so it will get hard to breathe," Rain said. "We can''t let the human army find us¡­ I can''t see them with scouts in this area, but we need to be careful."


    "Why will it get hard to brew?" Seadir asked.


    Rain wondered if it would take long to exin that oxygen was thin in high altitudes¡­ but it was better for him to say just the basics and make Seadir experience the rest himself.


    He soon realized that, but soon they passed above the camp of the humans in the golem master city and confirmed that there were no suspicious movementsing from them¡­ so Rain dropped the altitude.


    "It has been a month since that battle, and they didn''t do anything until now?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    While they lost one-fifth of their forces, by now, they should know that Rain was no longer around, and it was high time for them to make their move. In any case, Rain reached the capital of the magic people, and soon he found that they were still camping around the area.


    Some of them were training and sharpening their skills, and they looked quite stressed¡­ Rain realized that when he saw some martial artists punching each other on the ground¡­ They wanted to kill more humans and repel the invaders as soon as possible.


    As usual, the council hall waspletely guarded by dozens of guards who readily pointed their hands and prepared to use their magic until they found Rain¡­ they recognized him and rxed a little until they saw Seadir, and then all their tension returned to full power.


    "It seems that Geio isn''t around this time¡­ can any of you please call your leaders? We have some serious business to talk about," Rain said.


    Rain thought that it would take a while for that to happen, but it seemed that the guards had been informed to inform their leaders about any changes in the area¡­ soon enough, Rain and Seadir were called to the interior of the council hall.

 Chapter 455: Working together

    "I expected that I would see you soon, but not like this," Josar said while he was on his seat on the council.


    Just like the first time, Rain was standing in the middle of the council hall while being stared at by the tribe leaders¡­ it almost seemed like he didn''t help them more than a little bit over the years. All that changed because of the guest that he brought with him.


    "I suppose so, anyways, this is Seadir. He hase here with me on behalf of the sea folk," Rain ignored the atmosphere and went straight to the point. "I am working with them now to destroy the human army. Some important people among them were captured, so they want to enact their justice and end this case forever."


    "We want the same time," Josar said. "I thought that you knew that."


    "I knew, but I also knew that we would need more to get rid of Josar, and I also want some particr oues in this war, and they agreed with them," Rain exined.


    "Such as?" Josar asked.


    "The king, his wife, and his son would be spared, and they would be our prisoners. All the fighting is supposed to stop as soon as the humans surrender, and finally, Joanis and his underlings are to be dealt with by the sea folk," Rain exined. "We came here to inform you of that and because we would be fighting in your territory.


    Also, to avoid giving the targets the chance to escape, we altered the terrain of your country. Around ten percent of it was annexed to the human country. I am here to negotiate about the steps of our groups in the next few days."


    "How dare you! You stole ournds just when we were thinking that we shouldn''t treat you like an enemy! You humans are all dirty cowards."


    "You guys lost thosends for the king and Joanis, so we stole from them, not from you," Rain said. "We never said that we wouldn''t return them eventually, but considering your words, I don''t think that we will. Considering your words, I would have to offer a limb to prove that I am not your enemy, and I am not willing to go that far.


    Besides, all this happened because you started the war, so this is the ultimate result of your actions."


    "You are just an insolent kid! Do you think that you can rival the might of our people?"


    "Maybe not. You can try to kill me once this is all over," Rain shrugged. "You guys brainwashed my father and made him lose a leg, and I will never see you as true allies unless you all have to experience the same things."


    Some of the tribe leaders kept saying a bunch of nonsense, but Rain just kept enraging them with his responses. He could see the aura of the women who brainwashed his father there, so he probably said a bit too much, but it was all true, and he was tired of ying nice with those who tried to kill him a bunch of times.


    "Enough¡­" Josar raised his voice, and everyone shut up. "We all have a history of animosity, but that isn''t important for now¡­ Did youe here to seek assistance?"


    "No, we just came to inform you that we are going to defeat the human army, and those were our conditions," Rain said. "You have our word that we will leave as soon as the battle is over and our goals are reached. With that in mind, and you agree with those terms, you can attack the other side of their camp¡­ as long as you keep your soldiers under total control.


    If they don''t follow the conditions, they will die on the spot."


    "... Do you swear on your people that you are truly following those terms?" Josar said while studying Seadir.


    "Yes, I swear," Seadir said and then nodded.


    Josar knew the name of the sea emperor and that his kids had sea in their names, and yet Rain and Seadir didn''t mention the sea emperor. Josar assumed that they didn''t want to pressure him to ept their terms or that they wanted to surprise him with their presence.


    They also didn''t mention their forces, and they probably won''t until Josar and the others ept their terms¡­ if they don''t follow them, some of his soldiers will die, and in the worst case scenario, they will have to fight Rain and and the sea folk.


    "We need to discuss this before deciding anything," Josar said.


    "We don''t have time to waste," Rain dered.


    "One hour will be enough," Josar added.


    That was surprisingly fast decision-making speed for a group that needed a lot of time to decide things, but they all knew that time was of the essence. In the end, Rain nodded, and then he left with Seadir while thinking that he should have learned some spell to spy on the conversations of others beyond walls.


    "Your friends alerted me that your negotiation skills are truly bad, but I didn''t expect that you would tell them all that," Seadir said.


    "It is better to make those things clear to avoid problems inck of trust in the future," Rain said. "There is no point in hiding my thoughts when all that I said is true, and thanks to it, they know that I am not stupid enough to hide them. Thanks to all this, they know what our goal truly is. We have no use for their territory."


    Esmeralda and Branden will have too much work in their hands to make the country recover, so too muchnd would only be a burden. The sea folk already had arge territory¡­ to the point that they never noticed what was happening with the kidnappings. At the same time, they don''t know where the human ships are. It was only logical that another war fornd would be a waste of time¡­

 Chapter 456: Improvements

    After waiting for one hour, Rain and Seadir were called to the council hall again. All the members there were weirdly quiet, to the point that Rain felt suspicious about it.


    "We decided to agree with your terms, but we have some requirements as well," Josar suddenly said. "First of all, the attack needs to be done in five days when our army reaches the area where the human army is."


    "... I suppose that is reasonable," Rain said after rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "We also want information about the technology that Joanis developed You can''t kill or take him anywhere else until we understand how he was able to obtain information about people from our history and how he was able to create the anti-magic relic," Josar added.


    That was troublesome¡­ that might take days, or Joanis could kill himself before that happens¡­ he definitely will choose death over being captured. At the same time, the magic people wanted the knowledge of something that could make them a real threat in the future.


    "... What if he kills himself before we can extract any information?" Rain asked. "Then, with our knowledge, we get half of their relics and study them."


    Rain looked at Seadir, and he nodded¡­ that was eptable by him. They didn''t care about the conquests of the magic people, and they couldn''t see them as a threat to the ocean either.


    "Fair enough," Rain said. "We will get the other half. Anything else?" Rain asked.


    "Onest thing," Josar said. "We want our people that were captured and that are with you."


    "I can''t say that it is possible that will depend on them," Rain said.


    The former prisoners that are working with Rain and his family now seemed to enjoy their lives quite a lot, and it was hard to say if they would want to return. Some of the magic people left theirnds because they didn''t like all of their thirst for conquest after all.


    At the same time, they knew a bit of Rain''s skills and modus operandi, so they could reveal too much. Even if they didn''t want to, Josar and the others could force them to do that.


    "They are our people, and they deserve to live in thends they were born in," Josar said.


    "They don''t belong to you, and you lost the right to demand anything from them when you failed to protect them," Rain said.


    The atmosphere in the room got tense since all the tribe leaders took offense at Rain''s words. He just ignored that and crossed his arms while waiting for what they were going to do next.


    "... We can reach a middle ground in that area. As long as we can contact them and hear by ourselves what they want, we will respect their decision," Josar said after he took a deep breath.


    "That is that, then," Rain said. "We are going to demand the surrender of the human army, and we will inform you if they decide to surrender. If not, then we will be waiting for you all in the given days."


    Rain and Seadir left the council hall and then immediately began to fly West. They had a lot of things on their minds, and at first, they decided to analyze those by themselves.


    "That was fast¡­ do you trust that they will follow the requirements?" Seadir asked.


    "They probably will¡­ they will gain a lot by following our demands, and they don''t know your forces yet, so nning a fight against us would be unwise," Rain exined. "They will confirm that once they see your father''s pets."


    "They aren''t our pets. They are the guardians of the ocean," Seadir furrowed his eyebrows. "They should know that we don''t want theirnds, so I guess it makes sense¡­ by the way, how are you nning to negotiate with the king and Joanis when you killed their messenger when he came to talk with you."


    "I don''t need to talk with them directly, and I just need to make someone pass the message. If I don''t like what I hear, then I will kill the messengers again to make my point evidently clear."


    Rain decided to pull out all the restraints in order to achieve their goals once and for all¡­ everyone was tired of all the problems that the king and Joanis were causing, after all. It was time to end all that¡­


    When it was mid morning, Rain and Seadir were able to find the human camp in the distance, and then Rain decided to use Magic Eyes to see if there were any traps around¡­ much to his surprise, he didn''t find traps, but he found something else¡­ he found that the anti-magic barrier protecting the city and their soldiers were a lot bigger than he had recalled¡­


    "It seems that they did something in thest month¡­" Rain muttered. "I guess it makes sense, considering that I almost made their camp sink on the ground."


    "What?" Seadir frowned.


    Rain exined what he could see, and then Seadir realized the severity of the situation¡­ he assumed that the attacks of the giant sea monsters would eventually destroy the barrier after making it sink underground, but maybe that wouldn''t be possible¡­ the anti-magic barrier was now five kilometers tall and wide¡­ Rain could only imagine that it was that deep as well.


    "Are we going to change the n?" Seadir asked.


    "No, we are still going to send the message," Rain said, and then he began to lower the ice tform. "No point in letting them faze us with this much."


    Rain considered that bringing Esmeralda might make the kinge and talk with them, but it would be too risky now¡­ leaving the king and Esmeralda in one spot would give Joanis the chance to kill both of them and put the me on Rain¡­ he would be able to control the queen and the prince all of the human army afterward.

 Chapter 457: Buying time

    Rain and Seadir made theirnding on the eastern side of the human camp, and their presence was greeted with immediate tension. The soldiers stationed there reacted swiftly, seizing their weapons and assuming battle-ready positions. Suspicion hung heavy in the air as they prepared to defend their territory.


    However, as Rain and Seadir drew closer, the soldiers noticed something. Instead of advancing toward the camp, they halted just ten meters from the invisible barrier that marked their advantageous area. Rain and Seadir could clearly see the anti-magic barrier, or so they thought.


    The soldiers raised their guards but refrained from attacking, aware that they faced individuals with extraordinary abilities beyond theirprehension.


    "Tell the king that we are here to negotiate," Rain raised his voice. "If all the soldiers and the king surrender now, everyone will be sparred aside from Joanis and his soldiers. You have half an hour to pass the message."


    The soldiers looked at each other in confusion, but eventually, they began to spread the news to each other, and it eventually reached the king and Joanis as well¡­


    ¡ª ¡ª


    While Rain was expecting his answer, the king and Joanis were preparing their next steps¡­ after increasing the size of their barrier, they assumed that Rain would no longer be a problem with his magic, but then the tremors began to happen¡­


    At that point in time, they couldn''t help but assume that the magic people or perhaps the dragons were doing something, so they decided to wait and see. They didn''t want to risk losing more scouts, and since their defenses had been deeply reinforced, they didn''t have to take any chances. They just had to keep increasing their strength. Still, soon, a soldier arrived and told them what had happened.


    "That boy! Again?" The king shouted after he mmed the table in front of him with his fist. "I knew that he had retreated, and now he returned with those damn fish bastards?"


    "... We received reports from back home, but they were too suspicious to be true," Joanis rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What do you n to do, your Majesty? Surrender now that we are going to be attacked from both sides?"


    "Don''t be a fool, I want the head of that impertinent bastard to crush with my own hands," The king said while clenching his teeth. "Kill him now!"


    "Sir, ording to the witness, he is equipped with relics made of ice dragon, and he is keeping his distance from the barrier," the soldier said.


    "It seems that he either has good senses or he knows a spell that can reveal the location of the barrier," Joanis kept rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "He also has grown stronger with those relics¡­ Your Majesty, may I offer an alternative? Our preparations for the final battle are about to end, so we need some extra time."


    "... Are you sure that this n of yours will work?" The king asked after he calmed down due to the nature of Joanis'' n.


    "With one hundred percent certainty, your Majesty," Joanis said and then smiled. "That boy won''t ever be able to use magic in his life, and no magic will be able to heal or support him."


    ¡ª ¡ª


    When Rain was starting to consider the possibility of invading the human camp. He suddenly saw a group of soldiers approaching and then soon stopped fifty meters away from him.


    "His Majesty says that he can consider your offer if you free the princess, Branden, Orcis, and Lorene," The soldier shouted.


    "Why do I even try?" Rain asked and then sighed. "These motherfuckers sure like to test my patience."


    "What do you think that they are nning?" Seadir asked.


    "They want to buy time, or the king is just a retard¡­ let''s leave," Rain said while rubbing his eyes.


    Trying to gain time now was stupid since the king knew that two armies would soon surround him. That wouldn''t be the case unless he had some trick up to his sleeve¡­ in no time, Rain and Seadir returned to where the others were and reported to them what had happened during both meetings.


    "Hmm¡­ I suppose it can''t be helped," Seadrei said while scratching his chin. "If the enemies improved their defenses, then it makes sense that we need the help of the magic people to defeat them. Waiting for five days is a cheap price. Much better than waiting for their resources to end."


    "Did something happen while we were away?" Rain asked.


    "... No," Seadrei replied.


    "What was that pause for then?" Rain asked while frowning.


    "I am going to talk with my generals. If you are cooking again, then I will join you all," Seadrei said and then left.


    Rain couldn''t help but think that he had spoiled everyone, but perhaps it couldn''t be helped since someone with a Cook path sure was hard to find. After he talked with others and confirmed that everything was fine, Rain began to make dinner while he was thinking about what happened in the previous two days¡­


    "I can''t imagine what the king and Joanis are preparing¡­ the camp seemed the same as usual, so their new weapon is something not big in scale," Rain thought. "The more we take our time, the more they will have the chance to cause trouble¡­"


    Cook''s Path Lv 22 (All stats + 2.)


    At least the Cook''s path was gaining a lot of experience since Rain was cooking for a lot of people¡­ maybe he will be able to master that path soon enough. If anything, it would be interesting to see what would be the path that he would unlock at level fifty.


    "Maybe I can get a ton of experience if I create a giant blender in this world and use it to make juice¡­ that should count as food, I guess," Rain thought and then began to serve dinner for everyone, and then he realized that everyone was too quiet. "Something definitely happened while I was away¡­"

 Chapter 458: Shall we?

    Rain tried to talk with the others to learn what had happened, but he didn''t hear anything¡­ everyone either stayed silent or changed subjects. They were about to participate in a very important battle, and now they were wasting time with nonsense¡­ Rain wondered if they needed to get some other earful. Still, everyone went to train hard after dinner, so perhaps nothing really serious happened.


    "It should be personal matters¡­ even though I am already involved in one hell of a personal matter¡­" Rain thought while looking at Reca.


    For now, Reca was fine, but it would be really dangerous if her condition worsened in the middle of the fight¡­ Rain was also pretty sure that it shouldn''t be healthy for her kid for her to keep emitting bloodlust or fighting and killing, for that matter. Then again, she would only have peace if they solved that situation once and for all, and she wanted to contribute to that.


    "As If I don''t have enough worries in my head¡­" Rain thought and then sighed.


    Since they had enough mana and the coral spears, on the next day, Seadrei gave the order for some of his soldiers to keep an eye on the enemy''s camp, and soon, they created their path toward the ce. They had enough numbers to take turns guarding the ce, so it was fine.


    During the wait, Rain tried to get used to his new magic abilities thanks to this new guard, and the others trained hard as well.


    While he was testing the weapons, Rain wondered if there was some way for him to freeze the opponents by mixing normal attacks and his magic¡­ it would be useful if he could do that agaisnt stronger opponents¡­ he would need all the help he could get, even if he didn''t know if the humans had someone on their side strong enough to prove to be a challenge for Rain.


    "Even if I can learn such a technique, I won''t be able to improve it fast enough before the next battle, so I should focus on improving my control over my new abilities," Rain thought. "Leveling up the water mage''s path will probablye in handy as well, so I should truly focus only on that aspect¡­"


    During the next few quiet days, there was a sense of anticipation and tension in the air, and everyone knew that the uing bloodshed with the human army was inevitable.


    As Rain''s group set out towards the human camp on the fourth day, a sense of danger loomed over them. The anticipation was mutual as the human army braced for their arrival. However, the humans wisely remained within the safety of their anti-magic barrier, reluctant to engage in an open confrontation, even as they prepared for the impending encounter.


    It was a stand-off that held the promise of significant consequences, keeping both sides on edge.


    "Our scouts found the magic people approaching in the distance," Seadir approached and then said it. "Should we meet them again and n our actions?"


    "It will be better if we don''t do that. It will only cause problems," Rain replied. "Besides, if we don''t know what both sides are going to do, the enemies will get confused."


    On the morning of the fifth day, everyone was ready for the fight, and Rain could sense the footsteps of the magic people a few kilometers away¡­ at the same time, Esmeralda was showing aplicated expression, wondering if she could do something to avoid all that bloodshed.


    Rain and everyone knew that things wouldn''t be so easy¡­ unless the human army suffered a crushing defeat, they wouldn''t back down. When the magic people''s army stopped moving, the sea emperor made his move again. He raised his spear, and then his creatures turned to the side of the giant waterway and began to use their water attacks to increase the area that they could move.


    Once again, the area trembled for several minutes as the aquatic terrain increased in size¡­ Rain could imagine the faces of the magic people since they probably knew what was happening.


    As the colossal sea monsters got closer, the human army''s initial reaction was one of sheer astonishment. The sight of these immense and powerful creatures was enough to momentarily shatter theirposure. The soldiers'' faces disyed a mix of fear, awe, and disbelief as they witnessed the gigantic sea monsters approaching.


    However, their shock was short-lived, and the soldiers quickly regained their focus. The anti-magic barrier surrounding them served as a potent safety guard. Despite the awe-inspiring size and might of the sea monsters, the human army knew that their protective barrier was a formidable defense.


    They foundfort in the knowledge that not even these colossal beasts would be able to breach the safety of their magical shield.


    "Oh? It seems that they are confident," Seadrei said. "Shall we confirm if they have reason to feel so confident?"


    Rain didn''t want to say that he wanted to test the barrier the same way Seadrei wanted, but he didn''t give him time to answer¡­ the sea emperor was kind of short-sighted.


    Once again, Seadrei used a shit ton of mana to call forth a massive water cyclone that destroyed the ground as it moved toward the enemy''s camp. They were creating another path for the sea folk to use, so it was fine, but the problem was the morale¡­


    As the colossal water cyclone struck the anti-magic barrier, the entire area convulsed with an overwhelming force. The violent tremors that spread were more intense than anything previously experienced. The ground seemed to quake beneath the feet of those within the barrier, and the air itself quivered in response.


    Despite this terrifying disy of natural power, the anti-magic barrier remained strong. It neither shattered nor diminished in size even the slightest bit. It held its ground against the onught of the water cyclone, and its protective integrity remained unblemished. Instilling the human army with unwavering confidence in the face of the chaotic tempest that raged outside.

 Chapter 459: Pride

    When Seadrei canceled the spell, everyone was left shocked¡­ thanks to that, now his people knew that the humans were able to create something that could withstand the might of their emperor.


    "Unbelievable¡­" Branden said, trying to rpose himself.


    "They aren''t making their move despite this, so we have to proceed with the n," Rain said while looking at the sea emperor. "I will charge in first to test something. Based on that, you should send your appropriate forces."


    Seadrei nodded, and then Rain used his magic to create an ice armor that covered his whole body, essentially using his guards as the basis for it. Thanks to that, Rain didn''t feel that cold inside.


    The ice armor enveloped Rain''s body, creating a stunning and imposing visage that resembled a miniature giant robot. Its design was distinctly draconic, with the sharp, elegant curves echoing the form of a dragon. It appeared as if the armor had taken inspiration or the will from Rain''s forearm and shin guards.


    The ice armor encased Rainpletely, forming a powerful, dragon-like silhouette around him. Every detail, from the intricately textured scales to the fearsome ws at his fingertips, was a testament to the artistry of his ice magic.


    This unique and awe-inspiring appearance gave Rain an imposing presence on the battlefield, like a mythical war machine conjured from the depths of his own imagination.


    After seeing Rain wearing armor for the first time, everyone couldn''t help but feel surprised¡­ he looked even more fearsome than usual. While ignoring that, Rain used Impulse, Limit Breaker, and Magic Boost toward the enemy''s camp. In the blink of an eye, he reached the barrier and crossed it¡­ only to see his ice armor falling into pieces and his Magic Boost being dissipated.


    "... All those trained in meleebat,e with me," Seadrei dered. "The others should stay behind and wait until the barrier ends."


    Most members of both groups bit their lips in exasperation since most of them focused on using magic for fighting¡­ still, Seadrei leading the charge himself was insane.


    "Father, you should wait for a bit as well," Seadir said. "We don''t have to send ourmander to the very frontlines on the first day ofbat."


    "Fool, things will end here and today," Seadrei said. "Like many others, I won''t feel satisfied unless I kill as many enemies as possible." Chapter Your:


    Seadir gulped¡­ his father truly meant what he said¡­ hopefully, he and the other generals won''t let the blood rush to their heads and forget the promise that they made with Rain and his friends.


    In any case, a few hundred sea folk charged alongside Seadrei, Seadir, Roan, Jori, and Reca¡­ the others were forced to stay behind and wait until they had the chance to advance when the magic barrier was destroyed.


    During the whole time, Rain was keeping his guard while dodging and blocking the attacks of the humans¡­ a battalion of one hundred of them was pointing their weapons at him and firing searing fireballs at him while the others were assuming their positions around the barrier.


    "Even the ordinary foot soldiers have magic weapons now, huh¡­ I bet that Joanis emptied his pockets to do this," Rain thought as he blocked the fireballs with his forearm guards and then felt the temperature increasing and sweat was starting to leave his body. "I shouldn''t have shown these before¡­"


    Rain wanted to find and attack the special soldiers first, but he didn''t find them, he couldn''t use his magic to sense them either¡­ fortunately, the reinforcements soon arrived, and Rain facepalmed when he saw Seadrei.


    "I guess tactics and warfare knowledge is an interesting concept for him¡­" Rain thought.


    Seadrei ignored the fireballs while spinning his spear and blocking them, and when he got close enough, he swung his giant coral spear¡­ in the next moment, ten human soldiers were split in two, and their bodies were sent to the distance while their blood was raining in the area.


    The humans left shocked for a moment, but then all the soldiers in that area made fireballs rain over them as they pointed their weapons toward Rain and the others¡­ fire was quite effective against the sea folk since it made them sweet, and that would weaken them faster.


    Still, the sea folk kept charging nonstop¡­ some of the generals didn''t even care about being hit by the fireballs. They just wanted to kill as many as possible.


    "Didn''t I tell you that¡­" Rain said, and then it happened.


    Amidst the tumultuous battlefield, one of the sea folk''s generals was consumed by a reckless bloodthirstiness. He surged forward with his spear gleaming with an aura of impending doom. In a swift and deadly sweep, he carved his way through a group of human soldiers, rendering them helpless as they were split in two.


    However, in a bizarre and unforeseen turn of events, the fallen human soldiers did not simply meet their demise at the hands of the sea general. Instead, they detonated with catastrophic force, setting off a chilling chain reaction that sent shockwaves coursing through the battlefield. The fierce explosions engulfed the general, propelling his wounded form backward through the turbulent air.


    As he crashed violently onto the battlefield, the grim reality of his injuries became immediately apparent. Large burn marks on his body could be seen thanks to the ferocity of the explosions. He clung to life with unyielding resolve, though he writhed in agony. It was ringly evident that for his survival, he needed urgent magic treatment.


    "... That the enemy can make others explode using their own mana?" Rain asked.


    "Stay focused! Attack and retreat soon after to avoid the suicidal explosions!" Seadir shouted.


    They weren''t suicidal, but Seadir had a point¡­ his voice reached everyone on their side and they soon cooled their heads a bit. Seadrei showed a small smile of satisfaction when he saw that. It seemed that he was a bit proud of his son and that he was improving when he had to.

 Chapter 460: Determination

    "Heh, it seems that we are finally going to fight side by side again, Rain," Roan said while smiling. "Thest time, we had to run, but not this time."


    "Why is everyone raising so many death gs?" Rain thought.


    In the end, that was war, Rain could only do his best to protect those closest to him¡­ or he could just charge toward the middle of the enemy''s camp and destroy their crystal. Still, he decided to wait for the chance toe first.


    Rain stepped in toward the enemies, and instead of punching or piercing their chests, he hit them with the palm strikes¡­ that wasn''t much his style, but thanks to his Charge and Limit Breaker, he was able to send the enemies flying and spinning in the air to the distance¡­ Some of them had their torso smashed, but they exploded in the air and far away from Rain and the others.


    The others realized that they could do the same, and soon they did that. Roan moved his sword to the side and then charged. When the enemies tried to impale or hit him with magic, he would move to the side with a single small step, and then he would bodym the enemies, paralyzing them for a moment thanks to the impact, and then swinging down his sword¡­


    The wound had been rtively light, but it covered the whole armored torso of the enemy. The damage began to spread, but then Roan kicked the enemy away and made him explode twenty meters away.


    Since the enemies didn''t have that much mana, their explosions only covered a range of ten meters, but that had been enough to hit their allies and make some of them explode as well¡­ things were getting quite chaotic.


    "Are they nning to sacrifice all of their soldiers?" Roan wondered while biting his lips in shock.


    Roan soon recovered hisposure when he saw Jori swinging his sheathed sword around from one side to the other¡­ he was able to knock down the enemies without making them explode, even if they had shields¡­ still, when he was about to pass by them, they began to explode¡­ Reca quickly pulled him away with the tip of her spear, and he barely avoided the damage.


    "There is no point in showing mercy¡­ the enemies will make the sparred soldiers explode in one way or the other," Reca said.


    Jori got up, taking a deep breath¡­ it seemed that Reca was cautious of killing the enemies as well, and she just used sweep strikes to keep the enemies from being pushed backward¡­ she had a life inside of her, so she couldn''t be reckless despite her words.


    "I can''t find the enemy that uses the magic bombs¡­ where the fuck is that son of a bitch?" Rain thought while looking around.


    Rain couldn''t risk leaving his friends alone, and he had to react fast to cover for them if something happened, after all. So, it seemed that the best option was to keep decreasing the human army numbers a bit at a time while being cautious.


    Soon enough, the whole group was able to sense tremblingsing from the other side of the city¡­ the magic people finally joined the fray, and considering the number the explosions, it didn''t seem like they were having much luck on their side.


    "Rain, look¡­" Roan said after grabbing Rain''s shoulder.


    Rain looked in the direction that his father was pointing, and then he saw a tower emerging in the middle of the city¡­ it was a bit too far away to see who was there, but he could see two people there¡­ he could only imagine that they were the king and Joanis¡­


    "From this distance¡­ I can''t do anything without magic," Rain thought.


    Chapter Discover:


    Someone else thought that they could¡­ that someone was Seadrei¡­ although he never saw the king and Joanis, one didn''t have to be a genius to realize who could be those there.


    In the next moment, Seadrei jumped upward with all his might and then made his body move backward like a spring. Then, he threw the spear at those two¡­


    The spear flew like making the sound of a lightning bolt, there was no time to react to it, but in the end, the weapon didn''t even reach those two. It stopped a couple of meters away from them, hitting another barrier.


    The resounding impact of the sea emperor''s colossal spear against the protective barrier surrounding the king and Joanis sent shockwaves rippling through the entire area. The city itself seemed to crack in response to the sheer force of the collision. Rain, along with those watching, was left in shock at the barrier''s remarkable resilience.


    As the strikended, Rain couldn''t help but assume that this barrier was specifically designed to ward off physical attacks. The realization presented a considerable problem, for it was evident that conventional physical force would prove ineffective against it.


    The question of how to breach or dismantle such a formidable defense troubled him, casting a shadow over their strategies and intensifying the difficulties of the battle ahead.


    "I never heard of barriers like the ones Joanis can use¡­ where did he get such knowledge?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    In the next moment, the sea emperor made his spear return to him¡­ that was one neat ability to have. For a moment, Rain thought that he didn''t value his weapon all that much, but it seemed that he was wrong about that.


    The sea emperor didn''t do anything else but look at the tower with annoyance in his face¡­ he at least knew that he shouldn''t leave his men behind and charged recklessly¡­ they would try to follow him even though a sea of explosions after all.


    "Something is wrong about this," Jori jumped backward and then looked around. "They don''t seem brainwashed, but they don''t care about seeing that they are being used as bombs when they die¡­"

 Chapter 461: How dare you?

    "Then kill them all just like they want!" Seadrei shouted. "If they don''t mind bing tools is someone else''s folly. They don''t deserve to be alive in the first ce."


    A group of five enemies charged toward the sea emperor, trying to impale him, but soon he separated their upper from lower halves¡­ all of them exploded in the next moment, but he jumped backward with insane speed and avoided the explosion.


    That confirmed it¡­ they knew that they had magic bombs on them, and they didn''t care about that at all. When he saw that, Rain got annoyed¡­ wasting their lives like that when they knew that they wouldn''t have a second chance¡­


    "Since it is like this¡­ then so be it," Rain thought. "These guys are a lost cause¡­"


    Rain charged toward the enemies in all directions, and then palm struck their chests again and again. Their bones cracked and pierced their organs as they flew into the distance before they exploded a few secondster.


    The skill Iron Fists leveled up.


    The champion''s path received 440 experience points.


    The skill Iron Fists leveled up.


    The champion''s path received 450 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain was determined to turn their power into his and make good use of it¡­ so he killed the humans nonstop. His friends realized his intentions and decided to support him¡­ thanks to that change in the group, their side began to advance more and more through the enemy''s lines.


    Before not so long, the group reached the city, which means that they crossed at least half of the path toward the king and Joanis. They left a sea of blood and corpses on the way, but they didn''t lose their focus despite that.


    When they reached the area, they found still arge number of heavily armored soldiers blocking the streets and their paths, and Rain was also able to see the special soldiersmanding several of those groups¡­ he wondered why they only revealed themselves now, but they didn''t have much time for that.


    Rain finally had a clear view of the king and Joanis, and this time, he probably could reach them in a few seconds, but getting closer to them without knowing how to undo that barrier was a waste of time.


    While Rain was thinking of that, he suddenly saw the king raising his right arm, and in the next moment, the atmosphere changed. He didn''t have any relics with him, and he wasn''t supposed to be a good mage either, so Rain wondered what was the meaning of that.


    In the next moment, everyone began to hear disturbing soundsing from behind, and when they turned, they saw the bodies of the fallen soldiers exploding, not like before, but just like their blood was unable to stay inside them.


    Everyone looked at that with surprise and shock in their eyes¡­ they couldn''t understand the meaning of that. Still, eventually, Rain could see the blood slowly moving before staying still for a while¡­


    "Get back! Raise your guards, and don''t let the blood touch you!" Rain shouted with all their might. "It is a trap!"


    Everyone understood the severity of the situation¡­ they could see how the whole blood that had been shed was being controlled by something, most likely by the king. They immediately tried to leave the barrier with all their might, but soon, blood spikes emerged from all directions and moved toward them¡­


    Rain kicked the ground and then raised a massive earth wall with his strength alone and then blocked several to the blood spikes, but soon they destroyed that. His friends and allies tried to do something simr, but eventually, they failed as well¡­ they used their weapons to block the sea of blood advance, but they eventually were overwhelmed.


    Everyone began to be hit by the blood spikes¡­ but they didn''t feel any pain. They just got glued to their bodies and eventually were absorbed. Rain panicked when he saw everyone suffering from that: his father, his friends¡­ him, and the sea emperor fought until the end and kept punching the blood for a while, but eventually, even they were overwhelmed.


    Everyone tried to fight back, but the blood eventually began to control all of their movements, even of the sea Emperor¡­ that was the king''s n all along¡­ using the blood of the fallen soldiers to get a much more powerful army. That was the magic that they were nning to use to defeat the dragons and subjugate them.


    The bodies of everyone started to turn red, and they became unable to resist¡­ panic and horror could be seen through their eyes since that was the only part that they could control. Little by little, they became puppets for the king.


    "How dare you!" The sea emperor shouted while emitting his bloodlust that could make all the soldiers in the city tremble in fear. "You dare to control the sea emperor? After using my brethren like tools for your stupid cause? Is your insolence endless? You will die here, human king! Mark my words!"


    The sea emperor resisted for a while¡­ even though more and more blood began to enter his body. At the same time, he felt a shiver when he realized that Rain wouldn''t be able to resist for that long and he would be a troublesome adversary to deal with without his magic¡­


    Still, when he looked to the side, the sea emperor was bbergasted¡­ Rain''s body was imploding from the inside out¡­ the enemy had no intentions of controlling him. They only wanted him dead.


    The blood that entered Rain''s cells eventually exploded and destroyed it. Every single part of his skin was damaged like that¡­ if he were to open his eyes, they would be the first to go down, and he would be done, so he resisted the pain and tried to understand how the enemy''s attack worked¡­ he couldn''t leave until he had a clear way to stop it.

 Chapter 462: Understanding

    While watching the bloody scene, the king looked very satisfied¡­ in a single motion of his hand, he ended the battle. He couldn''t feel more satisfied than that.


    At the same time, Joanis was studying the whole situation with a careful gaze¡­ the sea emperor was struggling a lot more than expected¡­ even if he was strong and he was resisting the control with his willpower alone, he could only do it for so long.


    At the same time, he was studying Rain as well. His flesh was exploding at a microscopic level soon; his muscles would also suffer the same fate, and he wouldn''t be able to survive that¡­ It was a pity that he would lose such a useful pawn, but that was what the king wanted.


    Besides, the sea emperor would be a much better pawn¡­ he didn''t expect that he would lead the charge, but that unexpected development had been more than a little bit pleasant.


    "The others are obeying my will, so why are those two still struggling?" The king asked.


    "Their physical strength and willpower are at the top of their side, Your Majesty," Joanis exined. "Still, this much proves that the sea emperor will be an invaluable card against the dragons. If you wish to end this quickly, making the sea emperor finish him off should be easy. As long as you try to control him alone."


    "No¡­ he deserves to suffer much more for killing my friends," The king said while looking coldly at Rain. "I won''t feel satisfied until I hear him screaming in pain and agony and beg for his life. He deserves this much and this will set a good example."


    "Your Majesty¡­ that would be unwise; that kid is too resourceful, and he was able to develop techniques that we still don''t understand," Joanis showed a serious expression. "He might understand how the spell works, and that could be a problem."


    "He won''t, I won''t let him," The king said and then focused his focus on making Rain suffer.


    In the next moment, Rain felt his legs'' flesh being ripped apart faster than the rest of his body, and the pain made him fall. The kingughed since that was what he liked to see¡­ at the same time, he controlled the others to block Rain''s path if he tried to run, but soon, he realized that the sea emperor was starting to resist a lot more.


    He raised his spear and tried to use it and soon realized that he could use his magic again.


    "Your Majesty!" Joanis raised his voice.


    "I suppose it can''t be helped," The king said.


    The king forced the sea emperor to stop struggling and soon forced him to split Rain in half with his spear¡­ that should have been more painful than a simple thrust in the heart, but Rain managed to raise his forearm guards and block the attack¡­ he was blown away in the distance.


    Rain collided with numerous of his friends and allies and knocked them down¡­ not even they were able to stop the blow, though. The sea emperor''s serious attack made him cross several kilometers and almost reach the end of the barrier.


    "You lowly half-fish man¡­ I didn''t order you to send him there," The king said.


    "Your Majesty, it seems that you need to be more precise with yourmands, or someone like the sea emperor would be able to make use of that," Joanis said while looking in the distance.


    Rain blocked the attack, but his arms were smashed by the attack¡­ it was amazing that his forearm guards resisted all that, but even if he survived that, Joanis was certain that he would no longer be a problem¡­ As long as that blood is inside him, he won''t be able to use magic and healing magic won''t work on him either.


    The king obtained full control over the sea emperor and the other enemies on that side, but soon, he realized that his mana was being drained insanely fast¡­ controlling all of them at once would be difficult in the long run, so he decided to test the might of the sea emperor against the magic people.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Everyone back outside the barrier had noticed that something weird had happened, but they didn''t know what it was¡­ they only noticed that things got a turn for the worse when Seadrei attacked Rain and sent him in their direction. That area was free from enemies, so they used Impulse toward Rain, only to find him like that¡­ his skin was still imploding, and the parts that were fine were bloody red.


    "What happened to you?" Terra asked.


    Rain shook his head since he couldn''t risk opening his mouth. Even the interior of his nose was slowly being destroyed. In the end, they understood the message and brought him outside the barrier¡­ The cellr explosions ended, and Rain finally had the chance to breathe, but that only made him suffer more.


    "... My healing magic, it isn''t working!" Terra panicked.


    "Calm down, don''t panic," Leiah said while her face waspletely pale. "Don''t move him too much, rest a little¡­ It seems that they are retreating¡­ or turning around to face the magic people."


    "... We fell for their trap. I only realized what was going on when the king attacked me," Rain said, trying to get up, but his damaged legs couldn''t support him. "He made all his soldiers digest the anti-magic substance, and when their blood became rich in it, he could expand their anti-magic barrier¡­"


    "... The king shouldn''t have that kind of ability," Branden said and then gulped since he didn''t see Rain trying to use his magic to stand or heal himself.


    "I can only imagine that his blood can do that for some reason¡­ control the blood of his subjects," Rain said while groaning. "He also must be the one who controls the explosions, or he has a relic that lets him control the magic bombs."

 Chapter 463: No other choice

    "... I don''t believe that father would sacrifice so many people to get us like this," Esmeralda said.


    "He knew that in the battle against the dragons, they would suffer casualties in one way or the other," Rain said and then clicked his tongue when he realized that his body was done for and he would have to heal naturally from now on. "With this power, he was nning to control the dragons¡­ he was forced to use it a bit earlier."


    "... Where is father?" Seara asked when she arrived in a hurry


    "... He is under the king''s control now," Rain replied. "Everyone else is, and they are nning to use them against the magic people."


    Everyone knew that Rain was the most hated enemy of the king, and that was why he escaped, but now he was essentially useless in the battle¡­ but they had to do something before the magic people suffered a crushing defeat¡­ everyone realized that he couldn''t use magic anymore, but they couldn''t say that or the morale would drop considerably.


    "We need to regroup¡­ you need to control your people to avoid further losses," Terra said while looking at Seara.


    Seara clicked her tongue in annoyance, but she understood that she had a point. Getting angry now wouldn''t do anything¡­ She wanted to rescue her father, but they needed to learn more.


    "... All right," Seara said and then sighed.


    Rain stopped to think for a moment what had happened and understand it. He took that attack directly, so he should be able to analyze it¡­ considering what he knew, most likely, the king didn''t know that he had that kind of ability, but Joanis knew and told him that he could use it to leave his mark on the world¡­ in that case, wouldn''t the royal family be like one of the tribes of the magic people?


    Joanis'' ability to learn that kind of forgotten knowledge was annoying as ever¡­ that kind of ability could be used to attack and subjugate enemies and control them, and the king could use another relic to make his allies and enemies able and unable to use magic.


    So, Rain would only be able to use his magic again once he got rid of the blood¡­ but it wasn''t like it was in his bloodstream¡­ it was in his cells, and the king would be able to attack him once he entered the barrier again.


    "... Dana, use earth magic to support my legs on my knees," Rain said. "I need to get up, and I can''t stay sitting all day."


    "You need to rest, leave themunication to us," Terra said. "Trying to stand up like that will only worsen your wounds."


    "That won''t do it. We lost half of our forces, perhaps more with the sea emperor," Rain said. "The magic people won''t take us seriously, even more so since the king will be using the sea emperor to attack them. Unless I look like I can do something, they won''t listen to us."


    "Appearances don''t matter now, Rain," Leiah said. "You need to calm down and think of a way out of this mess¡­ we will send a message to the magic people and exin the situation and leave immediately."


    Leiah had a point¡­ he had to calm down and think things through¡­ he couldn''t let anything worse happen, and he wouldn''t be able to do anything in that situation. Right now, he could only use his head.


    The groups began to split up and check the enemy''s base while keeping their distance¡­ Asche could use the wind version of Impulse, so she went to talk with the magic people. At the same time, Terra and Rain''s sisters tried to clean him and tend his wounds. However, even though they finished the cleaning, his skin was still blood red.


    "Until now, I used magic to solve problems like this, so how can I solve this without magic?" Rain thought.


    The enemies had plenty of time to n this; it was a variation from their original n, so it wasn''t that hard for them toe up with such a measure. While they sealed Rain''s ability to wield mana, they also used mana to do that and to prevent healing.


    So, he could be attacked with magic, but healing and supporting magic wouldn''t work¡­ most likely because the blood had the anti-magic substance and because it had the mana of the king.


    "... There is no way out of this?" Rain thought. "It can''t be it¡­"


    Rain took several deep breaths again ¡­he couldn''t let such a thing stop him. The opponent was annoyingly resourceful, but he was someone who had modern knowledge¡­ to some extent. He could use that in his favor.


    Unfortunately, nothing came to mind as of now¡­ aside from the most obvious option: kill the king or force him to cancel the spell and take all the blood that invaded his body. The second option was probably impossible since he was the only one that the king wanted to kill¡­ the fact that he was being protected by an anti-magic and anti-physical attack barrier was also another nuisance.


    "It is no good¡­ I couldn''t reach them, and they were being pushed away by the sea emperor, who created a massive wave to chase and drown them. Many already died," Asche suddenly returned and then said it.


    Terra looked at Asche with annoyed eyes¡­ bad news was thest thing that Rain needed to hear¡­ that would make him feel eager to fight again in one way or the other. However, much to everyone''s surprise¡­ he was quite calm.


    "Mom, we have to retreat. As soon as the king and Joanis are tired of hunting the magic people, they wille for us," Rain exined. "It will take some time for them to be able to control the powers of everyone, but once they do that, it will be over. You should go with Dana, G, and Kei to inform Seara of that. Orcis and Lorene should be helped with their diplomacy skills¡­"

 Chapter 464: No other way

    Everyone was surprised that Rain wanted to retreat so soon, but perhaps it was for the best¡­ they all needed some time to recover and cool down their heads. But soon, they realized that he was nning something else.


    "Terra, Asche, and Liss should use the Coral Spear and try to use the ocean water to create a barrier in the meantime¡­ we need to buy some time. Even a few seconds will do it," Rain said.


    In the end, only Branden wasn''t told anything to do¡­ Rain probably wanted to talk with him alone, but they didn''t know what it was. Still, they knew that they had to do those things.


    "... What do you have in mind?" Branden asked when he approached.


    "I think that I know how to be able to recover my magic, but it won''t be pleasant and I might die," Rain said. "You will have to suffer a bit as well."


    Branden couldn''t hide his surprise when Rain presented that he might have a potential solution to the issue of his magic. However, the words Rain spoke carried an undertone of concern, which gave pause to his thoughts. It was as if Rain''s solution came with its own set of consequences or challenges that needed to be addressed.


    "What is it?" Branden asked.


    "First, let''s recall what happened on the first time that I almost died thanks to a magic bomb," Rain said. "The enemy sealed my magic with a bomb, and then I was unable to defend myself, but all the substance was burned thanks to the explosion, and I was able to use my magic again."


    "I don''t like where this is going¡­" Branden furrowed his eyebrows.


    "This is just the start¡­ the substance can be destroyed, even when it is in the form of blood, but since it can''t be seen since it is in my flesh, there is only one way to destroy it," Rain said. "We have to burn my flesh alongside all of it. You can''t hesitate, or it will only worse.


    I will look like a mess, but I don''t think that you will be able to damage me as the magic bomb did it before, but you will have to try and attack me with the intention to kill me."


    As expected, Branden couldn''t help but rub his eyes¡­ it was amazing that Rain could ask him that¡­ but he couldn''t ask anyone else. Liss was more focused on the area of effects attacks, Terra was a healer, and Asche was an archer.


    After them, there were Rain''s sisters¡­ naturally, he couldn''t ask that of them, and the sea folk were only good at water magic, so Branden was the only but also the best option.


    "... If we wait a bit, I am sure we cane up with a better solution to this problem," Branden said. "Let''s use our heads in a more smarter way."


    "We don''t have time for that," Rain said. "This is our best option, trust me. Besides, I won''t scream or even grunt, so just trust me."


    As Branden contemted his predicament, he had a hard time enduring the conflicting emotions that surged within him. On one hand, he felt a sense of loyalty and responsibility towards Rain, as they had been through many trials together, and helping his friend in a time of need was second nature.


    On the other hand, he was acutely aware of the potential harm his magic could cause to Rain, a prospect that went against every instinct he possessed as a friend and ally.


    Branden''s mind raced with possibilities and considerations. Could he find a way to aid Rain without causing direct harm? Could he discover a weakness or an alternative approach to bypassing the spell that didn''t involve such a dangerous confrontation?


    Ultimately, the inner turmoil and uncertainty Branden experienced highlighted theplexity of the situation. He was torn between hismitment to his friend and the daunting reality of the challenging task before, and there was no easy way out of that¡­ he had to make his choice fast because the others eventually would return.


    "All right¡­ I guess being unable to fight is much more painful than any arm I can cause you," Banden said after taking a deep breath and then taking several steps back. "Give me the sign when you are ready."


    Rain didn''t have time to waste, so he just nodded at Branden¡­ before long, Branden took a deep breath and then summoned a giant fireball above him and after hesitating for a moment, he looked to the side and then fired it.


    When the massive fireball hit Rain, it was as if the very essence of hell had descended upon him. The intense heat seared through his defenses, and for a split second, he felt like he was engulfed in a inferno. It was a searing, blistering sensation, like moltenva coursing through his veins.


    The pain was excruciating, and it sent shockwaves of agony radiating through his body. His skin felt as if it were being peeled away, and the intensity of the heat made it difficult to breathe. In that harrowing moment, time seemed to slow, and Rain was acutely aware of the impending danger¡­ but he had to endure it.


    His mind raced, and Rain''s instincts told him that he had to fight back to maintain hisposure and protect himself from further harm. The sheer force and heat of the fireball left him reeling as his flesh was being burned in its entirety, but Rain fought to endure the suffering amidst the pain and agony¡­


    Rain stayed inside the massive fireball for several seconds¡­ all his hair was burned to a crisp, and for a moment, he was able to feel his mana in the parts of his body that had exploded when he was still inside the barrier, but it wasn''t enough¡­ when the fireball dispersed, Rain was standingpletely burned, and then he raised his index finger and signaled for Branden to send another.

 Chapter 465: Counter attack time

    When the others were busy trying to calm down, the sea folk who wanted to dash ahead and rescue their emperor they suddenly heard some explosions in their camp and soon found Branden attacking Rain¡­ The sea folk imagined that Branden had lost the plot, but the others knew that all that had been part of Rain''s ns.


    "Don''t worry, they might look mad, but they are doing this for a clear reason¡­" Terra said while rubbing her eyes. "I have a lot of work ahead of me."


    In the end, Rain had to be hit three times by Branden''s strongest attacks to feel his mana beingpletely under control again.


    Still, Branden looked like he was about to pass out while seeing Rain''s body''s condition¡­ it was terrible, not as terrible as the first time he almost died enveloped in a magic bomb, but terrible enough to make people feel shivers¡­ the fact that Branden caused all that damage didn''t help him feel better.


    Essentially, Rain lost all of his skin, and even some of his muscles suffered burn damage¡­ it was amazing that his eyelids were still there considering that he suffered and, his throat waspletely dry, and he could only sense the smell of smoke.


    "... I was nning to attack like this and scare the enemies, but I need to reassure everyone that I am fine," Rain thought while his body was trembling in pain. "Time to use my big brain to heal myself faster."


    In the process of fixing damaged tissue, the body follows a series of steps. First, when injury or infection urs, inmmation sets in, causing redness, swelling, pain, and warmth at the affected site. This phase is the body''s initial response to injury, where immune cells like white blood cells clear away debris and damaged cells.


    Once the area is prepared, the regeneration and proliferation stage begins. Healthy cells near the injury divide and multiply to fill the gap. Grantion tissue is formed, acting as a temporary ceholder filled with new blood vessels and structural proteins. Then, the body''s cells deposit an extracellr matrix, strengthening the regenerating tissue.


    Finally, tissue remodeling urs, which canst for weeks or months as cogen is reorganized to regain strength and functionality. Throughout this process, various factors, including the wound''s size, the individual''s overall health, and any underlying conditions, can influence the final oue.


    Scarring is amon result of tissue repair, especially in cases of extensive damage or disruptions in the healing process.


    Rain knew all that, but he couldn''t let his body be arge scar¡­ with that in mind, he had to heal his whole body as fast as possible and all at once. Rain began to focus on his mana, and then he immediately tried to use it all once to heal his whole body using the simple knowledge of a spell like Healing Touch.


    Using the same logic, Rain tried to activate the spell without touching anything, but it didn''t work¡­


    After several tries, Rain was able to burn the mana all around his body while activating the same effects without touching anything¡­ it didn''t take long for him to feel his body getting warmer at the same time. He felt his health being recovered.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 1500 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 1500 experience points.


    ¡­


    Level 50: Elemental Infusion - Empower your non-elemental spells with elemental properties, adding diverse effects based on your choice.


    You fulfilled the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.


    Polymath''s Path ¨C The polymath''s path is a path that emphasizes a versatile mastery of various skills and knowledge. Wisdom + 30 per level.


    Level 1: Schr''s Insight Start a new journey with a keen eye for research, gaining bonuses to learning and discovery. Mana + 01% per level.


    Rain immediately felt better and stronger¡­ but then he realized that he should have equipped the Medic''s path that was already at level forty¡­ and he had just used ten thousand points of mana on an unknown spell. Still, that seemed worth the hassle since the pain in his muscles decreased a lot.


    As if that wasn''t enough, Rain felt his body getting lighter¡­ little by little, the pain decreased to the point that he could see his body being restored¡­ he felt hungry like never before, though, but it worked for a while¡­ it seemed that casting the spell didn''t work. Still, he had plenty since he didn''t have the chance to use it in the fight.


    In the end, Rain used the spell four times, and he recovered to the point that all of his muscles had been restored, but his outeryer of skin still needed to be recovered.


    "Isn''t that the same spell to restore limbs?" Branden asked with his eyes wide open.


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    "Is it? I wouldn''t know¡­ I just tried to heal myself as efficiently as possible," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, I need food and a lot of potions. If you could bring them to me, it would help a lot."


    Rain''s whole body was burned, and his clothes, too. So, it was better if he didn''t walk around with his dragon yer exposed. In the end, he used Meditation to call just an ice armor to cover his body a bit more. It was chilling, but at least no one would be able to call him an exhibitionist.


    When the others returned half an hourter, they found Rain putting on a new set of pants, and he was standingpletely fine, too¡­ his mouth was covered in blood, though. Actually, it was just dirty with curry¡­ at that point in time, they decided to give up on understanding how Rain''s body could work like that.


    "What did the sea folk say?" Rain asked.


    "They won''t retreat while their leader is suffering such a shame," Leiah replied and then sighed.


    "Great, just as expected," Rain said. "It is time to counterattack then these fuckers."

 Chapter 466: Change in tone

    Rain''s family and friends couldn''t help but feel a slight unease when they realized that Rain had misled them about the supposed retreat, leading to an hour of futile negotiations. They exchanged nces that conveyed a mix of annoyance and concern, and in the back of their minds, they wondered why Rain had resorted to such tactics.


    However, their trust in him and their knowledge of his unwavering dedication to their safety helped them understand the reasoning behind his deception.


    They knew that Rain had a greater n in motion, one that required strategic thinking and unorthodox approaches. While the wasted hour was frustrating, they believed that it was a small sacrifice in the grander scheme of things, and they prepared to support Rain in whatever bold course of action he intended to pursue.


    "We are going to fight again¡­ but how are we going to do that when the enemy forces increased, and we still have to deal with the barriers?" Terra asked after she crossed her arms. "How are we going to avoid the same thing happening again?"


    "What about all the others who are currently being controlled?" Liss asked. "You want them to recover the same way as you?"


    "That would be a bit too much," Rain said. "Even for my standards. In any case, right now, the sea emperor and the others are outside the barrier, so this is our Golden chance."


    "You should at least exin what you have in mind to the sea folk, they are about to leave already," Branden said while looking beyond Rain.


    "True, we will need their help to free the others, after all," Rain said and then turned around before using Impulse toward the magic people.


    Seara and the other sea folk were utterly bbergasted when they witnessed Rain making a swift and seemingly miraculous recovery. It was as if he had harnessed the power to reverse the flow of time, defying thews of nature and medicine. Their faces registered a mix of astonishment and disbelief, their eyes widening in sheer shock.


    To them, Rain''s resurgence defied exnation and logic. They had seen him in a dire state, and now, he stood before them, vital and reinvigorated. It was a sight that left them speechless, struggling toprehend the extraordinary turn of events that had unfolded before their eyes.


    "Sorry for my dy," Rain said. "If you guys want to save the sea emperor and the others, you will need to listen to this."


    ¡ª ¡ª


    The sun was starting to set when the king decided to stop the sea emperor and the others from keeping chasing the magic people. Thousands of them died in a couple of hours, and that was more than satisfactory for the first day¡­ he also learned how to make the puppets use their magic, so they achieved all of their goals, and they only had to sacrifice fifteen thousand human soldiers.


    That seemed a more than worthy trade-off for the king and Joanis.


    Still, when he gave them the order to retreat¡­ A sudden and intense earthquake jolted everyone in the human camp, catching them by surprise. The ground shook violently, causing tents to fall apart in all sides and people to stumble and panic.


    As if the earthquake weren''t enough, an even more ominous threat approached on the eastern horizon. A colossal tsunami, massive and menacing, surged toward the camp from the east, swallowing everything in its path. The wave was a towering twenty meters high, an imposing wall of water that moved with relentless force.


    It crashed over the camp, inundating the area and turning it into a vast, ten-meter-deep expanse of water.


    Despite the overwhelming spectacle and chaos, the humans knew that their protective anti-magic barrier would shield them from the worst of the devastation. As the tsunami engulfed the area, the barrier stood strong, fending off the surging waters and allowing the camp to remain unscathed.


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    "The sea emperor underlings are plotting something, Your Majesty," Joanis said. "We could use all of this water to hurt the magic people further."


    "That is an excellent idea," The king showed a tired but excited smile. "This will be a good way to end this glorious day."


    It didn''t take long for the massive wave to reach the sea emperor and the others who were under the king''s control. The sea emperor raised his spear and immediately stopped the waves from reaching them¡­ they turned to the sides and moved in the magic people''s direction, but even from a distance, the king was able to see that the water surrounded the group instead.


    The sea emperor created a barrier that prevented the waters from reaching them, but he was only stopping the waters¡­ in the end, the people behind him still began to be pulled toward the waters one at a time.


    "I am losing control over some of them¡­" The king said while frowning. "What is the meaning of¡­"


    The king''s thoughts ended right there because he saw something in the corner of his vision¡­ when Joanis looked in the same direction, words couldn''t describe the shock in their expressions¡­ They found Rain skiing in the waters, using his ice magic and showing both of his middle fingers at them.


    "How?! How?!" The king got up and then mmed his fist on the ground. "How is that little peasant still alive? Wasn''t he almost dead one hour ago? Exin this right now, Joanis! Now."


    The king was expecting some exnations from Joanis, but he looked astonished and surprised. He couldn''t think of a single exnation for that¡­ their n was perfect. Not even the dragons would be able to escape from their trap!


    "Joanis! Answer me!" The king roared.


    "... Calm down, your Majesty," Joanis said while showing an annoyed expression. "Even if he ispletely fine, which is most likely impossible, he still is a single boy. He can''t defeat the sea emperor¡­ use him this time to kill the boy. Don''t fail again."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 467: Unexpected recovery

    The king didn''t like Joanis'' tone, but he had a point¡­ Joanis failed to kill Rain because of his pride and hatred toward him. A quick thrust in his heart would have been enough before, and preferred to split Rain in two¡­ in the end, the king made the sea emperor face Rain while the other sea folk used their magic to stop the waters and return to their base.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    When Rain found the sea emperor again, he also found the surprise in his eyes. It seemed that everyone liked to show him that kind of look¡­ still, at that point in time, it should be obvious was known for hisebacks.


    Besides, while his fire magic sucks, Rain wanted to see himself as a Phoenix that would get up no matter what and win in the end¡­ maybe it was weird to see himself that way only because of his red hair and indomitable willpower.


    "If you can hear me, then I need to tell you¡­ this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you," Rain said and then increased the size of his forearm and shin guards.


    They eventually covered Rain''s arms and legspletely, but he stopped right there¡­ At the same time, they were so cold that they began to freeze everything around Rain.


    The sea emperor ignored that and just charged at Rain¡­ his movement was so fast that the st in the water only responded when Rain was attacked and was being pushed dozens of meters away.


    In the end, Rain was only able to endure the attack for a few moments¡­ the sea emperor was stronger than him, and while he blocked the thrust that had been aimed at his heart, he was knocked down on the water and rolled several times. When Rain stopped moving, he saw the sea emperor falling from the sky, about to impale his head.


    Rain hit the water with both hands and then propelled himself away from the spot¡­ in the next moment, the sea emperornded, piercing the water and the ground with his spear¡­ the entire area trembled thanks to the impact, and numerous waves moved in all directions.


    When the hole in the water created by the sea emperor''s attack was about to close, he jumped away and then looked at Rain, assuming his fighting stance¡­ he could have stayed underwater, but the king wouldn''t have been able to see him fighting like that.


    "Hehehe, sucks to be you," Rain said as he moved his right fist to his right side. "Herees a big one."


    The sea emperor charged once again and tried to impale Rain''s head once again with the attack. However, Rain punched him right back¡­ his forearm guard and the spear collided, and the impact pushed away all the water in their surroundings in a three hundred meters. The st also froze the waters and soon created an arena enveloped by ice walls.


    The sea emperor was left astonished by the fact that Rain was able to block his attack. However, Rain''s fists began to drop some blood¡­ it seemed that Rain had to pay a price for all that power¡­ still, the sea emperor had to do the same¡­ his right shoulder also froze thanks to the st of Rain''s attack.


    The sea emperor jumped away and then used his mastery over water to get rid of the ice, and soon he looked at the frozen area in shock¡­ and then he looked at Rain again.


    "You will get more of them. Enjoy," Rain smirked.


    The sea emperor readied his stance again¡­ the king was getting annoyed already¡­ he wanted to kill Rain as fast as possible, so howe that hadn''t happened already?


    The king''s intentions reached the sea emperor¡­ he had to kill Rain with all his might. In the end, he jumped to a whooping five hundred meters in the sky and moved his spear to his back while moving his body like a spring. A bunch of water was summoned to the back of the weapon and was condensed in small points on the butt of the weapon.


    When the sea emperor threw the spear, it fell as fast as a lightning bolt¡­ all the water and the sea emperor''s strength propelled the weapon to be insanely fast.


    When the weapon hit its mark, the entire area trembled, and rifts on the ground began to spread in all directions. The waves began to crash violently against each other, and it felt like the magic people''s country was about to be split in half.


    Still, when the impact ended¡­ Everyone could only see Rain punching the spear while a lot of blood was leaving his arms in his fingers, his elbow, and his shoulder¡­ he didn''t move a single inch, but the impact caused a fifty-meter crater under his feet.


    When the sea emperornded, he made the spear return to his hand, but soon his entire arm froze when he touched the weapon¡­ Rain''s attack didn''t create a st of cold wind like before that froze everything¡­ This time, he focused on a single point and enveloped the coral spear of the sea emperor.


    Still, he had an easy time getting rid of the ice once again. In the next moment, the sea emperor checked his condition by making his spear spin in his hands¡­ everything was back to normal on his right arm. If he could smile, he would smile about that, but he couldn''t.


    At the same time, the wounds in Rain''s arms began to heal quite fast, and the sea emperor saw all that¡­ the king probably couldn''t see that from that distance, but he couldn''t believe that Rain could take more of those hits, but he also couldn''t believe that he was able to block the first attack in the first ce¡­ an attack that probably could kill a dragon in one hit¡­ at least some of them.

 Chapter 468: Final order

    If direct attacks weren''t working, the king decided to make the sea emperor use his magic¡­ he raised his spear, and in the next moment, hundreds of water spears emerged from the ocean and began to surround Rain¡­ the sky eventually got covered in those and Rain could barely see the sky.


    "Poor choice of attack¡­ as expected of you, Your Majesty," Rain said and then smirked.


    In the next moment, the water spears began to fall like rain on Rain¡­ pun intended. Still, there was no sound of impact¡­ before long, all of them created a massive vortex of water that wanted to crush him, but they stopped midway and then began to freeze in the air.


    In the next moment, the vortex of water began to spin above Rain, and then he sent it spinning upward¡­ eventually, it disappeared in the sky, but after a couple of minutes, it began to fall, and then it crashed against the anti-magic barrier.


    The ice began to fall around the barrier and froze the entire area, filling it ice cold and sharp shards¡­ At that point in time, the king waspletely astonished¡­ Rain couldn''t be that strong. Something was definitely off¡­ the sea emperor was much more powerful than him. It was impossible for them to be evenly matched.


    Rain looked to the sides while the king waspletely astonished and realized that the n was still on the hallway point. He had to keep buying time, but that would be difficult¡­ it didn''t matter how much he tried to look like he was having an easy time against the sea emperor¡­ he wasn''t.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    "Your Majesty¡­ give the order for all of the puppets to return to the barrier. There is something wrong here," Joanis said. "That kid wouldn''t return without a n¡­"


    "What are you talking about? I already gave them the order to return a long time ago," The king frowned. "I just want to kill this impertinent boy, and then everything else will fall into their right ce. He is the only thing blocking our path."


    "... How ipetent can you be?" Joanis asked while rubbing his eyes. "Are your eyes crap holes? They didn''t return until now!"


    "... What? How dare you raise your voice to your king?" The king furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Your Majesty¡­ you might have noble blood ande from a bloodline that has immense power, but your ipetence is even more legendary," Joanis said while dropping the act.


    "You let your cowardice rule your actions for over two decades, and now you got carried away when I showed you the path to leave your mark in history¡­ once that happens, you start to ignore my advice and let your emotions rule your actions¡­ Please, you are no king. You are a jester on a throne."


    The king''s face twisted in shock and disbelief as he heard the searing insults from his most trusted ally, words that cut through the air like daggers and pierced the deepest corners of his conscience. Joanis'' usations had stung, but these were a different kind of assault, striking at the heart of the king''s insecurities and doubts.


    As the words echoed in his mind, they left him momentarily speechless, silencing his already troubled thoughts.


    The king''s alliance with Joanis had been built on trust and the shared pursuit of power and conquest. But in that moment, those bonds seemed strained, perhaps even broken, as Joanis'' harsh words revealed a harsh truth.


    As he grappled with the verbal assault, the king found himself unable to respond, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions and realizations. He could not deny the truth in Joanis'' words, and that truth had struck a nerve, leaving the king annoyed by the force of the revtion.


    "How dare you? HOW DARE YOU!" The king shouted. "Guards! Kill this bastard right now!"


    The king showed an expression of utter disbelief when he saw Joanis showing a bored expression. Some guards arrived in the area, but soon they were dismissed with a single wave of Joanis'' hands.


    "... What?" The king asked, his face pale.


    "Power lies on where people believe it lies, your Majesty," Joanis said. "What did you do to make you think that you have the absolute faith of your subordinates¡­ aside from hiding in your castle for two decades? You wouldn''t be able to raise this army if it weren''t for me. You wouldn''t have created the king''s de if it weren''t for me.


    You wouldn''t have the knowledge or the tools to control the sea emperor if it weren''t for me. Are you blind, or are you just insane? Someone like you can''t aplish a single thing. It is time to wake up from your delusions."


    "Bastard¡­ do you think that you can win this war without me? Without my blood?" The king grabbed his sword on the side of his chair and red at Joanis. "Know your ce, you scheming worm."


    "I at least know what I am capable of doing and realize my own shorings; you are unable to do even that," Joanis said with a sweet smile. "It is a pity that I won''t be here to see the future that I envisioned, but the next one won''t make the same mistakes that I did¡­ it is also a pity that I won''t be here to see you be the most infamous king due to your sheer stupidity."


    The king bit his lips in anger, to the point that they began to bleed a lot¡­ in the end, there was no need for more words, and the king dashed toward Joanis to stab him in the chest. However, Joanis grabbed the weapon with both hands¡­ the des began to cut his hands, but that didn''t faze him.


    "Calm down, you can kill me soon enough, but I still have some orders for you," Joanis said and then smiled. "Unless you want to lose everything, you will obey me. First, you will¡­"

 Chapter 469: Mystery

    Thanks to Rain''s first attack and the fact that the sea emperor received the order to do everything necessary to win, Seadrei was able to free a part of his body from the control of the human king when he got rid of the first part of his shoulder that had been frozen thanks to Rain''s punch.


    Seadrei realized that Rain''s attack froze his entire area of the body, essentially freezing the blood that had entered his body as well. When he dispelled the ice, he also dispelled the blood¡­ when his arm was frozen again, he did the same thing and then he obtained full control over his arm and it was his dominant arm.


    Thanks to that, and the spear, he began to use the water in his body to expel the blood that had invaded it.


    The sea emperor never did something so precise like that before and he had to do that in the middle of a battle where he was being controlled¡­ However, he didn''t have any other choice, he couldn''t throw away the knowledge that Rain gave to him by almost dying two times¡­


    However, much to Seadrei''s surprise¡­ all of a sudden, his body began to expel all the blood that had invaded it, and he feltpletely under control as well¡­ even Rain waspletely astonished when he saw that.


    "What the fuck?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    Rain looked to the sides and saw everyone emerging from the water, and he asked his friends and the sea folk to keep the others busy and slowly use the water that they created to expel the blood on the bodies of those that were being controlled, he told them that they could control the water around their bodies to do so and that stopped them from resisting, but it would take a while for so many people to be freed.


    "What happened?" Seadrei asked.


    "Beats me¡­ and I was having so much fun kicking your ass," Rain said.


    "Yeah, right¡­ as if you didn''t realize that I was holding back," Seadrei furrowed his eyebrows. "We need to check their base."


    Rain''s guards wouldn''t have protected him from the sea emperor on the attacks¡­ even if they were made of dragon''s hide and scale¡­ Seadrei used all of his willpower to hold back as much as possible. He wasn''t five hundred years old for no reason, after all.


    In any case, the whole group reunited while shocked at Rain''s recovery, but soon they focused on the task ahead¡­ when they were approaching the anti-magic barrier, they found several of the special soldiers exploding near the barrier¡­ Eventually, the whole thing assumed a more physical form and began to crack like ss.


    "... Did they just¡­ give up and decide to kill everyone and me us?" Jori asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "... Joanis is the type who would cut losses early on, but he wouldn''t give up this soon," Rain replied.


    When the explosions ended, everyone saw that the city was still standing¡­ they didn''t find many new bodies created by the explosions either. At the same time, in the distance, they could see all the soldiers dropping their weapons and then dropping on their knees and putting their hands behind their heads.


    "Maybe the king wants to negotiate¡­ after seeing Rain returning so soon for the fight, it would be wiser to give up and surrender than face him," Reca said.


    "... How is your condition?" Rain asked while showing a serious expression.


    "I am fine. The blood only invaded my skin," Reca said.


    Rain couldn''t help but worry¡­ that much stress would be terrible for her and a lot more worrisome for her child. In any case, Rain could only hope that things would be fine after all that.


    Everyone arrived in the city with their guards up and immediately grabbed the weapons that the enemies dropped, but they weren''t emitting any signs of bloodlust¡­


    "What happened here¡­" Rain said while looking around. "Hey, you. Answer me."


    "The king realized that this war was over when you returned and decided to end things with his own hands to avoid further losses to the human country," a royal guard said.


    Rain wasn''t foolish enough to believe that¡­ the king still probably could use his magic to control all of them that had that blood inside of them. Thanks to that, everyone kept their guards up¡­ but soon they reached the top of the city and were left speechless¡­ they found the king and Joanis there, both dead.


    Joanis had arge grin on his face, even though the king apparently pierced his heart¡­ After doing that, the king apparently cut his own throat.


    "... This is impossible¡­ he would never do that," Roan said while blinking several times.


    "... We can''t let Esmeralda see this before warning her," Rain rubbed his eyes. "How are we going to exin this to the magic people?"


    The magic people probably wouldn''t believe it¡­ just like the sea emperor and his soldiers¡­ they were having a hard time controlling their anger. They were humiliated by being controlled, and after not so long, the enemies decided to end their own lives instead of fighting like true warriors when things took a dangerous turn for them.


    "I am out of here," Seadrei said while stepping so hard on the ground that he damaged even the hard ground made of special stones.


    "I guess his anger will convince the magic people¡­" Rain thought.


    "Rain, we still need to find the queen and the prince before calling the others," Roan said.


    "Right¡­ let''s interrogate the royal guards," Rain said.


    Rain and the others reunited the royal guards, and soon they confirmed that there was something odd about them. They didn''t try to stop the king, and they didn''t look fazed by his death either¡­ Rain could only assume that they stopped caring about their king after so many sacrifices. Still, he soon forgot about that¡­


    "The queen and the prince disappeared after we returned after failing to capture the capital," One of the royal guards said.

 Chapter 470: Welcome to the family

    It seemed that the war was finally over, but no one got the closure that they truly wanted¡­ that abrupt end only left everyone more shocked than anything.


    That night, the magic people were called by Seadrei to see the scene where the king died, and while at first, they thought that it was an act, they soon realized that his earth-shattering bloodlust couldn''t be fake¡­ the sea emperor wouldn''t have any reason to lie after being controlled and humiliated like that.


    "... In the end, you surprised me once more, Father," Esmeralda said when she finally was able to see the body of the king. "I didn''t think that you would start this pointless war, and I never imagined that you would end your life like this¡­ I can''t even bother to ask if you are satisfied."


    Esmeralda looked like she had aged a few years in thest few hours¡­ she couldn''t understand anything anymore. Now, her mother and little brother have gone missing, and she had a kingdom to rebuild and repair. Considering the end of the war, it wouldn''t be weird if the sea folk or the magic people started another war to get the closure that they wanted.


    All those worries will make her age a lot faster¡­


    Branden was as much as astonished as Esmeralda¡­ too many things happened too fasttely, and that abrupt end only made him feel like he had lost the ground under his feet.


    Although it took a while, Rain eventually handcuffed all the enemies with earth magic. They were as hard as his weights, so one wouldn''t be able to destroy them soon or without making any noise.


    "What now?" Josar asked with his eyebrows raised. "We suffered far too many losses to let things end like this."


    "The king forced all those involved with Joanis to explode. That was already confirmed," Rain exined. "If you want to kill someone, we can give you the royal guards but no one else."


    Josar had a hard time controlling his anger¡­ all that was pointless. Just killing all the prisoners was the only logical solution, but he couldn''t back down on their agreement. Even the sea emperor was pissed, and he knew that more bloodshed wouldn''t change a single thing¡­


    "What about their relics and research?" Josar asked. "We found vestiges of a giant red crystal under the king''s house here, but it was shattered and not working. He also had an amulet with him that probably created the anti-physical attacks barrier was destroyed, too. We can give you half of those, but we aren''t expecting much from all that.


    We will investigate all the resources that Joanis had and keep you informed if we find something.


    Josar and the other council members found that hard to believe since such technology would make anyone incredibly stronger¡­ the magic people were the ones who would benefit the most as well. Still, they could only hope that Rain would keep his word¡­ until now, he never lied, after all.


    In the end, Josar and the others decided not to kill or demand the royal guards, all in order to make Rain feelpelled to fulfill his part of the bargainter¡­ the clean up job took several days even though they had a lot of magic on their side¡­. the area around the city had basically beenpletely destroyed, after all. Everyone was surprised that all that chaos didn''t attract the dragons¡­


    The leaders of both sides met several times at dinner to talk about what would happen, but neither of them felt like talking¡­ Esmeralda was worn out, and the sea emperor wanted to kill Joanis and the king, while Josar and the council members felt like they barely had the chance to retaliate in the war. Everyone was confused, but they had to move on with their lives¡­


    "Guys, I think I am pregnant, and since we have been nning to take some time off adventuring, we are going to live somewhere else for a while," Reca suddenly dropped her bomb.


    That changed the mood, if anything¡­ to the point that Jori passed out after his eyes were opened widely and then turned out. Rain wondered what that guy was thinking¡­ if you do the deed, then that was bound to happen.


    "Congrattions!" Asche said while smiling. "You have a lot of work ahead of you with that guy."


    "Congrattions, Reca," Terra said while smiling. "Children are a blessing, I am sure you will be a good mother. Just try not to be so harsh and skip a few steps on the journey since you are the type that rushes ahead."


    All the girls in the group congratted her, and they tried to avoid Rain''s gaze¡­ he wanted to ask them why they were pretending that they didn''t know, but it was better not to ruin the moment. At least that bomb dropped lifted the spirits of the group a fair bit, but the night was far from over.


    "Although things in this war ended like this which is a bit unsatisfactory, things could have been far worse," Seadrei said. "The main reason for that is Rain''s hard work and ingenuity¡­ you also helped us freeing my brethren and tending their tired bodies and wounds."


    "Nah, it is fine, you don''t have to thank me, it was a team effort," Rain said. "But if you insist on rewarding me with something, the original coral spear will do the trick."


    "... That is impossible, only the sea emperor can use this spear," Seadrei said. "You are a human, and while you are a friend and an ally, you cannot be the next sea emperor. I am too young to give my throne to the next generation as well."


    That certainly wasn''t the case, given that he was five hundred years old, but Rain didn''t say that.


    "Still¡­ with the right bloodline, your descendants could be the next ruler, as such, I am giving you the chance to join our family," Seadrei said.

 Chapter 471: He is mine!

    Rain wondered if Seadrei was joking¡­ he certainly didn''t want to join his harem or something. Although he had been celibate for almost fifteen years, his dragon yer only reacted to girls. Particrly the ones that smelled nice.


    "How old are you again?" Seadrei asked.


    "Well, how I can say this¡­ but I am not interested in dilfs," Rain said.


    "What is a DILF?" Seadrei asked while frowning


    "... He will be fifteen in one month, your imperial Majesty," Leiah said since she could tell that Rain was about to say some nonsense.


    "Humans be adults when they are fifteen, am I right?" Seadrei asked.


    "Do they?" Rain frowned.


    "How can you not even know that¡­ how can you be smart enough to do many things andpletely oblivious tomon sense?" Roan facepalmed.


    Rain just shrugged¡­ Sometimes,mon sense isn''t somon. In any case, it was probably the best idea to end that conversation soon, but Seadrei wasn''t done yet.


    "Thanks to the fact that you saved her and proved your valor and courage so many times, to the point that you even faced me," Seadrei said.


    "That Ipletely blocked all of your attacks," Rain said.


    "... That by arge stroke of luck, you were able to fight back my attacks that I held back a lot," Seadrei said. "My daughter Seara had been deeply interested in you. While the humans and the sea folk didn''t form families in thousands of years, I believe that you are worthy of bing her partner.''


    The area was engulfed in silence¡­ that bombshell couldn''t bepared to the previous one, but now Rain could understand why the generals to the sea emperor looked so pissed at him at all times¡­


    Still, that was weird¡­ they barely talked¡­ like they talked two times. The only thing that Rain knew about her was the fact that she was extremely cautious when they met for the first time for obvious reasons and the fact that she was a lot less hot-blooded than her father and Seadir.


    "You shouldn''t use your family members to reward others. Besides, isn''t she like the age of Dana?" Rain asked while frowning.


    "She is twenty-five," Seadrei said. "I am not using her, I am just following her wishes, and I only epted that because you proved your valor."


    She was ten years older than Rain¡­ it was hard to believe¡­ Then again, Seadrei is five hundred years old and he looks like he is in his forties. Still, that was a bit weird¡­ maybe she was on the right age to marry, but Rain didn''t want to suddenly marry someone whom he knew nothing off.


    Even though she looked at her now and saw that she was charming¡­ she looked away a bit with her face red, avoiding eye contact.


    "Back off, he is mine. I have been waiting for this for years," Terra said and then got up before raising Rain by the cor and then kissing him.


    Terracked the technique for a good kisser, but she made up for it with enthusiasm. Rain was surprised by that, but then her smell made his hear race¡­ not good. The dragon yer was awakening.


    "See? He is mine," Terra said.


    "Did you just mark me? Are you a dog?" Rain asked.


    "Just shut up and say if you ept it or not," Terra said.


    "ept that you see me as a piece of meat or something?" Rain frowned. "At least take me to dinner once."


    Rain wondered for how long Terra had been thinking like that¡­ she sure didn''t act like that in front of him. Maybe she was just waiting for him to be an adult for the standards of that world. In any case, only Rain was surprised, while Seara looked annoyed, and Seadrei looked troubled since his daughter already had a rival who had the upper hand.


    In any case, it seemed that Rain''s popr phase had arrived.


    Regardless, Terra was waiting for her answer, and Rain shouldn''t let her wait for long. She smelled good, and she was a friend, and she had a nice personality¡­ most of the time. She was hot as well, but answering that and refusing Seara would create a difficult atmosphere.


    "... I guess it is about time to settle down, then," Rain said. "I was thinking why you were still single, but if you have been waiting for me, then I can only say one thing. Even though our roles were supposed to be reversed. I¡­"


    "Stop right there," Terra raised her hand. "I already know that you would ept it, but I have something else to say."


    Terra turned and then looked at Seara, who was showing a resigned expression. She knew better than to make a scene, after all. She also knew that she messed up the order of things¡­ she assumed that Rain was like a lot of her fans from the sea folk who would marry her without even talking to her once.


    "As I said, he is mine," Terra proudly dered. "However, perhaps saying that he will only be mine is a bit too much. Rain said once that he might have multiple wives, after all, and I want to keep working on the orphanage a lot."


    "He said that? You horny dog," Roan said and thenughed, but then Leiah pinched his side.


    "For one year, he will be mine," Terra said. "However, if you wait for one year and talk with now and then and don''t change your mind, then I will allow you to marry him as well."


    Allow it? Terra was so manly! She was was already winning over Rain''s maiden heart¡­ it seemed that his opinion on the matter was irrelevant, but that didn''t bother him at all.


    "... Fine," Seara said after a long sigh.


    Rain wondered if Seadrei would allow his daughter to marry a married man, but he didn''t make a fuss about it¡­ he probably had a bunch of wives as well, after all.

 Chapter 472: Returning home

    The mood in the group improved a lot thanks to that news¡­ even the magic people looked a bit better. Maybe they still didn''t give up on the possibility of making that crazy woman marry Rain again¡­ at least that would decrease the chances of war between humans and the magic people, but Rain couldn''t see that happening for obvious reasons.


    In any case, for the next few weeks, both sides worked to repair the damage in the area. Rain also made the prisoners help rebuild the town and viges that the human side destroyed during the war. That improved the rtionship between both countries¡­ It was amazing what thirty thousand people could do when they had to work together.


    During the whole time, Rain kept his eyes on them and so did everyone else, to avoid problems, but they truly didn''t do anything dangerous or suspicious.


    During those weeks, Seadir exined to Rain what he had imagined, a lot of generals had kids who they wanted to marry with Seara. She was his youngest daughter and the one that he doted the most, so that would be an honor for them¡­ an honor that was stolen by a human¡­


    "Usually, I would think that you are a bit too young to get married, but hell, you probably have a better head than mine," Roan suddenly approached and said when Rain was working restoring some of the houses of the golem masters town. "Still, that makes me worry if your sisters will soon follow the same path and get married at your age."


    "Not if we do something about it," Rain said. "I will use my fame to scare the shit of any insects that might make them cry. If they do it despite that¡­ well, they won''t be able toin about the punishment if they end up disappearing."


    "That is Rain for you, you can understand how a real man thinks," Roan said and thenughed. "Still, are you fine that, marrying Seara eventually?"


    "I guess it is pretty much certain that she will fall in love with me even more, right?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Do you think that this might open some opportunities for political maneuvers?"


    "You are suddenly full of confidence, aren''t you?" Roan frowned. "I don''t think that his Imperial Majesty would do something so underhanded, but it might give opportunities to others close to him. He is a military leader who doesn''t care about stuff like political maneuvering, but we don''t know enough about how things work in their society."


    "I guess I can ask Seara about it and Seadir as well," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "You should just Seadir, otherwise, she might feel like you are trying to use her," Roan said. "Anyway, do you know where you want to live after this? Are you going to return to your old house?"


    "I will have to wait and see¡­ Esmeralda and Branden will need help and some security since they will have to start from scratch," Rain replied while trying to think about his life in the next year. "The king''s de will probably be dissolved, and the royal guards will have to be dismissed as well¡­ I also need to stay in a ce where my business will thrive.


    I suppose I can start a new one and let you all use my distribution system. The girls should be able to move fast enough, and they will be able to move around as much as they want."


    Roan was astonished at his son''s ability to n ahead and consider all those things. He also didn''t care that much about leaving his food distribution system to his family for him to do something else¡­ he wasn''t someone who was blinded by material possessions.


    Around three weeks after the end of the war, the repairs had been finished, and then the whole army began to dissolve. The magic people and the sea folk began to leave to their respective regions, but their leaders stayed behind for a while.


    "Invite me beforehand if you are nning for a ceremony," Josar said. "I know that we have some reservations about each other and the history of our people, but we can avoid future problems by working together."


    "Sure," Rain said.


    The past can tell how the future can be, but some people believe that they should strive for the best in spite of the past. Rain wasn''t sure if he could do that, but he couldn''t go left and right, making enemies when that could affect his friends and allies.


    "Human customs are difficult for us to understand, but we understand the necessity to celebrate good things, we will alsoe if you call for us," Seadir said and then tapped Rain''s shoulder. "Nothing Is certain yet, but if you make my daughter cry, we will finish that battle eventually."


    "I will be waiting to finish what I started," Rain said and then smirked.


    That not so silent agreement between humans and the sea folk ended their coboration in the war, but it seemed that Rain was going to see Seadrei and Seadir a bunch of times.


    "If possible, try to leave close to the ocean for us to talk more," Seara suddenly said before leaving.


    "Only once a month," Terra dered.


    It seemed that while they reached an agreement as well, it didn''t seem like they would be that friendly toward each other¡­ Rain couldn''t understand rtionships between girls that were rivals, but he assumed that it was to be expected that things would be like that at first.


    "I guess it is time for all of us to go home," Rain said, and then he summoned an ice chamber to fly back home. "We will have to take several breaks along the way and also make a bridge for the soldiers to cross the new border. So we have a lot of work ahead of us."


    There are still a few things bothering everyone''s minds, but they had to start thinking about the present instead of the uncertain future¡­

 Chapter 473: Three years

    The next three years passed in the blink of an eye¡­ life had been pretty slow for Rain, but at least he liked how things were going as ofte.


    When he opened his eyes that morning, he saw a bit of hair in his field of vision, and after letting a lot of air through his mouth, he finally moved the air and found a pretty sexy nape in front of him.


    Rain hugged Terra from behind and then enjoyed the scent of her neck for a while, but soon, he jumped from the bed and then put on his clothes. It seemed that he was a bitte for his morning training since everything was already bright outside.


    After he finished putting his clothes on, Rain moved to the other side of the room and found two cradles there. His kids were moving a little, but they were still asleep¡­ around eighteen months ago, they were born. Twins¡­ Terra asked him to name name, and since they were twins, he decided to call them Apollo and Artemis¡­ he wanted to do that, but he changed his mind. There were two grand names.


    The naming sense in that world was a bit weird, so Rain had a hard time picking them up. In the end, he chooses Daniel and Ann because it would be nice to call them Danny and Annie¡­ Rain wondered if his testosterone levels were level for him to be thinking about that, but he didn''t pay much mind to it.


    Regardless, at first, Rain felt a bit bad for the fact that they inherited his red hair and eyes, but Terra seemed fine with it, saying that they would be good-looking thanks to it.


    After checking on them, Rain went to his garden to train. He jumped and then spun andnded on his hands, and then he summoned arge boulder to fall on his feet. Just like that, he began his handstands.


    "Just you wait, gramps. The next time, I will kick your ass for sure," Rain thought while grinning from ear to ear.


    Since things have been peaceful, Rain had been training to defeat the sea emperor one day, even though they didn''t have any other reasons to fight. That was a nice goal to have¡­ to defeat the strongest person that he knew.


    Unfortunately, Rain didn''t get that stronger in thest three years; even though he trained three hours in the morning and in three more in the evening, he only unlocked three new paths¡­ killing was the best way to get stronger in that world, and now his pace was back to normal since the war ended.


    The Berserker''s Path - embark on a journey through the realm of brutalbat and unbridled fury, where passion and primal instincts are your weapons of choice. As a Berserker, you''ll harness raw power and indomitable strength to crush your adversaries. Strength + 20 per level.


    Level 1: Fury Strike - Embrace your inner rage,unching into a furious body m that increases your attack speed and damage for five seconds. Each level increases your damage and attack speed by two percent.


    Although Rain didn''t unlock many skills on that path yet, he liked that massive boost in strength per level. Thanks to that, he was training so hard his strength with that path equipped... he wanted to make the bonus even more massive. Hopefully, with that, he will be able to punch dragons if he has to without messing with his body again.


    The High Healer''s Path is a sacred journey of profoundpassion and mastery over the art of healing. High Healers are revered for their unwavering dedication to restoring health and well-being to those in need. Intelligence + 10, Wisdom + 10


    Level 1: Healing Bonus ¨C You can start by mastering the fundamentals of the healing arts. Gain the ability to mend injuries while using less mana per level. Minus one point of mana is used per level when using healing spells. (Intelligence and Wisdom, + 10 per level.)


    Terra also unlocked that path, but the path came at a low level since it didn''t have that skill that could restore damaged tissuepletely, but it should be the next path¡­ hopefully. In any case, this kind of skill, alongside others, would make Rain a lot harder to crack.


    The Ice Mage''s Path is a journey into the realm of frost and frigid magic. Ice Mages are known for their mastery over the chilling forces of ice and snow, capable of freezing enemies in their tracks and creating barriers of frozen protection. (Intelligence + 20 per level.)


    Level 1: Frostbite - As an Ice Mage, you start by learning to infuse your spells with the chilling power of Frostbite. They will cause damage over time of the same level of skill per second for ten seconds and slow them down.


    Those were the only paths that Rain unlocked in thest three years¡­ he finally could understand why dragons and beings that could live for longer periods of time could be so strong¡­ even without wars, their powers kept growing at an insane pace because of their natural ceiling of power that was almost impossible to see.


    After he finished his training, Rain cleaned himself, and then he rxed enough to hear Danny and Annie making a bit of noise¡­ they were twins, and they still were young, so it was natural that they would bicker with each other.


    "You promised that you would finish off training earlier¡­" Terra said and then sighed when Rain arrived. "I have to get going. Breakfast is ready¡­ why do you ask me to cook when you are much better."


    "Sorry, force of habit¡­ well, that I can exin, hehehe," Rain said and thenughed. "Hey, don''t fight, papa is here. Who wants the airnes first? Only those who behave will get the airne first."


    "Papa! Food!" Danny said while showing arge smile.


    Annie, on the other hand, calmed down as well. Still, she wasn''t that enthusiastic about being fed by Rain¡­ usually, it would be the other way around, the girl would like the father more like, but the boy would feel a bit angry and rivalry toward the father, but Rain just wanted both of them to like him equally¡­


    "I am leaving, so behave and don''t do anything crazy," Terra said and then kissed the top of Rain''s head. "... She ising tonight, isn''t she?"


    "You should have gotten used to that already¡­ or maybe if she lived here more often, it would be better for you to get used to her," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "I suppose I should rx a bit¡­ since I gave you Danny and Annie already¡­ there is no need to be sopetitive," Terra said while furrowing her eyebrows. "Well, I am going."


    Terra was returning to work in the orphanage after almost two years¡­ while the war ended three years ago, plenty of kids lost both of their parents. When the father died, sometimes the mother would get sick and die due to overwork, and it was hard to find new homes for older kids.


    In the end, they decided to refund the capital¡­ Rain had nned to start a new business, but he ended up only helping Branden and Esmeralda here and there. His movement speed was unrivaled, after all, and his services as a bodyguard were also top-notch.


    "What do you want to do today? Papa is free from the envement of society for a while," Rain said after they finished breakfast. "Mama will stay out for the rest of the day."


    As one would expect, Rain didn''t get a clear answer¡­ maybe he was expecting too much from his one-and-a-half-year-old kids. They didn''t seem interested in doing anything in particr, so Rain took them to walk around the city.


    While carrying his kinds on his shoulders, Rain left the house and then walked around people doing their own thing¡­ nothing had changed that much in thest three years¡­ aside from the oue of that long war. First of all, Esmeralda became the queen, and Branden began to work under her as some sort of prime minister.


    Esmeralda wasn''t prepared to rule, even less so in a period like that where they lost twenty thousand soldiers, all of the royal guard was dismissed, and a bunch of noblemen that supported Joanis went missing thanks to Rain.


    Despite that, life continued without any issues. People waited until the consequences of the problems would fall on theirps, but that never happened.


    Theck of manpower and soldiers was solved mainly by the fact that Rain and his family improved the production and transport of food in the west side of the country, and security wasn''t a problem since magic people, sea folk, and the beast people didn''t do anything against them¡­ in fact, diplomacy with the sea folk and the magic people were going pretty well since Rain had friends on both sides.


    "That being said¡­ the beast king being quiet for this long is quite worrisome," Rain thought. "Maybe I should check things in their country."


    Although Rain had decided to take his kids for a walk, he didn''t have many acquaintances in the capital ... only Lotto, Branden, and Esmeralda¡­ A cksmith shop wasn''t good for kids, thanks to the smoke, and the other two were busy running the country.


    "The reverse side of fame, huh?" Rain thought.


    Since the war, a lot of rumors were spreading about Rain, so he didn''t make any new friends¡­ he was fine with that since he was busy with work and family. Speaking of family, Asche and Liss began to travel around the country as well while gathering information for Branden and Esmeralda about the prisoners that had been reallocated to work on several parts.


    They are also looking for the queen and the prince, but nothing has been learned until now¡­


    Rain thought that those two would be targeting his body as well since he had be shredded out of his mind with all the training, but he didn''t be that popr. They had no interest in him¡­ in the end, Rain found the pattern. He had to save girls to make them fall for him afterward. It was the only pattern that Terra and Seara shared.


    "I guess we will have to return home soon to home since there is nothing to do in the capital¡­ maybe I should create an amusement park or something for you two at home," Rain said.


    Danny and Annie had no idea what Rain was talking about, and it was kind of surprising how well they behaved with him, even though they tended to be a bit too active when Terra was looking after them. Seara also looked after them, but she was having a hard time finding the right distance that she had to keep¡­ even though Terra told her that she could see them as her children as well.


    In the end, Rain decided to y during the whole afternoon with his kids, tossing water balls at them and making them ssh when they missed. It was an excellent exercise for them since they also liked a bit too much the sweet dishes that Rain makes now and then.


    In any case, eventually, Terra returned a bit tired at home and tried to rx for a bit, but the very moment Rain let the kids with her to do his training, they began to bicker again¡­ in the end, Rain was forced to end quickly, because of that and because Seara waste and she was quite in time on her time off¡­

 Chapter 474: Possibilities

    Rain was unable to sleep that night waiting for Seara¡­ his first thought was to head for the port town and then talk with Orcis and Lorene if something had happened. His home was connected to all the cities, towns, and viges in the kingdom and to the ocean too, so there was no reason for Seara to bete.


    Fortunately, when the sun was rising, she arrived while yawning. It seemed that she had been working a lottely. For convenience''s sake, she began to work like a diplomat between the humans and the sea folk, and out of seven weekdays, she would have three days off. So, her job wasn''t that hard, but it looked like something had happened in thest three days.


    "Sorry, I amte," Seara said and then yawned again.


    "What happened, it is unusual for you to bete," Rain said at the entrance of the underground path.


    "Just a minor issue that happened when I was about to leave," Seara said while she was drying herself with some towels. "What? Did you miss me that much even though she was here during the whole time?"


    "Of course, if it depended on me only, both of you would be with us all the time," Rain readily said.


    "... I told you to be mindful when saying that kind of stuff out loud. It is embarrassing even for me," Seara looked away and crossed her arms.


    "What happened?" Rain insisted.


    "... I suppose when you are like this, it can''t be helped. I messed up," Seara sighed. "No one get hurt. No one had to endure any unpleasantness. Isn''t that enough to know?"


    "No," Rain replied.


    "You are impossible¡­ in thest six months, some disappearances have been happening. We have been investigating that," Seara said. "I have been working with some of my people checking the coast for boatsing and leaving without the knowledge of Orcis and Lorene, but we didn''t find anything.


    Last week, one hundred people disappeared, and considering the total, around five thousand of them had vanished into thin air."


    In the aftermath of the war, Rain had been prepared for many challenges. He expected the usual problems thate with a newly settled territory, like dealing with crimes, mediating disputes, and even minor shes between various groups who had now coexisted innd.


    These were all issues he had some experience handling. However, what genuinely perplexed him was the inexplicable vanishing of people. It was a phenomenon that didn''t make much sense. The absence of a clear and discernible cause or pattern made it all the more mysterious and unsettling.


    "Five thousand? That is a prettyrge number¡­ isn''t that affecting the workforce of our country? Who are those that disappeared?" Rain asked.


    "Until now, since they disappeared slowly, nothing serious happened, and people didn''t miss those guys anyway," Seara said.


    "Those guys¡­" Rain frowned.


    "That is right, they are the survivors of the human army that you took after the end of the war," Seara said.


    In the aftermath of the war three years ago, the survivors of the human army faced many challenges when they integrated into the newly established society in the human territory. While they had opportunities to find work rather swiftly, they were met with mixed sentiments from the poption. Many residents of the territory were not weing towards the survivors for several reasons.


    Firstly, during the war, the human army had ced significant demands on the local resources. Their presence had strained the region''s supplies, which had affected the livelihoods of the locals, creating a sense of resentment.


    Secondly, the human army''s participation in the war had resulted in the loss of many forces. The perception that their presence had weakened the coalition of fighters further fueled the negative sentiments.


    Lastly, and perhaps most significantly, there was ack of rity about the true events that transpired during the war. Most people were unaware that the king had taken his own life. Instead, the survivors were med for the king''s death, despite not having the full picture. This misced me added to the hostility they encountered while trying to rebuild their lives in the new territory.


    "I can use my magic to try to track them," Rain said.


    "We tried that already, your sisters helped, Asche and Liss helped and a lot of my people helped as well," Seara shrugged. "We were able to pull it off and check the whole countryst night when you exined how the spell worked to make it rain in the whole country. We didn''t find any traces of them."


    Now that was concerning¡­ they were still being watched, but it was a weird time for them to simply vanish. Nothing noteworthy happenedtely to trigger that, and this time, Rain and his friends had real allies that could gather information for them, and they didn''t know if anyone suspicious was making moves around to cause trouble.


    "Anyway, I am going to sleep until dinner, so please wake me up," Seara yawned again and then went to her room.


    Seara was trying to act like something like that was no big deal, but everyone knew that things could escte. They didn''t bother involving Rain on that because he was living a peaceful life with his family, and while he always survived in the end, he suffered too much during those conflicts¡­ it was amazing that despite things, his body still wasn''t falling apart.


    In the end, Rain tried to act like usual during the day, but Terra knew him too much not to realize that something was in his mind.


    "I guess something bothersome happened, huh?" Terra asked. "She is annoyingly considerate most of the time, so she tried to hide that from us?"


    "Yes, you guessed it right," Rain said while he was spoon-feeding Danny and Annie. "It isn''t something toorge yet, but it could turn eventually. I want to deal with the issue before it snowballs, but..."

 Chapter 475: The war isnt over

    "I know that you want to solve all problems by yourself, but it is important to trust your friends and let them do their job," Terra said. "When they think that they need help, they will ask for it."


    "You have a point," Rain said while stretching his body. "I guess I was just thinking too much since nothing happened as ofte. It was about time for something to happen, I guess."


    "I am going to the orphanage again, call me if something happens," Terra said and then approached Rain and forced him to smile with her fingers. "If you keep scowling too much, you will have wrinkles in your twenties."


    In the end, Rain spent the day in the garden looking after his kids. He didn''t want to leave Seara behind and let her wake up in an empty home, after all. Still, while she told him to wake her up for dinner, she woke up at noon and had lunch with them.


    "I am going to talk with Branden and Esmeralda for a bit," Seara dered.


    "I guess we are going too," Rain said.


    "Some room to breathe, please?" Seara sighed.


    "Even at night as well?" Rain asked.


    "You are so unfair¡­" Seara said while showing a troubled expression.


    "Sorry¡­ I went too far," Rain said. "I will stop insisting on that, just make sure to inform me if something big happens."


    "Thank you for understanding that," Seara said. "Now that we have a bunch of people working on this, it is only a matter of time before we find what those guys are up to."


    Although she said that, in the following month, Seara looked more and more tired when she returned. She basically slept during half of the time she stayed there as well, and that showed how much work she was doing when she wasn''t there.


    While Rain was lost in thought, he heard a small thuding from behind in the garden and then he suddenly saw Danny with his face on the ground. Rain hurriedly approached him and checked him¡­ his face was just a bit dirty¡­ it seemed that he had tripped. Danny tried really hard not to cry, but he was sniffing a lot. Meanwhile, Annie was grinning a bit.


    "Annie¡­ don''t smile at the misfortune of others," Rain said while moving his index finger from one side to the other. "That isn''t nice. You have to praise someone when they screw up and try to learn from their mistakes. That''s my boy, if you keep this up, you will be as cool as papa."


    Danny smiled a lot after that¡­ Rain always wondered how his kids would grow up when he was a reincarnated person. They were pretty smart for their age, but they were one hundred percent children. Not adults in kids bodies¡­ it seemed that Rain''s existence didn''t create an Isekai service for human souls.


    "... It has been a month since I had any work, so maybe we should visit Uncle Branden and Auntie Esmeralda and slow down their work a lot," Rain said while patting his kids. "I have money to spare, but I like when more coins fall into my pocket. Let''s shake them off for more work."


    Most of the work that they could give him could be solved with magic, so it would be fine for Rain to take his kids with him and show his cool side.


    Upon arriving at the castle, Rain saw the golems that he had stationed there to serve as guards for the people inside. To decrease costs, since they needed to save as much money as possible in thest three years, Esmeralda and Branden only had a couple of people directly working for them in the castle; it was also to avoid assassination attempts as well.


    While they could use Magic Boost, there are some nasty poisons out there that can take down even Rain in less than thirty seconds.


    After arriving in the throne room, Rain found those two and Seara there studying a map¡­ she didn''t mention that she was in the capital that day¡­ but Rain had imagined that she asionally woulde.


    "It seems that we arrived at an interesting time," Rain smirked and then everyone facepalmed.


    "... I guess that is the downside of letting Rain be responsible for our security, the golems work for him and they wouldn''t inform us of his approach," Branden said.


    In the end, Rain put Danny on Branden''s shoulder and Annie on Esmeralda''s before he had a good chance to study the map. There were several red points on the map of the whole country, some were big, others were small, there was some numbers near them as well¡­ the math said that in total, it was around two thousand.


    "Let me guess, two thousand disappearances in thest month?" Rain asked.


    "Yes¡­" Seara said and then sighed. "You can call us ipetent for not finding a single one of them."


    "Not at all, I have a lot of time to think about it in thest month and it makes sense that you didn''t find them," Rain said. "Do you know why?"


    "No idea," Seara said.


    "Well, let me study the map for a moment, and then I will be able to say something smart," Rain said.


    Actually, Rain wasn''t able to understand anything since he didn''t have enough information, but after studying the map and seeing that there were no markings on the capital, he was able toe up with some possibilities.


    "There are no soldiers of that war in the capital at the moment? Why?" Rain asked.


    "Because you solved most of the problems that we had with magic, so we sent them where you wouldn''t be able to go," Branden exined.


    "It seems that you ended up sending them to troublesome areas without noticing¡­" Rain said while pointing to the cities that had the most disappearances around. "These ces were under Joanis control before."

 Chapter 476: Like father, like son

    After the war''s end, Branden and Esmeralda started a significant change in the leadership of their country. They opted to rece all individuals who had held any level of authority and had been involved in the war, regardless of their previous positions. It was a natural change aimed at bringing fresh faces and a new sense of responsibility to the leadership roles.


    The decision to make these changes was primarily motivated by a desire to prevent further bloodshed and internal strife. Executing those who held authority during the war was deemed a troublesome oue, as it could potentially trigger more conflict and revenge, continuing the cycle of violence.


    However, it was also understood that the individuals who were reced might have had some involvement in the unexined disappearances of former soldiers after the war¡­


    "We kept those areas in check during the whole time, this time, I am sure that the people watching those guys are one hundred percent on our side," Branden said. "Besides, we cleaned all the ces and the things that Joanis had and used for the war, they shouldn''t have the resources or the money to do anything, and we one hundred percent sure that they didn''t contact those soldiers directly."


    "They still could have done it indirectly," Rain said. "Like leaving messages in some hidden ces or making others deliver those for them. Well, those are all just hypotheses. There are people disappearing in the cities and towns that Joanis had no business and allies too. Either way, this incident should be connected to the war."


    "... Do you think that perhaps they are being controlled by my father?" Esmeralda asked.


    Everyone looked a bit confused after hearing that¡­ the control that the king had over his soldiers wasn''t that high. If that were true, he wouldn''t have ended his life so easily. Everyone assumed that he ended his life after some argument with Joanis, after all. There are many mysteries about that situation¡­ Perhaps even the king didn''t know about the whole situation.


    "Do you think that perhaps the king was able to give everyone an order before dying?" Branden asked. "One that they are only following now?"


    "I think so¡­ the first disappearances started two years ago and they slowly increased in number," Esmeralda exined. "They didn''t steal anything or do anything aside from disappearing. That is too calctive¡­ all in order to erase their traces."


    "What do you think your father told them to do?" Rain asked.


    "I am not sure¡­ father was one hundred percent certain of their Victory in the war, until he saw you fighting," Esmeralda said. "Still, seeing you fight Seadrei could have changed his mind, but not so fast¡­ I believe that Joanis was the one who made him do that and realize the true limits of his power."


    That makes sense¡­ Joanis was smart enough to cut the losses as soon as possible toe up with the next n, but even at the cost of his own life? At the same time, that didn''t make much sense since there were signs that the king and Joanis fought, so that didn''t add up.


    "Well, this doesn''t reveal anything yet, but it confirms the link between this and the war¡­ Joanis died, but his legacy lingers on," Seara said while studying the map. "Considering that we have hundreds of people guarding the coast, I can only imagine that those people disappeared through the air."


    "... That would make sense, people that still want to continue Joanis work and pretty much everyone else knows that the sea folk are our allies, using the ocean to escape would be impossible," Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "Do we have a map of the world here? The enemies definitely didn''t escape to that ind where I freed you," Rain said. "We need to analyze the possible hideouts."


    "We don''t have such a thing¡­ humans only ventured so far in thest ten thousand years into the magic people territory and the beast people," Esmeralda exined.


    "What about gramps, Seara?" Rain asked.


    "Don''t call him gramps¡­ he is your father now too, even though both of you feel your back itchy when you refer to each other as father and son," Seara frowned. "We have arge map of the ocean, but not even we have the whole map of the ocean¡­ there are sea dragons, too, you know, and while they don''t attack us, they don''t like it when we get closer to their territory."


    As expected, the dragons were getting in the way again¡­ it seemed that Rain would have to do some exploration eventually to make a decent world map. He had enough mana and speed to cross countries within days, crossing the world in a week or two shouldn''t be impossible.


    "We don''t have to consider that for now," Branden said once he realized what Rain was thinking. "We don''t have enough reason to lock down all of the soldiers of that war, we don''t even have enough jails for all of them as well, but we can increase our surveince on them. Thank you for your insight, Rain. We can take it from here. You should also take your kids before they pull out all of my hair."


    Rain nodded and took his kids back¡­ he wanted some action in his life again, but he also wanted to enjoy that period of his life. His kids won''t be toddlers forever, and he wanted to see them grow and make them understand that he wasn''t going to be their father, but their friend as well.


    If the enemies are plotting something again, Rain will kill those guys without hesitation¡­ they had their second chances, they won''t have their third chances.


    When Rain returned home, he decided to train a bit more while letting his kids chase some water bubbles in the air. But soon, he heard another this¡­ this time, thanks to his stance, he was able to see why Danny had fallen again¡­ he was trying to copy Rain with his handstands.

 Chapter 477: Unfinished business

    "Geez, you really want to be as cool as papa, right Danny?" Rain while cleaning his son¡¯s face. "You have to wait for a bit before you can exercise like me."


    Annie was grinning again, but she tried to hide it when she saw Rain¡­ she was quite smart, so Rain couldn¡¯t help but worry about her future. A kid that much cunning probably will face some hardships if she thinks that she is smarter than others.


    "This looks like a job for me," Rain said. "Maybe you two are too young for that, but learning a bit of magic will make you understand the power of hard work. Elemental magic might be too dangerous, but healing magic can be taught and it will help protect you all."


    Rain was skipping several important steps¡­ like the fact that his kids couldn¡¯t even draw a sphere yet. Learning magic will take a while, but Rain was that kind of guy. Even though he dotted his sisters too, now he couldn¡¯t help but do the same to his kids.


    The healer¡¯s path could only be unlocked at level seventy of the human path, but Rain knew some tricks to make his kids learn as much experience as possible and he decided to teach them all of those.


    "All right, kids," Rain said. "You two didn¡¯t learn how to write and read yet, but you will get a ton of experience by calcting pi until the one hundredth house, keep it up. After that, you will memorize the periodic table, and then I will teach you Meditation and then Meditation Mastery¡­ in a few weeks, you should unlock the healer¡¯s path."


    Naturally, Danny and Annie had no idea what Rain was talking about, but it seemed interesting, so they didn¡¯t run away from him. It was really refreshing how easily kids get absorbed by things they never saw or experienced before.


    Rain never used Appraisal that much, but he began to use it to check the progress of his kids.


    At first, as one would expect, they had a hard time doing multiplication, but Rain persisted when he saw them leveling up on the human path after selecting the right options.


    Letting them do math at that age was difficult, so Rain had to cut some pieces of paper and make them understand that adding them over each other would mean the final result¡­ Rain also got some experience in the teacher¡¯s path¡­ probably, he didn¡¯t unlock that yet, but he leveled up an unknown skill while he was doing that.


    Rain¡¯s kids were getting into the lessons quite a bit, even more so when they realized that they were getting stronger. Danny was still trying to do his handstands, but he wasn¡¯t sniffing anymore when he failed. His endurance and Vitality increased, after all.


    Annie was also behaving more¡­ and since they were using their heads a bit more than usual, they were sleeping early and causing less trouble for Terra.


    "I was wondering what you were doing with them¡­" Terra said when she found the tools to help the kids do math and memorize all sorts of things. "Do you want them to be as smart and strong as you?"


    "It will be interesting to see them surpassing me," Rain exined. "That way, I won¡¯t have to worry about their future that much."


    That goal kept Rain busy and satisfied, seeing his kids grow was something that he never experienced in his previous life¡­ still, it seemed that those peaceful days would have to take a break. The next morning, Dana suddenly appeared at Rain¡¯s home looking a bit tired, it seemed that something had happened overnight.


    "Big bro, they are in the mountains¡­" Dana said while she was trying to catch her breath. "They appeared overnight and they are setting their camps there and preparing to invade."


    "The beast people?" Rain frowned. "Why now?"


    "I don¡¯t know, we haven¡¯t crossed their side in ages," Dana said.


    Just when Rain had decided to forget about the situation with the people disappearing¡­ was that a coincidence? There was no point in assuming anything until they found more information.


    "Did you see the beast king?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, but he was different from the one that you described," Dana replied. "The beast king that we saw was simr, but it was a tall red woman that had ws on her fists."


    "Maybe they choose a new one, maybe the ten years period have already ended," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "I will confirm if the period is over with Her Majesty and Branden, untilter," Dana said and then left.


    Rain began to scratch the back of his head¡­ Seara will soon be informed of that since she was working and Terra was in the orphanage. Things could be different if the beast king was the same, they kept their word for three years, after all. Still, Rain had to go there and talk with them and if that wasn¡¯t possible, he would have to use n B.


    In the end, Rain went to talk with Terra and informed her of the situation. After thinking for a while, she realized that this time, Rain shouldn¡¯t be left out of the loop.


    "I will have two days off the day afterwards, so I will head there as well," Terra said. "You should take the kids with you since it has been a while since Father and Mother saw them."


    "What if that will be a warzone," Rain asked.


    "Isn¡¯t it obvious? You are the fastest guy here, I am sure you can take our kids to safety," Terra said while frowning. "Just do the usual, and everything will be fine, and by the usual, I don¡¯t mean getting hurt and all messed up."


    Terra had a point, the kids will be the safest with him and he wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid when he had to guard them. Still, it was weird¡­ Rain didn¡¯t feel as confident as before.

 Chapter 478: Back again

    When Dana returned, Rain was already ready to depart. Using an ice tform would be the quickest way to move, but the cold would be too much for his kids, so he used the earth one. After they let the capital through the air, the vehicle was as stable as if it could be, even though it was moving like a bullet.


    "What did they say?" Rain asked.


    "We can''t assemble an army right now without using the former soldiers of the war, at least not one that can stop the beast people," Dana said. "They want to keep informed while they look for another solution. As for the period of the beast kings, apparently, it was supposed to end in two years"


    Joanis truly left a mess in their hands¡­ they basically used and found a way to control all the possible soldiers in the country with their tools and magic and now they didn''t have any other options when thousands of them suddenly disappeared.


    Rain couldn''t help but think that he should have thought of a way to deal with that, but since life was being good and peaceful, he didn''t care about such things happening. In times of war, he used his head as much as possible, and then he decided to enjoy the peace that they deserved, but now it looked like he enjoyed his peace too much.


    "Papa, are you angry?" Danny asked while touching Rain''s cheek.


    "No, I am just thinking¡­" Rain said and then sighed when he realized that his tension was affecting his kids, even Annie was quieter than usual.


    "Come here, Danny, Annie," Dana said. "Big sis will y with you."


    "Big sis? Not auntie?" Rain asked.


    "I am not old to be called auntie, don''t forget it," Dana said. "If they start to call me auntie, I will kick your ass, big bro."


    "That is a risk I am willing to ept since that will be amusing to see you getting flustered," Rain smiled.


    Rain''s sisters were still on their puberty, so it was natural that they would dislike that. In any case, the group reached their destination when the sun was setting and Rain confirmed that the area didn''t change that much.


    The house of his grandparents was the same as ever, but some other buildings were around since the people that Rain had freed before the war decided to keep working for him and life in the country was peaceful enough for them.


    In the end, only Rain''s grandparents were in the area to greet them, but it was only natural that it would be the case and despite the situation, they weed him withrge smiles.


    "Rain!" Luana said with arge smile as she approached her great-grandchildren, "It seems that you truly end up bringing them. Leave them to me! Oh my¡­ they be even cuter as they grow!"


    Danny was fine with Luana rubbing her chin against his face, but Annie was about to roll her eyes¡­ Meiroughed a little while seeing all that. Thest few days had been a bit tense, and that would be a good way to change their pace.


    "Is everyone waiting at the mountains?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, they are mainly hiding and watching things from afar, but it seems that the beast people can sense their eyes," Meiro replied.


    "They have good senses, after all¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    Rain wondered if it was a good idea to go and talk with the beast people at night¡­ they might feel more guarded and attack him on sight. In the end, he decided to meet everyone and leave his kids with his grandparents.


    "Dana, stay here in case something happens or a new message arrives, okay?" Rain asked. "I am just going to see the others and wait until morning."


    "What if they attack at night?" Dana asked.


    "Then, I will stop them and force them to listen and then use n B if we don''t have any other option," Rain readily replied.


    Dana gulped¡­ n B was quite something and it was risky as well, but it was the best option to gain time and prevent that the situation esctes too fast.


    "All right," Dana said.


    Rain used the underground tunnel and kept moving toward the mountains. While sliding in the water, he reached the area in no time and found his family and friends hidden and watching the surroundings through holes on the ground.


    "Don''t make much noise," Rain said when he found his parents, Kei, G, and some of the workers that were helping them.


    "You came fast¡­ sorry for that, Rain," Roan said.


    "Where are the kids, Terra and Seara?" Leiah asked.


    Seara probably wasn''t informed of this yet and Terra wille in two days if we don''t solve this situation soon enough," Rain exined. "Danny and Annie are with grandma and grandpa¡­ hmm, it seems that they are setting a base in the mountains."


    Jori and Reca were living in the south for thest three years and they probably won''t join them. The reason for that was the fact that Reca gave birth three times in thest three years¡­ once the first girl came, the others began to pop out one after the other. It was quite the insane pace.


    Asche and Liss were investigating the disappearance of the soldiers, and since they had been working a lot with Seara, Rain couldn''t count on them.


    In any case, Rain used his earth magic to sense everything in arge area and he could feel the beast people knocking down a bunch of trees and then setting tents and watchtowers.


    "They could have attacked three years ago, but that didn''t happen¡­ I don''t like this," Roan said while furrowing his eyebrows. "They are also acting more organized than usual."


    "True¡­ well, nothing to worry," Rain said while considering a few things. "Rest until morning, you all look beaten. I will wake you up if something happens."

 Chapter 479: Bad news

    There was this technique that Rain wanted to test and improve, but he didn''t have the chance to use it in the capital since it gave him a headache. Going for random areas was a waste as well, but it was the perfect moment to test it.


    Rain sat cross-legged and then used his earth magic until it reached the area where the beast people were. Usually, he would stop there, but to keep an almost perfect surveince on them, Rain had to keep that spell active, but the cost of mana was insane.


    Still, to save mana and to keep himself aware of their moves, Rain used less mana, and his mana was only used when their footsteps echoed in the area of the spell¡­ thanks to that, Rain was able to tell what the beast people were doing.


    However, it consumed more mana than he expected, thanks to the distance, so he had to keep using Meditation Mastery to have enough mana to keep the spell active. It wasn''t half bad, though.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The Wiseman''s Path received 300 experience points.


    "I should reach level fifty already¡­ I kept it at this level for far too long," Rain thought.


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 189 (16.000/18.900)


    Current Path: Wiseman''s Path (Lv 47 (3300/4700)


    Health: 20.830/20.830


    Mana: 57.720/57.720


    Stamina: 21.890/21.890


    Strength: 1926


    Dexterity: 1766


    Intelligence: 2994


    Vitality: 2082


    Wisdom: 5252


    Endurance: 2220


    Luck: 376


    Free Points: 100


    Main Skills:


    [Grand Arcane Infusion Lv 52)


    [Meditation Mastery Lv 51]


    [Wisdom Blessing Lv 31]


    [Mana Burst Lv 11]


    [Schr''s Insight Lv 10]


    Support Skills:


    [Iron Resilience Lv 47]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 57]


    [Grounded Initiate Lv 22]


    [Second Wind Lv 40]


    [Iron Defense Lv 43]


    Language reached the max level, finally. So, Rain was able to equip a more useful support skill¡­ Thanks to that, he realized that he was able to use the skillpletely even when it wasn''t equipped¡­ he never imagined that it would work like that, but it made sense.


    Since it had been mastered, it didn''t have to be equipped because Rain knew the ins and outs of the skill¡­ if it actually could be called a skill. Still, he was wondering what other skills would be faster to master¡­ eighteen years to masternguage had been far too much time.


    In any case, when morning came, Rain was a bit confused since the beast people didn''t make any suspicious movements¡­ they should have at least tried to check the area ahead a bit. At the same time, the others kept sleeping for a while since they had to work for several hours nonstop and keep guard duty as well. In the end, they only woke up when they got hungry.


    "Sorry, it seems that we lost our edge," Roan said. "Who could have thought that peace would have such a double edged sword."


    "It is fine. I also don''t feel like usual," Rain said. "Anyway, I am going ahead first. some of them should recognize me, and they will feel less guarded if I go alone."


    "What about traps?" Leiah asked.


    "They aren''t like that, so that it will be fine," Rain shook his head. "Besides, I confirmed that they didn''t prepare that kind of thing while I was on guard duty. Well, untilter."


    Everyone wondered if that was fine¡­ proceeding without a clear n seemed risky, but in the end, there wasn''t much that they could do with their numbers alone.


    Rain left the underground tunnel as fast as possible and then quickly sealed it when he confirmed that the area wasn''t being watched and soon began to walk toward the mountains. It didn''t take long for him to feel the atmosphere changing¡­ the beast people found him, and they began to emit their bloodlust.


    "I am really rusty¡­ I believe that I trained hard, but three years ago, this much bloodlust wouldn''t have bothered me," Rain thought.


    Climbing the mountain had been easy with magic, so Rain reached their base one hourter. At the same time, Rain found five hundred beast people ring at him and ready to attack.


    "Call the beast king, and I thought that we had a deal," Rain said. "Are you going to pretend that we didn''t agree on not bothering each other?"


    "The beast king died. We have a beast queen now," The beast woman that Dana mentioned stepped forward while oozing bloodlust.


    Rain chose to adopt a fa?ade of ignorance concerning the change in their leadership. He wanted the new leaders to believe that they were not under close spionage, allowing him and his group to operate discreetly. This approach was designed to create an illusion of being less of a threat than they truly were and ensure they could gather information without raising suspicion.


    As for the appearance of the Beast Queen, she bore a striking resemnce to the Beast King. She, too, was a red orangutan, distinguished by her impressive golden armor, which radiated a royal aura. What set her apart were the golden ws she wore as additional armament.


    These razor-sharp, gilded weapons not only amplified her fearsome appearance but also hinted at herbat prowess and authority as the ruler of the beast tribe. Her presence wasmanding, exuding an air of power and determination.


    "Since he died, the deal is over then?" Rain asked while furrowing his eyebrows.


    "... The deal is over because you humans killed him!" The beast queen roared.


    Rain frowned¡­ they either had gone insane, or something really happened while Rain and the others were leaving in peace. They didn''t have time to pick fights with others.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about, but we didn''t attack anyone,'' Rain said. "If you stopped hugging trees all the time, you would have known that we lived in peace in thest three years. We didn''t send anyone to kill the beast king. I already defeated him, and I could have killed him."

 Chapter 480: Fissure

    The beast people clench their teeth, Rain had a point, but their hatred was real¡­ if they were truly that indignant, then it was true: their king died at the hands of a human, but Rain was definitely the strongest human. Maybe he should create a martial arts tournament to confirm that. One where killing was allowed, and people would be able to vent their anger at him.


    "... Did you see the person who killed the beast king, any witness?" Rain asked.


    "A single person challenged our leaders, and he had the smell of a human," the beast queen said while clenching her fists to the point that they began to bleed. "He killed them all by smashing their heads in our sacred arena. Such disrespect won''t go unchallenged. You all will suffer the same fate."


    Now that was something insane to hear¡­ a single human defeated all of the tribe leaders? Maybe the current Rain would be able to pull it off, but not unscathed¡­ considering the tone of the beast queen, the enemy didn''t even show their face, and through those hard battles, they didn''t suffer a single scratch, even against the beast king, that wasn''t something that Rain would be able to pull off.


    "I won''t say that I understand your anger, but we didn''t do that. It was probably a criminal," Rain said. "If you give us the details of the appearance of the criminal, we can help you look for them."


    "We didn''t see his face, but if we kill all humans, he eventually will die¡­ prepare yourselves," The beast queen said while her eyes were bloodshot thanks to her rage.


    "Is that so¡­ well, that is a pity," Rain said and then shrugged.


    Rain touched the ground, and then the mountains began to tremble. The beast people raised their guard and prepared to fight, but soon something else happened. The moment was surreal, almost apocalyptic. As the ground trembled and mountains that had stood for centuries seemed to defy nature, they split in two with a cataclysmic rumble.


    A massive, unrelenting force tore through the heart of the range, creating a colossal fissure that extended for several kilometers in a straight line. It was a gaping chasm, a hundred meters wide, that seemed to hunger for the very earth it had ripped apart. The once-majestic peaks now stood like broken remnants of an age-old empire, dwarfed by the sheer scale of the geological upheaval.


    The ground shuddered, and thend itself seemed to mourn the violent transformation that had befallen it.


    When the trembling ended, the beast people saw that the fissure was insane deep as well, it was impossible to see the bottom¡­ they gulped, imagining that they would have to face Rain, someone who was able to do that, but soon they recovered their fighting spirit¡­ if he were truly that strong, he would have killed them, but he didn''t it.


    "This won''t stop us," The beast queen said.


    "I know, but I will," Rain said before turning around and leaving the area with Impulse.


    That fissure had been created thanks to the hard work of Rain''s sisters. They lived there for many years and slowly increased the size of the underground fissure. Rain just gave the final push¡­


    In the end, Rain sighed when he met the others and exined the situation. As much as him, they werepletely shocked by the fact that there was a warrior stronger than Rain able to defeat all the tribe leaders of the beast people. They also felt much more troubled because another war was going to start, and a lot of people would die thanks to some bastard.


    "Who is this guy?" Roan frowned. "It is hard to imagine that a powerful warrior wouldy low for so many years and suddenly just do such a thing. If Joanis had such a person on his side¡­ then why didn''t he use him?"


    "Maybe it was his son?" Leiah asked. "Although he supposedly lost his family twenty years ago, maybe he had another that he actually treated well¡­"


    That was also hard to imagine¡­ in any case, Rain and everyone else had to be careful of this person, and they had to inform their allies. If that person could kill all the tribe leaders, then his friends, or even Rain, wouldn''t be safe.


    "We have to alert everyone and make them move in groups of at least five¡­ Jori and Reca need some help," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully, wondering what he could do about them.


    "Why not call them to live with us for a while?" Leiah asked. "If both incidents are connected, then we all need to stay together."


    "Rain, you should inform the magic people of that as well. We should have some time until the beast people make their move," Roan said.


    Rain nodded¡­ he had to inform everyone, and he was the fastest person for the job, so he soon left the area in a hurry. After saying bye to his kids for a moment, Rain flew to the capital as fast as he could. He quickly informed Terra, Branden, and Esmeralda.


    "... It seems that the times of peace ended¡­" Terra said while showing aplicated expression. "I will ask someone to take my ce in the orphanage. It still is my job to make sure that you won''t kill yourself in some of those fights."


    "We were about to start the n to train more soldiers in a smarter way, but that will have to be dyed," Branden rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe we should ask the sea folk for help."


    "That won''t do it¡­ that will put them at odds," Esmeralda said. "We can''t let this war escte. We just have to keep repelling them to avoid problems."


    "I guess it makes sense¡­" Branden said and then sighed. "Rain, alert the magic people of the danger that they might face, but you shouldn''t reveal too much information about our situation."

 Chapter 481: Again, the rabbit path

    The situation had always been a ticking time bomb, destined to explode sooner orter. With the constant interactions between the magic people and the human kingdom, it was only a matter of time before the details of the conflicts between them and the beast people became known.


    Rain understood that many of the magic people still harbored deep-seated animosity towards humans, and it was inevitable that some of the more militant tribes among them would seek to reignite the mes of war. He knew that he''d have to confront these issues head-on before they escted into a more significant and troublesome conflict.


    The delicate bnce of peace in their shared world was fragile, and he needed to be prepared for the challenges thaty ahead.


    In the end, Rain found Jodar at the council hall alone. It had been two years since he saw him, but he could tell that he looked a bit more rxed, even though it was past dinner time and he was still working.


    "Rain? This is one unexpected visit," Josar furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought that you were busy raising your kids."


    "The duty called and I decided to warn you about a suspicious person that you might find in the future," Rain said.


    Rain quickly got to the point where he wanted to return as soon as possible¡­ During the whole time, Josar didn''t seem surprised by what he had heard¡­ that was weird. If humans were surprised by the existence of such a person, why wasn''t he?


    "It seems that things are changing once again and we are entering another age," Josar rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We found some signs on the sea of ghost ships¡­ I suppose we were lucky, but it seems that someone has been hunting and killing pirates, a lot of them, actually. It might be this person."


    "It could be, but if that were the case, I wonder why the sea folk didn''t find them," Rain said.


    "That is because we found them on the southern sea," Josar said.


    The southern sea was notorious for its chilling waters and frigid temperatures, a region that the sea folk found rather hard to deal withstand. It was an area where they rarely ventured, despite having established their waterway to connect various regions of the world thanks to Rain''s help.


    The sea folk preferred to stick to the more warmer and rxing regions, making the southern sea a rarely visited and less explored part of everyone''s territories.


    "This looks like a job for me," Rain said.


    "Does it?" Josar asked. "Won''t you face some problems thanks to the beast people?"


    "I''d rather notment on that," Rain shrugged.


    "That is the right thing to do¡­ I will keep that quiet on my end as well and just inform my people to keep cautious about such a person," Josar said. "Should we tell everyone that a criminal that escaped from your country and is being hunted by you all? A bounty would make things more convincing."


    "I suppose one hundred gold coins would do the trick," Rain said.


    "It certainly would," Josar nodded. "Leave that to me."


    Josar was being quite a bit cooperative, and Rain wondered if that was to drop his guard or to make one of his people marry him as well¡­ he wondered if he was being suspicious or conscious or both. Either way, he finished his job and began to fly home at top speed.


    Rain was back home at noon of the next day, and while it had been a while since he moved that fast, he didn''t mind that much. Only his butt was hurting a little. He felt annoyed that he had lost his edge more than he had expected¡­ he had to find the bnce of recovering it while not scaring his children.


    In any case, when Rain found his grandparents, he also found Terra and Seara there; they just had arrived together, and it looked like Seara had some news. Unfortunately, it was something that Rain just learned¡­


    "We found some empty pirate ships," Seara said.


    "Can we remodel them for our business?" Rain asked.


    Rain exined the conversation that he had with Josar, and in the end, Seara felt like she wasted thest few days looking for more ships once she heard about the suspicious figure. Both incidents were connected, but not in the way she had imagined.


    "Jori and Reca''s home aren''t connected to the underground tunnels, right?" Seara asked while massaging her temples. "I can''t go and warn them fast enough since that is the case."


    "It is fine, and I will bring them up," Rain said and saw the bags under Seara''s eyes. "You can go and rest for a while, too. Nothing happened so far here, so you don''t have to worry about it. I will be counting on you for a while to put the kids at ease, Terra."


    "You do that a lot better than me¡­ as much as I hate to admit it," Terra shrugged.


    "Understood," Seara nodded.


    Rain quickly left to find Jori and Reca¡­ it seemed that the gang was getting together again after three years¡­e to think of it, Rain forgot to ask about Liss and Asche¡­ they probably would keep investigating the disappearance of the soldiers, but they will have to keep a low profile with more focus now.


    Although he needed to rest a bit himself since he hadn''t slept in three days, Rain kept going while thinking about the possibilities of the whole situation.


    Only crazy ideas came to his mind, probably because he was tired¡­ things like perhaps Joanis didn''t die and he used some relic to transfer his soul to another body to things like another human had been reincarnated in that world andid low now to gain power and eventually take over it¡­ adding to his crazy thoughts, when Rain found Jori and Reca, he found their three kids and Reca with a fourth one iing.

 Chapter 482: Limitations

    "What a crazy pace¡­" Rain said and then facepalmed. "No wonder you guys don''t visit anyone."


    "No way, it is normal¡­ for us, considering how we held back when we were working," Jori said whileughing while his oldest son was pulling his hair with both hands and pretty hard.


    "You asshole¡­ are you bragging?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "You are courting death! Anyway, where is Reca?"


    "She is sleeping. She does that a lottely, even though the kids are always making noise," Jori said.


    The oldest boy was on Jori''s shoulder, pulling his hair, and the oldest girl and the second were in front of the house ying with water while they tried and failed miserably to bathe and only threw water at each other. As expected of their kids, they are quite the troublemakers.


    "Anyway, pack your things. I will exin the situation while you do that," Rain said.


    "Can you help the girls while I do that? It will save time," Jori said.


    Rain sighed¡­, but in the end, Jori had a point. Still, soon, he regretted that because those kids were hard to deal with. While Rain tried to make them hurry up, they threw water at him. Eventually, Rain got tired of it and used his magic to make them bath and then used wind magic to dry them up.


    "I always knew that my kids are little angels, but I didn''t think that most other kids are like walking nightmares," Rain thought.


    "Don''t frown while looking at them¡­" Reca said and then she yawned.


    "Hey, it has been a while, did you hear everything?" Rain asked.


    "More or less," Reca said, and then she approached. "Someone insane arrived and decided to pick a fight with the beast people and now we have another war in our hands¡­ at least that is your assumption, right?"


    "Destabilizing the human country when we are just about to make a fulleback seems his current goal¡­ but aside from that, I guess his goal has also been¡­" Rain muttered and then opened his eyes widely. "To get stronger¡­"


    War, for better or worse, had often been a crucible where individuals were forged into something more powerful. Rain understood this well, having survived countless battles and killed numerous adversaries. It was through these trials and confrontations that he had grown stronger, both in body and reputation.


    His strength inbat earned him the title of a hero, celebrated and revered for his skills and strength.


    "Killing the tribe leaders certainly made him stronger, but if he was already strong enough to defeat them without suffering a single scratch, he could have gotten stronger by killing other beast people," Rain said. "Why didn''t he do that?"


    "That is for you to find out," Reca said.


    The number of things that didn''t make sense or were still a mystery were increasing with every passing moment, so Rain felt like sighing. Was there any point in finding one answer only to find two more questions ahead of it?


    In any case, when everything was finished, the group began to fly toward Rain''s grandparent house. During the whole time, Rain sighed since Jori and Reca''s kids were quiet¡­ energetic and they didn''t stop moving at all. Pulling his hair, trying to grab his guards, asking him to throw water at them. At least they could spend energy fast, and when they fell asleep, the peace was blissful.


    "Aren''t they angels?" Jori asked while smiling, seeing his whole family sleeping together in the corner of the chamber.


    "... To each their own," Rain shrugged.


    "We didn''t see each other in two years, I thought that you would be three meters tall by now and your whole body would be covered in veins," Jori said. "I guess you have been cking off on training too."


    "Yeah, right¡­ I am one hundred percent human, moron," Rain frowned. "While I wouldn''t mind getting taller, that would make me slower, so I am fine with my height."


    "Still, your aura seems different than before," Jori said. "A lot softer than before, I can understand why, though. Peaceful and happy lives made us softer."


    Rain couldn''t agree more¡­ everything has a price in the world, even if that price isn''t out in the open to be seen. In any case, the group arrived at their base I''d operations a couple of hourster, and after some brief small talk, they went back to business.


    "Around fifteen hundred of them are already there and their camp keeps expanding," Roan dered. "We are keeping our eyes on them, but they keep moving to the sides of the fissure, trying to find their extension and split us. The worst case scenario is if they began to cross the fissure in small numbers to attack the viges in the area.


    We don''t have many soldiers here, and they can''t even move properly since the peace made themzy."


    "It seems that we aren''t as in bad shape as we imagined," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Anyway, I can probably track them down once they cross the fissure, but I will try to stay in this area in order to keep my tracking domain as big as possible¡­ to avoid issues, I need to improve it in order to identify the power level of those people when they try to cross the fissure."


    "Why not make a big golem to scare them off?" Kei asked, showing her usual deadpan expression.


    "The big ones can only reach five meters of height using the limits of the skill, while I can customize that, I will have to control itpletely and the size will only double," Rain exined. "That won''t scare the beast people since their second warrior was a ten-meter-tall guy."


    "So, Rain won''t be able to fight. We will have a lot of work on our hands," Seara said.


    "I will fight in a different way, but you can''t do that. We can''t let them think that the sea folk are their enemies too," Rain said.

 Chapter 483: Warning

    "That is not fair. This ce is one of my homes, too," Seara protested.


    "I know, but you can''t let them think that they should attack your brethren at sight, too," Rain said. "Rx. I will make things easier for everyone, so you won''t have to worry about letting them do all the heavy lifting."


    "... How are you nning to do that?" Seara asked.


    "Hehehe, that is for me to know and for you to find out," Rain grinned from ear to ear.


    "Don''t smile like that when our kids are around," Terra frowned.


    "Sorry¡­ Anyways¡­ just trust me, okay?" Rain said. "Although I am a bit rusty, the ideas are returning to my head now that there are some problems that I need to solve. Wait for a bit until I prepare myself."


    Although Rain said that, he immediately headed to the mountains using the underground paths. Still, once he arrived there, he just sat down and began to meditate. Everyone thought that he was just recovering the mana that he had used, but in fact, he was doing some mental training while envisioning what he


    Night came and passed without anyone realizing what Rain was doing, they only noticed that something was off when the sun began to rise and they noticed that the area was still pretty dark¡­ when they went to check the outside, they noticed that the entire area was quite cloudy¡­ they were in the middle of the summer, but the mountains werepletely surrounded by dark clouds.


    "Is he going to zap everyone with his lightning bolts?" Jori asked while he was swinging his sword and frowning since his form was a mess. "I trained as much as possible in thest three years, but what the hell is this?"


    "Rain is the type that will attack first to warn the enemies and then only kill them on the second moment," Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don''t think that he will do something like that so soon."


    ¡ª ¡ª


    It was mid Summer and since the beast people had good senses, they knew that Rain was plotting something¡­ still, they couldn''t feel any bloodlust or ill intentions in the air, so they decided to ignore all that.


    Eventually, it began to snow in the area¡­ something that never happened before. The beast people began to hide in their tents and waited until the snow could stop falling¡­ even Rain wouldn''t be able to keep that spell forever and it was clear that he just wanted to buy time, but so were the beast people, they needed more allies for their invasion and more of them wereing.


    One weekter¡­ it was still snowing¡­ the beast people now had ten thousand people on their side, but they didn''t look so confident anymore¡­ now that a single person covered the mountains in snow.


    "Move all the snow to the fissure!" The beast queen shouted. "Whatever he is nning, he won''t be able to do much if we get rid of the snow."


    Some people were touched by the snow, and they didn''t feel anything in thest few days, so the beast queen assumed that they would be fine working outside.


    It was a pity that they didn''t have high magic skills to dispel all the snow, but they made up for it with their physical strength and soon they began to clean the whole mountain that they were camping¡­ despite that, the snow never stopped falling. Even if it was just a bit at a time like usual.


    Eventually, when they had twenty thousand warriors on their side, the beast queen decided to make their move. She called the new leaders of the tribes to give her orders.


    "I want you all to split your tribes in groups with ten warriors and cross the fissure in different spots," the beast queen said. "I don''t smell a lot of warriors here, so they won''t be able to stop us all. We can''t cross the fissure while carrying supplies, but this area produces a lot of food. Gather what you can do,re enough for a moment, and destroy the rest.


    It is time to make them pay for letting such disgusting beings run wild."


    Even though she was their queen, it was rare for the tribes to follow such orders without voicing any sort ofints. That showed how much they were interested in the cause they were.


    Still, as soon as the whole group began to leave that mountain at night, something worrisome happened. Their bodies started to get cold and they began to shiver¡­ it was night and the temperature dropped, but not that much. Moreover, it wasn''t windy¡­ they didn''t feel any spell being activated either.


    When the beast queen realized what was happening and that her soldiers were unable to move behind the mountain, she quickly left her tent and approached the fissure, only to see Rain and his friends there. Less than fifteen people, and yet, they weren''t afraid of a confrontation.


    "Give the order for your soldiers to fall back," Rain said. "If they try to make any move that makes me think that they want to cross the fissure, they will die."


    "I will not," The beast queen said while clenching her fists and teeth.


    As the fissure split the two sides of the mountain, some of the beast people, daring and furious, attempted to leap across the chasm in a single leap to attack and rip Rain''s throat. He could easily feel their bloodlust¡­


    With their strong, powerful legs, theyunched themselves with incredible force. However, as they crossed through the air, something weird happened. A numbing chill descended upon them, and their movements slowed unnaturally. In a matter of moments, their entire bodies were encased in a shimmeringyer of ice.


    These once-daring individuals became entrapped in frozen, coffin-like forms, suspended mid-air, their audacious leaps forever stilled.


    In the next moment, they began to fall to the darkness of the fissure, and no one heard the sound of them hitting the bottom of it¡­

 Chapter 484: Differences

    "This what is going to happen to you all if you try to do anything, emit any bloodlust and you are done," Rain dered.


    The other beast warriors enraged at Rain moved forward to jump again, but they only took a few steps before they eventually were covered in ice as well¡­ dozens of them froze instantly, but that wasn''t enough, Rain had to show that his words had a true meaning and made them fall on the fissure.


    The skill Frostbite received 500 experience points.


    The Polymath''s path received 50 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite received 500 experience points.


    The Polymath''s path received 50 experience points.


    ¡­


    Even after seeing that, the beast people kept charging to attack Rain; they truly didn''t fear death and as such, Rain granted them that.


    The beast queen kept her expression the same as usual as her people died in front of her, but after the two hundredth of them died, she eventually realized that Rain''s magical power wouldn''t end¡­ he used that spell to kill all of them if he had to and he probably had the means to do so.


    "... Retreat," The beast queen said, and then all of the soldiers stopped.


    The Beast Queen''s face contorted with a clear sight of pure hatred and annoyance as she retreated, her serious gaze locked onto Rain. Her eyes burned with a furious intensity, expressing her deep-seated resentment and frustration. Every step she took carried the weight of her determination to continue the battle, for it was clear that she saw this confrontation as an unfinished business.


    Her re was like a dagger, trying to reach into Rain''s very soul, promising that their enmity would persist for a very long time, no matter how the current situation yed out. It was a chilling testament to the fierce animosity that had developed between them, setting the stage for future confrontations that would undoubtedly be just as intense, if not more so.


    "This is far from over, isn''t it?" Jori asked while frowning.


    "Yep¡­ they will regroup and try to cross the fissure all at once when we drop our guard in a few weeks, or when they think that we did that," Rain said.


    "How did you do that, big bro?" Dana asked. "I know that the spear and your forearm and shin guards helped, but even so, to make it snow for a week¡­"


    "You just have to use the right moment and conditions and use your magic to do the rest," Rain exined while messing with Dana''s hairstyle. "I used the cold of the night to gather as much cold as possible and kept my focus on that while pouring my mana on the snow clouds. I only had to keep them in the area after using all my mana, so that didn''t consume as much mana as it did in the beginning.


    As for the technique itself, the snowkes were filled with mana, so I made their bodies absorb the water. The cold weather didn''t make them get rid of the water that they had absorbed, so I just used it to freeze all the water in their bodies."


    "Isn''t that the same thing that the king did against you?" Roan furrowed his eyebrows.


    "It is close enough," Rain smiled. "I can''t control them, I can only make them feel a bit cold or turn them into ice coffins."


    Still, that was one heck of an ability¡­ with enough time and resources, Rain would be able to stop whole armies without moving a single finger¡­ it was useful, but it had a bunch of conditions attached to it. Nothing is perfect.


    "Let''s retreat and inform Branden and Esmeralda that we bought some time," Rain said.


    Everyone at the base sighed in relief when they learned that they were able to dy the war, but things were far from over and peaceful. For one, Jori''s kids didn''t know how to stop, and they kept bothering everyone. They really liked to be carried on the people''s shoulders as well.


    Despite that, things got quite lively there. Meiro and Luana didn''t dislike that. They liked Rain''s children, but it seemed that they behaved too well¡­ even though Rain spoiled them rotten.


    "Seara went to pass the message to Her Majesty and Branden, what now?" Terra asked.


    "We need more information about the whole situation, mainly about this suspicious guy," Rain said. "Aside from that, we just have to keep using all the tricks necessary to stop the beast people. I can keep the weather conditions in the mountain range at half of that power, but I won''t be able to move from here, and the cold will eventually affect the crops in the area."


    "I suppose not even you can shape the way you want andpletely the clouds," Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It seems that giving the human who killed the tribe leaders to the beast people could solve the situation¡­ or maybe not. In the first ce, capturing such a person alive is too risky."


    "Finding him will be too difficult in the first ce," Jori added. "Can''t you use your magic in the whole world, Rain? If we use enough potions¡­"


    "Wow, I didn''t think that you respected my abilities that much, but the idea is simply insane," Rain said. "Provided that if weren''t, it still wouldn''t be enough. We need to assume that this person has ties with Joanis and probably ess to his knowledge and tools as well. With that in mind, finding him with magic will be difficult."


    Everyone went silent after that¡­ tracking down arge force was easy because they can''t erase all of their traces. They were learning in the worst way possible how it was annoying to track down an extremely small force¡­ that was probably something that the enemy learned from the previous war.


    Rain and his friends moved around almost freely since they didn''t have arge force, while the king''s army couldn''t do that.

 Chapter 485: Few options

    Over thest three years, Rain and his group had meticulously conducted investigations into Joanis''s wealth and possessions, thoroughly scouring every detail of his fortune. They hoped to uncover clues about the source of his knowledge and abilities. While they sessfully gained insights into many aspects of his life, the true origins of his power remained covered in mystery.


    Their investigations showed that Joanis had amassed significant wealth, which they imed as their own to rebuild the kingdom. It was clear that he had crafted unique crystals used for the creation of potent anti-magic and anti-physical attack barriers. These crystals required a sinisterponent¡ªblood, possibly from unwilling sources.


    Yet, the exact process for creating these crystals remained a closely unknown secret, preventing Rain and hispanions from replicating them.


    The group found themselves at an impasse. Their pursuit of knowledge and power has reached a roadblock, leaving them to grapple with the tantalizing enigma of Joanis'' knowledge and the means by which he had harnessed them.


    "It is kind of troubling that Joanis didn''t leave any traces of how he obtained his knowledge, but he was the type of guy who considered his fall and even prepared for it," Roan said while he was sparring with Rain. "But I guess we don''t have time to think about that. What should we do next?"


    Rain didn''t know¡­ so he just got silent when his father swung his sword, and then he blocked the weapon with a cross guard using his forearm guards before spinning his body and then kicking Roan''s left side. Roan lowered his arm and blocked the kick with his elbow, but he regretted It a bit since the shin guards were too hard.


    While Roan grunted, Rain stepped in then punched his wrists, making his father almost drop his sword, but when that happened, Roan kicked the handle of the weapon with his knee and then almost hit Rain. He jumped to the side and avoided the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    "Now, you are unarmed," Rain said. "That wasn''t bad considering most people wouldn''t be able to react to that in time."


    "No, I am not," Roan smirked, and then he used a big of earth magic to Summon a sword made of the ground. It was heavy, but it was pretty solid and would do the trick. "Anyway, I guess even you don''t know what is the next step. How about going home and waiting? No point in worrying here."


    "I doubt that I would be able to rx there, but I still think that it would be good for the kids," Rain saying and then he saw a few times that Danny and Annie fought with Jori and Reca''s kids, but I think staying here for a while will be good too, since they don''t interact with other kids that much."


    "It would be nice if you weren''t teaching them things that kids don''t understand or have no use for," Terra said while checking the papers that Rain used to make his kids learn new things.


    "I bet that even Jori doesn''t know what is nine multiplied by nine," Terra said.


    "Of course, I know. It is...¡­ eighty-one," Jori said.


    "That was one hell of a long pause," Rain frowned.


    Although Roan had a new sword, he tried to grab his old one, but Rain got in his way every single time and eventually broke the earth''s sword.


    "I admit my defeat," Roan said and then sighed. "That thing is too heavy, even though I use it to polish my form every day."


    "My turn," Jori said and then jumped.


    To kill time, Rain sparred with Jori and his father, but soon they had to stop because Seara eventually returned with some news from the capital.


    "No news about this unknown guy until now, but Asche and Liss are still working hard on it. They are traveling around trying to find any rumors rted to this guy," Seara said. "Aside from that, it seems that they are thinking of sending a force here for you guys to train. Around one hundred men."


    Rain rolled his eyes¡­ that will never work, as if they could trust an unknown one hundred people. At the same time, they didn''t have time to make them useful. Even with Rain''s support, it was unlikely that they would be able to fight the beast people.


    "Some of them are the kids that lived in Terra''s orphanage and had undergone basic training," Seara added. "The other half is the demi-humans that have been freed three years ago."


    "That improves our odds a bit, but it doesn''t seem enough¡­ and I don''t want to make those guys fight," Rain said. "It would be awesome to fight and train someone like Alion, though."


    "There is also the fact that some of them have the blood of the beast people as well," Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That couldplicate things more¡­ but I still can''t see other options."


    The group found themselves in a difficult situation, with the absence of a standing army and a number of dependable allies to rely on. Their dilemma was rooted in the risk of escting conflicts even further if they made hasty decisions regarding potential alliances. Things didn''t go well in the past thanks to those and some annoying individuals, after all.


    They were wary of the entire human kingdom, as lingering doubts from the war had soured their rtionship with many of the humans. Joining forces with some of the magic people was alsoplicated, as not all magic people were willing to set aside their grievances against humans.


    In their quest for answers Rain and hispanions found themselves at a crossroads, acutely aware of their vulnerability and the limited options avable to them. To make strategic decisions about their future, they would need to navigate theplex web of rtionships and allegiances in this tumultuous post-warndscape, all while treading carefully to avoid triggering fresh conflicts.

 Chapter 486: Apparent changes

    Rain thought about that for many days, and it seemed that the best option was truly to be real allies with the sea folk and the magic people. Rain was already married one of the princesses of the sea folk and while some of them hated his guts for that, the sea emperor was an ally.


    The same thing could be said about the magic people, he had some friends there while some of them also hated him. He lost his home two times and his father almost died thanks to them as well, but a lot of people died because of their actions. Did he have to hate all of them until thest one of them died? That was too time consuming.


    "I guess it can''t be helped, an alliance is our best option¡­" Rain said and then crossed his arms. "Most of the sea folk respect and obey gramps, right? So we don''t have to worry about someone convincing him to break an alliance, the problem are the magic people."


    "Call him father¡­ how many times do I have to say?" Seara sighed and then facepalmed.


    "The final word belongs to Her Majesty, and as you say, making it official will help things for us, but people will think that we are still too weak to be treated as equals," Roan said. "You aren''t one hundred percent sure about the magic people because of the council, right? They might change their opinions as a group based on the circumstances."


    "That is right," Rain nodded.


    "In that case, we have to find a quick way to convince them that a real alliance this time will be better than before, and actually willst," Roan said and then scratched the back of his head. "Easier said than done."


    "Why don''t you wait until the reinforcementse and then talk with Her Majesty when that happens?" Leiah asked. "You all need time to think of ways to train the troops and make them show results fast, right?"


    Leiah had a point, they had to wait one week for that, and that will be enough time to think of some things regarding both situations. During that time, Rain used his earth magic and then built some resistances for therm reinforcements.


    Since they would work together, it would be better if they lived somewhere where they would be able to live together and do everything at the same time with the others¡­ in the end, Rain built quite therge headquarters.


    When Rain finished the headquarters¡­ he wondered if he should make something simr to himself. He truly believed that only his old friends and family would never betray him, but perhaps starting an martial arts school from scratch would help¡­ if he trains kids and teenagers and treat them well, they will have fewer reasons to betray him.


    "Maybe it is worth trying¡­ I should experiment this with the people in this area," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    When Rain exined his idea to everyone, they seemed surprised¡­ the idea of sharing his training methods and techniques seemed dangerous if it fell in the hands of the enemies, but Rain only wanted to teach the physical path, not the magic one. He found it hard to believe that people would be able to follow in his footsteps after a certain age.


    Perhaps the only ones that could copy him were his kids, but Rain didn''t want to train them that hard.


    "Even if we don''t use them forbat, as long as the normal poption can defend themselves, they will be able to cause problems and slow down the enemies if an invasion takes ce, that will decrease our losses," Rain exined. "I am trying to learn a spell that makes me create copies of myself, but I can''t seem to make any progress in that field."


    "You are? That isn''t something any sane person would try to do¡­ I can''t even imagine how it would work," Terra asked while blinking several times in confusion.


    "It would be interesting to see an army of people that fight somewhat simr to Rain¡­ I bet that the enemies would shit their pants once they see them entering a fighting stance," Reca said and thenughed.


    Despite their words of encouragement, the group couldn''t help but be taken aback by Rain''s decision to start such significant changes. Forming a genuine alliance with another countries and actively training individuals to fight like him were actions that defied Rain''s typical approach. It was unusual, and they were left pondering what could have made this unexpected shift in strategy.


    One possible conclusion that crossed their minds was the notion that Rain may have experienced a decline in his self-assuredness or confidence over the three years of rtive peace.


    The absence of constant conflict and the time for reflection may have led him to reconsider his methods and priorities, ultimately driving him to seek new, more proactive ways to bolster their position in an ever-evolving world. The decision was uncharacteristic, but it left the group with the impression that Rain had his reasons, even if they weren''t immediately apparent.


    After one week, the reinforcements arrived and it seemed that they didn''te with a captain or someone of simr rank. When Rain asked them, they told him that they just followed a training regimen that Julie made them follow. She was working as Orcis and Lorene''s guard again, but she told them that she wouldn''t be their leader.


    "... For now, you guys can look for room and rest for two days overther," Rain said while pointing to the headquarters that he made for the reinforcements. "The day after tomorrow, we will start working together as soon as the sun rises. Prepare yourselves because I am not going to be gentle."


    The reinforcements knew the fame that Rain had, some of them also saw him fighting, so they were expecting great results and a very harsh training¡­ but they were excited for it.

 Chapter 487: Cold blood

    "This will be a good test¡­" Rain thought when he saw the reinforcements leaving the headquarters when the sun was rising,


    Everyone moved to the front where Rain was, and they waited for orders. Rain just made some weights for them and began to pass them and told them how to equip them.


    "As you are aware, this area is under threat of being attacked by the beast people. Thanks to thest war, we don''t have many people to trust, so only you guys have been sent," Rain exined. "Unless you think that you can defeat one hundred of the beast warriors along right now, you need to train a lot until you can almost drop dead. I am going to make you do that.


    If you want to give up at some moment, I won''t me you, so you can say that whenever you feel like it."


    A lot of the soldiers there gulped when they began to equip the weights and tried to move with them. They could move their arms since the weights there were three times lighter ifpared to the ones on their ankles, but they barely could raise their feet to walk.


    "Today, we are only going to take a simple walk, and by that, I mean you guys will," Rain said. "Take a walk around the farms in the area. No need to rush. Take your time."


    Julie trained those guys well because they immediately began to move¡­ another reason for that was the fact that they didn''t know thatpleting a fullp of the farms in the vige would be the same as walking thirty kilometers¡­


    It didn''t take long for some people to wonder if Rain was messing with them¡­ that kind of training was too basic, after all. If anyone could be strong like that, Rain wouldn''t be the only famous person around¡­ although half of the strengthes from the experience he got in the wars.


    "Are you going just to watch them?" Roan asked when he left the house and began to stretch his body.


    "I was thinking of motivating them a bit moreter, but I guess there is no better time than now," Rain said. "Do you want to join me, Dad?"


    "Why do I have the feeling that I will regret if I say yes?" Roan frowned.


    "Because your instincts are sharp," Rain said while grinning.


    In the end, Roan truly regrets his ignorance¡­ despite Rain''s words, he decides to follow him¡­ with a fifteen hundred-kilogram boulder on his back as well.


    As usual, Roan tried to bepetitive, but eventually, he paced himself when he realized that he might notplete thep if he tried to follow Rain''s pace¡­ in the end, Rain managed toplete threeps around the farm, and while he was covered in sweat when he finished, it made everyone understand that there are no shortcuts to obtain strength and that Rain was human as well.


    On the next day, everyone got up with their legs feeling really sore, so they couldn''t help but be depressed by the idea that they would have to do the same thing as before. Fortunately, they realized that they wouldn''t do that the next day.


    Instead of that, they would swing down some stone quarterstaves for quite a while¡­ Rain told them to hit the ground with it until the weapons could break¡­ the first one only pulled that off after one thousand strikes, and at that point in time, their arms were trembling.


    "I guess I am not the only one who hates leg day," Rain thought.


    Jori and Roan also joined the exercises since they felt that they could improve a lot with the training regimen that Rain had developed. He participated as well, so that was another incentive.


    In the end, on the third day, Rain made the soldiers keep the stone quarterstaves raised for six hours nonstop over their heads. On the fourth day, he made them do squats once every ten seconds with the weapon on their backs. On the fifth day, he made them do push-ups with their weapons on their backs as well.


    On the sixth day, they sparred against each other without weapons, and on the seventh, they rested their bodies by meditating.


    When the week started again, their bodies had been rested enough and they repeated the same exercises over and over again. Rain expected that some of them would give up by now, but they didn''t, and Terra seemed proud of the kids that she looked after.


    "You are pushing them harshly enough, but will it be enough?" Terra asked.


    "It is fine; just inform me when you notice any weird movements in the mountains," Rain said.


    The clouds were still there, but they weren''t affecting thend since Rain was controlling them, but he couldn''t do much aside from that. Eventually, after the second week of training ended, Terra and Rain''s sisters came with a report¡­ they saw some of the beast people that could fly almost approaching the viges.


    "You can attack them freely, but don''t attack to kill," Rain said. "Also, keep your appearances hidden, and don''t use the same types of spells."


    "Why?" Dana asked. "They are enemies, right? They tried to attack you with the intention to kill."


    "Yes, they did it, but you don''t have to go that far unless they clearly target you," Rain replied. "Save all of your energy and anger to when the battle really starts and then release it if they insist on this stupidity. Once that happens, the problem will be on their side."


    Dana seemed a bit stressedtely, and her words confirmed that she didn''t like when people threatened thend and the people that she helped in thest few years. Still, Rain believed that they shouldn''t let such hatred consume his sisters. Killing to defend themselves in a war was fine¡­ but they would feel bad if they killed some scouts in cold bloodter.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 488 Escalation

    One month had passed since Rain began to train the soldiers that were sent as reinforcements, and much to his absolute surprise, no one gave up¡­ they truly were devoted to bing stronger and following Rain''s training regimen.


    Until this point, he considered that perhaps some of them could be enemies in the future, but it was hard to imagine that Joanis would predict such a scenario where Rain would train others. They would serve well for the next step¡­


    "I am going to talk with Branden and Esmeralda. What about Gramps?" Rain asked.


    "He will arrive as soon as you go to the port town. He will have the details on the thighs on his end," Seara said.


    "All right, keep those guys training hard while I am away. I might take a bit longer to return this time," Rain said.


    Everyone nodded. While they weren''t as good as him when it came to water and ice magic, Dana, Kei, and G could do the same as him as long as he left his relics with them. So, in the unlikely chance that the beast people decide to attack while he is away, they will be able to hold them off.


    Without wasting any more time, Rain went to the capital to talk with his friends. They had already heard of his idea about the alliance, and they had some time to think about it, and it was time to hear their perspectives now.


    Much to his surprise, when Rain arrived in the throne room, he also found Asche and Liss there as well. Coincidences can be scary but also useful.


    "Hey, it has been a while," Rain said. "How have you been? Busy, I assume."


    "You have no idea," Liss said while massaging her temples. "We need a vacation once all this is over."


    "How''s Terra?" Asche asked after she crossed her arms.


    "Same as always, waiting for you toe by and see the kids call you auntie," Rain replied while grinning.


    "I guess that is unavoidable," Asche said and then sighed.


    "Rain, how are things on your side?" Branden asked.


    "The beast people are trying to scout our area, but they don''t do it so often. The reinforcements are showing promise," Rain exined. "I still have to talk with Gramps soon, so I would like to hear about your opinions on that matter."


    "We considered it, but it seems that we found some problems," Branden exined. "We need an army, one that we can trust and that can trust us. Without one, we will always be treated like a joke, and the alliance will never be considered a real thing."


    "I will do something about that, but I need a few months to finish my experiment," Rain said. "You can send more guys to be trained by me, and it doesn''t matter if they are young or old. As long as they have no fighting experience, we will be able to train them to be real allies."


    "That sounds interesting, but there is another problem¡­" Esmeralda said and then hesitated. "The magic people were attacked as well by an unidentified human."


    Rain''s face contorted with a mix of frustration and exasperation after hearing that the mysterious figure had appeared once more. The return of this relentless adversary indicated that he was determined to bring about the downfall of the human kingdom, and Rain couldn''t help but feel a sense of annoyance at the persistence and audacity of this unknown foe.


    It was bing increasingly evident that this figure posed a significant and ongoing threat, and Rain knew that dealing with the situation would require focus, careful nning, and the utmost determination to protect his people and their future.


    "What are the casualties?" Rain asked.


    "It seems that it is around one thousand¡­ all the tribe of martial artists of the magic people were killed," Esmeralda exined.


    "Everyone single one of them?" Rain asked while blinking several times.


    "... Yes," Esmeralda said.


    Continue your journey on empire


    The news of theplete extermination of an entire tribe at the hands of an unknown individual was really troublesome, and it wasn''t just about the sheer number of lives lost. What made this tragedy even more hard to ept was the irreceable loss of knowledge, experience, and culture that died along with the tribe.


    Each tribe held a unique treasure trove of wisdom, traditions, and history that could never be recovered once it was wiped out. This loss left a gaping void in the collective understanding of the world and mainly to the magic people, and the irrevocable erasure of a culture was a painful reminder of the devastating impact this unknown figure was having on the world and its people.


    "We were informed of that when we were near the border by one of Josar''s soldiers¡­" Asche exined with a serious expression on her face. "The magic people arepletely enraged since the elderly and the kids were all killed¡­ by a human that fought unarmed."


    "That sounds familiar¡­ even though the beast queen didn''t say how the tribe leaders were killed, she did say that the enemy crushed their heads¡­ I didn''t think that it had been with his fists or feet," Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Josar is keeping things in check there, but he won''t be able to do it for long," Liss added. "Your n to make a bounty for this guy didn''t work."


    "Still, this is weird¡­ their territory should be very close to the capital," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Why did he only attack that vige and ignore the others?"


    "We have no idea," Esmeralda said. "It is only a matter of time before Josar is pressured by all of the other council members to demand an answer from us. They will treat this like an international incident."


    Rain wanted to sigh¡­ he had an idea of what was going on, but he wanted to believe it, much less say it out loud. It was insane, but maybe the enemy was testing his stretch¡­ facing the tribe leaders of the beast people in one one-on-one battle had been easy for him, but now he faced one thousand warriors all at once¡­

 Chapter 489 Preparing the surprise

    "I guess I will have to ask for some favors from Gramps to help me find this guy before he bes a further nuisance," Rain said. "The beast people and the magic people will get one-half of him once I am done with this guy. Maybe that will calm them down."


    "Even if the sea emperor helps us with this, I don''t think that an alliance with the magic people is possible at this point," Esmeralda said. "They suffered too much by human hands in a few years¡­ they will be as much interested in peace as the soldiers five years ago who had lost many friends on the battlefield.


    We pulled that off since we have a king that was still respected, but the magic people are different; they have dozens of tribe leaders, and their opinions weighted the same."


    It seemed that Esmeralda didn''t have confidence that she did a good job until now; it couldn''t be helped, but it was a bit disheartening that most people didn''t think that she aplished much until now.


    "Well, it is a pity, but it couldn''t be helped," Rain shrugged. "We have a lot of enemies, it seems, and some of them will try to make us get even more enemies. We will just have to do the same as usual. Crush them all until they give up."


    "I thought that you lost your confidence for some reason, but maybe that isn''t the case," Branden said. "For now, go talk with Seadrei to decide the details and what they will need for the alliance. Asche and Liss should avoid the borders just in case and keep moving incognito. People like us will definitely be the main target of this person."


    "Understood," Asche and Liss said at the same time.


    "If things turn out right, gramps will send some reinforcements for that side of the country, and you won''t have to keep your distance that much," Rain said.


    "Let''s just hope that the reinforcements won''t be targets for this guy¡­" Liss said while showing aplicated expression.


    Liss was the quiet type, and voicing such opinions usually would make things that she was being negative, but she had a point¡­ they had to be careful to avoid further losses.


    While Rain was heading to the port city, he began to consider what the enemy would do next. It was hard to say if that guy was using some relic or not, but even if he wasn''t, his strength should be at least on Rain''s level, and he will keep getting stronger if he keeps killing people at that pace¡­ once he is certain of his power, he will probably challenge Rain and his friends.


    "My strength isn''t keeping up¡­ maybe I need a new technique to make up for it," Rain thought. "With Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, I should be stronger than this guy, but only if they are at max level and max output."


    Rain had already honed his techniques to a level that made him an exceptionally fearsome warrior, effectively utilizing his mana and stamina to their limits. The prospect of learning new techniques that would further deplete these vital energy sources seemed impractical, as he was already pushing the boundaries of his magical and physical endurance.


    Considering alternative methods that might draw upon his health as an energy source was a dangerous possibility. Rain knew that his battles often concluded with him heavily wounded, and depleting his health through a new technique could very well be a death sentence. It was a delicate bnce he had to maintain between pushing his limits and preserving his well-being.


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    He was a father now, and he had to consider his well-being more thoroughly for his family as well, not only for himself. The stakes were high, and making the wrong choice could prove catastrophic in future conflicts.


    "I have been thinking about that, but maybe I should ask him for details¡­ it is hard to think if he knows itpletely," Rain squinted his eyes.


    When Rain arrived in the port town, he paid a visit to Orcis and Lorene. While he exined the situation to them as well, he watched the port town through the windows of Orcis'' office. Things were pretty normal there, peaceful¡­ Rain wondered if that peace would soon be stopped there as well.


    On the other side of the room, Rain found another window that showed the port of the ce. Close to fifty ships were anchored there, and ten of them belonged to Rain. Usually, they would be going anding from the magic people''s country, but it seemed that they would stay there for a while.


    Speaking of which, they found those ships that Joanis had hidden on the back of his first base on the snow-covered Ind.


    "I see¡­ it is good to know that the reinforcements are working hard," Orcis said while trying to ignore the main subject of the conversation.


    "... I suppose we will have to use some ships to watch those borders, even if they are a dangerous ce right now," Lorene sighed. "It should be safe enough if we work with sea folk. They are excellent at water magic, and with our support¡­ Who am I kidding? This situation is a mess."


    "I am working on a solution for that situation, so don''t worry too much about it," Rain said. "Just be ready to move when I send the message."


    "Can''t you give details yet?" Lorene asked. "We might need to prepare in advance for whatever you are nning... I doubt that it will be low in scale."


    "Not yet, the final test will happen when the beast people try to attack us again," Rain said. "If things work well, I won''t have to move a single finger, and then the n will be a sess."


    It was hard to imagine what Rain had in mind, but it seemed amazing¡­ once again, Rain felt bothered by the fact that everyone had too much faith in him.


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 Chapter 490 A show of might

    Before long, the sea emperor arrived at Orcis mansion, and then he and Lorene greeted Seadrei with a deep bow while Rain just showed his thumbs up and a smile. Seadrei sighed¡­ he saw Rain''s valor on the battlefield, but now he couldn''t help but wonder what his daughter saw in him.


    "It has been a while, Gramps," Rain said. "How''s the swell today? What''s the waves'' height like? Are the waves clean or choppy? Is it breaking left or right, or both? What''s the tide doing?"


    "As usual, I have no idea why you ask those questions every single time," Seadrei said and then sat on the couch, which immediately began to crack a bit since he was too big.


    "Just making small talk," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, what do you want to hear first, bad news or worse news? Pick your poison."


    Seadrei just waited for Rain to spill the beans. he had heard about the possibility of the alliance and that Rain was nning something to make it possible, but nothing concrete. But first, he heard about the bad news.


    "Hmm, and I thought that you were the most troublesome human out there¡­" Seadrei rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It is pretty much clear to me that he is hiding in the southern ocean, and while we tried to explore it many times, we have no idea how big that area is. Maybe Joanis found the things that he needed there."


    "I was nning to investigate that area once we deal with the beast people, but it isn''t like he found an ancient civilization there, right?" Rain asked.


    "You should know by now that thousands of years ago, some giant beasts threatened the world to the point that most nations had to fight together to stop them," Seadrei said. "Still, we only were able to fight them to a stalemate. The dragons were the ones who truly defeated them, and the battle was so chaotic that it changed the weather forever in that area."


    "It is cold because of a fight?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    "It is cold because the dragon god of that time cast a spell that froze that area to slow down the enemies at the cost of their own lives, and that gave the chance for their underlings to finish the enemies off," Seadrei exined. "For unknown reasons, the giant monsters truly hated the cold, and they couldn''t fight like before, thanks to it.


    The people of that time didn''t have things like boats, and magic was still in its slow stages for most of the people of that time, so they never explored that area. The cold gets worse the further you go, making exploration impossible aside from dragons."


    "That is a very fascinating event¡­ I wonder why humans don''t know about it," Orcis furrowed his eyebrows.


    "Few humans survived that war, and the ones that survived didn''t fight in the first ce," Seadrei said.


    Rain felt even more curious about that area¡­ he wanted to investigate it soon, but he wondered for how long he would have to do it.


    "Since it hase down to this, I can send my soldiers to guard the borders, but it will only be useful against the magic people," Seadrei added. "It is obvious that the target can fly. Most of my people support me, but they will lose faith in an alliance if you don''t show that your side is capable enough."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What do you want us to do?" Rain asked.


    "Lately, the sea dragons have been invading our territories more and more, and getting rid of them would be a good sign of that," Seadrei exined. "Still, since you are busy with the beast people, there isn''t much that you can do aside from repelling them with your current forces. That should be enough to convince most of the stubborn ones from our side that this alliance could have potential.


    Of course, this wouldn''t be a problem if Seara already had a child."


    "It would be easier if she didn''t work that much," Rain frowned.


    Rain was trying, and he was enjoying it as well. It was clear at this point that humans werepatible with the other species, but the more active a woman is at work and moving her body like swimming, the harder it will be for them to get pregnant¡­ that wasn''tmon knowledge in that world where science wasn''t advanced, and magic was the norm.


    All in all, Rain had to solve the situation and decrease the workload of Seara for her to get pregnant¡­


    "Naturally, there is another solution for this. If this bastard kills my brethren, then I will hunt him down myself, and a bit of cold won''t stop me," Seadrei dered.


    "He probably knows that, and for that reason, he won''t do it," Rain said.


    Rain knew that the unknown target, who seemed to grow stronger by the day, had adopted a stance of extreme caution. He was aware that the enemy''s might was on the rise, but he was determined to avoid any unnecessary risks. In his approach tobat, he had be exceedingly prudent, unwilling to expose himself to unnecessary danger.


    He had learned the hard way, watching Joanis meet his demise, that boldness alone could lead to catastrophic consequences. His strategy now was marked by a careful bnce between intelligence and restraint, ensuring that he didn''tpromise his chances of survival, even as he faced increasingly challenging foes.


    "What are you going to do knowing all that?" Seadrei asked.


    Rain wanted to know the secrets of Seadrei''s spear, but asking about that when they weren''t alone was dangerous¡­ he trusted Orcis and Lorene, but it was better to avoid letting that secret be knowledge instead.


    "I am going to prepare for the war agaisnt the beast people and then eventually find a way to track these annoying guys, but first, I would like to ask if you have some documents about the past that could be interesting to read," Rain said.

 Chapter 491 Promise

    The sea folk were used to a deeply traditional way of preserving their history and knowledge. Their records and documents were meticulously maintained on stone tablets, etched with ck ink, and sacred scrolls crafted from intricately woven seaweed.


    These ancient methods of record passed down through countless generations, served as a testament to their culture''s enduring connection to the ocean and its profound wisdom. The sea folk held these records with immense reverence, and Seadrei, despite his position and influence, couldn''t bring himself to take them out of their underwater sanctuaries.


    Preserving their traditions and safeguarding their knowledge was of paramount importance, and they were unwavering in theirmitment to this practice.


    "Your magic is strong and has enough potential with your unusual way of fighting. Why do you want to learn more about ours?" Seadrei asked when they headed to the tunnel.


    "I wasn''t particrly interested in magic, and knowledge is power, that is all," Rain said. "As long as you keep your mind open for learning, you can keep growing. Besides, that story about the giant monsters got me interested in this world''s history."


    "Hmm¡­ I can''t take the documents out of my castle, but you cane to visit eventually," Seadrei said. "Someone that wasn''t among us isn''t allowed to enter, but when a parent of royal bloodline is born, it is tradition for them to present them to me to give them a name."


    "I guess that is a fine loophole. Let''s hope that I can learn some underwater breathing spells when that happens," Rain said. "Then, you will truly be a gramps."


    It was weird; Seadrei had thirty sons and daughters, but he didn''t have a single grandkid yet¡­ even though his oldest son was two hundred years old, maybe they didn''t want the responsibility and just wanted to enjoy their influence unrestrained.


    "Make sure to protect her no matter what," Seadrei said before jumping on the water of the tunnel. Remember my words: if you make her suffer, we will solve things with our fists."


    "I can''t wait for it," Rain smirked.


    Rain had been training for that, even though he didn''t have confidence in fighting and winning against the sea emperor yet. With or without magic, with or without weapons as well.


    In any case, Rain headed to the tunnel, and for the next few days, he visited all the viges and of the western side of the country. He spent some time talking with the people there.


    "As you guys know, it seems that the beast people want to wage war with us because they think that a human killed their tribe leaders. I tried to negotiate with them, but they refused to do so," Rain said. "So, we will have to fight and kill them the moment they approach, but we don''t have the numbers to pull that off with perfection.


    If you are fine with letting your lives in someone else''s hands, you don''t have to do a thing, but if you want to fight to protect yourself and those around you, you cane to the main vige to receive training. It will be harsh, but the results will speak for themselves."


    As one would expect, most people didn''t feel that eager to join a fight¡­ aside from the youngest people of the viges. Rain was famous, and he was truly a legendary figure to those who were younger than fifteen¡­ since they also found life in the country boring, they didn''t hesitate to ept Rain''s offer.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    A few dayster, a lot of those kids began to arrive in Rain''s base looking to be trained¡­ They were naive enough to think that Rain would teach their secrets soon enough, but they only worked on the same training regimen as the others.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The student''s path received 100 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The student''s path received 110 experience points.


    ¡­


    Since the number of recruits increased by one hundred fifty, Rain started to gain more experience on that path¡­ he figured that the next path would be the teacher one, so he kept that one active.


    Unlike the previous group, by the first week, fiffy of the recruits had already given up and left the area feeling pretty ashamed of themselves.


    "You should at least give them some words of encouragement now and then, Rain," Roan said.


    "To be really strong, one needs to steel their minds and wish with all their might to reach that level," Rain said. "If I offer them that, they will get used to it. Besides, this is necessary to weed out those who could be swayed by enemies. Those with strong enough principles are those that we can trust."


    "You have a point¡­ I guess," Roan said.


    In the second week, only ten or so of the kids gave up, and while the others were about to reach their limits, at least they looked like they had be stronger, and soon, a good enough test for them had arrived.


    "They are reuniting on the fissure again, and they have a lot of bridges with them, big bro," Dana said.


    "I guess they spent thest two months crafting those," Rain said. "Are you guys ready to make them run with their tails between their legs?"


    "We are, but are those guys?" Kei asked while raising an eyebrow as she saw the recruits on the ground,pletely exhausted.


    "I don''t know, and there is only one way to find out," Rain smirked and then turned to face the recruits. "Listen here! It is time to show if you have steel balls. We are going to face fifteen thousand beast people now."


    "Sir, there are women here as well," A random girl shouted.


    "In that case, it is time to show me if you guys have guts," Rain said. "If we repel them this time, I will teach you all a useful technique that will make you much stronger, but only if all of you survive this."

 Chapter 492 Lightning rain

    The recruits'' faces lit up with uncontainable excitement and anticipation at the prospect of learning a secret technique from none other than Rain, their famous hero. The first group readily got up despite the exhaustion, but the second trembled all over while trying to do the same.


    In any case, the situation was as if a cherished dream had suddenlye true before their very eyes. Their expressions reflected pure tion, and their hearts swelled with enthusiasm. The opportunity to glean such knowledge from someone they admired and respected as a legendary figure was beyond their wildest expectations.


    Their eagerness to learn this was palpable, but the conditions to do so were harsh¡­


    The group began to march toward the mountains, feeling nervous since Rain told them not to grab their weapons¡­ The trip wouldst three hours, and plenty of beast people would be able to cross the fissure, so that would mean that a battle would be waiting for them.


    Still, eventually, they received their gear¡­ a massive stone shield crafted by Rain''s magic. It was hard, and it was heavy, and they wouldn''t even be able to run with that, much less attack with it.


    "Listen!" Rain shouted. "Your job is to keep that shield raised at all times while forming a single line. The enemies will attack from all directions, and your only job is to block their attacks. If they try to jump over you, I will deal with them."


    That kind of battle tactic was too simple¡­ there was no n B, and if they fail, it was game over. Despite that, the recruits could see that Rain and his friends didn''t look even a bit nervous¡­ they all had equipment made of ice dragon scales. After all¡­ each relic was pricey enough to buyrge houses in the capital.


    In any case, when the three hours passed, they arrived at the base of the mountain and saw the beast people setting their camp on that side while keeping a perimeter. Naturally, they noticed their approach.


    "Dana, Kei, G, you are up," Rain said. "Stay here and don''t approach further.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Eh¡­ but we won''t be able to see anything," Kei protested.


    "Your task is to focus on the spell instead of looking at the enemies," Rain said. "Form your ranks, men! Dad and Jori should watch the sides of their formation. Terra, you stay close to me to treat if anyone gets hurt."


    Everyone nodded, and they left Rain''s sisters behind. It didn''t take long for a dark cloud to appear on that mountain¡­ Still, it seemed that the beast people were ready for another ice spell¡­ They were wearing thick leather armor that had no breaches for the water to pass. Continue reading at empire


    "I guess that is also another reason why they took their timeing," Rain said as he watched his soldiers forming their line. "Advance!"


    Rain felt a bit weird whilemanding like that¡­ as usual, it was much better just to punch the enemies senseless. Regardless, Rain put his mind in the game when the recruits began to climb the mountain.


    Rain''s knowledge about the war was against that. When in the mountains, use the valleys, stick to safe, open ground, camp your troops in high vantage ces, and never fight by moving uphill. That was one of the most basic things since the enemies would have the upper hand in that situation¡­ Still, they kept going.


    The beast people just waited until the recruits began to get tired and slow down. When that happened, they dashed downhill with the momentum on their side. Eventually, they began to collide with the recruits, but when the shields touched the ground, the enemies felt like they were bodyming themselves against boulders.


    The recruits were pushed a few centimeters with each hit, but they endured all that. The beast people punched the shields and scratched them with tails and ws, but they only hurt themselves while doing so¡­ without any other choice, they began to jump over the recruits and attack them from behind¡­ or so was the n. Rain made them fall while piercing their hearts with ice needles.


    The beast people felt the stinging pain that seemed small at first while in the air, and when they fell, they began to lose control over their bodies as the pain increased¡­ Before long, they fell to the ground without knowing what had happened.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The Student''s path received 300 experience points.


    "Ah, I forgot to change it¡­ oh well, I guess this will be helpful," Rain shrugged.


    The student''s path was already at level forty-five, so he might as well use that chance to unlock the new one. Dozens of beast people died like that, and the ones behind didn''t know what was going on since Rain was being quite a stealth¡­ all they knew was the fact that their allies grew silent.


    "Keep advancing!" Rain shouted. "We don''t have all day! I still have to teach my kids how to memorize the multiplication table of eight!"


    "What the hell are you saying in the middle of a battle?" Terra said while frowning.


    "I have to keep my priorities straight. The future of my kids is more important than the moronic antics of the beast people," Rain said.


    Despite Rain''s words and Terra''s utter disbelief, the recruits obeyed his words and began to push back the enemies¡­ While they hesitated, it began to rain in the area¡­ it wasn''t snowing, so the beast people were caught off guard once more.


    The confusion gave ce to tension when they began to hear the sound of lightning in the clouds. The beast people were left speechless when several lightning bolts fell one after the other on their camp¡­ the ground trembled, and their ears felt like they were about to explode¡­ and then they heard the grunts of pain of their allies¡­ They weren''t ready to face Rain and his friends.


    Not with those numbers¡­

 Chapter 493 Teachers path

    As the lightning bolts rained down upon the beast people''s camp, chaos spread as they scrambled to escape the destructive onught. With haste, they gathered their woundedrades, leaving behind those who could not move. The once serene camp nestled in the mountainous terrain was now aze, its structures consumed by the merciless mes.


    When Rain finally arrived at the scene, a deep frown etched across his face. He could only see a meager two hundred or so beast people around in the vicinity. The merciless bolts of lightning had imed the lives of around fifty, and an additional thirty had met their end at Rain''s own hands, their survival impossible.


    The remaining survivors had managed to escape the devastating spell, fleeing for their lives into the wilderness, leaving behind the burning remnants of their once-vibrant camp.


    "... It seems that they weren''t trying for real this time," Terra said while she was healing the recruits who had cracked bones thanks to the attacks. "The beast queen seems smarter than the previous beast king."


    "They have to be if they want to survive in this era," Rain said while checking the tents that they made. "They didn''t bring weapons and food yet, and they only wanted to make us waste time and show more of our tactics."


    "Even if that is the case, you still should praise the recruits, and they tried really hard," Roan said while looking at them having a hard time standing while using the shields to support themselves.


    "Hmm, I guess so¡­" Rain said and then approached the recruits. "Listen here! The enemies just made us waste our time here. They only sent two hundred of them, and that is how you stay after the end of the battle?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The recruits felt worse thanks to Rain''s harsh words¡­ they wanted at least to make him acknowledge their first battle ended in Victory, no matter the circumstances.


    "Still, a win is a win, and I am someone to keep his word," Rain said. "Tomorrow, I will teach you one technique that will make you stronger. It is time to return home."


    Terra had finished healing the wounds of everyone, and that also helped them recover a bit of their vigor. While the recruits were marching back to the base, Rain turned around and then saw the beast people running away with the bridges on their backs. He thought of burning those, but he decided that it was better not to show any more of his cards.


    As one would expect, Rain''s sisters felt bothered by the fact that they wasted so much time and energy on a single battalion¡­ they had detected a lot more of them, but it seemed that two-thirds of them vanished when they realized that they were no longer being watched.


    "They will be wary of lightning bolts now¡­ what is next?" Terra asked.


    "We will use something that they won''t be able to escape from, but once after, we confirm that they haverger numbers," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "We will also do something that will make them less inclined to attack us soon."


    In the end, Rain told the recruits to rest for the day¡­ They had to rest their bodies and analyze the strength of the enemies that they were dealing with. Rain imagined that some of them would drop out, but it seemed that they wanted to learn the technique before considering that. Find your next read on empire


    In any case, when the time came, the recruits sure looked eager to see what Rain was going to train them. The fundamentals of Rain''s strength were his Impulse, Limit Breaker, and Magic¡­ it was too soon to teach them that, even if they showed promise, they still weren''t that trustworthy, so Rain just taught them the breathing technique that was the very basics of Limit Breaker.


    "Once you master this technique, you will be stronger, and to be able to learn it as soon as possible, you need to practice it while you are exhausted," Rain dered. "So, as your daily morning exercise, you will jog to the mountains every morning and then return here. You can start now."


    As one would expect, everyone was confused¡­ they didn''t know that they had to learn how to breathe again and howe that was a technique that would make them stronger.


    Still, they decided to wait and see¡­ after one week, when several of them were about to give up, someone finally mastered the technique, and then they were able to move much faster while carrying the stone shield¡­ it was consuming more stamina, but they definitely had gotten stronger. They weren''t the only ones who had gotten stronger¡­


    The Student''s Path reached level fifty.


    Level 50: Study Techniques - Improves the user''s study methods and strategies, increasing the efficiency of their learning process and retention of knowledge by five percent per level.


    Youpleted the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.


    The Teacher''s Path is a journey of enlightenment and mastery in the art of education and guidance. Teachers embark on this path to be experts in transferring knowledge, fostering growth, and igniting the me of curiosity in others. Progress through these levels to be a true virtuoso of teaching, capable of inspiring and shaping the minds of students. All parameters + 02


    Level 1: Schrly Beginnings - Start your journey as a novice Mentor. Making students learn your teachings five percent faster per level.


    Level 5: Pedagogical Mastery - Perfect the art of teaching, rapidly enhancing your ability to convey knowledge effectively.


    Level 10: Inspiring Mentor - Be an inspiration to your students, increasing their motivation to learn and excel. Increases all of their parameters by one point per level.


    Level 15: Patience and Empathy - Learn to empathize with your students and maintain patience even in the face of challenges.


    Level 20: Encyclopedic Knowledge (45) - When teaching skills of a high-level path to your students, you gain three percent more experience per level on this path.

 Chapter 494 Cutting losses

    Just as Rain had expected, the new path came at a high level since Encyclopedic Knowledge came at level forty-five¡­ while the breathing technique wasn''t something that advanced, the other things that he taught were the fundamentals of many skills, after all.


    Once that recruit began to stand out, the others began to work hard on the training, and soon, one by one, they began to show some results.


    "I guess they will be able to fight against arge army at this rate¡­ but not for long," Rain thought. "The stone shields are useful, but I guess I will ask Lotto to make some lighter and more durable ones."


    "Things are proceeding well. What is the next step?" Jori asked while he was carrying two of his kids on his shoulders.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before Jori''s kids would be pulling his hair in that situation, but they began to behavetely¡­ Rain wondered if it was because they could feel that the atmosphere was serious and they couldn''t cause too many problems or if It was because they noticed that Rain''s kids behaved better than them.


    "The next step will only start when we win a real battle against the beast people," Rain said. "At the very least, it has to be a battle where they outnumber us ten to one."


    "... Those are some dangerous odds," Jori said. "I suppose you wouldn''t want us to fight that hard in that situation."


    "You can fight as you see fit. We need to get stronger as well, after all," Rain shrugged. "While I say that they need to win a battle with those odds, they don''t have to defeat ten of the beast people each."


    "I see¡­ you still didn''t say what is the next step, though," Jori said.


    "The next step will be to transform them into a real army," Rain replied.


    That was easier said than done¡­ Jori couldn''t even see most of them as soldiers yet, it would be hard to see an army of greenhorns being taken seriously.


    In any case, the next attack of the beast people happened three weekster after thest one. Rain wondered if they were being cautious or if they were waiting for his group to drop their guard during that period of rest.


    Either day, G came to inform Rain that they were twenty kilometers South of the previous location¡­ probably because they saw the recruitsing and going to the mountains every daytely.


    Dana and Kei stayed there to make sure that the enemy wouldn''t split up like before, and that was exactly what happened¡­ but around fifteen hundred beast people were still crossing the fissure and preparing for another battle¡­


    "They immediately began to go down the mountain," Kei said while grinning. "They are so easy to understand."


    "Attack only the back of their formation this time; don''t get our troops involved in the chaos," Rain said when they arrived with everyone. "Listen here, youzy bones! Today, the mission is to wipe out all of the enemies. Not a single one of them can escape, do you hear me? Do that without suffering a single loss, and then I will teach you another useful technique."


    "WOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" All of the recruits roared in excitement.


    "It seems that Rain had a knack for leading others. Maybe it is because he is pretty famous, but everyone is already following him without hesitation," Roan said while nodding in satisfaction.


    "It helps that he is harsher on himself than he is on others," Jori said while showing a difficult expression.


    Jori was worried about Reca¡­ she was already seven months pregnant, so he couldn''t help but worry that the war mightst even after his fourth kid was born¡­ he could imagine Reca trying to join the battles even after just one month after the birth.


    Continue your journey with empire


    In any case, Jori put his head on the game when the beast people began to charge at them before their lines could bepletely formed¡­ that was another smart thing to do. Still, thanks to their hurry, they didn''t see something waiting for them¡­ and getting closer was also dangerous for them.


    Around eighty percent of the line waspleted when the beast people attacked the recruits¡­ some of them began to emit a lot of steam through their bodies, and when they punched the shields, the impacts pushed away the users¡­ to the point that their formation was breaking down even before it waspleted. Still, the recruits recovered and dashed forward while keeping their shields raised.


    Some of the beast people moved to the sides of the formation to attack, but then when lightning bolts began to emerge from their bodies, they suddenly saw something vanishing behind the recruits'' lines¡­ they didn''t even have the chance to realize that the same thing happened¡­ on both sides, someone used Impulse, Limit Breaker and Magic Boost to attack them¡­ when they realized that something was off, their necks began to sting and bleed.


    Roan and Jori didn''t hesitate to get rid of the lightning-fast tigermen. Jori knew how fast they could be, so he alerted Roan when they were to show up. Since they would avoid Rain''s attacks, it was obvious where they woulde from.


    In the end, the beast people couldn''t help but hiss in annoyance¡­ they knew that things wouldn''t be easy, so they quickly made the decision to cut their losses¡­ they learned something new this time, so it was valuable information¡­ However, they didn''t have the chance to do so.


    An ice tornado, giant and cold, emerged with an eerie grace behind the turning-around beast people. Its appearance sent shivers down their spines, and the frigid air emanating from it gnawed at their flesh, chilling them to the bone. The tornado''s core was a swirling vortex of icy winds, a mesmerizing y of blues and whites, as it drew nearer to their ranks.


    They immediately felt their bodies flinching thanks to the insane cold of the ice tornado...

 Chapter 495 The next step

    As the tornado approached, its power was terrifying. It began to pull the fleeing beast people toward its epicenter with an almost irresistible force. The unfortunate individuals closest to the tornado felt the ground beneath them freeze, locking their feet in ce as they desperately struggled against the inexorable pull of the icy winds.


    Panic and fear welled up within the beast warriors as they realized their impending doom.


    The ice tornado''s harsh grip showed no mercy, slowly but relentlessly tugging the beast people closer, like a predator drawing its prey into its maw. Despite their desperate efforts to escape, the tornado''s icy clutches were unyielding. With each passing moment, more and more of them were ensnared, and it became clear that they were powerless against the elemental might of this frigid tempest.


    "At this point in time, this can''t even be considered training for them¡­ my strategies are just too good," Rain said as he watched the beast people being turned into ice while they were spinning in the air. Stay connected via empire


    "I wouldn''t be so sure of that, the tigermen were running away and the ones that emit steam are resisting," Terra said.


    Dana, Kei and G didn''t have an endless pool of mana either, their relics and their teamwork kept the spell working once the same level as the spell of the ice dragon, but after thirty seconds, it began to dissipate. That was actually good since the recruits began to be pulled by the ice tornado as well and their heavy shields weren''t enough to stop them from slipping.


    When the spell dissipated, a bunch of the beast people fell on the ground and cracked like ss, some only lost their limbs, others only had broken bones.


    "Finish them off men," Rain dered. "I will chase the guys who are running away."


    Rain could see dozens of tigermen in the distance crossingrge distances with their weird technique¡­ Rain wanted to learn that since they didn''t use their physical strength like Rain did while using Impulse.


    Their technique had potential, but Rain reached them in no time while using Impulse a few times.


    When the enemies realized that escaping wasn''t an option, they turned around and began to run around Rain while leaving after images thanks to that technique¡­ but all of a sudden, one after the other snapped their own legs on the floor and when they saw what was going on, they confirmed that Rain froze their legs.


    Without wasting time, Rain fired spinning ice needless at their hearts. They tried to defend themselves with their leather armor and arms, but those were pierced effortlessly.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The polymath path received 300 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The polymath path received 310 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain killed them, but he still left one alive¡­ in the end, he approached the guy and freed him from the ice.


    "How many of you will have to die before you understand that this is useless?" Rain asked. "Tell your queen that we are hunting the guy since he is causing us trouble as well. This is her final warning. Come at us with the intention of killing again, and none of you will survive to tell the tale and when I am done with that guy, I will deal with her you guys as well.


    Unlike you bastards, I won''t targetmon viges, but I will be sure that not a single person able to fight will be left alive in your country."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The terror in the beast warrior''s eyes was clear as he locked gazes with Rain, the warrior who had dispatched his kin with ruthless efficiency. At that moment, Rain''s visage was devoid of warmth, and his voice held a chilling resolve that sent shivers down the warrior''s spine. It was a clear contrast to the coolposure he had disyed earlier.


    The warrior had seen firsthand the consequences of underestimating Rain''s capabilities. His serious demeanor and the unwavering tone of his words left no room for doubt ¡ª Rain was not to be trifled with. He had disyed the skills and prowess to back up his threats, and the warrior knew that confronting him further would be a fatal mistake.


    His words lingered in the air like a cold, biting wind, and it was clear that Rain desired nothing more than to leave in peace. But as he made abundantly clear if others were intent on denying him that peace, they would unwittingly provoke the very war they sought. It was a chilling ultimatum, a stark reminder of Rain''s capacity for both kindness and mercilessness.


    The Tigerman left the area in a hurry¡­ he never thought that he would see so many of his allies being defeated so fast¡­ he disappeared into the mountains while running for his life.


    When Rain returned, he saw the recruits finishing off the clean up¡­ although that was pretty much the first time that they killed enemies, they didn''t hesitate since they knew that the situation could have been reversed. However, some of them still were careless and ended up lowering their guards when they delivered the final blow.


    Thanks to that, Terra was healing a bunch of them and scolding the ones that she raised in the orphanage.


    "They lost ten percent of their total forces, but it feels like this was a calcted loss," Roan said while cleaning his sword.


    "I think the same¡­ but it doesn''t matter. We will continue with the n," Rain said.


    "What are the next steps?" Roan asked. "You can''t keep this secret forever and everyone is dying to know what you have in store in your big head."


    "Spread the word to the whole kingdom that we are training new warriors," Rain said. "For now, we will only ept those with no history of fighting and those that aren''t rted in any way to the soldiers of the previous war¡­ I should also ask Branden and Esmeralda if those guys keep disappearing."

 Chapter 496 Payment

    Once they returned home, Rain exined his ns to everyone. Those two groups proved their worth, so they could be trusted to some extent. With that in mind, they would be the core of the fighting force that Rain wanted to make, but only to the extent that they would lead squads of ten members.


    "I see¡­ an army of two thousand isn''t something to be underestimated, even more so if they are trained by you," Roan nodded. "Still, I think that you are being too cautious. Having two hundred people to report to you will be quite the hassle."


    "They won''t only report to me, they will report to us all," Rain said. "If something happens and we need a fighting force, we will split them and make one or several of us to lead them. When the timees, we will split them to work directly under us, and they will report their findings, their progress, and such things.


    If anything sounds suspicious, you will tell me, and I will check the suspicious individuals thoroughly."


    "I guess it can''t be helped¡­ Rain is bing cautious to a fault now," Jori said. "We can trust those guys since they have been working for us, and they are also kids that who Terra and the others raised, but since this is the start of a military organization, keeping some distance for the sake of appearances will be the wise thing to do."


    "My original n was to build an army that would protect Dana, Kei, and G since their magic powerbined rivals mine, and they can stop an army as they showed yesterday," Rain said. "Still, we can''t only rely on them, and it will expose them too much."


    "Hehehe, I like the idea of having a lot of underlings," Kei grinned.


    "I don''t like the idea of being followed everywhere by so many people," G frowned.


    "They won''t do that all the time, only when you need to leave and also need some escorts," Rain said. "Anyway, I am going to talk with Branden for him and Esmeralda to spread the word. It will be better if their mouths are the ones that spread that news."


    Another thing that Rain wanted with that army was to protect the western border, his family, and friends while he searched for the enemy. They wouldn''t live in peace until this human is dealt with as soon as possible.


    In any case, when Rain went to talk with Branden and Esmeralda, they liked the idea. It covered all the troublesome issues to avoid future problems.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Some people might think that we are discriminating against them if they aren''t given the chance to join this group because of their rtionship with the former soldiers," Branden said. "Opening those slots might help improve the image of the group as a whole as well. When do you intend to do that?"


    "Perhaps in one year? That should be a small enough amount of time for people to patiently wait," Rain said. "I don''t have the obligation to teach those that I don''t want to teach, but I guess it will be fine eventually."


    "The disappearance of people stopped for some reason, but I have the feeling that it is far from over," Esmeralda said. "In any case, we will help you with that. We will also provide the funds to pay the soldiers."


    "Oh, yeah¡­ I have to pay them, huh?" Rain said. "I totally forgot that."


    Branden and Esmeralda exchanged incredulous nces, left utterly speechless by Rain''s words. It was a situation that seemed almostical in its absurdity, yet there was an undeniable element of madness to it as well. Rain was proposing to maintain a fighting force at his side, all without any form ofpensation¡­ it was ridiculous.


    They couldn''t help but find it bewildering. In his eyes, the group was already generously provided for ¡ª enjoying meals, lodging, and other things. But Rain''s ambitions extended further; he was seeking to keep an army, essentially, on an entirely voluntary basis. It was a notion that defied conventional logic, leaving Branden and Esmeralda both bemused and astounded.


    "You should name the group, too," Branden said.


    "How about the king''s de two, the return," Rain asked.


    "Did I already say that your sense of humor is unsettling? Like a hundred times already?" Branden asked.


    "What about Iron Fists?" Esmeralda asked.


    "They don''t fight with their fists, though?" Rain frowned. "I only train them to be as sturdy as possible to let others clean up. They can smash heads with the shields, but I wouldn''t say that it is a good finishing move. Speaking of which, I will have to ask Lotto to make a bunch of shields and armor for them. I hope that you have umted as much taxes as possible."


    "Naturally, we have quite a lot in stock since we didn''t maintain an army in these years, we use most of the money to improve themercialization between countries, though," Esmeralda exined.


    Explore more stories at empire


    Things were starting to take shape, so Rain soon would have the chance to hunt this guy that has been causing problems left and right. After that, with a decently trained army at his disposal, Rain won''t have to worry about future problems that much and will have the peace that he wanted.


    In any case, after talking with Lotto and asking for two hundred sets of armor and shields, which left him speechless, Rain returned home as soon as possible.


    When Rain returned home, he saw that everyone wasn''t cking off¡­ that was right. They didn''t have to follow his orders to know that they needed to train and push themselves to the limits.


    Rain''s goal was to train them enough to the point that they would feel bad about themselves if they skipped a single day of training¡­ In any case, when Rain saw their eyes that showed a bit of dissatisfaction, he realized that he had forgotten to fulfill his promise.

 Chapter 497 Roles

    "It seems that you guys have rested enough, so it is time to teach you the next technique," Rain said, trying to look like he didn''t forget his promise. "You all have practiced Meditation enough to know a bit of how to control your mana, so I am going to teach you how to heal yourselves in the middle of a battle. One of my wives can heal you when you suffer severe wounds, but she is only one person.


    Your main job is to keep yourselves in tip-top shape." Stay tuned to empire


    Rain''s goal was to make his soldiers as tough as possible by making them focus on endurance and on healing themselves¡­ that would make them an army that can keep fighting even if their bones are broken, and their sh is cut¡­ it would be nice if they could keep going even if they suffer harsher wounds, but that was a goal for the future.


    It was a simple trick that Rain learned while training with his fists, punching rocks to harden them without smashing his bones.


    Rain would use Healing Touch with his closed hands at the moment of the impact, and that would prevent the damage from spreading, but while it wasn''t as efficient as touching the wound, keeping his hands closed would be the same as touching his body and being to heal himself¡­


    To make the soldiers learn that Rain forced them to do handstands with their fists closed. Eventually, their fists got hurt, and they had to focus enough to heal while enduring the pain and exhaustion. So, two birds with one stone.


    After the training session in the afternoon of that day, Rain was cleaning himself when his kids silently approached him and pulled and held his pants a bit.


    They didn''t say anything, but it was clear that they missed the interaction that he usually would have with them on a daily basis¡­ Rain felt like sighing while a stinging pain bothered him, but he didn''t have any other option aside from ying with them in his free time.


    "Seara is showing up less and less oftentely," Terra said while Rain put Danny and Annie on his shoulders. "It seems that she is working hard as well to avoid your workload from increasing."


    "It would be convenient if she could listen to me and slow down, but everyone only listens to me when I give orders on the battlefield or on military matters," Rain frowned. "I suppose Seadrei can do something about that once the alliance is formed, and she could end up bing the leader or vice leader that will help us in a situation like that."


    Seara getting pregnant would also force her to stop overworking herself¡­ but that would be difficult because she wasn''t bing pregnant because she was overworking herself. It was a wonderful loop.


    "Since it hase to this, I just have to use my superb nning skills," Rain thought while nodding to himself.


    In any case, it didn''t take more than one week for recruits from all over the kingdom to arrive in the area with the intention of joining the group¡­ which Rain had yet to think of a name for. Considering that he was the leader, he thought that Infinite Gauntlet would be cool, but he discarded it.


    He also considered Gauntlets of the Crusader, but that didn''t fit him¡­ Since the previous group had been the king''s de, perhaps the hidden de would be a cool title or adamantium ws¡­ one that he thought that it suited him, and he wanted to see an army that would be loyal and would be as diehard as him: The Raging Phoenix.


    "... That is¡­ not a bad name," Roan said when he heard what Rain had thought about the group. "I was starting to think that you inherited your mother''s naming sense, considering the name of your kids."


    "Is that so?" Rain raised his left eyebrow. "Anyway, I have to talk with these guys for a bit. Can you get the names and where the new recruits came from?"


    Roan nodded and he called Leiah to help him with that. After Rain reunited the first and the second group he walked around them for a while and studied them. They seemed a bit nervous, but they were also a bit confident since they endured the training until now.


    "It is a bit too soon to think of that, but I am going to promote all of you to the rank of captains in the Raging Phoenix," Rain dered. "Soon enough, you will be the leaders of your own unities and you will be responsible for their sess, their failures, and their own very lives.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As such, you will have to make decisions like kicking a member out of your squad if you think that they can be a problem in the middle of a battle. That will be tough, and that is why you will have to work hard and notice those traits and try to correct them as soon as possible. Inform those people of those troublesome traits and their dangers.


    You can do everything that is necessary in order to solve that issue as long as you respect your position and the fact that you are their leader. If you think that you aren''t sure of something, you cane to consult us about those issues. Don''t worry about thinking that you are wasting our time.


    As much as training, trying to solve our issues out ofbat is also very important for our own survival."


    The new captains who had gathered before Rain were undeniably taken aback by the change in his demeanor. Previously, he had exuded an air of unapproachability, a distant figure seemingly unattainable. Rain had kept a certain distance, both physically and emotionally, as if testing their willpower from afar. However, in this crucial moment, Rain''s stance changed.


    He appeared less distant and far more approachable, taking a step closer to the group.

 Chapter 498 Selection

    The change was clear; it was as though he sought to engage with them on a deeper level. Rain''s decision to move closer was more than just a physical step; it symbolized his intent to forge a different kind ofradeship, one that delved deeper into trust and cooperation. It was as if he had moved from testing their willpower from a distance to measuring the depths of their loyalty up close.


    The captains couldn''t help but be surprised by the transformation. Rain was revealing more of himself, and this shift in his approach left them curious but happy as well.


    It was a bit weird for that area to have a lot of headquarters, so Rain just increased the size of the previous one and added moreyers to it. The veterans moved to the upper floors and the neers moved to the lower ones until they could prove that they were ready for all that.


    Rain didn''t hold back while training them from the very first day and he made them do the same as all the veterans, they needed to know from the very beginning what they were going to do on a daily basis.


    In the first week, four hundred recruits arrived and two hundred returned home as well. Rain''s training regimen was that brutal¡­


    "It seems that things are taking shape around here, but it will be hard to make an army out of them when so many give up," Seara said when she suddenly arrived.


    "The king''s de didn''t work because everyone had too much freedom and had their own goals, while that was awesome on paper, it created a big group that has too many individual goals," Rain exined. "I want to make a group that has the same goal as mine and that they can trust each other because they endured hell like this on a daily basis and they saw that.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When the timees, they will do their very best to help each other since they know that they can watch each other''s backs."


    "I see¡­ that sounds like the beginning of a really powerful group," Seara said. "Anyway, I talked with my father and he said that he would send some generals to watch the next battle here, I will be with them, but they will remain hidden in order to see the power of your group. If you show something good, it might be the final push for the alliance."


    "I guess I will do my best then," Rain said and then saw Seara sighing and moving her head from one side to the other. "You are tired. Come to my roomter."


    "... It isn''t time for that," Seara frowned a bit.


    "For a shoulder massage¡­ you sure think a lot of that," Rain said. "Danny and Annie sleep there as well, so I wouldn''t do anything there. Besides, you guys make me rx too much. I will keep my edge until the end of this conflict, and then we will spend some time alone somewhere else."


    Seara wanted to sigh¡­ it was too easy to get caught on Rain''s pace. In any case, she also believed that she needed some time off. The issue with the unknown wanderer was starting to get tiresome without any results after all.


    In any case, after one month, the Raging Phoenix received five hundred more members after Rain opened its doors to receive more people. Most of the neers were having a hard time enduring the training, but some of them got used to it already¡­


    Still, Rain was starting to get worried about theck of movements from the beast people¡­ perhaps he should fly over their territory for a while and then see what they were plotting. After thinking for a while, Rain decided that it was time to put the test his organization.


    "Devrim, Serkan, ?zdemir, Orhan, Hilmi, Ayberk, Haydar, Hayri, ?zg¨¹r, Cihangir¡­ step forward," Rain said.


    After reuniting the group, Rain called those names, they were the ones who showed the most promise in the first two batches of members of the organization.


    "I have the first mission for you guys, your task will be to watch over the areas on the sides of the fissures in the mountain range," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I believe that our friends are nning to advance through those areas and attack the coasts of our country until they can encircle us. They know that ignoring us wouldn''t do any good for their n, after all."


    Everyone just waited a bit longer since they knew that there was more to that mission. It was impossible to watch such arge area with only ten people, after all.


    "Your mission is to only keep an eye on the mountains and immediately retreat to the closest vige to report to us, don''t engage in any circumstances, that will be a good test of your leadership skills and it will also test the other members of your groups," Rain exined. Stay tuned to empire


    "If they can follow your orders and keep their heads cool, they show promise, if they don''t¡­ it is up to you to decide what you are going to do with them."


    While Rain kept a closer touch with the captains, Jori and Roan studied the new recruits from a close range and also selected one hundred of them to help those ten guys. They separated them in groups of ten and Rain sent them to the areas that they were going to watch using his golem carriages.


    "The mission willst two weeks, and then I will send another group to take your ce. I expect great things from you all," Rain said. "But before that, you should receive proper equipment¡­ why are the equipment blue when I decided to call the group the raging Phoenix?"


    "Probably because of your guards," Terra shrugged. "Blue suits you, despite all that. Not as much as green, but I guess it is fine since it reflects your nature."

 Chapter 499 Chase

    The shields and armor that Lotto forged had a prominent blue hue with a vivid and striking appearance. They were emzoned with an emblem that depicted an unknown blue bird with its wings outstretched, a symbol that represented the nascent organization''s ideals.


    The choice of such an emblem was a bold and ambitious move, especially considering that the group had only just taken its initial steps. It was evident that Rain wasn''t the sole individual with high expectations for the organization; the emblem symbolized the soaring aspirations of the group''s members.


    After equipping the armor and shields, the soldiers saluted and then left the area. Each group was going to watch an area of thirty kilometers each¡­ the space between the mountains and both oceans was that big, after all.


    During those two weeks, nothing major happened¡­ Seara didn''t show up either, but Rain could tell that she was nearby watching and waiting for things to happen with the sea generals¡­ now that he thought about it¡­ wouldn''t they try to do everything in their power to stop the alliance since they hated him? Rain wondered if their loyalty toward the sea emperor was stronger than their hatred toward him.


    In any case, while Rain was thinking about that and nning to send the next group to watch the areas beyond the fissures, he suddenly saw one of his wagon golems returning¡­ it was a sign that the beast people showed up.


    "The north, huh?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "Wait, Rain," Roan said while grabbing his son''s shoulder and then pointed in the opposite direction where they could see another golem approaching.


    "... A pincer attack, huh?" Rain muttered. "How smart of them."


    "We will have to split our forces. How will it be done?" Jori asked


    "They probably will userge forces on both sides, so this will be an all-out war," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You guys will take everyone else and four hundred more soldiers to the north, and I will go with the remaining ones to the opposite direction. Take as many supplies with you all as possible, and this might take a while."


    Rain didn''t like that situation, even though he was expecting that such a thing could happen. While everyone was preparing to leave, Rain wondered what he should do about his kids¡­ Terra will leave with the others, and while his grandparents will be there with Reca, he is a bit nervous about leaving them and not seeing their parents for a while.


    "No¡­ it won''t be for very long," Rain thought. "I will crush those guys on a single day."


    Considering the direction in which the golems came from, Rain calcted that they had some time¡­ the golems traveled for a day, but the beast people would need two days to reach the nearest viges and farms. They kept their distance from the sea to avoid the crops from being damaged, after all. That was the reason why they had some time.


    While Rain wanted to fly as fast as possible, he just jogged in the direction they were supposed to go with the captains and the recruits that wereing with him. Even in that situation, he had to build their teamwork, after all.


    The group marched through one day and one night nonstop, Rain gave them the order to drink water and eat if they had to while moving. Rain didn''t stop to do either and just kept going and showing his underlings his willpower.


    At noon of the next day, the group finally could see some smoke in the distance¡­ it seemed that they had arrived a bitte.


    "It is the final push, men!" Rain shouted. "Show me your guts!"


    Your next journey awaits at empiren/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rain used Impulse and quickly disappeared¡­ everyone was wondering how he still had energy to move like that, but at least that motivated them to charge with all their might.


    In that situation, Rain couldn''t risk letting the vigers die in order to build his teamwork with others. That would be very backwards, so he soon reached the vige¡­ just in time to see everyone evacuating and the fifty soldiers that he had sent in that direction holding back the beast people with something akin to a phnx formation.


    They had swords with them, but they were focusing on blocking the enemies and defending only.


    "I guess I trained them all too well¡­" Rain thought when he saw that.


    Rain couldn''tin even though he told them not to fight, but they were defending only to give the vigers the chance to retreat¡­ still, the soldiers had the chance to breathe when Rain suddenly approached while using everything.


    Impulse, Limit Breaker, and Magic Boost¡­ in the next moment, no one saw what had happened, but everyone saw dozens of enemies in the air and then they saw Rain in their previous position with his palms pointed at them.


    "A job well done," Rain said while clicking his fingers. "Now, let''s wipe them all out."


    Around five hundred of the beast people had attacked that vige¡­ and a group ten timesrger than that was several kilometers behind them just watching¡­ but when they noticed Rain''s presence, they began to retreat immediately.


    "She isn''t here¡­ is she in the other group?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows.


    That sudden retreat was suspicious¡­ Rain could only imagine that they did that in order to split their forces and focus on attacking the side that Rain wasn''t in. Still, that was fine with him, because they never saw that his sisters were the ones who used thest tworge scale spells.


    The only problem was the possibility of the beast queen being in the other group¡­ and if she was as strong as the previous beast queen¡­ she could be a problem to the others.


    Still, that was a problem forter. Rain and his soldiers began to run while they shouted toward the enemies¡­ It was weird to see such a smaller force chasing a force that was more than ten times their size¡­

 Chapter 500 Test

    Although they were tired, they soon reached the enemies since Rain used his earth magic to fly toward them while carrying all of his soldiers.


    The enemies panicked as they saw thatrge chunk of earth approaching them, and a cold took over their hearts when Rain and the othersnded right above the first group of enemies and crushed them.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 200 experience points.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The skill Earth Shaper received 200 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 200 experience points.


    ¡­


    In a quick response¡­ the beast warriors that attacked the vige quickly turned around to face Rain and his soldiers while the others on the back continued their retreat. That was annoying, but Rain didn''t have time nor the reason to show his anger to his soldiers.


    A perfect leader is always a calm, unpredictable, unreadable, self-disciplined, and discreet, in the thick and in thin with his troops . Leaders should also acknowledge failures quickly as possible when they do happen, but they can also discuss with their friends to the likelihood of failures urring¡­ that was the type of leader Rain wanted to be.


    "If you guys want to be sacrifices for yourrades escape, then I will let you be all that and more," Rain said and then kicked the ground.


    The beast people were caught off guard as they suddenly felt the ground beneath their feet bing soft like quicksand, and they began to sink slowly into the earth up to their knees before they could do a thing.


    The once-soft terrain beneath them hardened rapidly, locking them in that ce. Panic etched across their faces as they struggled to free themselves, realizing that their mobility had been severelypromised by this unexpected turn of events. The rapidly hardening earth had be an unforeseen obstacle, furtherplicating their situation.


    "They are all yours," Rain said and then crossed his arms.


    Once again, Rain considered living his troop behind and chase the escaping enemies¡­ but that was too risky¡­ they were still outnumbered and their healing skills still were being developed. To save the time that Rain spent training those guys, he had to sacrifice the chase of following the enemies right now. To win some, you have to lose some¡­ and Rain made his choice.


    In the end, that truly had been the right choice¡­ all of a sudden, Rain felt danger, something was about to happen, but he didn''t know what it was. Rain used all of his mana to check the whole area through his earth magic and eventually he found it¡­ an enormous concentration of mana in the mountains, and then the energy suddenly exploded.


    Rain charged in the same direction out of instict and then used Limit Breaker, only to see a massive earth spear being fired toward him and his troops. Rain blocked the attack with his forearm guards, but he was blown away while being pushed backward¡­


    The area trembled with the impact and the dust was raised as the projectile kept pushing Rain even while he was on the ground. Several of his soldiers were hit by him when he was pushed away and Rain only stopped when he was about to reach the vige¡­ in that moment, the spear kept falling into pieces.


    "What the hell¡­" Rain thought as he arms fell on the sides.


    The forearm guards protected Rain more than a little bit¡­ they suffered some scratches, unlike his bones that were throbbing at the moment, but they were fine. Rain got up expecting another attack, but that didn''t happen¡­ and he also saw that the attack and the fact that he collided agaisnt a bunch of the beast men finished them off¡­ whoever attacked that, didn''t care about the beast people.


    Rain quickly approached his soldiers and sighed in relief that they were just groaning in pain¡­ their new equipment saved their lives, but they had a bunch of broken bones. At first, Rain wans''t that worried about his friends, but after that attack¡­


    "Shit, things are changing again," Rain thought. "What the hell was that¡­ beast people can''t use magic like that."


    Rain hurried up to heal those who had been severely hurt to make them at least stand up¡­ that was the downside of trying to raise an loyal army. You couldn''t turn your back on them when they needed you, themander had to be the first to set the example¡­ even though he wanted to hurry and confirm the safety of his family and friends.


    "Don''t worry, trust on them¡­ trust on their strength, they survived all this insanity alongside you," Rain thought.


    It took a while, but eventually, all of the soldiers severe wounds had been treated. Walking was still painful for them, but they weren''t in danger anymore. While Rain and the others were returning to the vige, he wondered if he had seen a magic source like that before¡­ it was at least three times bigger than his.


    "My apologies,mander. We didn''t see a magic user on their ranks,"


    The guy who said that was Devrim, the first recruit that Rain and his friends to be a captain. He was a demi-human who also had the blood of the beast people inside him, but he didn''t hesitate in fighting for his side.


    "That guy was hidden¡­ it makes sense that you didn''t find him," Rain said while squinting his eyes. "Just rest for the day, we will keep an eye on the area for a while."


    During that time of thinking, Rain considered several things¡­ the attack had been sent in his direction, just when he had locked all of the beast people on the ground. He wouldn''t say that he had rxed a bit, in fact, it was the perfect moment for him to react to anything¡­ thanks to that, he couldn''t help but think that he was attacked at the moment was intentional¡­ as if someone was testing him.


    That thought was annoying...

 Chapter 501 Cooperation?

    As night fell upon thend, Rain embarked on a solo journey to investigate the surrounding mountains in the area, driven by his desire and determination to uncover any hidden threats. Despite his thorough search, he found nothing of immediate concern in the rocky, moonlit terrain.


    Not one to leave any stone unturned, Rain decided to broaden his search, extending it to the site of the other battlefield. When he arrived in the area, he also found a camp there and a lot of movement¡­


    While breathing roughly, thanks to the exhaustion and low reserves of mana, Rain finally took a break right at the entrance¡­ then he proceeded when he saw a lot of people covered in bloody bandages and vigers trying to help them.


    Rain approached thergest tent, thinking that it was some sort ofmanding room, but he only saw a bunch of wounded people there, being treated by Terra and Rain''s sisters.


    "What happened here?" Rain asked.


    "... I knew that you woulde," Terra said and then sighed. "At least you look fine."


    Dana, Kei, and G looked apologetic and avoided Rain''s eyes¡­ It seems that I experienced something really troubling. Then, Rain didn''t see Roan and Jori and raised his eyebrows.


    "Where are¡­" Rain said.


    "Roan and Jori? They are keeping an eye on the surroundings¡­ they are fine," Terra said. "Still, we barely made it this time¡­ did you fall for some sort of trap too?"


    "It depends on what you call a trap¡­" Rain said while rubbing his eyes.


    Rain exined what happened on his side¡­ and Terra said that something simr happened on theirs. However, they chased the enemies to cause more damage and prevent further attacks after fighting for half an hour¡­ they got too close to the mountains and then they were attacked by someone unknown, someone who also used a giant earth spear.


    Much like Rain, Dana, Kei, and G also noticed something odd and quickly reacted to the attack and created a multyered ice wall, but that wasn''t been enough to stop the attack.


    Roan and Jori tried to block the attack, but even with Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, they were knocked out, and dozens of the soldiers were hit by the earth spear¡­ they survived thanks to their equipment, but some suffered heavy damage on their heads¡­ they will survive, but maybe their fighting career is over.


    "I won''t try tofort you three with sweet words, and I think it will be better for all of us to use this frustration as fuel to keep improving our skills," Rain said.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That was probably the best thing they all could do¡­ even with Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, and Rain was also overpowered¡­ he also decided to use that for future reference. There were no absolutes in that world, and nothing says that he still is the strongest human. Not that such a title had much meaning in the first ce.


    In any case, after grabbing some potions, Rain went to talk with Jori and Roan, and they confirmed that they didn''t find or sense anyone in the mountains. Still, there was nothing certain regarding the end of that battle¡­ until now, the beast people lost around four thousand soldiers in the war, but now that they had such unknown allies, they might try something else.


    "I thought that they were too much on their own thing and never would ept help from outsiders¡­" Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I didn''t think that they hated us to the point that they would even sacrifice their own soldiers."


    "My image of them makes me think the same way¡­ maybe things are more chaotic than we imagine now that they lost so many of their tribe leaders at once," Jori said.


    Rain agreed with them, but in times of war, it isn''t unheard of for entire nations to change if they think that they need to aplish something no matter what.


    Deep in his thoughts, Rain began to notice a recurring pattern in the tactics employed by their enemies. The very strategies and maneuvers he had once been used against the enemies were now being mirrored against him.


    This disconcerting thought served to strengthen his conviction that their enigmatic opponent was intricately tied to Joanis, likely having imbibed from the same well of knowledge and experience. As this thought crystallized, Rain couldn''t help but surmise that Joanis had not left this world without cultivating multiple allies, individuals poised to be persistent thorns in their side.


    The notion of lingering threats, hidden like coiled serpents in the shadows, weighed heavily on Rain''s mind,pelling him to remain vignt and unyielding in the face of their impending challenges.


    "The enemies are using the advantage that we had in the past against us, so we will have to fight that," Rain suddenly said. "We will have to train harder from now on and things of unusual ways to get stronger as well. If we aren''t careful enough, we might be building the very army that will make the enemies much stronger."


    "You know that I am grandfather, even though I don''t feel that old, but I am starting to think that my bones won''t survive your idea of training harder," Roan furrowed his eyebrows. "It must be young and full of vigor."


    Rain honestly thought that he was trying as hard as he could to be stronger for everything that he cared for, but he was starting to think that he needed more¡­ he needed the same desire to improve himself that he had years ago, perhaps even more, but just investing more time on training wasn''t enough, it was about time for him to start being smarter about it.


    Before morning, Rain returned to where he left his team and then proceeded to work on repairing the buildings that had been damaged¡­ some of his soldiers were from there, so they didn''t hesitate to give a hand.


    "Giving a hand, huh?" Rain thought.

 Chapter 502 Creation mystery

    After one week, both groups returned to headquarters, but Rain left ten squads in each side to watch things further. While Rain could probably keep improving his water magic to detect enemies in the mountains with rain, his soldiers needed more experience.


    Upon returning, everyone realized that they needed to work harder because the war was far from over, and despite their losses, the beast people still had a lot of cards up their sleeves. So, they trained harder than before.


    While Rain wasing up with a more efficient training method, Seara finally showed up, and she seemed to be in a good mood. Everyone could tell the reason why, but Rain was still surprised.


    "That fight made the generals realize that the humans could be decent allies," Seara said, and then her face turned serious. "Half the reason for that was that attack that you blocked."


    "They don''t know who cast it as well, huh?" Rain asked. "That was a failure, and it couldn''t be called a real block."


    "Putting your perfectionism aside, Seadir will be the leader of the force that will work near the border. You will just have to call him to help in case something happens," Seara said.


    "What about you? What is the point of keeping looking for those guys when they clearly are flying around to escape your radar?" Rain asked.


    "I like doing the intelligence work; sometimes it is tiresome, but it is better than before when I didn''t have much freedom," Seara exined and then frowned. "Do you want to tie me down already too?"


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ everyone needed freedom to do their own things, but he couldn''t help but worry¡­ he could understand why his parents looked worried before, even though he was capable of protecting himself. Sometimes, just doing that wasn''t enough to make those who care about you feel better. Find exclusive content at empire


    "Don''t look at me like that. How is it fair that you can do whatever you want and have all the excitement? I want some of that, too," Seara said.


    It was hard to believe that she was older sometimes¡­ her words and behavior almost seemed on the level of Rain''s sisters. In any case, that was something that Rain had to find a solution as well.


    Over the course of the next few weeks, more recruits came and joined their ranks, but the numbers were starting to slow down since the rumors that they had to fight almost soon enough were unsettling for most people¡­ they didn''t have previous training, after all, and the rumors that despite that they didn''t suffer any losses seemed too good to be true.


    In any case, to make himself and the others stronger, Rain decided that they should return to the basics. They had to improve their basic skills for them to affect the most advanced ones.


    For Rain, he decided that instead of solely relying on weights to increase the power of his attacks, he decided to sharpen his mind. While calmly meditating on a fighting stance, he would clear his mind and wait and wait until his body waspletely ready. When that happened, he would activate his Impulse, Limit Breaker, and Magic Boost to suddenly attack the air.


    When he felt that his punch had been good, the people around him would confirm it. From their perspective, it looked like Rain teleported in the blink of an eye and changed stances.


    When it wasn''t that good, they still would be able to see his after images¡­ it was a small difference in reaction speed, but Rain wanted to reach that level of perfection¡­ if he is able to fight like that all the time and keep his focus unbroken, he was certain that few enemies would be able to react to him.


    "Still, only this isn''t enough¡­" Rain thought.


    While seeing his friends doing the same and sharpening their techniques, Rain realized that he would need more¡­ while he was thinking about that, Rain made his troops train while ying volleyball¡­ with a stone ball.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It took a while to teach them the rules, but eventually, they got the gist and began to practice it to kill time. It goes without saying striking and blocking a stone ball hurts like a bitch, but that made them get used to the pain and work together. Since for every point they messed up, the whole group had to y a punishment game that took the form of harsher training.


    When Rain wasn''t looking, they actually made a real ball to practice their skills and reflexes when they were rxing¡­ that worked as well.


    Rain also checked all of his paths and skills and tried to study them to understand how they worked. Just knowing how to activate them with magic wouldn''t do it¡­


    "This system is part of this world. Even though I have been using it for years, I can only see this like it is gravity and not think too much about it," Rain thought. "Still, the level limitations of the Skills can''t be natural since my own level surpassed that."


    Considering that the strength that people gain when they themselves level up, it was easy to understand why their actual levels had no limits, but why paths and skills had a limit¡­ Rain could only think that someone decided their limits.


    Rain had heard things about the so-called dragon god, but it was a figure rarely revered in the world he inhabited. Humans and other species didn''t engage in the worship of such beings. Perhaps the dragons themselves harbored a form of worship for this entity, but the rest of the world merely held a primal fear of its existence.


    In that world, churches existed more as non-governmental organizations that undertook responsibilities like conducting funerals and asionally providing aid to the wounded during times of conflict. Jori had called his party the de of the Goddess, but discussions about possible gods or goddesses remained conspicuously absent in everyday talk.


    This made Rain question the notion of divine creators behind their world and the system that governed it.

 Chapter 503 New technique

    "I need to understand it more in order to get stronger and perhaps ignore the limits imposed by the system," Rain thought. "Once I do that, I bet that Limit Breaker and Magic Boost will make me much stronger if I can lift those limits."


    There was also a risk that Rain''s body wouldn''t endure all that much power, and that was why he had to be careful¡­ speaking of body limitations, the first beings that came to mind that probably had strong enough bodies not to worry about that were dragons.


    They were so strong that Rain couldn''t help but assume that they didn''t have limitations at all¡­ but no one could ever confirm or deny that¡­ dragons don''t talk with other species, after all.


    Human Path - Lv Max


    (Mage''s Path Lv Max. Intelligence, Wisdom and Dexterity + 03 per level up)


    Sage Lv Max - Wisdom + 10 per level up)


    While thinking about the paths that he had maxed out, Rain considered what he could do to make their level surpass one hundred¡­ he had already tried to make some skills level up and make that path gain enough experience to level up as well, but it didn''t work. In the first ce, it wasn''t something that he could fiddle with that easily, after all¡­n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "What if I max out all the skills of these paths?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It seems possible, doesn''t it?"


    If that doesn''t work, nothing will work¡­ in the end, Rain decided to check the human path. The skills were at a high level, but there was a long path ahead of him to master all that¡­


    Level 5: Body Motor Skills (85) - Improved coordination and control over bodily movements.


    Level 15: Mathematics (45) Proficiency in mathematics, allowing you to solve numerical problems and understand mathematical concepts.


    Your journey continues at empire


    Level 20: Appraisal (25) Ability to assess and evaluate items, revealing basic information about their nature and properties.


    Level 30: Writing (35) Improved writing skills, enabling the character to express thoughts and ideas through writtenmunication.


    Level 50: Agriculture (65)- Understanding of basic farming techniques, crop cultivation, andnd management for sustenance and livelihood.


    Level 55: Horse Riding (01)- Mastery in riding and controlling horses for transportation and mountedbat.


    Level 60: cksmithing (15)- Ability to forge and craft basic weapons, armor, and tools.


    Level 70: Herbalism (22) Knowledge of medicinal herbs and their applications for basic healing and remedies.


    Level 85: Leadership (75)- Ability to inspire and lead others, coordinating efforts and making sound decisions in challenging situations.


    Level 90: Swordsmanship (15)- Proficiency in the art of wielding a sword forbat purposes.


    Level 100: Stealth (33) Skill in moving silently, remaining hidden, and blending into the surroundings.


    "I guess I can keep some of them equipped while I am not doing anything really important and use my mind and simple tasks to improve those skills," Rain thought. "Trying all those things by myself seems interesting, but in the end, maybe I really should investigate the abandoned area of the world, the ce the giant monsters came from¡­"


    Skills like Language, Improved Rest, Labor, Fitness, and Improved Learning had been maxed out, and Rain didn''t even realize when that happened. Still, at least that made him realize some things¡­ Since they were simple skills, they could be maxed out since he knew how they worked, so he didn''t have to keep them equipped¡­ he just had to understand them down to a deep level.


    When Rain didn''t have better things to do, or when he was about to sleep, he would do some math in his head. He did the multiplication table until he stopped because he fell asleep or when something needed his attention. His record was reaching the forty-five mark without making mistakes, and that slowly increased since he was memorizing the answers along the way.


    Another thing that he did was to make a golem in the shape of a horse, and he also made an earth mower to cultivate thend. That made him improve his Horsemanship and Agriculture as well¡­ although he made his friends look at him with confused eyes.


    "Is this another way to get stronger?" Terra asked.


    "Maybe, I don''t know yet," Rain shrugged. "I will tell you once I get some results."


    Multitasking, in many aspects of life, often results in mediocre skills for individuals. The reason behind this is that when you spread your focus across several tasks simultaneously, you can''t dedicate the necessary time, attention, or depth of effort to excel in any particr one. Hence, you develop half-assed skills.


    Instead of mastering a skill or task, you might end up bing merelypetent or average in all of them.


    For Rain, the path system changed the rules of the game. It allowed him to develop his skills and abilities in a unique way. The paths enabled him to specialize and gain expertise in a variety of domains, breaking free from the constraints of mediocrity.


    However, Rain''s desire for more was driven by a hunger for mastery and perfection, pushing him to explore the depths of his capabilities beyond what the system usually could offer.


    While Rain was thinking about that, two months passed, and his kids became two years old. Although no one was expecting that, Rain decided to throw them a party¡­ that was something that rich families would only throw now and then only to promote one of their kids, and that was why everyone was left confused.


    Even more so when the beast people didn''t do anything in thest two months¡­ in any case, it was a good change of mood. Besides, Rain wanted to do something for them since he didn''t have as much time for them as he had before.


    While everyone was eating and drinking, Terra called Rain to the corner and then used her magic on him. But he didn''t notice anything, but he could feel her magic on him.


    "I learned what the martial artists could do, how to cast healing spells only when you get hurt," Terra grinned.

 Chapter 504 Bad news

    "You picked a weird time to learn that," Rain frowned.


    "I didn''t pick a weird time. It took me all these years to learn it¡­ although I had a bit more time to practice now since the kids can be watched by Father and Mother as well," Terra exined.


    Rain didn''t notice that, but Terra was also training hard¡­ it was hard to notice it since she was trying to learn that technique while also using her usual healing skills. Basically, Terra had to control her mana to a point that the mana would follow her will no matter what.


    "So, you decide to make the spell activate with your willpower at the moment when it is needed?" Rain asked.


    "No, you have to give an order to make the spell activate under certain conditions," Terra exined. "Like, activate when you start to bleed. I just learned it, though, and it onlysts for one hour. I have to improve it."


    A spell that works based on conditions¡­ that was interesting. Rain asked if Terra could activate the same spell several times on the same target, but she couldn''t yet. She learned the spell that day.


    "I will try that as well, and we can share our findingster," Rain said. "Anyway, let''s enjoy the party and stay with the kids."


    That news could add a lot of options for the group, but if it were easy, the martial artists would have done it¡­ and now they have been exterminated. At least Rain and Terra learned a bit of their fighting style¡­ even though their main path was still unknown.


    The next day, Rain noticed that Danny and Annie seemed way more cheerful than usual, so the party had served its purpose.


    At the same time, he could see Danny finally seeding in doing the handstands¡­ Rain forgot to check their progress, but he soon confirmed that they were on the level forty-eight and forty six of the human path¡­ Rain didn''t recall when he reached that level, but he was pretty sure that he was a bit slower than them¡­


    "Should I feel happy that my kids are off with a better start than me or unhappy due to my ipetence?" Rain wondered. "Well, they have a good teacher at their age, and I didn''t¡­ so maybe I can use that excuse for a while."


    Rain''s kids could already speak very well, and to increase their learning and progress, Rain was considering teaching them how to read and write as well¡­ he wondered if he was being too spartan with them. Still, he didn''t want to choose their paths, but he wanted them to have as much time as possible to improve their healing skills.


    After ying with his kids for a while, another day of training started¡­ half of the captains already had full squads for them¡­ so the Raging Phoenix already had twelve hundred members. It was a decent force, and they would always scout around the mountains to gain experience and spread good rumors about them. Half of them were fully equipped too.


    "I guess it is fine for us to make some big moves on the other areas of the country to improve our names," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "They still need more training, but we can use them to escort goods for other parts of the kingdom and they still will train along the way."


    "While I want to trust them, not everyone is an addicted to training as you, Rain," Roan frowned. "I hate to admit this, but I can only train this hard daily because I would feel ashamed if I didn''t do as much as you. If you weren''t around, I would ck a lot more."


    "I can confirm that," Leiah said. "You should keep living with us forever, Rain. That way, I can keep bragging to the neighbors that my husband still has abs that I can see despite his age."


    "I am not even forty yet," Roan protested. "Just because people call me grandpa, I am still in the apex of my youth."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Didn''t you say just say that you would be cking around if it weren''t for Rain?" Leiah asked. "The power of your youth is a bitcking, don''t you think?"


    Rain felt like sighing¡­ he didn''t want to see such an interaction of his parents back and forth¡­ It made him feel weird. Regardless, Rain began to think about the n in detail before putting it into practice¡­ with a force of five hundred on the area, they will probably be able to repel most attacks of the beast people.


    Seara also could call in for reinforcements as well, so things looked fine enough.


    While considering that possibility and also studying the technique that Terra just learned, Rain started to feel more tired mentally as ofte¡­ perhaps he needed a break. Maybe if he wreaks havoc on the beast people''s territory, they will give up once and for all. However, just when Rain was about to take the next step¡­ Some unexpected visitors showed up, they were Asche and Liss.


    "Auntie!" Annie said while showing an unusualrge smile.


    "Why do you have to call me auntie¡­ call me big Sis Asche," Asche said while facepalming.


    "Did something happen? You guys haven''t visited us here in half a year," Terra asked while trying to hold back herugh.


    "... Bad news, all the soldiers that were being watched just vanished overnight yesterday," Liss said.


    Everyone opened their eyes widely when they heard that¡­ how was that possible? Twenty thousand soldiers disappeared overnight without leaving any traces? That was insanity¡­ everyone looked at Rain for an exnation, but he just shrugged.


    "It seems that something big is going to happen soon," Rain said while looking at the horizon.


    One dayter, they were informed by an astonished Seara¡­ the magic people were marching toward their territory. Not to make more friends, since they had an army of twenty thousand on their side.

 Chapter 505 Tyrant

    The suspicious inaction of the beast people had be more than a mere coincidence at that point. It was evident that they were waiting for something to happen, and this realization sent ripples of unease through everyone''s bodies. As the news reached their ears that the magic people were marching towards their territory, a collective connection of dots was made¡­


    It became clear that someone, a puppet master behind the scenes, was orchestrating a deliberate campaign to bring about the downfall of the human kingdom. The feeling of being trapped in a grand and intricate plot was unsettling and annoying, and it raised questions about the identity and motives of this puppet master. The game had be moreplex, and the stakes had grown significantly higher.


    "... Where are they?" Rain asked.


    "They crossed the border, our friends guarding the area tried to talk with them, but they were attacked and thought to move away or face them as well. Their numbers weren''t high enough to slow them down," Sears exined. "Right now, they should be right on the previous border."


    It seemed that Josar could no longer contain the anger of his allies¡­ or maybe something else happened to them, and they weren''t aware of¡­ either way, it was hard to imagine that things could be stopped with talks now that the magic people raised such an army.


    "... We can''t move all of the people here through the tunnel. It is pretty clear that the beast people will attack soon enough as well," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then looked at his friends and family. "I guess I will go and see what I can do to buy some time for the people in Teria to evacuate or prepare for a siege. You all should stay here and fight the beast people."


    Everyone wanted to sigh and say that Rain''s idea was insane, but they didn''t have many other options. At least he was going to have the support of the sea folk.


    "That seems to be the best option in the short term, but we need something better for the long run," Sears said. "Maybe we should ask father directly for help¡­"


    "No, we can''t ask him to join this fight. You guys don''t have anything in this war to use so many people yet, or someone of importance like him," Rain said. "Besides, that will only make the magic people more pissed, and we don''t have to enrage them further¡­ as for what we should do in the long run¡­ I guess we can only wait and see."


    "What?" Seara frowned in utter disbelief.


    "Think about it: we don''t even know where the real enemy is, and we don''t have enough information to n that much," Rain exined. "We need to keep gathering intel in order to avoid falling into the enemy''s ns. The only thing I can think of right now is that they are trying to make us waste time by ying defensively while they do something else."


    "... They also might want both sides to go at each other and lose their forces¡­ although I find it hard to think of any forces in the world right now that would need such tactics to aplish anything against the humans, beast people, and the magic people," Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The dragons don''t need that kind of roundabout path if they want ournds."


    "That leaves the demi-humans, but they live too far away, and they prefer to live in istion as well¡­" Seara added.


    "Anyway, I am going to talk with Branden and Esmeralda before flying to Terra. If something happens, I will ask one of the sea folk toe and pass the message," Rain said, and then he flew onto an ice tform just like that.


    The group watched Rain disappearing in the distance while showingplicated expressions¡­ at that point in time, no one could tell when all that conflict was going to end. Everyone thought that the age of strife had ended, but the roots of war left behind by the former enemies were hard to get rid of, apparently.


    Branden and Esmeralda were already waiting for Rain when he arrived at the castle, but they had no idea what they could do¡­ the only military force that they had was the one that Rain was training¡­ they were basically receiving taxes because the whole kingdom knew how Rain was rumored to bury his enemies alive and they didn''t want to experience the same thing.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As such, both of them looked like they were aging weeks every minute.


    "You guys worry too much. I can at least buy time for Teria to be evacuated," Rain said. "It isn''t like we didn''t lose that city once in the past, after all¡­"


    "It must be nice to have your confidence, Rain," Branden said while rubbing his eyes. "You need to see the bigger picture¡­ if things go south too much, the poption might join the other side and attack all of us."


    "Well, that would be something, but that is why we have the underground tunnels. It is used for that kind of emergency," Rain shrugged. "Just focus on doing your best anding up with the best options when ites to the development of this country. If you guys fall, I might as well take over the country and be a tyrant."


    "I can''t think of a worse thing to happen," Branden said and then sighed.


    "... I thought that I could rebuild my family''s name and be more fair to the whole country, but I am starting to regret all this," Esmeralda said while looking to the side. "Being all nice doesn''t cut it out when people refuse to see how hard we are working to be nice. Maybe Rain''s idea of bing a tyrant isn''t so bad¡­"


    Esmeralda was really tired¡­ one could tell that she wasn''t jokingpletely. For a moment, Rain considered bing a bit of a tyrant, but that would be too troublesome.

 Chapter 506 What is your name again?

    Branden couldn''t help but feel a pang of guilt deep within as he recognized that he couldn''t provide the support Esmeralda the way that he yearned for despite his best intentions. The weight of the circumstances bore down on them all, reminding him that there were limitations to what they could do. The desire to change the situation shed with the harsh reality of the issues they were facing.


    While he wished he could do more for Esmeralda, he knew that, for the moment, their options were constrained by circumstances beyond their control.


    "I am heading to the border to say hi to the friends that fought with us three years ago to protect theirnds, but it seems that they don''t believe anymore that we can be good neighbors," Rain said. "Any messages that you want to pass to them or anything that I should be mind off?"


    Branden realized that Rain was getting tired of that situation¡­ he was strong, and wars could make him even stronger, but that wasn''t his priority in his life. There are many things never worth risking, no matter the potential gain. Reputation is invaluable. Freedom and independence are invaluable. Family and friends are invaluable. Being loved by those whom you want to love is invaluable.


    Happiness is invaluable¡­ Rain knew all that, and that was why he was sick of people trying to take things from him. It didn''t matter the reason.


    "If possible, don''t massacre them¡­ it will only leave a deep mark in the history of our countries," Branden replied. "Perhaps we can buy some time for Josar to change their minds.


    "I will see what I can do¡­ by the way, aren''t they being bothered by dragons anymore?" Rain asked.


    "As far as I had heard, it seems that the dragons stopped attacking them during the war three years ago," Branden exined.


    That was odd¡­ Rain killed an ice dragon during that time, and the creature was probably a somewhat adult dragon¡­ but it shouldn''t be the strongest or in the upper echelon of the dragon''s hierarchy. Rain wondered if their invasion again was something that only the younger dragons had tried again¡­ they never learned.


    In any case, Rain began to move to the border while thinking about what he should do to achieve what he wanted. He had some options, but all of them had some drawbacks. He could get rid of the tribe leaders to spread chaos among their ranks, but that would only make the magic people more enraged¡­ they wouldn''t follow each other''smands, and that could make the war even longer. Experience more tales on empire


    Rain could try to use the same tactics as he did with the beast people, but he also knew that he could be counter-attacked with more ease since they knew how to operate now¡­


    "I guess I should do the same as them and invade theirnds and destroy their towns and viges and see if they want topete with me and see who destroys more and faster," Rain thought.


    When Rain arrived in Teria, the sun was rising and he also could see the magic people''s army already approaching¡­ some of the city''s inhabitants were already leaving the city while some had shields and weapons in the walls and preparing themselves for battle¡­ some of them should be the remains of the king''s de¡­ Cor was among them, and that made Rain wonder why didn''t they disappear like the ordinary soldiers?


    "It has been a while," Rain said when he suddenlynded on the wall. "How many people are able to fight here?"


    "... Around one hundred, all of the members of the king''s de," Cor said while quickly receiving from the surprise.


    "Former king''s de," Rain said. "I guess you guys would be able to find escort work here after the war."


    The heavy atmosphere that enveloped Cor and the soldiers was as dense as the burdens they had been carrying for years. They couldn''t escape the memories of the previous conflict, with each action and decision from that time weighing heavily on their conscience. It was a silent acknowledgment of their past mistakes and a shared determination to make amends in some way or another.


    The emotions that coursed through them included guilt for having followed the king''s orders without questioning their logic, even when it seemed beyond stupid. It was as if they had willingly shut their eyes to the absurdity of it all for the sake of loyalty and duty. Now, in the face of a renewed threat, the idea of a hasty retreat wasn''t a real option.


    They couldn''t imagine abandoning the town until everyst civilian had been safely evacuated. This was no longer about duty but about honor and redemption, and they were determined to see it through, no matter the cost. They couldn''t die after disgracing their names further.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "What are your ns?" Cor asked. "Are you going to try to negotiate with them, or are you going to take over leadership here?"


    "I guess I will decide based on their actions," Rain said and then used Impulse toward the magic people.


    After a few steps, Rain quickly stopped ten kilometers away from the city and five hundred meters away from the army. It didn''t take long for them to notice him and stop marching¡­ Rain could see some of the tribe leaders leading them, but he couldn''t see Josar among them¡­ he could feel the aura of some members of the Gemini tribe.


    After a couple of minutes of total silence, the tribe leaders stepped forward to talk with Rain¡­ or maybe attack him. It was hard to say what they were going to do since they were too tense. It almost looked like they didn''t know what to do either.


    "Step aside or face us, human. You alone can''t stop this war."


    "Huh, what is your name again?" Rain scratched his cheek. "Did we talk before? Is there anyone there who has talked with me before? Where is Josar?"

 Chapter 507 Trap?

    "That is none of your business, human. It is finally time for you all to pay for your crimes."


    Explore stories on empire


    "You guys sure are creeping me out," Rain frowned. "Referring to me as human in your head is something, but saying it out loud sure is weird."


    Rain couldn''t help but see through the obvious taunts of the tribe leaders. Their provocations seemed designed to incite him into violence and, in turn, provoke their troops. It was a clear strategy to make the magic people act with rage and brutality, even if they had to die for that. Hoping to tip the scales in the favor of the magic people.


    The tribe leaders might have been willing to sacrifice themselves as martyrs, believing that their deaths would serve as a catalyst, causing the humans to regret their choices and potentially driving the magic people to revert to a more primal, aggressive way of life. It was a desperate but calcted move on their part, and Rain was determined not to fall into their trap.


    "If you guys want to fight, it is fine," Rain said. "Still, you should at least exin why you want to fight. Did something happen after the martial artists were annihted?"


    The aura of the tribe leaders changed when they heard that question¡­ It seemed that Rain had stopped on andmine. They clenched their teeth and fists, and their aura began to vibrate thanks to their anger.


    "Die! Die!"


    One of the tribe leaders pointed his hands at Rain and then fired a simple and thin beam of heat toward Rain''s head, but he blocked it with his forearm guards. In the next moment, his feet began to sink since quicksand appeared under his feet.


    Fire tornadoes emerged from the sides, and water spears were fired toward Rain while ten-meter-tall golems were slowly emerging from the sides¡­ it seems that negotiations are over.


    In the end, Rain sent those guys flying back with their arms after pushing upward the ground under their feet¡­ that made their spells be canceled since their focus was stopped.


    "I guess something did happen¡­ it is annoying that I couldn''t hear what, but it doesn''t matter that much now," Rain thought and then turned around and returned to Teria.


    Rain shrugged when he saw Cor again¡­ the bloodshed can''t be stopped. In the end, Rain will have to get some intel by getting some prisoners and forcing them to talk. Hopefully, a few days of hunger and thirst will do the trick.


    "I would advise you to send some people to watch the sides. The magic people could send some of them to chase the people that are evacuating," Rain said. "I have something in mind, but I need to wait for a while before I can put it into action."


    Cor nodded and quickly began to give some orders for the people around¡­ he knew that their only chance of surviving relied on Rain, and on the moment he decided to abandon the city, they would be goners.


    During that time, Rain kept his eyes on the magic people''s army, and he saw them setting their camp five kilometers away from the city¡­ it seemed that they were nning to take Rain seriously, but it didn''t seem like they knew the full extent of his abilities.


    In the next moment, Rain began to focus, and then he summoned a giant ice spear filled with spikes around it. The same appeared already spinning, and it was making a weird sound thanks to its unusual shape¡­ thanks to the sound, the magic people realized that Rain was plotting something, but they reacted to it toote, and Rain fired.


    Rain''s attack crossed that distance in two seconds and then hit the camp of the magic people. He only aimed at a space between some groups to scare them off, but the attack still killed dozens of them¡­ the spikes caused a lot more destruction than he had expected. At the same time, he felt the impact from that distance.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The Polymath Path received 320 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The Polymath Path received 330 experience points.


    ¡­


    "It isn''t that good yet¡­ that another spear was two times faster¡­ way above mach ten," Rain thought. "Still, I guess I am on the right path. I focused for the same amount of time, after all."


    If that earth spear was the enemy''s best attack and they were a mage, then their level wasn''t insane¡­ it was way above anything that Rain had seen, but it wasn''t impossible to deal with.


    The magic people began to hastily retreat again while he also summoned some earth walls to block Rain''s field of vision¡­ they were so naive of thinking that such a thing would be enough to stop him¡­ knocking down structures like that would be easy as¡­ Rain couldn''t think of any rightparison.


    In any case, before Rain could attack the walls, he suddenly saw some soldiers approaching from the left side in a hurry. It seemed that the magic people already sent some of their soldiers to try to chase the people evacuating.


    "Sir, there are some of the enemies approaching from the side."


    "You won''t¡­ I am going to check it," Rain said.


    Rain almost said you wouldn''t call me sir, but that sounded very weird, so he stopped in the end. Regardless, he couldn''t help but frown when he reached the other side of the wall and saw a group of the magic people approaching¡­ they didn''t seem like they wanted to fight, and Rain recognized two people there¡­ Geo and the woman who brainwashed his father.


    "Is this a trap?" Rain frowned.


    From a distance, Rain could see that they were wounded, and he couldn''t see any magic being active on them either¡­ the woman was moving with the help of Geo, and she had a bloodstained piece of cloth covering her eyes¡­

 Chapter 508 Learning from the best

    "I see, I get it now¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    In the end, Rain approached the group, and then Geo sighed in relief after showing a clear look of shock. It didn''t seem like he had seen him before¡­ so that could only mean one thing.


    "I didn''t expect to find you here. I guess our luck isn''t so bad," Geo said.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure¡­" Rain said after he crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"


    Continue your journey with empire


    "It makes sense for you to be so guarded¡­ but we came just to tell you what happened that led to this entire situation," Geo said after a long sigh. "I would understand if you don''t trust us, who, in the end, apparently betrayed our allies, but we are here to do our part."


    Rain looked at Geo in the eye and studied him¡­ they more or less had be allies in the past three years after the war in order to improve the life of the nations involved¡­ Rain also repaired his town when it was over, after all. Even if Geo were the worst scumbag in the world, he would feel a bit indebted to Rain after that.


    "All right, I am listening¡­ it is what I would want to say, but I want to keep an eye on the army as well, soe with me to the walls," Rain said.


    Rain took those guys to the wall, and he healed them while he checked their bodies with magic as well¡­ their wounds were deep. They weren''t fake at all. Their friends truly tried to kill them. Rain also noticed that the woman who brainwashed his father had her eyes burned¡­ thanks to that, he wondered if thest three years of peace weakened him so much that he felt troubled by that.


    Rain wondered if it was because he had be a father now, but he felt like he had to be the best person possible for his kids. Living for himself and leaving a trail of blood whenever he got pissed was easy¡­ Subjugating the human country and perhaps the beast people and the magic people would probably be easy to do with the right mindset. However, that felt empty.


    "I really got soft, huh," Rain thought and then sighed.


    Geo exined on the situation, recounting how, after Rain''sst visit to the magic people''s country, Josar had managed to pacify their people despite the sad event of an unknown human eradicating an entire tribe. However, an even more sinister incident has unfolded since then.


    A group of unknown humans had brazenly attacked the Mercury Warriors'' vige,unching a stealthy and quick, silent assault under the cover of darkness.


    These humans not only killed all the warriors but also captured the women and children of the vige. This heinous act had sent shockwaves of shock and anger throughout the magic people''smunity, creating an escting crisis.


    "Once that happened, Josar tried to pacify things again, but most of the tribe leaders got sick of him, and some said that he was working with the humans to cause the end of our country," Geo exined. "People said that his tribe was the one that suffered fewer losses in thest war, and that was proof enough¡­ even most of his tribe went against him.


    Things escted, and then the conflict started, but it quickly ended since it looked like the other side had been waiting for that. We are the survivors of those who tried to help Josar¡­ but he died."


    "You guys are from different tribes. Why would you join him anyway?" Rain asked. "You couldn''t be so brain dead to believe that you would win against the vast majority of your people."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "We knew that¡­ but we also knew that someone was orchestrating the end of our people and yours too," Geo exined. "We are aware that you waging war with the beast people, and we also know that some unknown forces targeted them as well. All the tribe leaders know that, but they let the blood rush to their heads. They don''t care if another war truly wipe us out, and to be honest¡­ I am scared of you.


    I have the feeling that you can kill us all if you get fed up enough."


    Geo had good instincts and a good head¡­ using some simple tactics, brute efficiency, and his unusual skills that most people couldn''t understand, Rain truly would be able to destroy a nation or two by himself. His fear wasn''t unfounded.


    "... So, you came to avoid that oue," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You have a point, and I am starting to get tired of this situation. In the first ce, it is due to your collective ipetence that someone was able to invade your country and wipe out two tribes. It isn''t the fault of the humans as a whole."


    Although Rain said that, he was more worried about something else¡­ killing and capturing those two tribes was quite an odd choice. They were different from most of the other tribes, and their fighting style actually resembled Rain''s a bit.


    Another weird thing is that the enemy acted with some intelligence until now, and they should know that Rain probably could face and kill a lot of the magic people and get a lot stronger while doing that¡­ could it have been that they made a mistake somewhere?


    "Anyway, is there anything else that you can tell me that it mighte in handy?" Rain asked.


    "Unfortunately, no¡­ aside from the fact that despite their harshness, everyone is determined to defeat you and humans, considering everything that they learned in the previous war, including the things that you showed," Geo said. "They are aware that you are at war with the beast people, so they won''t mind if this warsts for a while."


    "They learned well on how to be a nuisance¡­ it is annoying that they learned that from me," Rain frowned.

 Chapter 509 Working together

    "It seems that we aren''t aste as I had imagined that we would be¡­" Seadir suddenly appeared and then said.


    Everyone around frowned when they saw Seadir and one hundred sea warriors appearing from their back¡­ there was no sea around, so everyone couldn''t help but be speechless. They didn''t know that Rain''s shop in the city also had an underground tunnel that was connected to the whole kingdom and the sea¡­ Rain didn''t only change diapers in thest three years, after all.


    Although he did that most of the time¡­


    "It also seems that a lot already happened," Seadir frowned while looking at Geo''s group and the walls of the enemy''s camp. "What is the n?"


    "It looks like the magic people want to try a siege to make us waste time since the beast people are also knocking on our doorstep," Rain said. "So, we will make them regret giving that chance to us."


    "That seems interesting, but where are the details?" Seadir asked.


    "You sure are hasty, it isn''t fun if I exin the whole n all at once," Rain shrugged. "First, we will wait until everyone evacuates, and then we will go all out."


    The evacuation was necessary because the n was dangerous even for them, even more so for the people in the city¡­ Rain wasn''t the type to do things half-assedly, so he was nning to change the area a bit for a while¡­ It was a pity, but it couldn''t be helped. Besides, he wanted to make the other side understand that they were only going to keep losing their forces for as long as they wanted.


    When night came, the magic people had finished raising thick and stable walls in all directions around their camp. They knew that the sea folk mighte to help Rain if things got dicey for him and the walls would withstand the attacks of most of the sea warriors¡­ it was hard to imagine that the sea emperor would join that fight, after all.


    In any case, when night fell, things got quiet in the area and cold as well. Lately, that area has be like that because of the sea waters that crossed the continent in that region¡­ Thanks to that, the magic people didn''t think much of it. Until it started to snow¡­


    It didn''t take long for the magic people to understand that Rain was at it again. They knew that he could manipte the weather to that extent¡­ still, they had been waiting for that.


    Hundreds of people who could use wind magic fired wind spheres at the clouds in the sky, and when they reached those, the wind spheres exploded and pushed away the clouds in all directions¡­ they kept doing that for several hours, but the clouds would always return.


    Although it wasn''t snowing inside the camp, the temperature was dropping, and everyone could tell that Rain wanted to bother them with that.


    "Heat Sorcerers! Move across the camp and use your magic to warm all the spots around it!"


    The heat Sorcerers began to move, and even without sunlight, they were able to improve things with the bonfires across the camp. Their magic was able to make those emit even more heat, after all.


    In the end, the magic people didn''t face many problems thanks to the cold¡­ but when morning came, and they were about to take the next step¡­ they quickly realized that something else was happening¡­ from Teria, they could see small waves of watering toward them¡­ it wouldn''t work to even damage their walls, but knew that Rain was annoyingly cunning and his ns weren''t that simple.


    "Use your magic to evaporate the water!"


    "Make the ground absorb the water and clean the terrain! Don''t let the enemies dictate the flow of the battle."


    The magic people had their cards, too¡­ the heat sorcerers were able to evaporate the water, and the quicksand executioner made the ground absorb it. They also could use mud golems, and they were faster than the ordinary ones. However, they didn''t want to go and attack so soon. For them to be effective, the golem masters had to be nearby.


    Still, soon, the magic people realized that something was off¡­ the dark clouds above them only looked more ominous, and the water kepting¡­ it didn''t take long for them to realize it.


    "It is sea water¡­ where the hell is this sea watering from?"


    Before they could get their answers, it started to snow again, and this time, their attacks couldn''t disperse the clouds all that much¡­ all because all the water that they evaporated increased the water on the clouds¡­ At the same time, the temperature began to drop, and the water began to freeze before it could evaporate or be absorbed¡­ as if that wasn''t enough, the ice level began to increase.


    The magic people could tell that the sea folk were in the city, but they shouldn''t be able to control all that water from such a distance¡­ something was off¡­ they only realized what was wrong when the ice was already one meter tall and thick¡­ while they were busy dispelling the clouds at night, Rain made some walls in the area, and he was slowly increasing them¡­ walls of earth magic.


    "If you look too much in the distance, you will fail to see things up close," Rain said.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "We can send more water, you know?" Seadir asked. "Although that will probably damage the city." Your journey continues on empire


    "And that will increase my workload before returning," Rain said. "We don''t want that, and we don''t want to weaken the magic people too much since I have the feeling that whoever is controlling things behind the scenes wants to weaken us all."


    "For what purpose?" Seadir asked.


    "The enemies are wary of me; they don''t understand my abilities further, but I would bet that they are watching this," Rain exined. "If their goal is to get stronger, then wiping out a weakened country after a war would be easier."

 Chapter 510 Terms of employment

    Rain''s way of thinking was bing increasingly clear to those around him. He often delved into worst-case scenarios as his primary mode of thought, making sure he was prepared for any unexpected developments. While this approach might appear pessimistic, it was, in fact, highly pragmatic, especially given the recent actions of their adversaries.


    By anticipating the most challenging situations, Rain aimed to safeguard against unpleasant surprises, a way of thinking that was proving essential in these uncertain times.


    Naturally, there are several ws in the enemy''s way of thinking¡­ They were making Rain stronger, too, and that was why they were being cautious.


    In any case, the magic people did their beast to fight back against Rain''s ns¡­ they used their best techniques to get rid of the ice that was quickly surrounding them. Still, Rain was expecting all that, and he worked overnight to make sure that their response would be useless.


    Rain cut the sunlight with his clouds, which halved the strength of the heat sorcerers. By freezing the water, the quicksand executioners couldn''t do a damn thing, and the golem masters could only summon their golems inside their camp¡­ making them jump over the walls was a huge waste of time¡­


    The water snipers were able to damage the ice alongside the wing mages and other tribes that could attack from a distance, but the ice and the water repaired all of it.


    "Here theye," Rain thought when he saw some of the magic people in the distance.


    In a crazy transformation, several of the magic people began to shift into imposing, humanoid figures standing at a height of three meters. Their once-human features distorted and melded into something more scary, resembling the legendary dragons.


    Scales covered their skin, radiating an iridescent gleam in various shades of blues, and light greens. Powerful wings stretched from their backs, reminiscent of those of fire dragons, giving them an imposing presence. ws, sharp and gleaming, extended from their fingers, and their eyes glittered with a fit of eerie, otherworldly anger.


    The Dracos, now towering over the icyndscape, prepared to unleash their fire breath upon the frozen terrain. With a deep inhale, they fired a powerful stream of scorching mes that washed over the ice with intense heat. The ice, no match for the fire waves, quickly sumbed to the inferno.


    It melted and cracked under the extreme temperature, revealing the ground beneath as the Dracos effortlessly opened their path. The sizzling sound of ice turning into steam filled the air as the Dracos continued to breathe fire, creating a path through the frozenndscape with ease.


    Geo and the others gulped while seeing the power of the Dracos. Although they were only ordinary people, their power, while transformed, rivaled those of the tribe leaders. They looked at Rain, but he didn''t even flinch while looking at all the ice around the camp being destroyed.


    "... Is that fine?" Geo asked.


    "It is fine; this was within my expectations anyway," Rain shrugged.


    After a couple of minutes, Geo realized why Rain was so calm¡­ a lot of ice was destroyed, but only around the base of the magic people. The trap that Rain had prepared for them was five kilometers wide and long¡­ it wasn''t something that they could destroy.


    The Draco soldiers were strong, but their base strength was determined by the power that they had while they weren''t transformed¡­ by Rain''s calctions, each one of them could be around five times stronger. Perhaps their mana pool would increase by five times, too, but they couldn''t rival Rain and the sea folk in terms of mana. Several of them had the coral spears, after all.


    In the end, the Draco soldiers finally got enraged¡­ staying in that form for too long was dangerous, after all. Some of them managed to transform back to normal and they fell on their knees exhausted, but five of them dashed from their camp and crossed the ice toward Rain whilepletely enraged and roaring.


    "They sure look pissed¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    The Draco soldiers crossed that distance in mere ten seconds¡­ their physical strength and speed weren''t something tough at¡­ However, when Seadir and his friends grabbed their spears, ice spikes emerged from the ground and impaled the enemies.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The Polymath Path received 340 experience points.


    Explore more stories at empiren/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The Polymath Path received 350 experience points.


    The Polymath Path leveled up. Your Wisdom increased by thirty points.


    As the battle reached its end, the Draco soldiers, once fearsome and imposing, began to show signs of their mortality. With each fatal strike or spell that struck them down, their bodies reverted to their original forms. Their reptilian scales transformed into human flesh, their wings faded away, and their figures dwindled into lifeless bodies across the battlefield.


    A hushed silence fell over the onlookers as they witnessed Rain,pletely untouched and calm, single-handedly dispatching these powerful foes. He exhibited an insane control over ice magic, his prowess that defied the imagination. The realization that Rain had effortlessly defeated these opponents without even lifting a finger left the onlookers in awe and fear.


    Geo, watching this astonishing disy, couldn''t help but reaffirm his belief that Rain was a force to be reckoned with, an entity of unparalleled power.


    The respect and awe that Rainmanded on the battlefield were undeniable, and it left everyone with a profound sense of awe and a bit of terror¡­ they imagined that they could be killed if they annoyed him just a little¡­ Naturally, he wasn''t that bloodthirsty.


    "Well, now¡­ let''s see what else they will try," Rain said. "Anyway, it sure is good to have you guys on my side. In any other situation, I would ask you all if you wanted to work for me instead of Gramps."


    "What kind of situation would that be?" Seadir showed a cold smile.


    "I don''t know¡­ maybe if he weren''t paying you a good sry or if you guys didn''t have a day off or vacations," Rain shrugged. "I would offer you all that on the terms of employment."

 Chapter 511 Hooded figure

    Terms of employment¡­ no one could understand what Rain was talking about, but at least he decided to stop with the nonsense of hiring the underlings of the sea emperor¡­ or making them changepanies for that matter.


    In any case, the group resumed their work and kept increasing the ice level in the area¡­ to the point that even they began to feel the cold. The wind was blowing toward them, after all. Still, even with the walls, the magic people would be suffering more, and Rain soon confirmed that.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The Polymath Path received 360 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite leveled up.


    The Polymath Path received 370 experience points.


    People in their camp began to die to the sheer cold, but they tried to keep fighting the ice¡­ when night came again, the thickyer of ice was as tall as their walls, and without any other choice, the magic people began to retreat once more. They lost some of them along the way¡­ but it didn''t take long for them to move away from the scope of the spell.


    "What now?" Cor asked.


    "Now, I will take their hands and guide them back to their viges by any means necessary," Rain said.


    Rain began to skate on the ice toward the magic people¡­ they suffered around three hundred losses, and he was sure that many more got frostbites as well, but that wasn''t enough. Rain had to crush their morale to make them think twice about attacking their territory again.


    Thanks to his forearm and shin guards, the cold in the area was bearable for him. So, he arrived on the other side in no time, just to see the magic people turning around to destroy all the ice¡­ if anything, they sure had spirit, but Rain didn''t feel like praising them.


    Rain kicked the massive ice block and then began to raise them with his magic. When the pieces began to fall, he kicked them with his shin guards toward the enemies. Rain just aimed at their army, while most of them only got hit in their bodies, he didn''t pity the ones that got hit in the head and then fell, never to get up again.


    The skill Frostbite received 200 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite received 200 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite received 200 experience points.


    ¡­


    The magic people turned around and saw Rain¡­ they bit their lips in exasperation¡­ he was so close and yet so far away¡­ there was nothing that they could do against him. The ones who red at him too much ended up getting hit in the face by Rain''s scoring kick that probably could have won against Brazil. What a 7 to 1 as well.


    The magic people began to retreat once more, and this time, they looked eager to move away from the area while knowing that a war of attrition where they gave time for Rain to prepare for them was the stupidest idea that they ever had.


    "Well now¡­ I didn''t annihte them. How much you can pay me for that?" Rain asked when he returned to the wall. "Before you show any shock, this is a poor attempt at a joke. I am going to keep chasing them for a while and then return, and you guys need to deal with things here."


    Thanks to their spears and skills, the sea folk managed to draw water from the underground tunnel and repel the attack, but this job wasn''t without consequences. The liberated water now coursed through parts of the city, creating an unexpected problem.


    Cor and his fellow soldiers quickly understood and were thankful that their priority was not to chase the enemy army but to deal with that. They happily epted this task, valuing the opportunity to do that instead of risking their lives against such odds.


    Now, Rain had to confront another issue that demanded his attention. Geo, along with his twenty or so allies, was aware of the existence of the tunnel connecting the human cities. Rain recognized the significance of this knowledge; it was a sensitive secret that could not be allowed to spread.


    Furthermore, Rain was aware that the woman who had previously manipted his father was among Geo''s associates. Her presence added an extrayer of difficulty to the situation. Keeping the tunnel''s existence a closely guarded secret was absolutely necessary, as any leak of this information could have dire consequences for humans.


    To maintain control over the situation, Rain needed to ensure the silence of Geo and his group, as well as Cor and the soldiers involved in addressing the flooding issue. He couldn''t think of many solutions aside from annoying ones¡­ kill them all or watch them.


    Before leaving to chase the magic people, Rain looked at Seadir and then pointed at Geo and the others and even Cor''s group. They understood the message: anyone who tries to do anything funny or moves away from the area will have the privilege of tasting Seadir''s spear¡­n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For two days, Rain chased the magic people from a distance¡­ when they tried to stop to rest, Rain would make it snow, and then they would panic and think that he would freeze everyone, and soon they would resume their journey¡­ when that time ended, they were way beyond the border andpletely exhausted.


    "I guess I can finally¡­ huh?" Rain frowned when he thought that it was the perfect chance for the enemies to take down those guys. "... They would be easy pickings, wouldn''t they right now?"


    Experience tales at empire


    Rain''s senses warned him that he shouldn''t leave right now¡­ the idea of protecting enemies was insane, but he couldn''t let them be part of the strength of an even more troublesome enemy.


    Trying to confirm those thoughts, Rain checked the area for a while, and then he eventually saw the magic people suddenly stopping when they were just a few hundred meters away from the town of the golem masters¡­ in front of them, Rain could see a hooded figure¡­ as he was waiting for them¡­

 Chapter 512 Path toward a Ninja

    Rain couldn''t shake the unsettling feeling that overcame him as he gazed upon the hooded figure. It was a sensation that echoed the ominous aura he had encountered when he faced the ice dragon, but now it was intensified, sending shivers down his spine. This presence felt even more dangerous, an aura of malevolence that sent a chill deep into his core.


    Intrigued yet cautious, Rain tried to utilize his Magic Eyes to assess the mysterious figure''s strength. But before he could get any insights, the enigmatic hooded individual vanished into thin air, leaving Rain in a state of both intrigue and confusion. The encounter had only deepened the mystery of this unknown character, raising more questions than it provided answers.


    "Asshole¡­" Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "Aren''t you quite shy? Still¡­ was that teleportation? He sensed my intention from this distance? Who the hell was he?"


    Rain was finally able to see the enemy, but not for long, and he didn''t learn much from it¡­ aside from that, he could be as sneaky as him when ites to getting results. That guy definitely knew everything that Rain did during the war and was trying to use all that agaisnt Rain¡­ and he still wanted more power.


    In any case, it was time to go home¡­ during that time, Rain considered a bunch of things. Mainly, he was being too defensive¡­ the situation forced him to react instead of act, and that wasn''t good¡­ letting the enemy decide the pace of the conflict wouldn''t do it.


    "It would be really nice if I actually could use the shadow clone technique¡­ maybe I should try to level up the Thief path until I unlock the ninja path," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    Thief Path


    Level 1: Pickpocketing (1)- Gains the ability to discreetly steal items and money from pockets and bags without being detected. High levels of dexterity improve the sess rate without being noticed.


    Level 5: Lockpicking (1) - Develops the skill to unlock doors, safes, and containers without the use of a key.


    Level 10: Agility (1) - Enhances physical agility and nimbleness, allowing you to move quickly and effortlessly. Plus three percent movement speed per level.


    Level 15: Disguise (1) - Learns to adopt various disguises to blend in with different environments while not moving.


    Level 20: Silent Movement (6) - Master the technique of moving silently and without making noise, reducing the risk of detection. The higher the difference in dexterity, the less chance the enemies might notice you.


    Level 25: Sleight of Hand - Improves the ability to manipte objects and perform tricks, useful for misdirection and sleight-of-hand theft. + 02 dexterity per level.


    Level 30: Stealthy Strikes - Enhances the ability to deliver swift and precise strikes without alerting enemies. + 02 luck per level.


    "There isn''t much that I can use here¡­ but it is hard to think that this won''t truly lead to the Ninja path," Rain thought while checking that path.


    Rain imagined that he would get a ton of experience if he tried to take the money from people and soon tried to return it¡­ that would make him level up pickpocketing and Sleight of Hand. If he kept doing that on the same target, over and over again¡­ it was worth trying. It would ruin his reputation if he were caught, though.


    In any case, soon Rain returned to Teria and asked Seadir to go home and talk with the others. If nothing had happened there, they were to send five squads to Teria to keep guard there. It was just for appearance''s sake to keep the inhabitants feeling better since they would be able toe and defend the city if another attack were to happen.


    "Well, now¡­ what should I do with you guys?" Rain asked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he studied Cor and Geo''s group.


    "... What do you mean by that?" Geo asked after gulping.


    "You havee to learn about my tunnels. Naturally, I can''t let you roam around while knowing that," Rain said. "Your options areing with me and bing my underlings or death. I can tell what you are going to decide, but do I need you guys in my group? Not really."


    Rain wanted his army to be the way he wanted. That was why he was training time from scratch. Cor and the others were mercenaries, and we''re stuck in his ways as well.


    At the same time, Rain didn''t want to let that woman get closer to his kids or his family. Still, he couldn''t leave a blind woman in that city, and Geo and his friends also wouldn''t let that happen. As expected, killing them all seemed the best option.


    "... I suppose I can''t kill you all since you followed someone who tried to avoid the war," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Still, I need to give you the choice. Will you work for me for the rest of your life without having the chance to change jobs ever again, or will you choose death?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "We will work for you¡­ but you aren''t nning on leaving her behind, are you?" Geo asked while pointing at the ck-haired woman. "Artisia is an ally that we are willing to work hard to make her recover her sight."


    "Hmm¡­ can she do anything aside from brainwashing people?" Rain asked.


    "... My ability isn''t exactly brainwashing, but to make people think that what I want is what they want as well," Artisia exined. Find adventures at empire


    "Howe that isn''t brainwashing?" Rain raised his eyebrows.


    Artisia¡­ that was her name¡­ it has been over ten years since she became a mortal enemy, and it was the first time that Roan heard her name, but it didn''t matter all that much.


    Still, her ability would be useful if Rain wanted to learn as much as possible from prisoners¡­ speaking of prisoners, Rain didn''t find a single person aside from her that could use that kind of magic¡­ maybe her tribe truly had low numbers.

 Chapter 513 There is no point

    Much to Rain''s surprise, the squads that were supposed toe to guard Teria arrived three dayster, and Seara came with them, informing them that nothing happened on their end¡­ things were bing more curious with every passing moment.


    "Considering what you just exined, I would guess that we didn''t move as the enemy had expected, so perhaps that is the reason why nothing happened," Seara said. "Anyways¡­ it seems that we have more allies, I guess? But you aren''t happy about that."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "The conditions force me to take them with me," Rain said and then went to talk with his soldiers who were going to work on Teria from now on. "You guys'' training isn''t over yet, and that is why, in one month, you will return to our base to resume it, but I am sure that you will keep training hard to be ready for action."


    All the soldiers saluted Rain in response¡­ he didn''t train them to do that, so it felt a bit weird. Regardless, it felt like they truly respected him, so Rain didn''t mind.


    "Once you guys return, I will teach you a new technique, and this one is one is one of my favorites," Rain added. "I expect great things from you."


    As the news of learning another powerful technique spread among the soldiers, an undeniable wave of excitement surged through their ranks. Their faces lit up with anticipation, and their collective enthusiasm was clear. Rain recognized that these men and women had spent a significant portion of their lives obeying orders without much consideration for personal gain.


    The promise of newfound power and the potential for true freedom had ignited a spark within them. Continue reading on empire


    Rain, in turn, acknowledged the importance of nurturing their loyalty. He believed that instilling a sense of camaraderie and purpose beyond marypensation was essential. His decision to increase their training was motivated not only by the desire to strengthen his forces but also to ensure their unwavering loyalty.


    By granting them the means to empower themselves, he aimed to foster a sense of unity and the understanding that, together, they could shape their destinies and break free from the constraints of their past.


    "What now?" Seara asked.


    "Now we return home after giving a brief report to Branden and Esmeralda," Rain replied and then looked at Seara for a moment.


    At this point in time, Rain realized that things wouldn''t go the way he nned that much¡­ at least when ites to whatever happens all over the world, his enemies had the upper hand since they could move that fast and attack what they wanted when they wanted¡­ everyone should have realized that after seeing that hooded guy teleporting in the middle of the day.


    All those things made Rain realize that hoping for the best was great, but he had to prepare for the worst as well.


    "There is no point in letting the enemies dictate the pace of my life, I guess," Rain muttered.


    "What was that? Isn''t that obvious?" Seara asked.


    "I suppose," Rain shrugged. "I will act with all that in mind all the time from now on."


    While using the underground tunnel and a longship made of earth magic, Rain and his new underlings went to the capital with Seara. She decided to stay with him, for the most part, to increase their movement speed since having more than one hundred people with him could also be dangerous for Rain. In any case, soon they gave their report to Branden and Esmeralda.


    "I see¡­ so things ended like that," Branden said while studying Cor and Geo''s group.


    "Please convey my thanks to your brother and His Imperial Majesty, Seara," Esmeralda said.


    "Certainly, Your Majesty," Seara said and then bowed.


    Rain felt weird when people tried to talk formally like that while he tried to keep things as rxed as possible, but he couldn''tin all that much since that wasmon sense when dealing with authorities and leaders of the countries.


    "This might sound weird, but since you already recruited some of them, why not recruit Ka and the others as well?" Branden asked. "Ka''s management skills are unrivaled, and after all these years, they must be willing to do whatever it takes to make up for the war."


    "You know that I can''t trust people that easily, right?" Rain frowned. "Besides, it would be difficult if so many people were to learn about my secrets."


    "Your cautiousness is understandable, but they stayed behind when all the suspicious individuals disappeared, most likely to work for the enemies, most likely because they are still being controlled," Branden exined. "While there is a small chance that they could be controlled as well¡­ you have someone with you that can prove or disprove their innocence now."


    It was Artisia¡­ Branden had a point, but even so, trusting her words and judgment was a bit¡­ it went against all of Rain''s self-preservation instincts. Seara shrugged while seeing Rain suddenly getting quiet. She could understand the reason why, but it was too much from her perspective.


    "Didn''t you just say that there is no point in letting the enemies dictate your life?" Seara asked.


    "I suppose you have a point¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I should use everything in my power to increase our chances of sess when fighting the enemies."


    "So, should I send the word to the former members of the king''s de?" Branden asked.


    "Yes, you also should spread the word that we are epting anyone to enroll in our group as well. It will be another matter if they will be epted or not," Rain said.


    "All right, I will keep in touch to inform you about all that," Branden said after nodding.


    "I will send the word about the progress on my end as well," Rain said. "Expect to hear great things since I am going all out from now on. It is time to make the enemies tremble in fear."

 Chapter 514 The third

    When the group returned home, they were weed by happy but confused gazes. Rain usually wouldn''t bring such people to their side without a good reason, after all, but soon they learned the reason for it.


    "Don''t worry, Rain," Roan said. "I am all over that. I me half of the reason was caught due to my ipetence, forty percent due to the war, and ten percent due to many unknown factors at the time."


    Artisia recognized Roan''s voice and trembled a bit¡­ until now, she had stayed silent during the whole time as if she hade to the terms with whatever happened, but it seemed that several things still were affecting her mind.


    "I suppose that is one way of looking at it," Rain said. "Terra, can you heal her?"


    "No problem," Terra said. "Still, shouldn''t you tell them a few things before anything else?"


    "It is fine, and they know that if they try to do anything against people here, their heads will roll at the same moment," Rain said. "I don''t trust them one hundred percent, and they know that they need to walk on a tightrope in order not to get on my bad side."


    The headquarters already had some free rooms for the neers, so Rain didn''t have to work on expanding it for them¡­ at least for now. In any case, Rain pulled Seara''s hands and then began to take her to his room.


    "... What are you doing?" Seara frowned.


    "I told you, and you realize that I wouldn''t let the enemies determine how I would live my life," Rain shrugged. "Why are you so confused?"


    "Because I didn''t think that you would go that far¡­ not in the middle of the day!" Seara said.


    "You have to enjoy the present as much as possible since it is a time that won''te back," Rain said.


    Find more chapters on empire


    Seara felt a bit troubled, but she didn''t know what to say it as well. Besides, she was weak agaisnt Rain''s pushy side¡­ she couldn''t do anything else in that situation.


    "Man, what a horny dog," Jori said and thenughed.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Don''t you have four kids in like four years?" Roan frowned. "Not like I am one to talk."


    "I am d that you do know that¡­ Terra, dear. Don''t let that bother you," Leiah said.


    "... It is fine," Terra said after a long sigh. "If anything, I am d that he is back to normal. He looks more rxed and determined now. It seems that he finally understands that he can be both a doting father and an unstoppable leader as well. I am not sure what made him understand that, but it is a good change for him."


    Everyone nodded¡­ while Rain was licking Seara''s ears and making her moan. Everyone understood that the other Rain was back¡­ they were expecting great things from him since there was no hesitation in his eyes or fear. He was determined to defeat the enemies, and it doesn''t matter if they kepting like cockroaches¡­ he would destroy them all.


    Over the course of the next month, the remaining members of the King''s de made their way to the region, driven by a burning desire to clear their names of the shame from the previous war. These seasoned warriors were eager to prove their worth and find redemption for the perceived failures of the past.


    Their arrival injected a sense of urgency and determination into the growing ranks of the Raging Phoenix.


    Simultaneously, another five hundred recruits arrived, each eager to undergo rigorous training and join the already renowned force that Rain was assembling. The training grounds buzzed with activity, and the once tranquil region had transformed into a bustling hub of preparation and ambition.


    As these new recruits and returning veterans coexisted, the anticipation and energy in the air were palpable, marking the beginning of a new era for the Raging Phoenix and a determination to rise above past challenges.


    At that point in time, it was getting hard for Rain to monitor everyone''s training, so he had to split his work with his friends and family¡­ Speaking of family, Reca gave birth that month as well to a girl. As one would expect, Jori was all smiles since his family was growing, but soon he stopped when he saw Reca resuming her training one week after that.


    "It is time to get in shape again," Reca said.


    It was quite something to see one minute a woman breastfeeding a newborn child and then, in the next moment, swinging a spear and making everyone around feel shivers, imagining themselves being hit by it.


    Also, at the end of the month, Rain also confirmed that his family was increasing as well¡­ It was a bit too soon for that, but they realized that Seara was pregnant as well¡­ with Rain and Terra''s skills confirming that there was no mistake.


    "You are pregnant, congrattions," Terra smiled.


    Seara smiled but soon began to cry like a child¡­ hearing that from Terra meant a lot to her. They are still rivals for the most part, but that doesn''t mean that rivals can''t be friends.


    "All that hard work paid off," Rain said while grinning.


    "What hard work¡­ you were only enjoying yourself!" Seara protested. "For an entire week."


    "You seemed to be enjoying more than me, though," Rain''s smile grew wider.


    "Honestly, you¡­" Seara said and then sighed. "I will talk with my father."


    "I will go talk sigh with Gramps. You need to rest and prepare for the birth from here onward," Rain said. "With Terra and me here, it is unlikely that the baby will have anyplications, but we can''t take any chances. Besides, I want to see Gramps pass out due to the shock."


    "Papa, why are youughing?" Danny asked while pulling Rain''s shirt.


    "Because I am happy you are going to be a big brother again, and you are going to be a big sister, Annie," Rain said while putting his kids on his shoulders. "That is a great responsibility. Older siblings have the duty to protect the younger ones, after all."

 Chapter 515 No time to rest

    Rain decided to step outside and share the news about the uing arrival of his next child with the soldiers who were currently training in the vicinity. When the soldiers heard about the new addition to Rain''s family, an overwhelming wave of excitement overtook them, causing them to roar and cheer with joy for several minutes.


    The jubnt cries were so exuberant that the vigers residing nearby initially thought they were under attack, but it didn''t take long for the word to spread, and soon everyone knew the reason behind the thunderous celebration ¨C a momentous event that had clearly touched the hearts of those who served under him.


    After celebrating for several days with his friends, family, and troops, Rain realized how much he had spent and made a mental note that he should be more mindful in the future about throwing parties to make thousands of people enjoy it. In any case, it was time to teach his underlings the next technique.


    "As you guys should already know by now, given the title of our group and how I have been training you all, my sole goal is to make you guys as tough as possible," Rain said while he was walking in front of his soldiers. "You guys can''t die. Do you know why? Because I invested too much time and resources in strengthening you all. What else?


    Because we don''t have many people that we can trust in the first ce. Is there more? Because it would be a waste to lose truly honorable warriors that I can call allies."


    Rain''s speech had a profound impact on the warriors who listened to him. They felt an unmistakable fire ignite within their hearts, a fierce determination to follow his lead and fight alongside him.


    While Rain''s friends and family already knew of his natural leadership qualities, this speech served as further confirmation that he possessed a unique ability to inspire and guide those under hismand. It was a moment that solidified their trust in him as a leader and reinforced the strong bond that connected Rain with his loyal warriors.


    "Until now, we only taught you how to be as tough as possible, and that will be our goal until all those who threaten us are dead," Rain added. "However, you can''t just win by defending. Until now, me and the others who have been teaching you how to fight were the ones attacking, but you will learn or relearn how to do that in the most effective way possible.


    Equip your most heavy gear and prepare to train like your lives are on the line."


    Everyone went to grab their training gear and then began to head to the circuit that they had made after running around the farms hundreds of times by now.


    "I don''t want you guys to run, and I want you guys to kick the ground and try to cover as much ground as possible with a single step. That will be the exercise for the week," Rain dered. "Once you make some discoveries, I want you to share them with only your squad members. If you don''t learn anything, observe the other squads and try to learn what they are doing differently. That is all."


    Usually, the warriors would wonder what they should do, but they knew Rain well enough and saw the results of his training methods speak for themselves. Without wasting time, they began to do that.


    "You are as a man of few words with them as ever," Roan said. "But I guess it works when they show the results by adapting to the techniques."


    "Did something happen?" Rain asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Yes¡­ Geo watched the beast people''s territory with his flying golem, and he just returned," Roan replied. "They seem to be living the same as usual, but they spend most of their time training."


    "I guess they didn''t give up, or they are waiting for something to happen, something big for them to use," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Did he see anything unusual in their training?"


    "... They are all doing a lot of strength training, probably because they know that our guys here are focusing on bing sturdier," Roan exined.


    It was amazing that Geo could make a golem that could fly¡­ it was useless forbat, but Rain couldn''t copy him yet. Aside from Geo, Rain also gave some tasks to the other magic people. The one who had the most work was Artisia.


    She basically interrogated the neers with her magic and made them reveal what they truly wanted by joining the Raging Phoenix¡­ until now, only people who weren''t troublemakers joined them.


    At the same time, it looked like she had be the shell of a person. It was revealedter that her tribe was small, and while she was the leader, she was abandoned by the others when she joined Josar and eventually lured to a trap where she lost her eyes. Terra healed thempletely after a few days, though.


    She made sure to keep her distance from Rain''s family, even though she was used to keeping her eyes closed and waiting for orders all the time¡­ that was kind of annoying for some reason for Rain.


    In any case, by that time, Rain had be neen, and his kids also had unlocked the Healer''s path. That certainly was a record, but he still couldn''t recall when he achieved the same¡­


    While Rain wanted to make his kids train their healing skills by helping the warriors, they began to use them when they got hurt¡­ Danny still was doing his handstands, and it wasn''t inmon for him to fall after a while, and Annie also began to copy him¡­ it seemed that the idea of bing a big sister propelled her to mature a bit.


    "I am starting to get scared of my genes," Rain thought. "I guess all my kids will be hardworking¡­"


    While Rain was thinking about that, a little something was happening in the southern sea¡­ Continue your journey with empire

 Chapter 516 Sea dragons

    It took three days for Rain and his friends to hear about what had happened¡­ monsters started to attack all the viges close to the sea.


    "Monsters?" Roan frowned when Rain finished reading a report in the form of a letter. "Even in the mountains, it is hard to find them nowadays."


    Rain nodded¡­ aside from a few asions, like when he was in the sea chasing a crew that worked for Joanis, he found monsters only a couple of times. Most of them had been eliminated from thends that he had visited. Even the beast people didn''t have many of them since they followed thew of the jungle.


    "We will have to send some squads to those viges and assess the situation," Rain said while studying the map of that side of the country. "Their numbers shouldn''t be that high, and this will be a good practice for the warriors. Aside from that¡­"


    "Wait, I can sense someoneing from the underground tunnel," Seara said.


    Since she sensed it, everyone understood that it was someone from the sea folk. Everyone was surprised to see Seadir himself showing up¡­ he should be guarding the east side of the country with the squads in Teria.


    "It seems that you have been informed of the situation already, but the monsters are also attacking that side of your country," Seadir said when he saw the marked map.


    Everyone frowned when they heard that¡­ they assumed that only the western side was being attacked by an infestation of monsters. Such a thing already happened before, but it wasn''t something that usually would affect one whole side of the kingdom.


    "Hmm¡­ it seems that they are throwing some weird curve balls at us," Rain thought. "We will use half of our troops to protect those viges. Alert the squads and tell them that they need to use at least one of their members to return here and report to us daily."


    "What do we know about the monsters?" Roan asked. Enjoy more content from empire


    "Until now, they only showed to be white wolves. They are pretty big, too, and can use ice magic," Seadir exined. "They are supposed to be creatures from frigidnds, so I can''t imagine them multiplying in your territory."


    "The southern ocean is a bit cold most of the year, but the snow there doesn''tst for long," Roan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Do you think that they came from beyond those waters?"


    "I swam there before I freed Branden, Orcis, and Lorene, and while icebergs there aren''t hard to find, they can''t be that big¡­ unless the monsters are smart enough to cross the ocean for apparent no reason, definitely someone helped them cross it with magic, and we won''t find vestiges of that."


    "The trip from the closest ind would take two days, right? Maybe if they are some sea monsters¡­ but even so, feeding them with those creatures still would be hard to keep them under control," Terra said.


    "Either way¡­ we need to keep a tight guard on both sides of the country while we deal with those creatures," Rain said while squinting his eyes. "We can''t show any big moves yet. The enemies will respond to them."


    Rain couldn''t help but feel a tinge of annoyance at himself. The desire to explore the mysteries of the southern ocean had always been there, but in recent times, the demands of building and training his army and the precious moments spent with his family took all of his time.


    He knew that sealing a strong rtionship with Seara in the shape of a child was essential, and he didn''t regret the choices he had made. However, the current situation made it clear that his enemies would continue to pose a threat as long as they remained hidden in the shadows. He couldn''t keep walking in the dark forever¡­


    One day after the departure of half of the troops, Rain received some reports¡­ the wolves were quite strong, and some people had died by their hands already, but the warriors were able to push them away from the viges. The only problem was their magic¡­


    "It seems that they keep using ice attacks, and some of the warriors are already showing signs of frostbites," Rain said while everyone was listening. "They can use healing magic to fight that, but it seems that they are understanding that things will escte."


    "Elemental magic can be really a problem at such times, only magic and relics can actually decrease their effectiveness," Roan said. "The magic academy still works. Perhaps we should ask Branden and Esmeralda to send some mages as support."


    "That won''t be a good idea since we took down a lot of rich people that had ties with them; even if we force them to help, their support will be half-assed at best," Terra exined.


    "We are good at attacking and defending with magic, but using buffs that will decrease the effects of that kind of magic isn''t our forge," Seara said.


    "For now, let''s keep waiting and see what happens," Rain said while squinting his eyes. "We need to pass the order for the warriors as well to keep pushing the monsters to the coast¡­ it will be troublesome if more of them keeping."


    Rain was a bit surprised¡­ he took it as natural thing that monsters wouldn''t be Numerous in that world. It was a real world, not a game, after all. Over the ages, people would hunt them down for food and for safety as well.


    Still, that was a good chance for them to get some materials¡­ the fur of the giant white wolves would also help the warriors fight the cold and the ice attacks, so Rain wanted to send the materials to someone who could craft them as soon as possible¡­N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Still, before that could happen¡­ Seadir and Seara were informed by a messenger that the sea dragons were starting to get violent as well.

 Chapter 517 Wild instincts

    "This just keeps getting better and better," Rain said after he heard the news and crossed his arms. "I want toy low and wait for something in our end to happen, but you should return to your father''s side and call me if something happens. I should be able to give a hand."


    "We can handle that, if the worstes to the worst, father will fight," Seadir said.


    "We need to avoid that, people will probably think that this happened because of the alliance," Rain exined. "A lot of people should know about Seara''s pregnancy as well, so my help will silence anyone that might want to talk too much."


    Seadir could see Rain''s point¡­ as expected, he could see things far ahead way more than most people. In the end, he nodded before leaving the area. In any case, when Seara was about to say something, Rain immediately shook her head.


    "I didn''t even say anything," Seara said.


    "I can already tell that you want to go, but that won''t happen," Rain said. "Your father also agrees that you shouldn''t get anywhere closer to danger. You can help from here, making us see the point of view of the sea folk in this situation."


    "Right¡­ unfortunately, it doesn''t seem like we will be able to help with the monsters in the south," Seara said as she studied the map as well. "I already said we don''t like the southern sea due to its cold. With the sea dragons making their move, they will feel even lesspelled to help at all."


    "We have to solve both situations as soon as possible to prevent unrest and the enemies understanding where our troops are," Roan said. "We need to split up and help the squads."


    "You have a point¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "I do?" Roan asked, a bit confused. "I thought that you would refuse this for sure."


    "Normally, I would, but we have to surprise the enemies as well," Rain said. "They think that they know everything about me and my weakness, so let''s surprise them. Apparently, the enemy can teleport¡­ at least one of them can do that, but they shouldn''t have that many tricks to track us down. With that in mind, you all will have to move quickly.


    Your journey continues at empire


    Dad, Dana, and Kei will help the squads on the eastern side of the country. Jori, Terra, and G will deal with the Western side. You all have only one day to act and return immediately."


    "What about me, I can help as well," Reca said.


    "You have a kid to feed, even for a day, leaving all of your kids alone will be too much," Rain said. "They need at least one of their parents here at all times. The next time, you can go and Jori will stay."


    "As long as you don''t forget that," Reca said.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rainughed a little¡­ Reca was already a mother of four, but she wasn''t going to change. At that rate, her kids will grow up to be just like her¡­ blunt as theye.


    In any case, Roan and the others quickly prepared their things and then soon departed using the underground tunnels. Before long, Rain couldn''t help but feel the anxiety bothering him, letting others do all the hard work while he just waited for the results was troublesome¡­ Even though he kept his troops under rigorous training, that still wasn''t enough to keep his mind busy.


    "I guess I should try several things with that dyed effect healing spell," Rain thought.


    Rain was starting to grasp how that spell worked, while Terra already made a bit of progress on that field. Hers already couldst for five hours¡­ maybe it was because her High Healer''s path was thirty levels above Rain''s. It couldn''t be helped since she used her skills pretty much everyday dozens of times.


    Still, Rain''s Intelligence parameter was higher, so he shouldn''t have that much of a hard time learning¡­ unless Terra was that much more skilled and the path levels truly made such a difference.


    "It can''t be helped since I am trying too many things at once," Rain thought. "Maybe I should ask Seadrei about his Sea People path¡­ he is five hundred years old and he should have mastered most of the skills of that path. He didn''t have any reason to do that until now, but this will be a good experiment for him¡­ I should talk with him directly about that, though, to avoid problems."


    While Rain spent a day training that technique and training his troops as well, time passed slowly, but soon the Roan group returned and two hourster, Jori''s group returned as well¡­ They looked a bit tired since they didn''t have time to stop for a full day, but they seemed fine.


    "We have helped some squads and a lot of the monsters were killed, but their behavior was weird," Roan said while pointing to the bodies on the earth tforms in the waters."


    "... In what way?" Rain furrowed his eyebrows, and then he approached the bodies.


    "They immediately began to run away with all their might when they saw us and even used their magic to slow us down¡­" Roan said.


    "Only to do that," Jori added.


    Rain checked their bodies to see if there was anything weird on them, but he didn''t find anything¡­ His first thought was that perhaps they were being controlled with blood magic, but their skin and fur didn''t show any signs of that. That was worrisome since only one person could use that kind of magic¡­


    "They began to run away even before they saw us or we had the chance to attack," Kei said while frowning. "I heard that monsters have good instincts to run away from predators, but I didn''t expect that it would be like that."


    Rain thought about the incredible instincts of certain animals from earth, capable of detecting their predators from kilometers away¡­ it was simr.

 Chapter 518 The source of their problems

    Rain couldn''t help but imagine that in a magical world like the one he inhabited, such instincts might be even more heightened¡­


    That would exin the thought of creatures possessing uncanny senses, attuned to the presence of magical beings of strength like his friends and family¡­ they would try to avoid those hidden threats without hesitation, and that intrigued him. It was anotheryer ofplexity in this world, a reminder that danger could lurk around any corner, and he needed to be constantly vignt.


    "What about their numbers?" Rain asked after he crossed his arms.


    "There are ten viges that had been attacked and the people that escaped say that they saw five hundred of them, we saw around two hundred," Jori replied. "Maybe the darkness of the night made them think that the threat was higher."


    "We still need to investigate the packs of monsters split up or not after the first attacks, so we can''t be sure," Roan said. "I think Geo would be a good job watching things from above."


    That was a good idea¡­ but that would leave Rain without someone to keep him informed about the beast people. In the end, he decided to ask one more thing about the monsters, and that could change his views about the whole situation.


    "Did you guys try to use Magic Eyes on them?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, we didn''t find anything odd with them, why?" Dana asked.


    "Describe their aura, you guys didn''t see many monsters, they are rare to find, after all," Rain said. "I want to check if their aura resembled anything simr that you had seen before."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "They looked like the aura of the water snipers when they fired water spears, but it was more intense," G readily said.


    Everyone looked a bit surprised when they heard that¡­ they didn''t try to use Magic Eyes when the monsters attacked, but it seemed that they were lucky somehow that someone did that.


    "What is that supposed to mean?" Roan said while blinking several times.


    "Monsters are difficult to find in the parts of the world that we know of, breeding them using normal means should be even harder," Rain exined. "However, they could be a powerful force in a war since they don''t have fear like humans and they are extremely vicious¡­ some of them can even use magic as we saw it.


    However, what if someone can produce them in some other way¡­ like creating magic beasts with blood of the magic people?"


    The room was filled with confusion and shock as Rain brought up the notion that the enemies might be producing monsters. To the others, it sounded utterly nonsensical, as if taken from a bizarre fantasy tale. Rain was aware that his idea seemed insane, but he couldn''t help but consider it.


    He knew that his perspective, shaped by his experiences from modern Earth, might provide a different angle on the issue. In a world where magic and creatures existed, the boundaries of what was possible had to be broader than most could fathom.


    "... Why would you think of such a thing, Rain?" Leiah asked, visibly worried.


    "Well, considering what I know from the enemies, nothing surprises me, besides, the mysteries of that part of the world intrigues me," Rain exined. "Giant monsters came from that side of the world, but howe they suddenly appeared? Why had no one heard of them before, and they never showed up again? How many of them had been eliminated?


    All those questions don''t have answers, and considering the knowledge and technology that Joanis had, I can only imagine that he found all that in that part of the world, but he only scratched the surface of it and imagined that it would be enough to conquer the world."


    Everyone began to understand a bit more Rain''s point of view and it made sense, but it still sounded like he was thinking too much about such possibilities. When they hear about history, they treat most things like legends or myths, after all. Rain wasn''t like that, he considered the past like a real fact that he could learn things from.


    "... In the end, it is a fact that such a part of the world remains a mystery¡­ and eventually, it would be better to confirm that the monsters aren''t from there," Roan said. "Still, confirming or not that the monsters have been created doesn''t help us that much, right?"


    "It doesn''t help us find quick ways to dispose of them, but it increases the gravity of the situation," Rain replied. "Anyway, I want Geo to keep watching the beast people, so we will have to find another way to track the enemies. Dana, Kei, and G can use that spell to find all of them."


    "Ehhh¡­ do we have to?" Kei asked while rolling her eyes. "It is too tiresome¡­ focusing on the same pace as the others is annoying too."


    "Just because you are a bit faster with water magic now¡­" Dana frowned.


    Continue your adventure at empire


    It seemed that they would argue for a while, but soon they stopped¡­ Rain felt relieved thanks to that, and thanks to that, he finally understood that his own actions and the past were affecting the future of his sisters¡­ Dana was already seventeen, and while she was still a bit childish, she didn''t have many chances to enjoy her life.


    Kei was still keeping most of her thoughts to herself and disliked doing things that she deemed troublesome¡­ she liked to study and practice magic, but everything else in her own words was a pain. G had be the most quiet of the group, while she still enjoyed cooking, her hobby reached the bottom of her priorities¡­


    Rain and Roan joked about making most boyfriends running away from those three in the past, but they didn''t think that the situation of the country would actually do that for them¡­ Rain was also aware that his actions were also a part of their main problems¡­

 Chapter 519 Sacrifice

    In the end, Dana, Kei, and G went to the capital to cast a rain over the entire kingdom¡­ it was only going tost a few seconds, but they had to focus for quite a while. Roan and Jori went with them to guard them while they focused, but nothing happened.


    After suffering one hell of a headache since they felt the presences of all the people in the kingdom, they eventually pinpointed the location of the magic beasts that had invaded the human country. Most of them were being pushed back to the shore, but they also found some groups of them hidden in groves, and they were pretty deep in the human territory.


    "It seems that they have other goals aside from attacking viges, Daddy," Dana said when they finally recovered.


    "Should we watch them from a distance and see what they are targeting?" Jori asked. "We need more information, after all. It might be a bit risky, but¡­"


    "... How many groups of them are there, and where are their locations?" Roan asked after thinking for a short while.


    "Five, three in the West and two in the East," Kei replied. "They aren''t close any cities, towns, or viges, considering the path that they should have travelled, they should have avoided them through and through."


    "What are their numbers?" Roan asked.


    "Around one hundred¡­ it feels like all of them had the same numbers," Dana tilted her head while frowning. "Now that I think about it, they are keeping quite the distance from each other, and the distances are quite simr."


    "... This is suspicious, and their numbers are too high for only us to watch them," Roan said while packing his things. "Let''s return home and talk with Rain. Either way, we will need the squads to check those creatures, if we get too close, they will notice us and their behavior will change."


    The group headed to the base as fast as possible since soon night woulde, and most likely, the beasts would move again. When Rain heard about that, he frowned as well¡­ that was odd behavior from the monsters.


    Another weird thing was the fact that they couldn''t even kill a single group of them if they wanted to learn what they were nning¡­ if they were being controlled, the puppet master would stop all of them at the same moment.


    "It is too risky¡­ we don''t know if they are close to their goals or not," Rain shook his head. "We have to wipe them out, even if we will lose a golden chance to obtain knowledge from this."


    Everyone nodded again¡­ trading lives for knowledge wasn''t wise, so Rain and his friends departed from their base as fast as possible. Before they could find the first group, though, night came and with it¡­ a weird atmosphere.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I don''t like this," Rain thought. Continue reading at empire


    Rain used his earth magic to find the targets as soon as possible and he found them ten kilomenters away¡­ but it seemed that they also sensed him. Before the mana could disperse, Rain felt the monsters moving in a hurry.


    "They are up to something, I will dash ahead," Rain dered.


    It didn''t take even ten seconds for Rain to reach the area that the monsters were, but it was toote¡­ when he found them, he found a bizarre scene¡­ the giant white wolves were ripping each other''s throats¡­ even when they were dying, they kept doing that and making it Rain blood in the area.


    Rain raised his eyebrows¡­ perhaps the enemy didn''t want to give him the chance to get the experience of killing them, but soon he understand that the goal was another. For some reason, the demise of the white wolves triggered a dramatic chain reaction that reverberated through the very earth beneath Rain''s feet.


    The ground itself seemed toe alive, trembling and moving with an intensity that put everyone on edge. Rain, even with his formidable powers, couldn''t help but raise his guard as the violent tremors coursed through the terrain.


    For a seemingly endless ten seconds, the world around him shuddered and rumbled, as if protesting the loss or sacrifice of these creatures. When the tumultuous shaking finally subsided, there was an eerie calm in the air and then he felt more tremors in the far distance, and Rain couldn''t shake the unsettling feeling that such an incident wasn''t alone.


    In the distance, he could sense a presence, another group of wolves sacrificing themselves as well¡­


    "Rain! What happened?" Roan asked with his sword in hand while looking around.


    "No idea¡­ they just killed themselves," Rain said while looking at the bodies of the monsters in the distance. "Maybe I alerted them, and they sensed the danger, but the earthquake was definitely a spell of some sort."


    "Was it at the level that could make a town sink on the ground?" Jori asked.


    "No¡­ it wasn''t," Rain said as he walked toward the monsters. "Maybe it would have if they had more time to prepare. Anyway, we need to investigate the area."


    That kind of incident was suspicious no matter what, and Rain hesitated in letting his sisters see such a bizarre scene, but he could only protect them for so long¡­ they had been training hard over the years, and they certainly were as frail as they were five years ago.


    Regardless, the group approached the corpses slowly while waiting for something to happen¡­ Rain could feel that the mana level in the area had increased, and the bodies had none left. Definitely, there was a connection there¡­ before long, the group realized that the monster''s bodies created a perfect circle¡­ and so did the blood that they dropped.


    "What the hell is this¡­" Rain muttered while frowning. "A magic circle made of blood?"


    Although that was a magic world, magic circles weren''t a thing, and no one heard of that, and that was why they were also curious as to why Rain named such a thing so readily.

 Chapter 520 Ritual

    With caution etched into their every step of the group, the group carefully navigated around the fallen white wolves. They knew all too well the cunning nature of those suspicious creatures and suspected the presence of hidden magic traps. As they moved through the aftermath of the incident, there was a palpable shift in the atmosphere¡­


    The air grew thick with an ominous aura, and the subtle increase in mana was impossible to ignore. It was as though the very essence of the area had taken on a darker, more fearsome tone. This newfound energy added to their sense of unease as they ventured around, their senses keen and alert, ready for whatever challengesy ahead.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "... They did something here, but it is probably something that will only be revealed after a while," Rain said. "We will have to keep some squads here and keep an eye on this ce and on the other spots."


    "Do you think that the other packs¡­ ended up like this?" Kei asked while having a hard time keeping her body straight since she was so creeped out by the scene in front of them.


    "I would bet on it¡­" Rain said. "Anyway, you all should retreat and send the squads here and to the next spot, I will check the areas beyond the capital and talk with Branden and Esmeralda. Man¡­ I really should invent a cellphone here."


    "What is a cellphone?" Jori asked.


    "Nothing important, I am thinking out loud," Rain said.


    While traveling back and forth to the capital only took eight hours for Rain, he could find better uses for his time¡­ even though talking with Branden and Esmeralda about such things were absolutely necessary.


    In any case, Rain didn''t use the tunnels in order to check the situations on the cities and towns along the way. As one would expect, everyone was quite nervous since earthquakes weren''t signs of good omen for most folk.


    In the end, Rain checked the other locations of the packs of wolves and confirmed that they did the same thing¡­ since it was night, no one found out what had happened, but it will be hard to hide that evidence without using magic. Regardless, Rain went to talk with Esmeralda and Branden and found them looking at the city through the room and seeing a lot of people nervously looking around.


    They also looked quite shaken.


    "Rain¡­ what was that?" Branden asked.


    Rain exined to those two what he had found, but they found hard to believe¡­ understanding it was even harder. Something like that was absurd, after all. Still, there was no point in denying it¡­ The enemies were using a lot of stuff that was unknown for humans¡­ perhaps not even Seadrei would know a few things about it, even though he was five hundred years old.


    "For such a thing to happen¡­ the enemies must be nning to make us worry with things inside and outside our territory," Esmeralda said while imagining the scene. "What could possible else would they want when they can control monsters?"


    "I wish I could say that we shouldn''t think too much about that¡­" Rain said. "I will make my guys watch those areas, you will have to tell people that they shouldn''t approach the locations that they will be."


    "Your group is already known and recognized by the country, their words alone should be enough for that since they are the only army that we have right now," Esmeralda exined.


    "How are the former members of the king''s de faring?" Branden asked.


    "They are training hard, they can only do that since I didn''t give them any real job," Rain exined. "I have a few things in mind for them, but I will have to dy that with this new weird incident. Anyway, sorry, but you guys will have to try to calm down the poption without revealing too much."


    "We can''t reveal what we don''t know and end up spreading a lie, after all," Branden nodded. "I will ask Orcis and Lorene to spread some rumors with their merchants." Experience tales at empire


    That was the best thing they all could do now, so Rain just nodded and then went to confirm that those spots would be free from onlookers until his squads arrived.


    Although Rain had more warriors than he had initially nned, around twenty-five hundred now, it was clear that he would need more¡­ the enemies were being really troublesome. It seemed that Rain would have to expand his area of influence more, but he wanted his warriors close by all the time in order to keep their loyalty growing.


    Staying close to them and making them stronger was probably the most effective way for that.


    In any case, before morning could arrive, all of the weird spots had been guarded by the squads that worked for Rain. He told them to send reports if anything happens, even if they have to send one every hour.


    "I didn''t even have the time to make them learn Limit Breaker¡­ this will be tough," Rain thought. "At this point in time, it is clear that the enemy also fears the Raging Phoenix and doesn''t want them to be stronger."


    With Limit Breaker, the warriors will be able to attack, but they also will be much tougher as well and that was what Rain truly wanted¡­ in any case, he will have to adapt to the situation, perhaps sending his friends to instruct them in those areas will do the trick¡­


    When Rain returned home, everyone was already aware of the situation and he couldn''t help but sigh since worrying was thest thing that Seara needed. Her actions would have to be limited from now on, so she will have a lot of time to think and worry¡­ as expected, he had to deal with the whole thing as soon as possible.


    For starters, Rain himself went to help finish off the packs of monsters on the coast. At the same time, he created small headquarters for his warriors to guard that side of the continent, but just when that was solved¡­

 Chapter 521 Underground danger

    Rain was perplexed by the unusual reports from his warriors stationed near the location of the sites where the spells were activated.. They described mysterious urrences: faint tremblings in the ground during the night, strange holes appearing within circles drawn in the earth.


    But the most bizarre aspect was the way animals seemed to be inexplicably drawn to these enigmatic openings, as though some unseen forcepelled them.


    These weird developments only deepened the sense of unease within the group, raising more questions than answers. Rain knew there was something amiss, something he needed to investigate further to unravel this enigmatic puzzle.


    "You have got to be kidding me¡­" Rain thought.


    "You loot astonished, but not exactly confused," Roan said after Rain read thest few reports to everyone, the same thing was happening everywhere. "Do you know something?"


    "I have some hypothesis, but I need to investigate those ces further to be sure," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "If my guess is right, the whole sacrifice of the monsters had the goal to create trouble in the human territory¡­ Their sacrifice activated some sort of spell that had the goal to change the environment. The fact that this is luring animals to them confirms that."


    "... Why would animals be lured by such a grotesque thing?" Terra asked.


    "They are being lured by the growing mana in that area, the mana will probably affect them, to the point that they might be monsters as well¡­" Rain finally said.


    "At this point in time, nothing more surprises me¡­ is that the kind of magic that Joanis would use?" Asche asked. "Perhaps not, since its goal is to cause trouble for us and keep us busy, and that is the goal of the enemy this time."


    "I want to investigate that unknown region¡­ it sure seems like a fascinating ce to learn¡­ despite the weirdness of how the enemies are using the magic that they probably learned there," Liss said.


    Rain was fascinated, too, but he had his priorities straight¡­ While he didn''t say that to his friends, he imagined that the sacrifice of the monsters gave birth to the environment change that would eventually create dungeons. They didn''t know what a monster dungeon actually was, and Rain didn''t want to make them think too much about that, either.


    "I will go and investigate those ces," Rain dered. "In the meantime, you guys need to keep watching things here and respond to them ordingly. We might have to split up for a short while to watch those areas if I don''t find a solution to these spells."


    Everyone knew how desperate Rain was to keep everyone together, so that decision made them realize once more the gravity of the situation¡­ things were getting a dire turn.


    "Dana, Kei, G. I need you guys to use that spell at least once per day," Rain said. "I don''t think that the enemies will stop with only this much and they will try other means to make monsters enter our country. My best guess is that they will use flying monsters next. Their goal should be activating those spells in highly popted areas since it is where most of the trouble they will cause.


    Your rain didn''t alert them, but my magic did it, so you guys are the only ones who can do that."


    "Leave it to us, big bro," Dana said while saluting. "Or perhaps Commander Rain is a better way to call you."


    "It is fine, either way," Rain said. "I am a bit nning to make anyone call me anything. I actually wanted them to do that naturally, that will show when they will reach their highest levels of loyalty."


    "Then, we shouldn''t use that in front of them, that is a relief," Kei said.


    Rain wondered if Kei got her dislike of formality from him¡­ he didn''t know if he should be happy or troubled for that. In any case, after spending some time with his wives and kids, Rain departed to the first area where the spell was activated¡­ for some reason, the warriors there were way to tense and they almost attacked Rain when he suddenly arrived.


    "You guys need to rx a bit¡­ but I guess I can understand your nervousness," Rain said while frowning.


    In the area where the mysterious spell was activated, Rain''s keen eyes spotted a gruesome sight. Large ants, about half a meter in length, swarmed over the lifeless remains of the giant white wolves. These ferocious insects exhibited an eeriebination of colors, with shades of red, green, and purple adorning their exoskeletons.


    Their formidable fangs and razor-sharp ws busily tore into the wolf carcasses, making it evident that they were scavengers, feeding on the remains of the fallen creatures¡­n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The peculiar appearance and behavior of these ants added to the overall air of unease and strangeness surrounding the situation, intensifying the group''s determination to get to the bottom of this unsettling mystery.


    "Guard the perimeter, I will check things there," Rain dered and began to move toward the site.


    As she approached, Rain used his magic eyes and soon confirmed that the ants had a lot of mana in their bodies¡­ at the same time, he never heard of monsters like them.


    Before long, the creatures felt Rain''s approach and immediately began to dash at him, but Rain impaled them with earth spikes.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 50 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 50 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 50 experience points.


    ¡­


    "For monsters that essentially were born a few days ago, they aren''t half bad¡­" Rain thought.


    When he approached, the smell of the white wolves was kind of hard to endure, so Rain quickly buried them with his magic. Still, more and more of those ants began to leave the underground ande to him.


    "This isn''t good¡­ if they can move through underground, they can reach cities, towns and viges from there as well¡­" Rain thought.

 Chapter 522 Incomplete

    Rain tried to use his magic to check the surroundings, and he quickly found numerous pathways underground that the monsters had made. They were moving in all directions, and all of them were ants¡­ it took a while, but Rain crushed them while they were underground.


    Rain recognized the potential utility in the giant ant bodies, so he carefully retrieved some of them from underground, nning to transport themter to his base for further examination. These unique specimens had various uses, after all.


    The ant exoskeletons could prove valuable materials for forging armor, weapons, or other protective gear. The sturdy and colorful shells might offer unique properties and resistances when fashioned into the right equipment. The ant''s organs, fluids, or tissues might also have alchemical value. Rain thought they could be used in the creation of potions, elixirs, or other magical concoctions.


    Once Rain moved to the center of the area, he soon found an inclined hole¡­ it seemed like a natural cave, but Rain could still tell that the trembling created it. There are some pebbles and rocks around it¡­ he also could see footprints around it.


    "Not only ants, huh?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rain was well aware that dungeons often harbored a variety of monsters and creatures, so it wouldn''te as a shock to him if the underground chamber contained more than just the giant ants.


    Dungeons were known for their unpredictable and diverse ecosystems as well, and it was possible that other weird and dangerous inhabitants lurked within the subterranean cavern. With his knowledge, Rain was prepared for any potential surprises that the dungeon might hold, but he remained cautious as he delved deeper into its mysterious depths.


    At that point in time, it was hard not to call that a dungeon¡­ In any case, before entering the ce, Rain considered that he probably could drown all the monsters inside with magic, but he decided to avoid that for the sake of the investigation.


    As he entered the dungeon, Rain felt that the air was quite dusty. There was still some dust falling from the ceiling, making the air even more stagnant.


    Rain cleaned the ce with his wind magic and soon sighed when he felt some presence behind stctites. It seemed that the monsters knew how to be sneaky¡­ that, or they were just using their wild instincts.


    At first, Rain had nned to manipte the terrain, but soon he confirmed that he couldn''t¡­ he couldn''t control the earth that was on the ground, walls, and ceiling.


    "Is it because of the spell?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I can use my Magic, but¡­e to think of it, if the enemy was able to create this, couldn''t they have added the anti magic substance to prevent the use of magic here?"


    If the anti magic substance were put on the blood of the monsters, maybe they wouldn''t be able to activate that spell¡­ perhaps that was the reason why.


    Regardless, Rain was still able to transform his magic into earth and fire at the bats behind the stctites, he made them fly like boomerangs, and then they fell after their necks were pierced by them.


    As Rain ventured further into the dungeon, he encountered a new and unsettling sight ¨C one-meter-tall giant bats with scary features. These creatures had blood-red eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness, reflecting their predatory nature.


    Their sharp fangs glistened ominously as they clicked together, and their bodies were colored in varying shades of brown, which allowed them to blend seamlessly with the dusty surroundings.


    "Stealth bats, huh?" Rain thought.


    These formidable bats were clearly adapted to their underground habitat, and their presence added an extrayer of danger to the dungeon exploration. Still, not that much for Rain and his magic.


    "I can imagine people having a hard time getting used to dungeons¡­ without a clear guide for each dungeon, many will probably fall to them," Rain thought.


    Rain imagined that the enemies could create monsters that they could control with their magic, but they probably couldn''t control the ones that were transformed by dungeons. At the same time, he wondered how that would affect animal life in the world¡­ it would be tragic if all animals in the country were lured by it.


    "I have to tell everyone to measure the distance that the mana of the dungeons are exercising influence on the animals in the area and their effects before they actually enter the dungeon," Rain thought as he advanced and kept killing the giant bats and ants. "This ce is a lot bigger than I had expected¡­"


    Rain was surprised when he crossed five hundred meters for a dungeon that was formed five days ago. The mana levels inside weren''t that high, but the intensity outside had increased, and maybe that was the cause of it¡­


    The thought that the dungeons could keep expanding at that pace every day was worrisome¡­ if the dungeon kept expanding one hundred meters per day, in one month, it would be three kilometers long¡­ How many monsters would fit in there?


    Fortunately, Rain found the end of the dungeon pretty soon¡­ he found a wall, and that was it¡­ the long corridor ended, and there was nothing around.


    "Are you fucking kidding me?" Rain thought while looking around. "Where are the boss and the dungeon core? Destroying the core is the only way to destroy a dungeon¡­"


    Rain tried to use his magic to find the core, but he didn''t couldn''t find anything¡­ the magic of the dungeon prevented him from sensing anything beyond the walls.


    In the end, Rain checked the dungeon through and through in order to find some possible passages, but he found nothing. The only exnation was that the dungeon was iplete¡­ perhaps not even the core was formed yet.


    "This is a real pain in the ass¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I take it that the enemy expected this as well."

 Chapter 523 Scholars Path

    As Rain explored the other dungeons, he encountered a simr pattern in all of them. The dungeons contained a variety of creatures, including the giant ants and bats he had seen previously. Additionally, he came across oversized dogs and cats that had clearly benefited from the abundant mana within the dungeons, growingrger and more monster-like with red eyes.


    All of these iplete dungeons seemed to be teeming with those life forms, all of which had adapted to the unique environment of the underground chambers. Rain continued to observe and study these creatures to inform his warriors.


    "As long as you keep your guard up, you should be able to defeat the monsters with ease," Rain said. "You guys need to do that because the monsters will eventually leave and fly toward the cities and towns. They want food, and they will look for it in highly popted areas. Keep the dungeon guarded all the time. Map the interior and send new maps every day to headquarters."


    Rain told that to all of his warriors, and they looked determined to follow those orders. Training was fine and all, but action was even better¡­ besides, Rain exined all the tricks of the monsters to them, so they felt confident.


    The Teacher''s path leveled up.


    Level 50: Creative Mentoringn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Inspire creativity in your students, helping them think outside the box and innovate. They gain one extra point in dexterity when leveling up the student''s path.


    Youpleted the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.


    The Schr''s path is a journey filled with continuous learning, teaching, and intellectual growth. As a schr, you devote your life to the pursuit of knowledge and the imparting of wisdom to others. Through this path, you be an embodiment of enlightenment, fostering education, personal development, and critical thinking. All parameters + 04


    Level 1: Novice Instructor (15) ¨C you started your journey as a novice instructor, gaining the ability to teach basic knowledge and skills to others. Wisdom + 05 per level.


    Level 5: Knowledge Sharing (15) - Enhance your teaching capabilities, making it easier to conveyplex information to your students. Dexterity + 05 per level.


    Level 10: Inspirational Speaker (25) - Develop your charisma and public speaking skills, inspiring your students and boosting their enthusiasm for learning. + 10% learning speed for your students per level.


    Your next chapter is on empire


    Level 15: Mentorship (35) - Establish deeper connections with your students, providing guidance and support to help them reach their full potential. Increases your students Wisdom and Dexterity by three points per level when you are around.


    "It was about damn time¡­ still, it makes my back itchy to think that my speeches made this path level up so much, even though I didn''t give many of them," Rain thought while frowning.


    Putting that aside, Rain went to the capital to exin what he learned to Branden and Esmeralda. While it was the middle of the night, they had been waiting for him since he knew about his investigation.


    When Rain left the capital, it rained for a few seconds, and he knew that his sisters were looking for possible enemies¡­ they were working hard.


    "Attacking and defending at the same time is difficult¡­ we are basically surrounded, and our only allies are busy with the sea dragons," Rain thought while he was dashing home. "I need to help Seadrei in one way or the other to avoid problems."


    Rain didn''t even know how he was going to fight underwater against a dragon. Much less how he could fight for several minutes without running out of air¡­ he probably could do something with magic, but he will need some insane focus.


    "Sweethearts, I am home," Rain said when he stopped in front of their base and saw Terra and Seara talking alone in front of it.


    "Quit the nonsense, just tell us what you found out," Terra said.


    They have been waiting for Rain for a while, and since it was three in the morning, it seemed that they were a bit grumpy¡­ Rain''s attempt to put them at ease failed miserably.


    "I am starting to feel like a guy who always returns with bad news, but this time, I didn''t find out much," Rain said.


    Rain couldn''t hide from his family and friends that trouble was brewing in the not-so-distant future, but at least they had some room to breathe for now¡­ which he decided to use to act instead of reacting. After telling them what he found out or what didn''t find out, Rain began to exin their next steps.


    "We will establish new bases in some strategic points that put us closer to the locations of those ces, that will facilitate movement and work in case something happens anywhere in the kingdom," Rain said. "I had originally nned to put one of us in each of those ces, but I changed my mind, we have to keep working inrge groups to support one another."


    "So¡­ we will have to move this base a bit further away from the mountains?" Seara asked. "People here will find that a bit worrisome."


    "Some of the squads still will be nearby, so it won''t be a real issue as long as we keep responding to trouble fast," Rain said. "The real issue is how we can split our forces effectively while increasing them¡­


    Rain felt a bit bad for that, but he will have to split the group, in a way that it will feel like he is pushing his friends away aside from Terra. It couldn''t be helped since they didn''t have that many melee fighters to lead the warriors.


    Still, when morning came and he exined that Jori, Reca, Liss, and Asche would lead the Eastern side while Rain, Terra, Seara and his father would lead the Western side, they didn''t feel that bothered.


    "Rx dude," Jori said. "Such a distance we can cover in a couple of hours, and it isn''t like this is a forever thing. The real issue is how we can capitalize from this."

 Chapter 524 Suspicious advice

    "First, we need to keep checking the advance of the influence of the¡­ let''s call these locations dungeons," Rain said. "Once we confirm that they aren''t growing too much or too fast, we will use them to get stronger in the most efficient way possible in order to increase our strength."


    "That is an interesting title for such a ce¡­" Asche frowned. "After that, then what?"


    "One problem at a time, our forces need to learn Limit Breaker and I need to deal with the sea dragons for gramps," Rain exined. "Once all that is done, we will have what is necessary to take the next step, which is to look for the enemies and bring the fights to them."


    The idea was simple, but its fundamentals seemed insane considering that Rain would have to fight sea dragons alone¡­ in their environment. He probably thought that through, but it was still worrisome. Still, his ns were solid as usual. They needed to make every single one of the warriors learn Limit Breaker¡­ that would make their strength increase many times and once that happens.


    Their force of twenty-five hundred would beparable to one of ten thousand.


    "To make things as efficient as possible, each one of you should teach the same squads, up to five hundred warriors," Rain said. "Remember, time is of the essence¡­ it would be nice if when I return, all of them could use it.


    That way, we would be able to decrease the number of squads to defend one border and then attack the enemies on the other side and cause enough damage to make them give up on another war for a hundred years."


    "The training will have to be really intense, while they also work to protect the borders and keeping an eye on the dungeons," Roan said while nodding. "Still, it would be helpful if we have the support of some of the sea folk. Only a small amount of them needs to be in the border watching the magic people, and that also would be a good way to prevent them from being attacked."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Hmm¡­ that is a pretty good idea," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "It was?" Roan asked while frowning.


    "Why do you keep second-guessing yourself when Rain approves of your ideas?" Leiah asked while facepalming.


    Roan had a bit of a confidence problem since his son was that talented¡­ perhaps that was why he often second-guessed himself. Adding to the fact that he was rescued and protected by Rain a few times when he had to fight the magic people.


    "I will talk with Gramps about that," Rain said. "By the way, you three should try to connect the underground tunnels to the dungeons. If something happens, you can just use all the water and drown everything inside the dungeons."


    "Wouldn''t that be a waste? What if the monster''s meat could be eaten? Sea water would mess up the taste," G suddenly said.


    G doesn''t speak often in those meetings and for that to be the first thing that she says¡­ Rain already knew that, but his family truly had a lot of peculiarities.


    "You can think about food as long as lives aren''t in danger, youngdy," Leiah said.


    "Rain, why don''t you take Artisia with you?" Terra asked.


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    "I see¡­ I guess it will be easier to keep an eye on her that way," Rain said while nodding several times.


    "I was more thinking along the lines that it would be useful if she could control a sea dragon, that would help you, wouldn''t it?" Terra asked. "First of all, you would be able to finish the job faster with the support of such a creature, and you also could use that to eventually search for the enemies in the southern sea."


    Despite Artisia''s seemingly harmless actions and intentions during her two-month presence, Rain couldn''t shake off his suspicion. He had encountered enough devious individuals in his life, and he knew that sometimes the most dangerous adversaries could present themselves as allies and she had been one enemy for many years¡­ a dangerous one.


    Her power over mind control and a possible close proximity to a sea dragon only added to his unease. Rain couldn''t dismiss the possibility that she might obtain an ulterior motive or that she was waiting for the opportune moment to reveal her true intentions.


    As a result, Rain maintained a watchful and guarded stance, constantly thinking about possibilities of Artisia''s every move and action, ready to protect his people and his newfound allies from any potential threat.


    "Maybe you need a vacation, your ideas are starting to sound stupid," Rain said. "I will give you some paid weeks off."


    "Don''t call it stupid and I don''t know what you are talking about," Terra rubbed her eyes. "While it could be dangerous, I trust my instincts and my analyzing people''s skills. She isn''t plotting anything, and we need to deal with problems faster, right? We don''t have the luxury of not using everything that we can."


    Terra had a point¡­ Rain wanted to ask her when she became so logical, but he had no ce in asking her that kind of thing considering the person that he was. Regardless¡­ after thinking for a while, Rain decided that he should take all the magic people with him.


    That would be the perfect chance for them to do something if they were nning to do so¡­ only Geo will stay behind to keep watching the beast people.


    "We will depart tomorrow¡­ if nothing happens, we should return in a few weeks," Rain said. "If something happens, I will return in a few weeks alone. Unfortunately, I can''t guarantee to you all that we will get a new pet on this mission, so don''t look forward to it."


    If possible, Rain wanted to learn how to tame monsters¡­ but he didn''t think that it would be easy to tame a dragon of all things.

 Chapter 525 Underwater city

    Rain told the magic people that they were going with him to pay a visit to Seadrei and his people. Until now, Seadir didn''t reveal many more details about the situation of that issue, but it should be escting daily.


    "A lot of people should be quite suspicious of all of you, but they should be of me as well, so it won''t be a problem unless you do anything suspicious," Rain said when they began to fly in the ice tform. "Your mission is to support me any way you can, and yours is to control a sea dragon in case I can knock them out without killing them."


    "Understood," Artisia said.


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    As expected, Rain felt his skin crawling whenever he heard her voice¡­ he couldn''t pinpoint tell why aside from his suspicions of her, but everything about her made him feel uneasy.


    While they were flying, Rain wondered how five golem masters, six water snipers, and nine heat sorcerers would be useful to him in that mission¡­ he had to think hard toe up with a clear n on how to use them.


    Along the way, Rain couldn''t help but wonder if the sea dragons would be as strong as the giant pets that Seadrei had under control thanks to his spear¡­ maybe using them for anything aside from defending the honor of their people would be too much.


    In any case, when Rain found the ocean in the distance, he began to decrease the altitude. He didn''t have time to say hi to Orcis and Lorene, even though they were helping them controlling the rumors about the dungeons¡­ speaking of the said dungeons, just like he had expected, that morning, Rain received the resorts that all of them increased in size, exactly one hundred meters.


    However, the area of influence didn''t increase¡­ but the ants and giant bats kept appearing every Day¡­ they were probably being lured and transformed overnight.


    In any case, when the ice tformnded on the water, it didn''t take long for Rain to see some of the sea folk suddenly appearing and looking at him for a moment before disappearing.


    "The others at least nod at me¡­ I guess Seadrei only sends those to help who have the minimal amount of respect toward me," Rain thought.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After crossing dozens of kilometers in the water, Rain and the others eventually were stopped by arge group of sea people that formed two lines. It looked like they were close to the castle of the sea emperor.


    "His Imperial Majesty asked us to guide you toward his castle."


    "Sure, lead the way," Rain said and then began to focus.


    Before leading the group underwater, Rain employed his wind magic to craft protective barriers around each individual. At first, he considered creating simple wind helmets to provide them with a pocket of air, but as he delved deeper into the logistics of underwater movement, he quickly realized that such a basic approach wouldn''t be enough.


    Underwater journeys necessitated moreprehensive protection, which led to the creation of these wind barriers. These barriers enveloped each person entirely, safeguarding them from the unforgiving aquatic environment and granting them ess to the precious oxygen they needed to survive the expedition.


    Diving into deep waters can be an exhrating and rewarding experience, but it alsoes with several challenges and potential risks. The deeper you dive, the greater the water pressure bes. This can have significant physiological effects on the body. Divers need to be aware of how pressure impacts their ears, sinuses, and lungs, as well as the potential for dpression sickness.


    Managing air supply is crucial. The deeper you go, the faster you consume air due to increased pressure. It''s essential to monitor your air gauge and ascend with sufficient air to safelyplete your dive.


    Achieving neutral buoyancy is essential for a safe andfortable dive. Too much weight can cause you to sink rapidly, while too little can make you ascend uncontrobly. Fine-tuning your buoyancy is crucial at greater depths.


    Deeper waters are typically colder. One has to be prepared for lower temperatures and dress ordingly. Wetsuits or drysuits may be necessary to maintain afortable body temperature. There were many other things as well, like Visibility, Training, and Nitrogen Narcosis


    With all that in mind, it would be better to just create wind barriers where Rain would constantly feed them with air to breathe and control their movements as well. At the same time, they won''t feel the pressure as deep as they go.


    When everyone began to dive with the wind Spheres, they hesitated a bit, but soon they realized that they had nothing to worry about or even do, Rain controlled their movements underwater and they just had to enjoy the surroundings.


    In the distance, the sea folk''s capital and the sea emperor''s castle came into view. As Rain had imagined , it was a remarkable sight under the deep blue sea. The city was a lively metropolis built from living corals, presenting a rich tapestry of colors. The corals formed intricate structures, giving the city a vibrant and elegant appearance.


    The buildings resembled coral skyscrapers, arches, and grand gates, and the whole city sparkled with shades of red, pink, purple, and orange. The filtered sunlight from the surface yed enchantingly on the corals, creating a captivating underwater spectacle.


    At the heart of the city stood the sea emperor''s castle, a true architectural wonder. Rising from the seabed, the castle featured intricate patterns and was adorned with precious gems and pearls. It was both a symbol of authority and an artistic masterpiece, reflecting the sea folk''s deep bond with the ocean.


    The castle''s gates and entrances were ornate, guarded by sea warriors holding tridents. The sea emperor''s residence was a grand and imposing structure, a testament to their ruler''s power and significance.


    The group felt that they were probably the first few people in thousands of years that had seen such a scenario and not being attacked on the spot while approaching¡­

 Chapter 526 Understanding the system

    They could see a lot of the sea folk around the area, looking for seaweed and other things that they normally eat. Some of them were carrying octopuses and other sea creatures as well... it seemed that not the entire sea was their ally or friends.


    "Seara has sure clear teeth¡­ I wonder how, considering the kind of things that she eats here, is it because of the salty water?" Rain thought.


    In any case, the capital was evenrger than the capital of the human kingdom, and the houses were also made of coral, but they had all kinds of shapes and sizes¡­ Rain wondered if they had beds and would sleep on them and wake up with their faces on the ceiling.


    Thousands and more thousands of people stopped doing their things and began to look around at the unexpected visitors¡­ they had heard of Rain, but it was the first time that he hade there. Seadrei never imagined that Rain would be able toe to their territory like that, so the marriage ceremony had been in the port town.


    In any case, when they approached the castle. There was this massive staircase there, and Rain wondered why they had that and why it had so many guards when they were swimming above it. Still, the guards began to swim and blocked their paths. They couldn''t talk underwater, so they only stared at Rain.


    "Only I am allowed to enter?" Rain asked, hoping that the guards would read his lips.


    The leader of the guards nodded¡­ wasn''t that convenient? Rain didn''t hear from Seara that they could do that¡­ he didn''t ask either. Regardless, Rain left the others behind and then began to move toward the center of the castle. The ce was too big and too empty as well. Although Seadrei had a bunch of kids, not many of them were living with him anymore.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the end, Rain found him sitting on his throne looking bored out of his mind¡­ Rain thought that he would find a bunch of people like advisors and generals with him, but he assumed that he dismissed them.


    "You havee, Seadir said that we could ask for your help, but I don''t remember calling you," Seadrei said.


    "... I am nning to take the reins of this war, I am tired of letting the enemies dictate the pace," Rain said. "By the way, how can I hear you?"


    "The exnation is too long, basically, I am controlling the water to make my voice cross your barrier," Seadrei said. "It is quite the interesting use of wind magic, I hope that you don''t share it with many people since we might have to worry about being invaded with people that can do the same. That being said, you brought a bunch of magic people, and I wonder how you will keep them in check."


    "Well, they know that their heads will roll if they move away from me, so there is that safety guard," Rain shrugged. "Do you want to deal with the sea dragons yourself, Gramps?"


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    "At least there is someone here who understands me," Seadrei said. "Imagine yourself in my ce, and you have to be mindful of every single thing in order not to escte things. I am basically a king that has power, but can''t use it for the sake of others because I have to think of the sake of others."


    It seemed that Seadrei was starting to get tired of his position¡­ that was why Rain didn''t want to be a ruler, it was too much of a nuisance. Those who live tyrannical lives had it easy since they don''t care about the lives of others and the solution for every single problem was killing their enemies and the troublemakers. That didn''t work for someone who wasn''t a psychopath.


    "Train your kid well so that they can be the new ruler in my ce," Seadrei added.


    "That is a bit too soon to consider, don''t you think?"


    "Not really, as long as the next generation surpasses the previous one and everyone recognizes that, that can be done even for someone who is twenty years old," Seadrei shrugged. "Twenty years for me would be the same as six months for you; it is a short amount of time."


    Seadrei was quite good at math¡­ and he knew that time is rtive. Regardless, it was too much for him to expect a kid to be in twenty years stronger than him.


    "I won''t make any promises, I am nning to teach my kids all the necessary skills to survive and thrive in this world, but not to be that strong, I can''t decide their lives," Rain said. "Anyway, I have something else to ask you, is this cepletely empty and no one can hear us?"


    "Yes, why?" Seadrei frowned.


    Rain exined to Seadrei that he was trying to break the limits of the system and he was also trying to see if mastering all the skills of their initial path would help with that. The idea seemed interesting¡­ but Seadrei also felt like it was trying to make water dry, what was the point of doing that when it was as natural as gravity?


    "My guess is that the dragons know the way to break the limits of their initial path and that is why they are so strong even when they are so young," Rain said. "That also would exin why they grow so much stronger the older they get and a lifespan like that, it would make sense that thanks to their lifespan, some of them learned such secrets of the paths system."


    "That is an interesting concept, but if that is true, wouldn''t just that broke the limits of a single path?" Seadrei asked. "The other limits probably will have to be done in the same way."


    "I am also thinking of ways to improve that; I will more motivated once I confirm that is true or not," Rain exined.

 Chapter 527 Smell

    "It makes sense considering that it is you whom we are talking about¡­ I have mastered most of the skills of my first path, the Merman''s path," Seadrei said. "There are three that are on level seventy. They are Reading, Writing, and Stealth."


    Rain frowned when he heard that¡­ wouldn''t that mean that all people have the same basic skills independent of their species? Still, when Rain asked Seadrei the bonuses of each level of the Merman''s path, he was left speechless when he heard that it was five times better than the humans.


    At the same time, it confirmed that Seadrei was a muscle head who preferred to attack the enemies head on instead of surprising them. Stay updated with empire


    "Five points in all parameters per level, that is so unfair¡­" Rain raised his left eyebrow. "I bet that the dragons gain at least twenty per level."


    "That wouldn''t surprise me," Seadrei said. "Once they leave their eggs, they spent five years being raised in the wild with each other and I would dare say that their environment isn''t exactly the best for weak creatures, so they adapt fast. Regardless¡­ I will see if I can master these skills as well."


    "I bet that I can master mine before you," Rain said. "Do you want to bet your spear on it?"


    "I already told you, this spear represents my kingship, I wouldn''t do anything that would make me lose it, I will only pass to the right sessor," Seadrei said.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "All right, that was a joke anyway," Rain shrugged. "By the way, there is a chance that we might capture a sea dragon to help with the work. We want to use it to explore the southern sea, It will be a powerful asset."


    "Hmm, if you think that is for the best, I have nothing to say about it, but I need to war you that it might enrage the dragons," Seadrei said while studying Rain with a serious expression. "Making enemies with the dragons might be pretty easy for you, they can smell when someone kills a bunch of them and that will only make him more angry and don''t hold back against you.


    My father died for the same reason."


    "I didn''t know about that¡­" Rain said.


    Rain thought about joking if a good soap would make it easier to get rid of the smell, but it seemed that such a thing wasn''t possible¡­ and it was a joke anyway. Regardless, Rain wondered how many sea dragons the previous sea emperor killed before he was perhaps outnumbered against them¡­ considering what Rain learned, he imagined that he had already given his position to Seadrei at the time.


    "Was that one of the reasons why your people are having a hard time against them and that is why you avoided until now asking me to handle that?" Rain asked.


    "More or less," Seadrei said. "You don''t live in the sea, so it is fine, but things are different for us¡­ to be honest, my generals can''t face you."


    "It seems that they have been cking off on their training," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, I''d better get going."


    "There are three sea dragons there and they are around five hundred years old, don''t underestimate them," Seadrei said when Rain turned around to leave.


    Rain nodded¡­ he wasn''t expecting to do that in any shape or form, and he had some ideas in mind on how he could defeat the sea dragons, so it was fine. He would be underestimating them if he didn''t have any ns.


    Once Rain left the castle, him and the group were guided by the same group that guided them to the underwater city and from there, they moved to the East¡­ it was the same direction that the magic people country was supposed to be. Or at least their northern ocean was¡­


    "We used the same route when we were going to stop the human army¡­ I guess the sea dragons took control over their waters," Rain thought.


    In the end, the tripsted the entire day and half of the night. It was hard to tell how much sea they had covered, but Rain was sure that they didn''t move as fast as that giant Ind shark¡­ so they probably didn''t even reach the territory of the magic people or their waters. When their guides began to slow down, Rain understood that they were getting closer.


    "Fighting at night isn''t a good idea," Rain thought. "Anyway, I thought that some of their warriors would be around keeping their perimeter¡­"


    When the guides stopped, they went to the surface to talk, and soon Rain learned what was happening.


    "Forgive me, but we received message from the other groups that were defending our waters that they don''t want to cooperate with an unknown force that could prove to be a nuisance.


    "It is fine, where are they in case I need to know in order not to get close to their areas?" Rain asked.


    The guides told Rain that they were further North. Even at night, sometimes the sea dragons woulde to expand their territory, so they needed to stay on guard at all times.


    Regardless, Rain dismissed the guides and then checked the surroundings. They were around twenty kilometers away from the coast and while they could camp there and return, Rain didn''t want to risk leaving that area unguarded for the sea dragons. Even if they couldn''t guard the entirety of all that region, it was fine. The sea dragons wouldn''t ignore someone who was blocking their path.


    "I want you guys to make ships with your golems and you guys to keep the surroundings well lit," Rain said while looking at the golem masters and the heat sorcerers. "You guys will attack and stop the sea dragons if they get too close. Usually, I would stop them, but maybe more than one wille at a time, so work hard in order not to be their food."

 Chapter 528 Underwater levels

    Rain''s idea of encouragement was quite dark, to say the least¡­ everyone was already quite tense for moving underwater at night, and when they returned to the surface, they were surrounded in all directions by darkness as well.


    Fortunately, the sky was free from clouds and so they could see a sea of stars and the moon illuminating things quite a bit, but it wasn''t enough to make them feel safe. Using all the heat that they could control in arge area, the heat sorcerers created several fireballs and made them slowly rotate around them.


    That illuminated things a lot, but then they realized that they would easily find it in that situation, and underwater was still pitch dark.


    While everyone was tense, only Artisia and Rain looked fine. Rain didn''t have time to think about anything since he was hungry and was talking out the cooking utensils that he brought from home¡­ he didn''t know for how long the mission willst, so he was going to make sure that he will keep his morale high with good food. He was a man who had his priorities straight, after all.


    "Use one of the fireballs to heat this up, decrease the temperature and increase the size of the fireball, yeah, that much is fine," Rain said.


    There are some rumors among the members of the raging phoenix that Rain is a great cook, but people treated that like a joke or some urban legend. It was impossible for them to imagine someone like Rain cooking food, but here was him doing that¡­ the rumors were only going to start to get crazy.


    Since the size of the group increased insanely in thest two months, people began to think that they would began to get served rations or something, but when they were in the headquarters, they all had nice and warm food¡­ even though they were being paid to work outside, they regretted a little when they didn''t have the chance to make that food¡­ they never imagined that Rain was the one cooking and thanks to it, his Cook''s path was already at level forty.


    In any case, after they filled their bellies and forgot the situation that they were in for a moment, the group finally got tense again and began to wait to be attacked, or devoured alive for that matter¡­ they didn''t know the size of the sea dragons, but they could only imagine that they could eat all of them at once¡­ In any case, eventually, Rain got tired of waiting and decided to split the work.


    "Half of you can go to sleep, the other half will stay on guard duty," Rain dered and then he realized that he will have to choose the ones who are going to sleep first. "You three, you two, and you five, you will join them as well, I will call you if something happens."


    They only needed two heat sorcerers to keep the area illuminated enough, so Rain didn''t feel the need to only use the heat sorcerers awake at night¡­ Regardless, while they resisted at force, the chosen ones and Artisia eventually fell asleep thanks to the sound of the waves.


    During the waiting time, Rain kept himself aware while using his magic on the water around to notice the approaches of anything. His range was three kilometers, since he was also using Meditation Mastery¡­ thanks to that, he noticed when some of the other guards in the area approached to check on them.


    Knowing his luck, Rain imagined that the first sea dragon would only show up after several days and he didn''t expect that they woulde alone too¡­


    "It ising¡­" Rain suddenly got up. "As I said, focus on defending and don''t move from this spot."


    Rain jumped on the water already using his wind barrier¡­ it didn''t take long for him to see the giant sea dragon in the distance anding from the East. The massive sea dragon unfurled its form. Stretching an astonishing one hundred meters from head to tail, this creature was a breathtaking sight.


    Its scales were a vibrant mosaic of colors, shimmering like precious gemstones under the gentle y of sunlight filtering through the water.


    With a grace that defied its immense size, the sea dragon moved through the water with an effortless fluidity. Its serpentine body was undted in harmonious rhythms as it navigated the underwater currents. The sea dragon''s head was a scary sight, dominated by a cavernous maw bristling with rows of sharp, glistening teeth.


    Its eyes, like liquid gold, exuded an intelligence and age-old wisdom, a testament to the countless ages it had witnessed. Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    As it cruised through the submerged realm, the sea dragonmanded both fear and wonder. It stood as a symbol of the ocean''s boundless mysteries and untamed beauty.


    "My speed is limited here, and the Limit Breaker is practically useless," Rain thought. "I will have to keep using only magic for a while while studying the movements and skills of this thing."


    Rain raised his hand and froze the water in front of the monster, creating several ice walls on it. Still, the beast easily passed through the¡­ however, that was within Rain''s expectations¡­ he immediately controlled the ice shards and made them pierce the face and the eyes of the monster¡­ but the creature closed them fast enough out of reflex.


    The sea dragon trembled a bit when the ice shards pierced the space between its scales, but aside from that, nothing happened. In the end, Rain made his wind barrier move toward the enemy as fast as possible, but he wasn''t even one-third as fast as he was when he used Impulse. Thanks to that, the monster had enough time to summon a whirlwind that began to pull Rain.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "While this is reality, this is why I hate underwater levels in games," Rain thought while he tried to fight the pull, but he failed.

 Chapter 529 Reinforcements

    In the end, Rain created an ice wall behind him and kicked it with Impulse¡­ that not only pushed Rain away from the whirlwind, but he also reached the enemy.


    Rain assumed his stance, and then when the beast opened its mouth, he canceled the wind barrier and punched the lower half of the jaw. The attack made the monster stop and tremble, the water around didn''t have time to slow Rain down, so the creature took the full power of Rain''s punch¡­


    The body of the sea dragon coiled as the creature left it''s eyes wide open Thanks to the shock. Rain moved backward and called his wind barrier again and watched the monster recover¡­ he saw some blood leaving the Monster''s mouth, but only that.


    "My fist is fine and I don''t feel like I punched anything really hard¡­ maybe sea dragons are a lot lighter and that is why," Rain thought.


    The sea dragon began to swim to the side once it recovered while studying Rain¡­ as expected of a dragon that lived for five hundred years, it sure could use its braincells for some sinapses. Rain quickly retreated and studied the monster, but soon, the creature created another whirlwind where the magic people were.


    "Trying to distract me, huh?" Rain thought while frowning. "Since it is like that¡­"


    Before the next whirlwind could gain force, Rain kicked another ice wall and then approached the beast. The creature moved its mouth toward him and fired a massive st of water.


    Rain was pushed away for a moment, but soon repelled the st while using water magic as well¡­ he probably wouldn''t have been able to do without the coral spear. When he escaped, Rain zigzagged around while trying in order not to be an easy target for the sea dragon and slowly approached.


    When Rain got close enough, the giant beast tried to hit Rain with a whip-like attack with its tail, and Rain didn''t have time to avoid it. He blocked the attack with his forearm guards, but before he could be pushed away, he froze the tip of the dragon''s tail and connected to his forearm guards.


    Rain felt like he was a twig being thrown around by a giant, but eventually the move stopped and he resumed his spell.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The water around the sea dragon began to freeze and the monster tried to control the water around itself to break free, but the ice was being repaired faster than that¡­ and it was covering the rest of the body of the monster too.


    The creature shook its tail from one side to the other to get rid of Rain, but he didn''t let go¡­ even when he began to feel like his head was about to explode and his nose made him feel a smell of iron¡­ that was dangerous.


    Still, it didn''t take long for the tail of the creature to lose speed, and that helped Rain quite a bit. When Rain finally had some room to breathe, he tried to control the ice and pull the monster upward, out of the water, but the monster resisted¡­ it actually tried to sink deeper underwater.


    "... I don''t need this wind barrier," Rain thought and then smirked.


    Rain covered his barrier with ice and eventually canceled it. Thanks to that, the pressure of the air also began to pull the monster out of the water as well.


    Now that Rain was a bit more free and connected to the beast, he freed his hands and then focused for a moment before covering his hand with wind magic and then increasing its intensity until it became electricity¡­ Rain touched the tail of the dragon and made the creature tremble all over¡­ his mana was being drained like there was no tomorrow, but at least the attack was being insanely effective since the sea dragon was wet and covered by water in all directions as well.


    Eventually, the creature stopped moving altogether and then Rain used his mana to cover the entire body of the creature in ice, that would be easier to move the beast out of the ocean¡­ still, just when he was about to finish the work¡­ he felt a shiver and then soon he saw another sea dragon approaching¡­


    "Shit¡­ give me a break," Rain thought and then tried to raise the creature out of the ocean to make Artisia control it.


    Unfortunately, Rain hadn''t been fast enough¡­ The other sea dragon summoned several whirlwinds and kept Rain and the target locked on a single spot¡­ he didn''t have any other choice.


    In the end, Rain quickly approached the head of the creature after dispersing the ice and then pierced the head of the creature with his right forearm guard enhanced with a massively and sharp earth de¡­ it reached all the way to the brain of the creature.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 100.000 experience points.


    The skill Frostbite received 100.000 experience points.


    The skill Wind Maker received 100.000 experience points.


    ¡­


    The Ice Mage''s path leveled up. Intelligence + 20


    The Ice Mage''s path leveled up. Intelligence + 20


    ¡­


    Rain didn''t have much mana left, but he will have to make it do¡­ still, much to his surprise. The whirlwinds disappeared, and then the second sea dragon began to turn around to leave the area.


    "I guess snakes can be pretty cunning¡­ even the giant ones," Rain thought and then he sighed. "It would have been a difficult fight and the creature assumed that a difficult fight wouldn''t be a good call if the other sea folk hade to help¡­ not like I think that they would."


    Getting closer to that kind of enemy in such an environment was harder than Rain thought¡­ it was only natural, but he still felt like sighing for using 45 thousand mana points in a couple of minutes. He needed a better way to fight such crafty opponents¡­ even though that battle didn''tst for that long.

 Chapter 530 New battle plan

    Rain used his magic to move the sea dragon''s body out of the ocean, and the magic people promptly lent their assistance in guiding the massive carcass towards the coastline. As they cooperated, Rain pondered whether it was time to integrate them into the Raging Phoenix, but Artisia''s unsettling behavior and silence still left him cautious.


    He couldn''t shake off the unease she stirred within him, leading him to dub them, in his thoughts, as Artisia''s groupies since they tried to mimic her while staying silent and trying to remainposed.


    "What should we do about the body?" One of the golem masters asked.


    The tone of the guy seemed a bit too rxed, and his words too, but Rain couldn''t say much since he didn''t tell them to refer to him asmander as well. Telling them that would be the same as telling them that they are part of the Raging Phoenix¡­ even though they work like everyone else and are paid the same as the others for their work¡­


    "I will wait and see what Seadrei will decide¡­ we came to help, but we didn''t talk about the bodies of the monsters," Rain said and then went to check his parameters. "I don''t think that he had any uses for this, though."


    Name: Rainendall


    Level: 197 (12.000/19.700)


    Current Path: Ice Mage''s Path (Lv 20 (300/1000)


    Health: 20.330/22.330


    Find more to read at empire


    Mana: 17.720/59.820


    Stamina: 21.890/23.490


    Strength: 2056


    Dexterity: 1896


    Intelligence: 3584


    Vitality: 2212


    Wisdom: 5352


    Endurance: 2350


    Luck: 416


    Free Points: 140


    Main Skills:


    [Grand Arcane Infusion Lv 57)


    [Meditation Mastery Lv 59]


    [Wisdom Blessing Lv 39]


    [Mana Burst Lv 22]


    [Schr''s Insight Lv 23]


    Support Skills:


    [Iron Resilience Lv 47]


    [Unyielding Endurance Lv 57]


    [Grounded Initiate Lv 22]


    [Horsemanship Lv 20]


    [Stealth Lv 43]


    "Not bad, I guess¡­ but only eight levels for killing a five hundred-year-old dragon is a bit¡­" Rain frowned. "Well, I guess I can''tin since my intelligence increased by two hundred points."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In any case, Rain didn''t have time to celebrate. The other sea dragon retreated, but it eventually would return, and with help as well¡­ against the two remaining Sea dragons, Rain will have a hard time.


    While Rain was thinking of what he should do, he saw some of the sea folk watching him from the ocean and soon disappearing¡­ they were probably the soldiers that had been fighting those creatures until now.


    "Take that, suckers¡­ I already showed how ipetent you are in less than one day," Rain thought while smirking, and then he realized something. "Wait a minute, am I not helping them do their job and making myself a bigger target for the Monsters?"


    Rain didn''t have that much time to waste, but he couldn''t go around and do the job for others¡­ even more so the dangerous jobs. In any case, Rain needed time to recover his mana, so he told the others that they were going to camp there. Returning to the ocean under those conditions without being fully prepared was no good.


    In the end, it took half a day for Rain to recover all of his mana. His mana levels were that high, so it couldn''t be helped. During that time, the group didn''t feel anything odd in the atmosphere, so it seemed that the sea dragons decided to keep their distance. At least for a while¡­


    "Here is our new battle n. As usual, we will focus on defense," Rain suddenly got up and then dered. "However, you guys will help me a little more in case the two other sea dragons were toe at me at once. You already experienced seeing them attacking you all, and you don''t have a choice besides helping me."


    It was the middle of the night, and returning to the ocean when the visibility was that bad seemed like a really bad move¡­ but after hearing Rain''s battle n, the group started to see that it could work¡­ Rain was also nning to use the darkness in their favor.


    In the end, the group returned to their original location and began to wait for the sea dragons to show up¡­ Rain told them to rx until he told them to focus, but they were unable to do so.


    "They don''t have experience using their heads against enemies. Trying to outsmart dragons seems like something that they think that it is impossible for them," Rain thought and then shrugged.


    Mastering the art of war is the same as delving deep into the psychology of one''s enemies. It involves understanding their motives, predicting their actions, and understanding how they perceive the unfolding conflict.


    By adopting their perspective, strategists gain the upper hand, manipting the enemy''s choices and perceptions to their advantage. It is a subtle and nuanced approach to warfare, transcending mere physicalbat and entering the realm of psychological and strategic warfare, where battles are won or lost before the first weapon is even drawn.


    This art is often hidden from the public eye, known to only a select few who have honed their skills to perfection.


    For example, Rain knew that the best time to attack an enemy at night would be one hour before sunrise¡­ the dragons knew that too and they appeared right at that moment to attack. Naturally, Rain jumped into the ocean in a hurry making them think that he was caught off guard.


    The cover of the night presents several strategic advantages for attacking, but the best moments depend on the specific objectives and circumstances. Attacking during dusk can be advantageous as it offers a transition period from daylight to darkness. It allows the attackers to use the fading light for initial maneuvers while making it harder for the defenders to spot and respond effectively.


    When the moon is not visible or during a new moon, the darkness is at its peak, making it a prime time for covert operations. The absence of moonlight provides ample cover for night vision and stealthy movement as well. The possibilities were endless¡­

 Chapter 531 2 vs 1

    The sea dragons soon realized that Rain was intended to fight them and soon found him with two earth spears on his back as well. He didn''t have that before, so they knew that he had some sort of countermeasure against them¡­


    The sea dragons began to swim in opposite directions to make Rain''s focus split¡­ and he couldn''t help but sigh since they sure knew how to be annoying.


    Rain didn''t hesitate and soon charged toward the sea dragon on the right side¡­ the creature was surprised that Rain was able to react in that condition. It was almost like he was hoping that something like that would happen.


    The beast soon summoned several whirlwinds to stop him from getting closer, but Rain zigzagged with ice walls and impulse and easily moved away from them. The sea Dragon didn''t hesitate in turning around and then trying to run away, but then Rain used his Magic Boost, and then his abilities increased tenfold.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It onlysted for five seconds, and that consumed one-third of Rain''s mana, but he soon reached the creature before the sea dragon could gain speed. At the same time, he grabbed the two earth spears and mmed them against the face of the monster¡­ they were so heavy that the creature was stunned for a full second.


    When the creature recovered, Rain froze the face of the sea dragonpletely¡­ the monster tried to free itself, but soon something hit the top of the dragon and stunned the monster again.


    It kept hitting the sea dragon again and again and stopped the creature from concentrating enough to use magic¡­ that was thebination of Rain''s ice magic that attached the earth spears that were actually golems attacking the sea dragon.


    Rain quickly turned and went to face the final enemy and soon saw the others being sucked by a giant whirlwind¡­ it seemed that the sea dragon imagined that they were helping Rain a lot more than they actually were¡­


    In the next moment, Rain made the earth tform fly high in the sky as he approached the sea dragon¡­ the creature was astonished when it saw Rain freeing his underlings with such ease but soon recovered to face him, unaware of what was happening to its ally¡­ the sea dragon imagined that the other creature had only been knocked out for a moment¡­


    Still, the monster had some tricks up its sleeve¡­ it suddenly swung its tail downward after pointing to Rain, and in the next moment, a massive st in the shape of a crescent moon flew toward Rain.


    Although his reflexes had been honed for years, Rain barely had the chance to avoid that. He used Impulse after kicking an ice wall on his side, but the passage of the attack still made him spin violently.


    Before Rain could recover, the sea dragon hit him with a tail whip attack¡­ Rain''s back was hit in full, and he was sent spiraling downward¡­ if it weren''t for the wind barrier, he probably would have exploded thanks to the pressure since he hit the bottom of the ocean in that area¡­ in a single moment.


    When Rain tried to get up, he felt his body being pulled in all directions by five whirlwinds that surrounded him. They didn''t leave any openings that he could use to escape.


    "I guess this one is the one that escaped yesterday¡­ this sea dragon doesn''t have any intentions of underestimating me," Rain thought.


    When Rain was about to bepletely pulled by the spell, he used half of his magic to freeze all the water around him instantly. It goes without saying, but that quickly dispersed the whirlwinds as well¡­


    One could see the annoyance in the monster''s eyes when it saw that happening¡­ Still, the creature soon recovered when the ice pir that enveloped Rain now began to move toward the creature¡­ the sea dragon realized that it could destroy that ice fast enough and decided to run away, but the ice pir, despite its size, which was as big as the monster itself, began to get closer and closer.


    When it got within its range, the sea dragon tried to hit the ice pir with a tail attack, but much to its surprise¡­ the ice pir quickly and nimbly moved to the side and avoided the hit before the monster could recover from the surprise, Rain moved the ice pir and then attack the side of the sea dragon while making the pir look like he was swimming a bat.


    The strikended and made the body of the monster contort in pain¡­ at that point in time, it was clear as day that the sea dragons weren''t that really tough¡­ maybe it was because they were big and could move fast, but their physical defense, even with those scales was severelycking¡­ or maybe Rain''s attack power was just that high.


    The monster quickly recovered and turned to face Rain¡­ trying to run away would only expose the sea dragon to more attacks like that, and the creature knew that. Your next chapter is on empire


    Still, much to Rain''s surprise. The sea dragon coiled its body and then charged forward like a spring with its mouth wide open. Rain swung the ice pir like a bat again, but the beast didn''t hesitate in blocking the attack with its enormous maw¡­ the monster was stopped and pushed away a fair bit, but Rain soon saw the fangs of the beast piercing and cracking the whole ice pir.


    "Wow, I didn''t think that those would be this hard¡­ they have poison, too," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he watched a purple liquid prate the ice and melt it. "Maybe I shouldn''t be so nonchnt about this."


    In the end, Rain made his choice¡­ he made the ice pir explode, and he jumped away from the mouth of the monster. The creature ended up eating a lot of the ice, and that cut the interior of its mouth, but the sea dragon just red at Rain and didn''t care about its wounds at all.

 Chapter 532 Danger level discrepancy

    Now, with only one-fifth of his mana left, Rain had to think of what he should do¡­ he didn''t have much time for that since the beast soon charged at him, though.


    "I guess it can''t be helped¡­ let''s see how well you can fare against this," Rain thought.


    Rain focused his magical energy on his forearm guards, channeling it through his arms. As he did, a deep chill began to emanate from his hands, and ayer of frost started to form on the guards. The ice grew thicker and thicker, gradually transforming the guards into colossal, icy appendages resembling the arms of an ice giant.


    The once ordinary forearm guards were now encased in ayer of cial ice, shimmering with an eerie blue hue. The ice was hard as stone and exuded an aura of freezing cold. It crackled with a powerful energy, ready to be unleashed at Rain''smand. With his new icy gauntlets, Rain had not only augmented his defensive capabilities but also gained a lot of blunt attack power.


    When the monster got close enough, Rain moved downward and then tried to counterattack the monster with an upper. But the creature surprisingly swung its head downward and took the hit head on¡­ Rain frowned when he felt that he had hit a massive steel wall. The monster didn''t even flinch¡­


    "Did it just harden its flesh?" Rain thought.


    The monster quickly turned and tried to stab Rain with its tail, but he blocked the attack with his arms. Rain was pushed backward dozens of meters since he didn''t have the ground below him to support his body.


    Before the monster could attack again, Rain used Magic Eyes and then saw a thickyer of mana around the body of the monster¡­ how could he have forgotten that the sea dragon used Dragon''s Rage¡­ he hadn''t noticed that before because he was underwater and it was dark¡­


    "I should have known¡­" Rain thought.


    In the next moment, the sea dragon opened its mouth again, and then Rain immediately moved to to the side¡­ but instead of a water st, Rain began to feel a pull toward the Monster''s mouth and the pull was stronger than the whirlwind.


    "What the¡­ how?" Rain thought.


    Rain tried to move from one side to the other, but he still could feel the pull of the attack¡­ that didn''t make any sense¡­ Howe the monster could swallow so much water?


    Rain tried to move backward with all his might, but the pull was only getting stronger¡­ until he noticed that the water around him wasn''t being pulled¡­ only Rain was.


    "... Is this fucker controlling the water inside my body?" Rain thought after he opened his eyes widely.


    At first, Rain thought that the monster used gravity magic, but there was no reason why a sea dragon would have known that kind of magic. Soon enough, Rain began to feel wafer leaving his pores¡­ even though he still was controlling the wind barrier, the sea dragon could do that much when it''s dragon rage was active.


    "Well, if you want a piece of me, then you shall have it," Rain shrugged and then let go.


    In the next moment, Rain stopped resisting and even canceled his wind barrier. In the next moment, he was sucked toward the maw of the monster violently, and the creature closed its mouth as soon as Rain reached the teeth.


    Still, some impacts inside the Monster''s mouth made the creature tremble, and then eventually was forced to open it¡­ Rain covered his shin guards with ice magic as well, and with those and his arms, he blocked the fangs of the giant beast.


    "You did well trying to chew me properly, but it would have been better for you if you didn''t try that," Rain said while he moved away the teeth of the monster. "Now that I have some footing, I can finally use Limit Breaker."


    Rain lowered one arm, and then the mouth began to close again, but soon he punched the ceiling of the mouth of the beast over and over again and forced the monster to stop¡­ the impacts from inside the mouth made the brain of the creature shake, even while it was using Dragon Rage¡­


    Still, the giant beast was anything if not stubborn¡­ with its fury strengthening its own Dragon Rage, the gaping maw began to crush Rain''s bones despite his attack. Even the ice in his shin guards began to crack.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I know that you are a bitch, and I know that you are trying to keep your mouth shut, but only my wives can taste me, asshole," Rain thought and then prepared to use his trump card.


    Still, just when Rain was about to go all out¡­ the entire body of the monster trembled with a powerful impact. After three more tremors, the beast stopped moving altogether.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The ice mage''s path received 5.000 experience points.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    The ice mage''s path received 5.000 experience points.


    ¡­


    The monster died, and while frowning, Rain left the mouth and went to check the outside, only to see another sea dragon there¡­ it was the one that he had trapped in an endless loop as a mole in a whack-a-mole game¡­ it seemed that Artisia managed to capture it without a master ball. It must be nice to be born with such cheat code... but everything has a price.


    "Well, this thing is only on the level of a Gyarados, not even a red one, so it can''t bepared to a legendary," Rain thought, and he swam to the surface.


    Rain found the magic people there¡­ in the end, they followed the n and managed toe to help him in time, even though he only told them to attack when he was absolutely in danger¡­ it seemed that almost being swallowed by a giant sea dragon seemed dangerous enough for them, but not so much for Rain.

 Chapter 533 Politics

    Rain devised a strategy to turn the first sea dragon into an ally. That was one of their goals, after all. He knew that speed and precision were of the essence. With his n in mind, he told the golem masters to transform their sturdy golems into spears.


    These massive, towering constructs became the means through which they would subdue the sea dragon. The golems were strong and versatile, and they could strike with tremendous force.


    Meanwhile, the other members of the group used their magical abilities to locate and move out the trapped sea dragon from the depths of the ocean. Using their powers, they brought up the colossal creature out of the water and into the air, suspending it there as if it were a captured prize.


    The sea dragon hung in the air, helpless and vulnerable, ready for Artisia to work her magic. Rain''s n was unfolded with precision, and the team managed to bring this mighty beast under their control.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "I guess you guys did a good job," Rain said while he moved his body like a dog to get rid of the water on his clothes. "Time to bring them to the shore."


    The mission was over¡­ in theory, they had a sea dragon with them, but Artisia had to staypletely focused on keeping the creature under control and couldn''t do anything else. They had to find a more efficient way to control it.


    From what Rain had heard and had seen, it seemed that the magic of her tribe came from some sort of mutation in their eyes¡­ thanks to it, they had few members¡­ mainly because they actually had a lot of people in their tribe, but most of them were born blind, and when the mutation in their eyes tried to kick to forcefully awaken their powers, they would suffer headaches from an early age and most of them didn''t even turn five years old¡­ it wasn''t a technique that could be learned.


    Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully¡­ keeping the beast under control would be easier if Artisia had more wisdom, but she didn''t get that much experience by helping kill only a single sea dragon. Rain had a skill that could help with that¡­ it was Wisdom Blessing¡­ it would increase the wisdom of all those he deemed his allies.


    "This is annoying¡­" Rain thought.


    As expected, Rain wanted to me Artisia for that¡­ to putting him in that situation, to be forced to consider a former enemy an ally¡­ she actually was his nemesis in a sense since Rain didn''t even hate when the king and Joanis tried to kill him by making his body explode with blood, but he hated them for trying to target his family.


    "Anyway¡­ she is an underling, and as her employer, I have to at least offer her the necessary conditions to do her job properly. I suppose I have to offer these morons the same conditions as well," Rain thought and then let out a sigh.


    It took a while and some mental gymnastics, but Rain eventually managed to convince himself to truly see those guys as allies¡­ they also got a bit stronger when Rain equipped other teacher''s skills that increased their parameters.


    "Don''t say a thing, don''t act differently, or you guys will creep me out," Rain said when they realized the buffs that Rain gave them.


    It couldn''t be helped¡­ it was to make his skills level up and to finish the mission faster¡­ while saying those words like a mantra, Rain waited until morning came before heading to Seadrei''s castle. Fortunately, the guides that took them to the region returned and helped them bring the sea dragons'' bodies.


    At first, Rain thought that the guides were helping them to do a favor as a sign of thanks for making their territory more peaceful, but he soon understood that it wasn''t the case. The vibrant and joyous scene that unfolded before Rain and his group was a far cry from their initial expectations.


    When they returned to the underwater capital, the sea folk''s cheers were filled with genuine gratitude and admiration for their efforts. The underwater capital, typically serene and calm, now resonated with the sounds of celebration, echoing through the aquatic streets.


    The triumphant procession of the sea dragon''s massive bodies showcased as a symbol of their aplishment left no room for doubt. It was more than just assistance; it was a grand celebration, a heartfelt expression of thanks from the sea folk. It felt like they were finally epting humans as allies.


    The exuberance of the sea folk was evident in the smiles, ps, and chants that rang through the city, making Rain feel not only feel creeped out but a bit annoyed. He didn''t like that kind of thing, and he imagined that Seadrei didn''t like it either¡­


    "... What was that?" Rain asked when he arrived at the throne room and saw Seadrei looking bored out of his mind again.


    "... Politics, my friend. Politics," Seadrei said. "All of a sudden, when some of my advisors and generals heard that you dealt with the threat in two days, they decided to do this. I didn''t want to, but they convinced me that it would be better for the sake of my first grandkid and the rtionship between humans and my people."


    "I can understand that, but¡­" Rain frowned.


    "All in all, you win some, and you lose some," Seadrei said. "Their main goal is probably to feed your ego a bit to make you work for us as much as possible. People honestly believe that it is easy to control the so-called heroes by giving them what they like the most."


    "Well, I feel creeped out when people praise me, so it didn''t work," Rain said.


    "I figured as much, and that is why I decided to agree with all this," Seadrei said. "The only problem is that you ended up bing more infamous among the dragons, but that was bound to happen in one way or the other."

 Chapter 534 Favorite

    Seadrei faced a unique set of challenges in his role as a leader of the sea folk. While he held a position of authority and had the responsibility to ensure the well-being of his people, he constantly grappled with a contingent of individuals who were primarily motivated by self-interest. These individuals often sought personal gain without much concern for the greater good of their kingdom.


    However, Seadrei couldn''t simply cast these individuals aside, as their actions asionally aligned with the interests of their kingdom, providing some benefits even while pursuing their own agendas. This bncing act was a daily struggle for Seadrei.


    He had to navigate aplex politicalndscape, attempting to ensure the prosperity of his kingdom while simultaneously contending with those who often prioritized their own gains.


    Rain could empathize with Seadrei''s problems, acknowledging theplexities of leadership in the sea folk kingdom. Heprehended that it wasn''t as straightforward as simply eliminating individuals whose self-serving motives posed a threat, as they had done in the human kingdom.


    Instead, they had to exercise restraint and only resort to such drastic measures when someone became a genuine menace to the kingdom''s well-being.


    Despite understanding the rationale behind these decisions, Rain couldn''t help but feel frustrated by the necessity of coexisting with those driven solely by personal gain. It was a challenging reality to ept, particrly considering his past experiences.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    He had grown ustomed to more direct and decisive approaches to such issues, making the political nuances of the sea folk''s kingdom all the more annoying for him to navigate.


    "Well, I suppose there isn''t anything that we can do about this right now," Rain said. "I will just have to wait for my chance to deal with those people, and I hope that you will help me with that."


    "I am also waiting for it," Seadrei said.


    "Anyway, I am going home, and you don''t mind if we take the corpses of the dragons with us, right?" Rain asked.


    "No, your army needs better gear, after all," Seadrei said. "Use them to keep my daughter safe. I also received some reports that my soldiers who are working with yours noticed some changes in the ces that you call dungeons. At the same time, the magic people and the beast people are making their moves again."


    Rain''s life was anything if not fun¡­ he didn''t even have time to enjoy boredom for a couple of days. After leaving the castle, Rain and the others left while riding the sea Dragon as fast as possible. He didn''t want to be there while the sea folk were celebrating when more work was falling on Rain''sp.


    The skill Horsemanship leveled up.


    The ice mage''s path received 400 experience points.


    "At least there is this¡­ but howe I am getting experience when this isn''t a horse and when I am not controlling it?" Rain thought.


    It was probably because the sea dragon was pulling two earth tforms that were carrying the corpses of the sea dragons that had been killed¡­ that gave Rain some ideas for the future¡­


    One dayter, Rain and the others returned home and after leaving the bodies there. Rain went to take Lotto from the capital.


    "More dragons for me to get materials from? I couldn''t have asked for more," Lotto said and immediately closed his shop. "I will need a lot of hands to dismantle them, though."


    "You will have the help that you need," Rain said.


    As expected, Lotto was ready to help¡­ working with dragons materials was something that few cksmiths could do, and he was being paid for it as well, so he couldn''t have asked for better working conditions.


    After leaving Lotto to work with the dragons and telling some warriors to help him dismantle them, Rain checked the reports on the headquarters¡­ it seemed that his friends had already made their move.


    "Geo saw the beast people heading South from most of their viges and towns¡­ Seadir and the others also saw the magic people working with the same intent," Rain thought. "Are they working with the enemies now? Didn''t they realize that the hooded figure was about to attack them that day?"


    Rain wanted to sigh¡­ did they be brain-dead while he wasn''t looking? Or maybe the numerous enemies that Rain and his allies had weren''t working together. Regardless, things are getting out of hand¡­ just when Rain is about to take the flow of the war into their hands.


    "The warriors shouldn''t have made much progress in learning Limit Breaker, but we need them to learn it¡­" Rain thought while checking other reports and soon locking them away and moving to where his family was. "I need to know how the dungeons changed."


    While Rain was heading to the first dungeon, he imagined that perhaps there must be some sort of monster-tamer path on the system¡­ Maybe that was how the enemies were controlling those creatures¡­ if he could learn that, too, he could increase the strength on his side.


    "In any case, depending on how low it takes for Lotto to make the gear, even without Limit Breaker, we should be a bit stronger¡­" Rain thought.


    When Rain reached the first dungeon, he found his family there, training the warriors as harshly as possible. They also realized that they needed to hurry up with Limit Breaker.


    "We heard that you already finished that job, but we didn''t think that it would lookpletely fine," Terra said after she crossed her arms.


    "They underestimated my big brain powers, and this is the result; we only had to deal with three sea dragons as well," Rain shrugged. "Where is Seara?"


    "She is with your sisters in the capital. She figured out that she could decrease their burden if she used that spell with them," Terra exined and then raised her eyebrow. "Is she your favorite now?"


    Rain was a brave warrior, so he decided to dash head on into that minefield.

 Chapter 535 Disappearance

    "I have no favorites, and I love you two equally. I can give you a massage and perhaps something else to convince you of that now," Rain said.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Hah, you won''t sweet talk me with easily," Terraughed.


    "I bet that I can do that in less than five minutes¡­ but first, what are the changes with the dungeons?" Rain asked.


    While the others were training the warriors, Terra told Rain what had changed¡­ while he had expected that a boss monster would appear by now, that didn''t happen. What did happen was the fact that the dungeons got deeper... all of them now had a tunnel that would lead to another underground level that was expanding every day.


    "We didn''t ck off on cleaning the dungeon every day, but it seems that the expansion won''t stop no matter what we do," Terra said. "And now the enemies are making their move again."


    Rain nodded while looking upward and seeing the cloudy sky and holding his chin¡­ at that point in time, he couldn''t help but think that the enemies realized that they were nning to take control of the battle and attack the enemies whatever they were and that is why they are making their move now.


    Detecting people and creatures with magic was easy, but detecting most spells wasn''t¡­ even more so when they probably were highly advanced spells that could be used for surveince.


    "We don''t have much of a choice here. We will have to move to the southern coast and fight the enemies there if they want to," Rain finally said. "I guess I can count on more help from the sea folk after all that nonsense."


    When the time for lunch arrived, Rain talked with his family and the squad leaders while they were having lunch together. They heard what had happened during the mission, and they also told him that some people were showing signs of Limit Breaker being used already.


    "It is happening faster than expected because you already made them learn the basics with the breathing technique," Roan said.


    "I suppose that makes sense¡­ dividing difficult tasks into small stages is the best way to get them done as efficiently as possible," Rain said while nodding.


    Everyone already had the Teacher''s path, but Rain still had the highest skills and also the Schr path, so he was the best option to make the warriors learn that technique. In the end, he decided to help those who had shown promise, and they would teach the members of their squads as much as possible. It was a win-win situation.


    When night came, Rain''s sisters and Seara joined the group, and they looked d to see Rainpletely fine. They also wanted to see the sea dragon that had been captured, but that had to wait since the creature was tired and hurt.


    They will probably have to use it in the war as well, so they have to make it recover¡­ The sea Dragon was definitely a force to be reckoned with, after all. The mood of the group improved thanks to all that¡­ despite the moves of the enemies on both sides, things were looking a bit better¡­ until the next morning arrived, and Geo appeared with bad news.


    "Commander¡­ they disappeared," Geo suddenly said while he was trying to catch his breath.


    "... Who disappeared? The beast people?" Rain frowned while studying Geo with a serious expression.


    "When they reached the coast of their territory¡­ it suddenly began to rain a lot, and my golem began to fall apart," Geo realized that Rain was suspicious of him. "My golem isn''t very durable, and the rain made it fall apart. I moved away to make a new one, but in less than fifteen minutes, an army of ten thousand had disappeared."


    Everyone looked around dumbfounded¡­ fifteen minutes wasn''t enough to make an army of ten thousand disappear, even with magic. Still, if they were on the southern sea, maybe they had some help with that.


    "For how long the rainsted, and what was its range?" Rain asked.


    "It was around ten kilometers in radius¡­ and itsted one hour. The clouds didn''t even move," Geo exined. "I am no expert in water magic, but it was definitely a spell that caused it."


    "There is a spell on the water mage''s path that can do that, right?" Roan asked. "A controlled heavy rain on a single area?"


    Level 45: Torrential Tempest Unleash a tempest of water to damage and disrupt enemies in an area of twenty meters. It costs one thousand mana points andsts for one minute. The range increases ording to the level of the skill, and so does the cost of mana.


    "Yes, it does¡­ but the amount of mana to keep such a spell active in such arge area for one hour would be astronomical¡­" Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Even with my relics and using all my might, I wouldn''t be able to do the same for more than one minute."


    Rain was probably the best water mage; only Seadrei was stronger than him with that kind of magic, and that was only natural. Seadrei definitely could pull that off, but that only meant that the enemy was as good at water magic as him¡­ at the very least.


    "We need to check things with the magic people as well. They will have an even easier time vanishing in the ocean," Rain said. "The sea dragon will only be able to move properly in a few days since I pushed the creature a bit too hard, making it carry the corpses."


    The enemy also had a powerful water mage¡­ Rain didn''t forget that other earth mage. Considering what everyone saw and knew, they imagined that those guys could be many times stronger than Joanis special soldiers, and they also seemed as specialized as them¡­ dealing with them would be a massive pain in the ass since they were stronger than historical figures of that world.

 Chapter 536 The Spear

    It didn''t take long for Seadir to arrive and inform Rain and the others that the same thing happened to the magic people¡­ the sea folk watched them as they marched toward the border, but soon they began to march toward the south, and once again, in a suspicious Rain, they vanished when the visibility got bad on the coast.


    "They are definitely on the southern ocean, right?" Seara asked.


    "I would say so¡­ they most likely are going to join together with one of the enemies or all the enemies that we have beforeing for us," Rain replied while studying the map of the coast of the human kingdom. "I can''t say when or where they will attack, but they definitely will. We will keep a few squads watching the borders and the coast, and we will focus on strengthening our forces."


    Everyone nodded. There was no point in worrying about things beyond their control, and they had to only prepare for the worst while doing their best. Rain wondered how he could help his warriors get stronger in that situation and how he could get stronger too. It was clear that the enemies had some powerhouses, and he had to deal with them before they became a real nuisance.


    "I guess I will have to keep unlocking new paths while I also master all the skills of the human path," Rain thought. "Easier said than done."


    in the end, Rain decided to focus on training with everyone as much as possible, until the point that he barely could stand as well¡­ that should be enough to make him a bit stronger at a time and also boost the morale of the whole group.


    Rain was also interested in the potential of the berserker path, as he hadn''t unlocked many skills on that one. He liked to think of himself as a calm fighter, but the idea of letting himself go wild while also punching all of his enemies without care seemed appealing¡­ even though he pretty much does that while he is using Limit Breaker.


    "It is kind of weird that Limit Breaker isn''t part of this path¡­ even though it makes a lot of sense to be," Rain thought.


    In any case, over the course of the next two weeks, the whole group focused on the task of learning Limit Breaker. The squad leaders were the first to learn it since they were the oldest members, but soon a lot of random members began to learn it as well.


    At the same time, Rain checked the dungeons and confirmed that all of them were growing¡­ three weeks after the second floor appeared, a third one emerged with an earthquake as well.


    "Oh man¡­ if I could, I would fill these dungeons with sand since they waste so much of my time," Rain thought after a long sigh.


    Still, the third levels were a bit different from the other ones¡­ one of them had a lot of grass in the walls, and another, the air was a bit dry and hot¡­ it seemed that they were bing different, one step at a time, but there were no signs of the boss.


    On the very next day after the arrival of the third floors of the dungeons, or their emergence, Rain suddenly saw Geo approaching again from the air in a hurry¡­ he was supposed to be watching the beast people''s territory as well, so it seemed that something big happened again.


    "Commander, the remaining beast people are on the move as well," Geo said. "Their numbers are twenty thousand, and while most of them are young, their overall strength is quite high."


    "... Why would they leave so many of them behind?" Terra asked.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Maybe they couldn''t transport more than ten thousand at a time¡­ whatever they did it, they have finished their preparations," Rain said. "As expected, we need to call the sea people to help us¡­ I imagine that the magic people will also raise another army toe toward us from the sides."


    Things are starting to get dangerous, and with suchrge armiesing from three sides, there was a chance that the human kingdom might end up destroyedpletely. The Raging Phoenix has grown stronger, but they are essentially a force that has three thousand soldiers only¡­ there are only so many things that they could do.


    "... We have the authority to do so, so we will send some squads toward the cities and towns and rally the people there that can fight to join the battle," Rain said.


    "Are we going to fight as a single army?" Roan asked. "If the enemies areing from three sides, we won''t be able to focus on all of them."


    "No, they will focus on defending those ces," Rain dered. "We will be the spear, and they will be the shield. For this kind of situation, Branden and Esmeralda sent the students of the magic academy toward many cities and towns to reinforce their walls with magic and to make them fight in case the enemies got too close¡­ they will have to deal with it until we get rid of most of the enemies."


    "All the supplies and soldiers are ready to move at any moment. Which side should we defend first?" Seara asked.


    "We will wait until the enemiese," Rain said. "The sea folk should hold back the magic people on our left side. They can drown the entire territory of the enemies for all that I care. If they want to exterminate us, they will wipe them out first."


    "That definitely isn''t possible with only three hundred of us, but I will at least tell them to go all out," Seara said.


    "Don''t stay there and return immediately," Rain said. "We will need you here since the enemy might target you because of your position¡­ take the spear with you just in case something happens on the border while you are there."

 Chapter 537 Then what?

    Rain sent the orders to all of the squads on the coast to retreat and not engage inbat if they saw the enemies in the next few days. At the same, the whole kingdom got tense with the possibility of another war approaching on their doorsteps¡­


    Rain, Branden, and Esmeralda didn''t try to hide the situation from the public eyes; they knew that they would be attacked from three sides, and actually, some people didn''t believe that at all¡­ they heard that Rain and his group had repelled the beast people in thest year and they didn''t think that they woulde again to try to topple the human kingdom.


    Thanks to that, it didn''t take long for them to hear people abandoning their homes and trying to move away from towns and cities¡­ they began to hide in viges, thinking that they would be safe there since the fighting groups were only being raised inrge ces like towns and cities¡­ they had no idea that the enemies wouldn''t go that far unless they truly wanted to wipe out the human kingdom from the world.


    It was unlikely that they would be extinct, but it was clear that the humans wouldn''t have a ce to call theirs anymore, and even though they were weak and had theirnds, they probably wouldn''t be recognized as one of the inhabitants of that world anymore¡­


    Three days after the whole kingdom began to prepare for war, Rain saw one of his golemsing from the south and delivered a message to them early in the morning¡­ there have been movements on the coasts ofrge groups of peoplending¡­ The warriors are keeping their distance and will send more reports as soon as they see anything.


    "It is time," Rain said when he finished reading the report. "We will have to start an evacuation of the people on this side of the country since we don''t have any fortifications that we can use. Can you three help them move to the capital?"


    "Leave it to us," Dana dered.


    Kei didn''t seem entirely satisfied with that idea; it felt like Rain was nning to keep them away from the main battle, but she also knew that this one wouldst for a while. So she didn''t have to rush.


    "Everyone has already packed their things¡­ it is a pity that we will have to leave the fields behind," Meiro said and then sighed.


    "We can rebuild itter. What we can''t do is to allow to the people here to die," Rain said. "Grandpa, grandma, please inform everyone that they need to evacuate now."


    Giving up on that area was painful¡­ but there was no other option¡­ when outnumbered, they had to at least find the right battlefield for them to fight on equal grounds. Everyone knew that Rain''s aura changed when he ordered that¡­ he was pissed¡­ he was tired of losing his home to the enemy, even if it was for just a while.


    Although most people flinched when Rain emitted his bloodlust, his kids tugged on his shirt since they could feel his tension and desire to fight the enemies, but they could tell that it was also a desire to protect them. That was why they weren''t scared.


    "Don''t worry, papa will always be nearby," Rain said and then hugged both Danny and Annie after he kneeled. "I will create a world for you two that you won''t have to worry about such things as wars."


    Rain had a n on how to deal with that. It would be extremely annoying, but it was the best option, and the chances of sess were high. Afterforting his kids, Rain turned around and then saw the Raging Phoenix ready to move.


    Only half of them had high-level equipment that he had crafted using the parts of the sea dragon, but half of them also learned Limit Breaker, so they soon were going to show the enemies their true might.


    "Listen up, Men," Rain said as he approached his soldiers and looked at them in the eye. "I will be honest with you all. I am sick and tired."


    Several of the warriors blinked in confusion¡­ the war was just about to start¡­ one that couldn''t bepared to the conflicts of thest few decades, and Rain was saying that he was sick and tired¡­ That couldn''t have been the worst start for them.


    "I am sick and tired of people that don''t want to let me live my life¡­" Rain added. "I like training, I like getting stronger, and as much I dislike being around people covered in sweat like you are when you are done training, I like to help you all get stronger and reach your true potential.


    I don''t know about you guys, but it doesn''t matter if you are a man or a woman; every single day, you have to strive to improve yourself¡­ I have seen you guys improve yourselves daily for half a year, and that is why I am proud that I am going to fight alongside you from now on."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rain''s stirring words resonated deeply within all the soldiers, infusing them with a potent surge of motivation and energy. A palpable wave of excitement rippled through their ranks, and they could feel their bodies growing warm as a fiery determination welled up from within.


    The aura of unity and shared purpose filled the air, binding them together in a collective resolve. Rain''s powerful speech made them believe that nothing in the world could stand in their way, and they stood ready to face any challenge thaty ahead with unwavering courage and focus.


    "It will be my honor to fight alongside all of you, and we are going to fight for our people, for our friends, and for our families. We are going to be much stronger after this¡­ and then what?" Rain asked.


    Everyone fell silent after hearing that question...

 Chapter 538 Invasion

    "Gaining power for the sake of gaining power is retarded. I won''t say that you need to be like me, who wants to train every day and spend time with my family and friends, but power shouldn''t be your ultimate goal." Rain said. "Think deeply about what you really want, and think about that when the fight starts¡­ and then your strength won''t have any limits. Geez, my skin is crawling at my own words."


    The warriors smiled, but their tension and morale didn''t drop, and Rain wasn''t done with the speech. It was time for the final push¡­


    "I don''t think that this will be the first battle that I will lead you guys too, and that, in a sense, is unfortunate since it means that there are many retards in this world who will keep us busy," Rain said. "But this is fine¡­ we will fight for a long as the enemies keep bringing wars to ournds.


    We will defeat and destroy them and make them have the following final thought: I shouldn''t have picked a fight with them. From now on, I will show to all assholes in the world what I am willing to do and Believe me, and it won''t be pretty to them¡­ so, I will tell you this just once: fight with me and let''s give our enemies this one final message: don''t mess with us."


    Every member of the Raging Phoenix unleashed a mighty roar, their voices rising in unison as they roared with unwavering determination. Simultaneously, they pounded their weapons against their shields in a resounding disy of their fighting spirit.


    The collective sound was so thunderous and powerful that it sent shockwaves through thend for several kilometers in all directions. The earth itself seemed to tremble beneath the weight of their resolve, and the thunderous war cry echoed through the air for several minutes, a testament to their unity and totalmitment to their cause.


    "It is time to go, men," Rain said. "I hope that you enjoy the trip."


    Those words made everyone frown, but then, eventually, they understood what Rain meant by that. He created an iceyer beneath their feet, and then a massive ice tform began to emerge them from the ground. Three thousand people and their luggage had all been carried by Rain¡­ that was just insanity, but that only made the warriors feel like Rain was unbeatable.


    Truth be told, Rain couldn''t do all that by himself¡­ it was beyond human means, after all. Even after equipping all the skills that enhanced his magic power and even with his relics and buffs, Rain couldn''t transport all of those soldiers across the human kingdom¡­ he had some tricks, naturally.


    The first trick was Meditation Mastery; it was already at level seventy, so he could recover more than three hundred points of mana per minute, but he still needed potions.


    For quite a while, Rain had been buying all the high-quality potions that he could for the sake of emergencies, and he was drinking them with a tube while they were hiding behind his cloak, but that was fine with him since it was also improving his magic abilities.


    "It seems that Rain has outdone himself this time," Jori said while he watched his friend in front of the entire army with his arms crossed and making them fly a few meters above the ground. "Still, howe he can move so many people¡­ by the way, where are the magic people and the former members of the king''s de?"


    "It is a secret, and it is a secret as well," Terra replied. "Rain assumed that the enemy can see us somehow, so he has been doing some things behind the scenes or below the scenes, I would say."


    Rain called all the members of the raging Phoenix to join him. He only left a few squads in the dungeons, towns, and cities to control the battles in those locations and to send them reports if something happened there. The enemies didn''t have that mobility, in theory, so speed was their best weapon.


    At first, everyone thought that it was weird that Rain decided to keep everyone in the same spot, but that was only because he didn''t want to split his focus. As long as his family and friends were where he could see them, he would be able to fight without worries.


    In any case, while speed was their strength, even Rain couldn''t move as fast as usual¡­ he still had to pace himself¡­ it took one day for them to arrive in the nearest vige closest to the coast and at the same time, the squad located there had arrived as well.


    "Commander, the enemies in this area are two thousand beast people, two thousand magic people, and five thousand unknown monsters."


    "... Describe the appearance and the behavior of the monsters," Rain asked while he was having a hard time fighting a terrible headache since carrying so many people and using so much mana wasn''t that easy.


    The captain of the squad had a hard time describing the monsters, and his expression was one of astonishment and disbelief as he struggled to put into words what he had witnessed. Rain, however, quickly pieced together the puzzle, recognizing the creatures that hade to their attention. They were ice trolls, hulking and powerful beings known for their brute appearance.


    Trolls were tall, standing at least ten feet tall, with thick, rugged skin that resembled frozen stone. Their eyes glowed with an eerie, violent light, giving them an unsettling appearance. These creatures possessed immense strength, capable of lifting boulders and trees with ease.


    But what made trolls truly unique were their regenerative abilities. Wounds that would prove fatal to most creatures healed swiftly for trolls. Severed limbs would grow back, and even injuries that should be mortal slowly mended. It was this remarkable regenerative power that made them diehard and annoying adversaries in battle.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 539 Mad army

    Despite their brute strength and regenerative abilities, trolls were often viewed as primitive beings with limited intellect. They were known to be highly territorial and aggressive, fiercely defending their chosen domains. As Rain realized the presence of trolls in the area, he understood that a challenging encountery ahead.


    "You did a good job. Rest for a while and help the people of the Vige be ready to evacuate if necessary," Rain dered.


    "Yes, sir,"


    Rain didn''t know if his knowledge of trolls would be useful in that world¡­ they didn''t have even a bit of battle data against them, after all.


    "Four thousand people and five thousand monsters¡­ does that mean that the enemies will use forty-five thousand enemies to invade us from the coast?" Jori asked.


    "It is too soon to say¡­ they could reunite their forces at another point while we are busy, and they might march for the capital," Roan exined. "Things will fall apart if the capital falls¡­ it is our most important city and the first to be built by humans thousands of years ago, after all."


    "What is the n, Rain?" Terra asked.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "The front will charge straight to the enemies and kill them all. The back line will stay put to heal and use potions on the injured," Rain replied. "The captain squads received the order to retreat if their groups are in danger, so I will trust their judgment."


    The n wasn''t a bit too simple¡­ but it was the first time that the raging Phoenix would fight as one, so Rain had a point in keeping them in check with simple orders.


    "We will depart in half an hour," Rain dered.


    They were on the eastern side of the country, around one hundred kilometers of the mountains. All the other groupsing from the sea will be on their Left side¡­ but the beast people that came from their territory should be crossing the mountains right now¡­ unfortunately, Rain didn''t have time to deal with them.


    He will leave that side of the country to them, and then he will ask for payment for itter.


    When the time came, the group began to march toward the location where the squad. There, they saw the enemies army, and they only had to march for two hours before them¡­


    All the warriors stopped marching, and their tension got sky-high when they saw Rain stopping as well¡­ while looking at the enemies, Rain saw the appearance of the trolls and the enemy army. The trolls were a lot more hairy that the ones he imagined. They had a frozen blue face, and they looked fat, or maybe it was just thanks to their fur.


    Another thing that made Rain frown was the fact that the enemy''s army lookedpletely unorganized¡­ that was confirmed when they saw Rain and his army, and then they began to run even more erratically like they were in a desert and finally found some water.


    "We found them fast, and I can see why now¡­" Roan said. "Rain, these guys are¡­"


    "I know, even the demi-humans and the beast people¡­ their aura is different," Rain said.


    As Rain observed the beast people and magic people, he couldn''t help but notice the ominous change that hade over them. Their auras had be more ominous, giving off an unsettling energy that hinted at a transformation they had undergone. It was clear that something significant had happened during their disappearance.


    The beast people had undergone a dramatic physical transformation. Their muscles had swelled to the point where it seemed like they might burst with sheer power. They stood taller and broader, their appearance giving way to a more monstrous and intimidating visage.


    The intensity of their presence was palpable, and their eyes burned with an intense ferocity that made it evident they were not the same beings they had once been.


    On the other hand, the magic people disyed a distinct change as well. Their irises had turned a deep, ominous blue, a stark departure from their usual eye colors. This transformation indicated a substantial increase in the mana that coursed through their bodies.


    The immense power they now wielded was evident in their eyes, which seemed to hold secrets and knowledge beyond theprehension of others.


    The transformation of these two groups was a stark reminder that the passage of time had not been kind to them. The impact on their bodies and minds was profound, and the sense of danger they carried with them spoke of the unsettling events that had unfolded during their absence.


    "Men, kill them all," Rain simply said.


    The Raging Phoenix raised their weapons and roared before they charged with their shields in hand and with their weapons ready to be swung at the enemies¡­


    Although the magic people looked mindless, they still stopped running to point their hands at Rain''s soldiers and soon cast their spells¡­ much to Rain''s surprise¡­ he only saw fire tornadoes violently emerging and then moving toward his army¡­


    "They look mad, but it seems that their ally split them well," Rain thought.


    The Raging Phoenix ignored that and prepared to block the mes with their shields¡­ that sure was brave, but not very smart. Rain couldn''t kill all of them at once, but he could disrupt their spells¡­ with all his might, Rain crossed that distance and passed nearby the fire tornadoes before crashing against the ice trolls.


    A single punch them then rolled backward and collided against each other, but soon Rain jumped toward their backline and covered his right first with ice before activating Limit Breaker and Magic Boost.


    When Rain fell, he punched the ground with all his might and made the area tremble¡­ his punch opened a ten-meter-wide crater and made the ground crack in all directions¡­ fissures appeared around like thend was falling¡­


    Forget about only the magic people. Aside from all of them, more than half of the monsters and the beast people fell on their butts thanks to the attack. The fire Tornadoes were dispersed, and soon the raging Phoenix reached them and began to attack all the enemies¡­

 Chapter 540 Leading

    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    An unknown skill received 300 experience points.


    An unknown skill received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain was surprised. That was a lot of experience, given that he only received half of the total¡­ was that because the enemies had been strengthened somehow?


    Either way, Rain used that chance to look around and check all the enemies¡­ Rain didn''t pay much attention to the monsters, but he noticed that the magic people had some sort of blue paint on their torsos¡­ at the same time, the beast people had some sort of emblematic wound in their heads.


    It seemed like two tridents over each other¡­ on their faces, their foreheads, on the back of their heads¡­ the wound was bulging like it was alive¡­


    "Were they branded magically and physically to enhance their abilities?" Rain thought. "Did they do all this knowing that they would be like this?"


    While Rain was thinking of that, the magic people recovered and soon prepared to attack him¡­ in the end, he at least had to make sure that the beast and magic people knew that such a thing was happening to them, and they epted it to win the war, once he confirms that Rain won''t feel bothered if he ends up killing thousands of them.


    Rain charged toward the magic people and began to pierce their hearts using his arms as if they were spears and raised his guard for any sort of suicidal explosion, but that didn''t happen¡­ Still, Rain felt his magic being sealed on his arm thanks to the blood.


    While Rain checked that, he realized a bunch of the beast warriors were turning around and charging at him. At that rate, his whole body would have its magic sealed, so Rain used his mana to lock five of the magic people and five of the beast warriors into earth spheres, and they couldn''t move a single finger.


    In the next moment, Rain created a path through the enemies'' lines by knocking out the enemies with those massive boulders. The prisoners had an unpleasant time while being shaken from one side to the other while their giant handcuffs were smashing their maddened allies.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    It didn''t take long for Rain to see that he was the greatest bait alive in that battlefield¡­ aside from the trolls that attacked the closest enemies, the magic people and the beast warriors only had eyes for him.


    "Whatever it is controlling them, it sure is using their hatred against me¡­" Rain thought.


    The enemies kepting nonstop, and Rain was getting tired of blocking the attacks of the magic people with the boulders¡­ in the end, he tossed them toward the magic people and killed dozens of them with every second. Still, before Rain could rx, he suddenly felt a shiver, but when he looked around, he didn''t see anything¡­ until he heard a high-pitching sound.


    In the next moment, a giant earth spear passed above the battlefielding from south to north¡­ passing above Rain and heading to the back of their formation.


    Like lightning, Rain moved back to their backline and then jumped before punching the earth spear with all his might¡­ it had targeted his grandparents, his mother, his wives, and his children¡­n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    When Rainnded¡­ he felt something weird inside him¡­ it was a pitch-ck feeling that almost made him feel dizzy, and his vision got cloudy.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    An unknown path leveled up.


    An unknown skill leveled up.


    An unknown path leveled up.


    ¡­


    Rain didn''t see that. His rage took over his mind even though he had deactivated Limit Breaker¡­ he had a hard time keeping himselfposed¡­ but he knew that the enemy wanted to enrage him¡­


    "Rain!" Roan shouted.


    "... I am fine, don''t worry," Rain said after taking a deep breath.


    Rain told his father to watch the battlefield from a distance and study how they could improve their battle tactics¡­ he had the most experience leading others and he was usually a calm warrior, so he had the skills necessary to pull that off.


    After shaking his head for a moment, Rain used his magic to bring back the prisoners to the back of their formation, and he asked his father to keep them on watch.


    "We have to show these guys to their allies who didn''t cross the ocean. If they are fine with this, then we will crush them all," Rain said.


    Roan nodded as he watched Rain keeping an eye on the battlefield¡­ Rain wanted to join the others and lead his warriors, but he couldn''t risk it now since he couldn''t even see the enemy in the distance that targeted them¡­ they had some good eyes.


    In any case, it seemed that Rain wouldn''t need that anyway¡­ he could see his friends leading the charge in many spots of the battlefield, and they were doing well leading the armies that they trained¡­


    Jori, with incredible speed and precision, swung his sword in a frenzied flurry. His de danced through the air as he went for the trolls'' limbs. In a matter of seconds, he had severed their arms and legs, rendering them helpless. With a final, lightning-quick strike, he beheaded the trolls, ensuring they could not regenerate or pose any further threat.


    Reca disyed impable timing and uracy. She swiftly impaled the trolls'' heads with her weapon, delivering lethal blows before they had a chance to regenerate. Her quick and calcted strikes left no room for the trolls to recover, ensuring their immediate demise.


    Liss utilized her mastery over fire and wind to devastating effect. She engulfed the trolls'' heads in mes, scorching them to a crisp. Then she then conjured razor-sharp wind des that sliced through the charred remains, ensuring the trolls would not return from the ashes.

 Chapter 541 Hidden skill

    Asche, armed with her longbow, fired extrarge earth arrows with impable aim. The arrows struck the trolls with explosive force, obliterating their heads upon impact and leaving no chance for them to regenerate. Her archery skills delivered swift and precise justice, ensuring the trolls met their end in a spectacr disy of power and precision.


    "It seems that they realized that the trolls are the most dangerous ones with their regeneration¡­" Rain thought while looking around and seeing his friends focusing on the trolls and the warriors focusing on the normal enemies. "They aren''t used to fighting bigger enemies, so this is the right thing to do."


    It took quite a while, but Rain eventually saw some warriors being pulled back by their squad members. They were bleeding a lot, and since the wounded were usually the most hot-blooded ones, they didn''t realize the gravity of their wounds.


    Terra immediately approached and began to heal everyone¡­ The bleeding stopped, and that made them calm down as well.


    "You guys'' job is to bring here those that are wounded. You can punch them if you have to," Rain said. "After that¡­"


    Even amidst that insanely noisy battlefield, Rain heard that sound again¡­ Terra also heard as well, and when she looked in that direction, she saw Rain punching another massive spear that targeted solely her this time. When Rainnded, he bit his lips, and they started to bleed¡­


    "... Don''t let that bother you. The moment you let them anger you, it will be the moment they will start to win," Terra said. "You should know that better than anyone here."


    "I know that, but it doesn''t mean that¡­ forget it," Rain said and then pped both of his cheeks. "Sorry, I won''t let them get the better of me."


    Rain looked around, trying to find any sources of mana or monsters in the sky. The enemy had to be watching them, and he couldn''t even see a single silhouette in the distance¡­ in the direction the attack came from. He couldn''t believe that someone with such good eyes could exist.


    In any case, just when Rain decided to just focus on stopping the attacks of that enemy, he suddenly felt arge concentration of mana in the middle of the battlefield¡­ even among the magic people, that was hard to miss. At the next moment¡­ numerous earth spikes began to emerge from the ground and then pierce the legs of Rain''s soldiers.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In that moment where the warriors flinched thanks to the pain, the maddened enemies took advantage of the situation and began to attack them. The beast people grabbed them by the shoulders and headbutted them. They also used body ms to knock them down¡­


    As for the magic people, they summoned several fire tornadoes in the middle of the warriors to burn them to a crisp¡­ Rain had nned to save mana, but soon he summoned cold winds spinning in the opposite direction of the fire tornadoes and made them lose a lot of power before he dashed to the middle of the battlefield, and then he found that cloaked figure¡­


    "Is it the same as before? The aura is different¡­" Rain thought and then charged toward the enemy again.


    There was no time to waste, and Rain clenched his fists to smash the head of the enemy with a single punch, but in thest moment, a metallic thick wall emerged from the ground and blocked his punch surprisingly¡­


    Rain''s fist left a mark on the wall¡­ a deep one, but the wall didn''t even move a single centimeter from its original spot¡­ Still, the enemy was crazy if he truly believed that such a thing would stop Rain.


    After taking a single step back, the enemy fired the metallic wall toward Rain, but in the blink of an eye, he rotated his fist and attacked the metallic wall again¡­ even without covering arge distance to gain momentum, the punch pushed the wall and mmed against the body of the enemy.


    The cloaked figure was sent rolling on the ground after smashing against dozens of beast people and magic people, ultimately smashing them altogether¡­ thanks to that, Rain was surprised to see the cloaked figure soon getting up without even trembling a bit¡­


    The punch made Rain break a few fingers, but he was surprised to see the enemy standing like nothing had happened¡­ he didn''t even see blood falling from their mouth¡­ Rain couldn''t see even a part of his mouth, thanks to the cloak, though.


    Rain charged again since he couldn''t let confusing thoughts buy time for the enemy¡­ still, before he could reach that guy, he disappeared after a dark magic circle covered him¡­ like a small cloud of smoke, he vanished into thin air.


    After checking the surroundings with his magic, Rain confirmed that the enemy had been teleported away¡­ they had been sent there through teleportation¡­ and in the same way, they vanished.


    "That guy didn''t use mana at thest moment¡­ someone else did it," Rain said and then sighed when he saw several of the beast people charging at him again. "We have to deal with this as soon as possible."


    In the end, Rain pushed his limits and began to charge from one side to the other while stabbing the enemies'' chests. He didn''t stop even a single moment, so the enemies didn''t have the chance to see him.


    However, that came with a price¡­ the more his arm was bathed with their blood, the less mana he was able to use¡­ on the arm. Even after he cleaned himself with water, the sealing was still in effect.


    "It is losing power, but it should keep me from using Mana on my arm for at least one day," Rain said when Terra went to check with him.


    "It is a good thing that Limit Breaker doesn''t use mana. Our forces won''t lose defensive and attack power," Terra said.

 Chapter 542 What he could do

    "But they won''t be able to heal, and no one will be able to heal the parts of their bodies that had been bathed in blood for a while," Seara said.


    "We need to move. What are our losses?" Rain asked.


    Roan, Jori, Reca, Asche, and Liss were talking with the squad leaders and asking each one of them how many of them they lost¡­ the battle hadn''t been that hard considering that they were outnumbered three to one, but since the enemies had been enhanced using unknown methods, they had the chance to kill a lot of warriors since they didn''t have any care for their own lives.


    "... We lost three hundred soldiers, and more than five hundred are wounded, and they won''t be able to fight like usual," Roan dered after he approached. "The enemy''s blood is causing a lot of issues¡­"


    "We have potions that can help when magic can''t. Tell them to drink that," Rain said. "I am going to talk with the beast people and show the prisoners and see what they think of this¡­ I am not expecting much, though. In one hour, if I am not here, you should keep marching West. The other groups should have reached the first viges in their paths."


    Everyone nodded¡­ in the end, they had to keep moving no matter the circumstances. They were the spear, and they had to pierce the enemy''s flesh and render their bones¡­ even if they had to leave some parts of the spear along the way.


    While flying, Rain carried the five beast people that he had captured. They were still struggling, and now and then, cracks would appear on the spheres, which he would have to repair them. Fortunately, Jori could use a bit of earth magic as well, so he will be able to stop the magic people if they achieve the same¡­ which would be hard to imagine given that they can''t use magic without their hands.


    Regardless, the pace of the beast people invading theirnds was faster than Rain had predicted, and they had crossed more than twenty kilometers beyond the mountains when Rain found them¡­ it was almost as if they knew that Rain and the others would be too busy to stop them.


    Still, Rain stopped right in front of them and dropped the prisoners and the boulders surrounding them in front of the beast people¡­ they immediately readied themselves to fight, but soon they saw Rain with his arms crossed and a serious look in his face¡­ if you want to fight now, thene, but you will regret it, that was what his eyes were saying.


    "Where is your leader?" Rain asked. "We need to talk about your friends here?"


    Confusion began to spread among the ranks of the beast people¡­ only those in the front knew what it was happening, and the rumors were quickly being twisted as the message reached those in the backline. That was the awesome power of bias¡­


    Still, it didn''t take long for Rain to realize that the beast queen wasn''t there¡­ it would be very troublesome if she had lost her mind as well.


    "It seems that you guys don''t have leaders or anything and are just following the orders that you received from her¡­" Rain said and then freed one of the beast people, who was a tiger woman. "This is what happened to your friends once they left your territory."


    The prisoner once she was free, it charged at Rain with lightning speed¡­ it charged from one side to the other while leaving after images and lightning bolts behind until it charged toward Rain and tried to rip apart his neck. Rain didn''t even look toward the prisoner and just pierced her heart with an earth arrow that he fired from his left hand.


    "Is that something that you knew that would happen to you all? Are you guys fine with this?" Rain asked.


    "Why do you care? We will do everything necessary to avenge our leaders and our people!"


    "Even side with the very same person who did this to you guys?" Rain asked while frowning. "Are you guys retarded?"


    "Don''t spout nonsense, human. We would never do that. You attacked us, and the one who offered us power was a demi-human."


    "And your bird brain didn''t let you guys realize that they could be working together to control you?" Rain asked. "Why would we benefit from attacking so many people when we are recovering from a decade-long war?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I don''t care!"


    The beast people roared and began to charge at Rain all at once¡­ those guys hadn''t been weirdly enhanced, so their strength was limited. While sighing, Rain pointed his left hand toward them¡­ a massive barrage of earth arrows was fired toward the chests of the enemies and killed them instantly¡­ Rain kept attacking and rubbing his eyes since being that stupidity had to be a crime.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    The skill Earth Shaper received 300 experience points.


    ¡­


    "I guess I can''tin that much¡­ I could just explode their heads to make them scared shitless, but I can''t I still be that cruel, it seems," Rain thought. "Psycopathic people sure have it easy in situations like this."


    Before long, Rain realized that the beast people kept charging with their arms protecting their heads and chests¡­ they had thick bracers in them, so they were able to resist the attacks and slowly approach Rain¡­


    "I guess they want a war of attrition against us, and I can''t afford to waste time against them," Rain thought.


    In the end, Rain used Impulse in the opposite direction and left the area¡­ he had more enemies to deal with, and they were in positions where they could be much more of a pain in the ass, after all. Rain also didn''t want to leave his family and friends alone for too long¡­

 Chapter 543 New monsters

    The group had just started to move when Rain found them¡­ in the end, they all sighed when they noticed that Rain only returned with a single prisoner¡­ Before he could escape, Rain threw the other three toward the beast people, killing them and also killing hundreds of them.


    "I take it that the negotiations didn''t end well," Roan said.


    "They arepletely out of their damn minds," Rain said. "Putting that aside, what did you learn after watching our firstrge-scale battle?"


    "Let''s see¡­ the squads fight well as a group, but theirck of experience in knowing their limits is an issue," Roan said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A lot of them keep using Limit Breaker until they don''t have any stamina left, and then they find themselves surrounded while their bodies feel as heavy as metal."


    "We trained them to deal with that, but doing that in training and on the battlefield are two different things together," Jori said.


    "It seems that the best option is not to go all out from the very beginning, and we also need to use our forces with a bit more of tactical thinking," Roan added.


    "We will do that. We just need to make everyone gain as much experience as possible," Rain said. "Anyway, I will move all of us again."


    Once again, Rain made an ice tform, and then everyone began to float on it as their pace increased tenfold¡­ the soldiers sighed in relief since they were exhausted, but they needed to fight even more. They fell on their butts, and soon they learned that they would fight again before sunset¡­


    "Rain, we should do that to help you," Seara said. "Your focus is wavering."


    "I can handle this much, and we actually can''t¡­ it seems that you don''t understand the limitations of that technique yet," Rain said. "That is our trump card, and we can''t use it in a situation like this."


    Seara felt troubled after hearing that¡­ she wanted to help, but just offering some support when dealing with the injured wasn''t enough for her¡­ even though she knew that she was actually helping Rain just by not using her mana.


    Regardless, while they were on the way, they met Rain''s sisters, who were also heading to the battlefield¡­ It seemed that the evacuation had been a sess, and they worked quite fast as well.


    "Her Majesty said that they are gathering as many supplies as possible to send to us at night," Dana said when they jumped into the ice tform. "We also received the report that the evacuation in the viges has been a sess, but the enemies are chasing the vigers and our warriors, and they aren''t stopping to rest."


    "I guess they don''t need to eat, drink, or sleep while they are like that," Jori said.


    "Like what?" Kei asked and then saw the prisoners that Rain had captured. "... Are you nning to use them for negotiations?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Rain exined to everyone what had happened once again. Thanks to it, he wasn''t expecting much from the magic people either¡­ Why can people be so stupid and not realize when they are being used? Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people abuse that privilege.


    "Well, we don''t have to worry about the magic people for now," Kei shrugged. "We can always zap everyone once they get too close."


    "Let''s not use our best cards so soon¡­ anyway, we are getting closer," Rain said while looking in the distance and then seeing some smoke rising in the sky.


    Before long, the group reached their next destination, a vige that had fallen victim to the enemy''s ruthless attack. The remnants of this once-thrivingmunityy in ruins, its buildings reduced to charred husks. The fires that had ravaged the vige had finally been extinguished, leaving behind only smoldering embers and scorched timber.


    Despite the passage of time, the wooden structures still radiated a faint warmth from the lingering heat. The scene was a haunting sign of the devastation wrought by the unknown adversaries who had left nothing but destruction in their wake.


    "They should be six or so hours ahead of us¡­ the coast on this side is closer, after all," Roan said. "The nearest town is one hundred fifty kilometers away, and considering the enemies'' pace¡­"


    "It means that we don''t have much time, so I am going to speed things up," Rain said. "Let everyone prepare because we will need to get rid of the magic people first since they will be on the back line."


    After one hour, they finally could see the enemy''s army already reaching the walls of the town that Roan mentioned¡­ They could see fireballs flying in an arc andnding on the enemy''s army, but it wasn''t slowing them down at all. They were actually losing power as they fell¡­


    "It is time¡­ their aura is dangerous, so let them hurt you, they are the bloodmancers," Rain said and then he split the giant ice tform into three parts. "Dad, you can take the right side."


    "Roger," Roan nodded.


    After moving the right side of the tform to the side and separating the back from the middle, Rain made the frontal partnd on the back of the enemies army¡­ the warriors and the ice collided against the blood mages and then smashed them on the ground as the backline safelynded.


    Things got pretty chaotic thanks to that back attack. The enemies didn''t expect that at all, and they didn''t have any leadership, so they turned around to face the new enemies inplete disarray.


    While the warriors that didn''t suffer much damage in the previous battle began to face the enemies, Rain looked beyond their lines and soon saw another army of monsters reaching the walls of the city andpletely ignoring the fight behind them¡­ this time, the monsters were centaurs. Creatures that no one had seen in that world until now...

 Chapter 544 Skill

    The sight of the centaurs left everyone in a state of shock. These beings appeared at first nce like the beast people, but their weaponry andbat style were drastically different.


    They wielded enormous shields and longnces, and the impact of their relentless attacks against the city''s walls sentrge chunks of stone tumbling down¡­ their strength was the real deal since they were people who had the strength of cavalry by themselves.


    It was quite the scene, as the centaurs bore a resemnce to the beast people but were clearly a formidable and unfamiliar force, wielding a unique and menacingbat strategy that threatened the city''s defenses.


    "This isn''t good¡­" Rain thought.


    Rain told his friends to attack the enemies while being a bit more mindful of their surroundings and help the soldiers when they saw them struggling¡­ they had already lost ten percent of their forces in a single battle, after all. Still, it seemed that such caution would cause problems for the battle¡­


    Rain looked around, waiting for some sort of interference¡­ what happens once happens twice, and that is why he could focus solely on attacking the centaurs.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    While Rain considered his intentions, he saw his father leading the wounded soldiers to attack the centaurs¡­ that was a bold move¡­ Rain told Roan to only attack the sides in order to maximize the piercing power and prevent the wounded soldiers from getting more hurt, but Roan also realized that the centaurs had to be dealt with.


    "Oh, yeah¡­ they can do that," Rain thought. "You girls are up. Dad needs a hand, but don''t do anything shy."


    Rain''s sisters nodded, and then Rain made them float on an ice tform¡­ in the next moment, Dana, Kei, and G used their magic to summon a water cyclone in the middle of the battlefield¡­ it emerged right in the middle of the beast people, and then they began to be pulled out from the ground.


    Dozens of enemies began to spin around and drink the water before passing out, and eventually, the water cyclone reached the centaurs¡­ but they were heavy, and by making their weapons pierce the ground, they avoided being pushed by the water¡­


    The enemies resisted until the water began to get cold and ssh on them¡­ the centaurs began to get cold and tremble. That was Rain''s chance to freeze them over, but he didn''t do that¡­ he was out of mana, and his stomach was already filled with the liquid of the mana potions.


    Still, Roan and the group that attacked the nk had the chance to use that situation in their favor¡­ the water cyclone and the cold wind slowed the enemies down enough to the point that when Roan got close enough¡­ the enemy tried to impale him, but only hit the air and after swinging his sword in an arc without stopping, his sword cut the throat of the enemy.


    The wounded soldiers behind him tried to do the same, but they couldn''t attack the same way as before¡­ they barely had the chance to avoid thences of the enemies, and soon their wounds and scratches began to pile up while their weapons only cut a few centimeters deep the muscr neck of the centaurs.


    "Ugh¡­ this isn''t enough," Kei said after she groaned in annoyance. "They are falling back, and Dad is getting in the middle of the enemies mostly alone."


    "Don''t do anything too big to help them. Remember: act like you are being watched at all times," Rain said.


    As usual, Kei felt like rolling her eyes¡­ Rain was too cautious for someone so powerful. No one tried to interfere with that battle yet, so she didn''t think that he should act like that¡­ so scared and worried about every single thing.


    While Kei was still helping her sisters control the water cyclone, she fired multiple water bullets at the necks of the centaurs, and those began to freeze their necks¡­ the surprise was clear in their faces as they tried to get rid of those¡­. still, Roan used that chance to target the frozen spots and sliced up with more ease the necks of the enemies.


    Kei raised her head, proud of her skill¡­ she truly had awesome control over water magic, but she didn''t know how to pace herself, soon she began to feel dizzy, and then the water cyclone began to lose speed.


    "... Don''t look at me like that. Where are the potions?" Kei asked.


    "In the back," Rain said while pointing over his shoulder.


    "You should scold her, big bro," Dana said.


    "She knows where she messed up, so it is fine," Rain said and then proceeded to watch the battlefield again.


    The centaurs didn''t have the same Regeneration as the trolls, far from it, in fact, but they still were thought to kill¡­ their shields¡­ Now that Rain looked at them, he couldn''t help but think that they didn''t seem that familiar¡­ They were red, and their material seemed rough.


    Rain was happy that they would be able to use those since they seemed better than the ordinary ones that his soldiers were using¡­ the existence of those creatures and their equipment wasn''t just odd. It was very suspicious.


    In any case, the battlefield was in their favor since they didn''t give the chance to the blood mages to use their magic¡­ They had some bone shooters with them as well, but their backline waspletely dismantled thanks to the surprise attack.


    "I need to get some experience as well¡­ I should keep using the Ice Mage''s path since it increases my Intelligence a lot," Rain thought.


    Rain had rested his mind enough, and attacking a few enemies at the same time wouldn''t be the same as transporting thousands of allies¡­ still, just when Rain was about to use his ice magic to freeze the legs of the enemies¡­ the area suddenly began to get dark and that wasn''t a coincidence.

 Chapter 545 Worst-case Scenario

    The sudden darkening of the sky sent a shiver down everyone''s spines as thick rain clouds gathered within a matter of seconds. Gazing up at the ominous, roiling sky, he realized that there was something unusual about these clouds. They held a vast reservoir of mana, unlike any regr storm clouds he had ever witnessed.


    It was as if the very atmosphere was charged withtent power, foreboding a storm of unprecedented proportions.


    "Another one¡­" Rain thought and then sighed.


    Rain couldn''t understand the enemy this time¡­ water magic should be the specialty of him and his sisters, and the enemy should know that. Were they nning to make lightning bolts fall from the sky and kill everyone?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    While Rain was thinking of that, it began to pour¡­ the rain was so intense that it caught everyone off guard¡­ it was so noisy that the shouts of Rain''s friends were muffled on it.


    "So, it is like that, huh?" Rain thought while squinting his eyes.


    The beast people used the rain to counterattack¡­ without the experience of fighting in the rain, the raging Phoenix warriors didn''t know how to use their footing right and slipped¡­ leaving them wide open for counterattacks. At the same time, the water cyclone absorbed too much water, and Rain''s sisters were unable to keep control of it.


    "Well, thank you for the treat," Rain said.


    Finally, the heavy downpour suddenly stopped, at least on the battlefield. Everyone could see that it was still raining, but the water was no longer falling on them. Then, in the next moment, numerous water spears began to fall and hit the heads of the enemies, and the first few hundred of them died without knowing what killed them¡­ that was Rain''s rain.


    The skill Aquatic Novice leveled up.


    The Ice Mage''s path received 320 experience points.


    The skill Aquatic Novice leveled up.


    The Ice Mage''s path received 330 experience points.


    ¡­


    Rain didn''t want to interfere with the battlefield all that much, but he rxed a bit since the enemy made their move, and he was able not only to counter it but also use it in his favor. Everyone blinked in disbelief as they watched a sea floating above the battlefield and since keeping it there consumed a lot of mana, he decided to use it as soon as possible.


    Hence, hundreds of enemies were killed in a matter of seconds.


    Thanks to that, the rain eventually stopped since the enemy knew that it would only help Rain end that battle faster¡­ Rain felt like smirking, but the fact that he still couldn''t find the enemy''s eyes was annoying.


    The second battle was over alongside the day, and the warriors raised their weapons and roared as they watched the walls of the town still standing, but there was some bad news iing¡­


    "Quick, we need to counter the casualties and treat the wounded," Rain said. "This is why I wanted to pace you three."


    "Ehh, healing is so boring¡­" Kei said.


    "Don''t talk like I am the queen of boredom," Terra said and dropped a chop on Kei''s head.


    "Dad, can you talk with the guys inside and gather everyone that can fight toe with us?" Rain asked. "We will have to leave some of the heavily wounded warriors here. We will also need more supplies."


    "Understood," Roan said.


    "I am going to help make dinner. I got the Cook path now, and my food can help restore health as well," G said and then quickly left to help the backline.


    The group didn''t have many people who could help them support after a battle, but Roan quickly made some peoplee and help with the aftermath. Moving the bodies, cleaning the wounds of the wounded, helping distribute food¡­ it was a lot of work since there were over twenty-five thousand soldiers involved.


    "Thanks to your intervention, we only lost one hundred soldiers this time¡­ we got more than four hundred wounded, though," Jori reported as Rain was watching the prisoners. "We can close their wounds, but every step will make them feel a sting of pain, and that will slow them down."


    "So¡­ we have right now 1700 thousand warriors that aren''t wounded and can fight at full power," Rain said.


    "Seventeen hundred tired warriors," Reca said.


    "Considering the pace of the enemies and the terrain and the time theynded on the coast, the capital will be attacked around midnight," Asche said. "The other two armies might end up surrounding the capital, and they don''t have enough people or the experience to endure a siege."


    "Things will be worse if they have flying monsters as well¡­ they already have some of the beast people that can fly, and that will be bad enough," Liss added. "In the best case scenario, that army will try to ambush the sea folk that are guarding the borders and join forces for the siege."


    The stakes were higher than ever, Rain understood, and his responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders. The fall of the human capital would not only mean the loss of countless lives but could also shatter the faith of all humans in the survival of their kingdom. That would be the worst-case scenario... The kingdom''s future rested on the defense of the capital, and there was no room for failure.


    Esmeralda''s fate was equally significant. Although she didn''t have the same influence as her father, her royal lineage was symbolic and held a powerful meaning. Her death would not only be a personal tragedy but a blow to the very core of the kingdom''s identity. Every life counted, but some were linked to the destiny of a nation. She was such a person.


    "Worry not. If something happens, I can head there, and we have some trump cards if things get dicey there," Rain exined. "Right now, the troops need to eat and then rest. I will be sure to give them the rest that they need."

 Chapter 546 Heavily outnumbered

    After cleaning themselves and filling their bellies, the soldiers began to rest on their tents that they had set¡­ before long, they began to rx and fall asleep. The smell of blood and death began to fade away for some reason, and war and the gentle wind began to cross over the camp, making all of them fall asleep.


    Rain didn''t say to them that they needed to set a perimeter and watch their surroundings, so they felt rxed enough for a while. Once that happened, Rain froze the ground of the entire area and began to make it levitate¡­ he didn''t say when they were going to fight again, so they should rest enough in a couple of hours.


    "I hope that they won''t have a heart attack when they suddenly find themselves in the middle of the next battlefield," Roan said while frowning.


    "You need to rest too, Dad," Rain said. "My contingency n should slow down the enemies for a couple of hours in the capital. We have time. That is why I am going slowly and because we can''t wake up everyone."


    "How can I go to sleep when you are the one who needs the most to rest?" Roan asked. "I will be here to avoid letting you copse. I can do that much at the very least."


    Everyone else was also having a hard time falling asleep since Rain was awake, but they eventually realized that they had some hours to rest¡­ they needed that.


    Unlike normal wars, the enemies weren''t trying to save their forces and attack at the best moments¡­ they only wanted to wear down Rain, his friends, and family, and the Raging Phoenix''s strength to the limits, and then they would probably send their big guns¡­ With that in mind, they began to rest.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Around midnight, a lot of people in the capital were still awake and working since they were helping prepare for the war¡­ everyone knew that the capital was the most obvious target. So, it was only natural that they would be worried about that¡­


    Half of the city was asleep already since they didn''t imagine that the enemies would reach them so soon¡­ they had no idea that this army they were going to face was like nothing else that they had even heard of. It was like an undead army but even more fearsome.


    Before long, an ominous aura began to take over the capital. It was as though the very air had thickened with a sense of danger, casting a dark and heavy shadow over the ce. The streets, once bustling with life and activity, nowy shrouded in an eerie silence as people looked around.


    The flickering torches andmplights that usually illuminated the city''s pathways seemed dimmer, unable to dispel the encroaching darkness. People who ventured outside to carry out their nightly tasks walked with hushed tones and wary eyes since they could tell that something was off¡­


    The city''s structures, once symbols of strength and stability, now appeared vulnerable and fragile in the unsettling atmosphere. In the midst of this unnerving ambiance, the people of the capital moved together to their homes, praying for safety and protection, knowing that they faced an impending threat that loomedrger andrger.


    Eventually, the soldiers on the walls began to hear an ominous sound approaching, and before long, they saw a giant shadowing from the south. They were particrly wary of that direction since the enemies wereing from there, and they eventually confirmed that some creatures were flying in their direction and arge army wasing from the ground as well¡­n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The enemies in the sky were a force of one thousand avian beast people, men, and women.. their bodies were bustling with power, and their muscles were bulging almost as if they were ready to explode. At the same time, the branded wounds in their heads were pulsating with blood as it was gushing from the wounds as well¡­


    The enemies on the ground were the magic people on the backline and monsters on the front¡­ the monsters this time were smanders¡­ one could tell the intention of the enemies when they sent a group of five thousand of those to the capital¡­ burn everything to the ground.


    The smanders were quite the weird variation from what Rain knew. They possessed slender limbs that made them incredibly light on their feet, capable of swift and agile maneuvers. These lithe creatures had adapted to their environment with their agility and grace, allowing them to navigate various terrains with ease.


    Their most remarkable feature was the presence of a sturdy carapace-like armor that encased their torsos. This armor served as both protection and camouge, blending seamlessly with their surroundings. The intricately patterned tes resembled the texture of natural elements such as tree bark, rock formations, or even the forest floor, allowing them to hide themselves from potential predators.


    Despite their light-footedness, the smanders were well-equipped for defense. When faced with danger, they could tuck themselves into their armored shells, providing a formidable shield against threats. Their adaptable nature, abination of speed and protective armor, made them both hard to catch and resilient in most terrains.


    The soldiers in the walls didn''t know what they were going to face, but they knew that what is bad can always be worse¡­ while they were looking around, they eventually found two other clouds of flying enemies approaching them from the Southwest¡­. they also found two other armies approaching them.


    Usually, they would be alerted of those things by the people in the towns and viges along the way in the direction the enemies came from, but that didn''t happen, and that wasn''t a good sign¡­


    The soldiers in the walls began to ring the bells of all towers in the city to alert everyone and all able-bodied soldiers on their side to prepare for the siege¡­ but they only had one thousand¡­ and the enemies had more than twenty-five thousand¡­

 Chapter 547 Seeing ahead

    The entire city had prepared for the siege, but as one would expect, even though the gates had been closed to avoid leaving more openings for the enemies, people still demanded them to be opened to let them escape¡­ they imed that the enemies were in the opposite direction, so it would be fine. The enemies could fly, so walls were useless¡­


    Their decision-making skills were nothing if not astonishing¡­ Still, they had a point. Even the soldiers hesitated as they began to hear the sound of the wings pping¡­ the students of the magic academy were told to raise their hands and attack, but they were trembling like leaves¡­


    At least those kids stood their ground¡­ until they had to attack the enemies when they entered in range. Fortunately, while they lost their chance to attack, a massive explosion happened on the ground and right below the army of monsters. Rocks flew to the sky and then fell on the area, revealing the ground shaking and falling apart one hundred meters away from the walls of the capital.


    No one knew what was going on, and they could only imagine that the enemies were causing that until they saw the smanders falling and then drowning to death or a massive waterway that emerged around the capital.


    Such structure shouldn''t exist there, but it wasn''t the only thing that surprised everyone¡­ in the next moment, the waters began to move violently, and then a massive st of water was fired toward the army of enemies on the ground¡­ the smanders that escaped the fall and the magic people were pushed away for hundreds of meters until a giant sea dragon emerged from there with some people on their back¡­ they were Artisia and the magic people.


    After jumping from the waterway to thend, the magic people raised their hands and then revealed some magic staves made of the scales of an ice dragon and that had a blue crystal on them as well¡­ both of them greatly increased their abilities, making them summon ice spears instead of water spears¡­ although the heat sorcerers and golem masters were among them as well, they followed Rain''s orders and focused on using that spell.


    The attacks hit and froze the wet enemies and began to kill them, thanks to the cold. Still, there were the beast people in the air, and they began to fly toward them¡­ but the sea dragon opened its mouth and fired a power st of water that split into pieces dozens of the enemies and sent many others flying in the distance.


    The sea dragon kept the enemies in the air at bay¡­ the creature looked like it had an endless supply of mana, but that wasn''tpletely true. It just could use mana more efficiently in the water.


    In any case, if the flying enemies couldn''t deal with the sea dragon and the others, the enemies on the ground had to do that¡­ the magic people summoned ten meters golems and made them advance toward the waterway like it was a massive wall and blocked the attacks of the defenders¡­


    Seeing their allies up close after so long made that squad flinch for a moment, but that didn''t stop them from attacking¡­ Rain had sent them a message about their changes, and so they were ready for it. Their attacks began to topple the mighty golems one after the other, but even so, the enemies kept summoning them and pushing the defenders backward.


    Until one of the defenders finally deactivated one spell¡­


    In the next moment, right on the enemy''s left nk, a massive army appeared out of nowhere¡­ it was the former members of the king''s de.


    For a moment, it looked like they had been teleported there, but they had been there from the very beginning¡­ one of the mages on the defending side just canceled their water-concealing spell¡­ which was one of the abilities that the water snipers used to watch the humans near the border.


    Rain had to deal with that several times, and with the knowledge of tactics that he had and the magic relics that Lotto made using the dragons'' parts, something like that was possible¡­ the king''s de began to charge and then passed through the enemy ranks like a hot knife in butter.


    "What are you doing, you retards? Attack them! Men on me! Use this chance to rip them to shreds?"


    An old soldier raised his voice and made everyone on the walls wake up to reality¡­ the old man jumped to the other side of the wall, and eventually, the soldiers began to follow him¡­ they were heavily outnumbered, but the enemies weren''t using any tactics, and they had a sea dragon on their side, so they had a chance to win that battle.


    The sea dragon moved to the side of the waterway and then approached to let the soldiers climb and read the other side¡­ as one would expect, they hesitated, even more so after seeing Artisia''s yes glowing¡­ they didn''t have time to waste, so they eventually made up their minds.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The chaotic battle was insane¡­ without clear leaders, both sides could only rely on themselves and their allies to fight properly. The human side had fewer people, so they eventually began to be pushed to the waterway. The former members of the king''s de could only do so much against such overwhelming numbers¡­ However, the surprises were far from over.


    When the advance of the hidden force finally came to a halt, the clouds in the sky began to change, and before long, it began to snow on the battlefield¡­ he had waited for that moment to make his entrance because that was what Rain told him to do.


    "Just how many steps ahead you can see this kind of battle unfolding?" Branden asked while raising two blue staves with both hands. "Such fearsome head for battle tactics¡­ I guess he learned a lot during the wars instead of just punching people.

 Chapter 548 Arrival

    The battlefield was suddenly bathed in an eerie yet captivating spectacle as Branden unleashed his newfound technique. The spell that Rain had taught him was a masterpiece of ice magic, creating snow mes that fell from the sky like ethereal meteors. Each delicate snowke was a crystalline work of art, shimmering with an otherworldly beauty as it descended upon the unsuspecting enemies.


    As the snowkes made contact with the enemy forces, the magical transformation took hold. The snowkes enveloped the unfortunate foes in an icy cocoon. It was a haunting sight as their movements slowed, and their very essence seemed to be frozen in time. The soldiers became living sculptures encased in glittering ice, their expressions frozen in a mixture of shock.


    The power of the spell was undeniable, turning the tides of battle in a chilling and mesmerizing fashion. Branden''s control over the icy forces was impressive, and the destructive beauty of his snowkes was both a testament to his magical prowess and a terrifying force on the battlefield.


    However, the spell came at a steep price, consuming an exorbitant amount of mana, and its use had to be well-timed to ensure it didn''t leave Branden depleted on the battlefield.


    "You should start drinking the potions, I can''t see Rain and the others approaching yet and your spell is the only thing that is putting things on equal footing," Esmeralda said.


    "... Thanks," Branden said after a long sigh.


    "Don''tin, your queen is here to help you, so be grateful," Esmeralda added.


    "Yes, ma''am," Branden said and then sighed again.


    Rain''s ns didn''t involve Esmeralda, while she would follow his tactics, he didn''t feel like it would be a good idea for people to know that he was ordering around the queen of the human country, it would only make people think more that she was just a puppet.


    In any case, thebination of the water spells of the sea dragon and the freezing rain casted by Branden was deadly¡­ enemies got wet and the snowkes would freeze them almost instantly¡­ Thanks to that, the battlefield became more equal. Not for long¡­ therge-scale spells surprised the enemies, but they didn''t have any regard for their lives. Enjoy new stories from empire


    So soon they jumped toward the soldiers when they were freezing and began to freeze them as well¡­ sacrificing one per one was just great for them.


    "Not good¡­" Branden said while he was feeling a terrible migraine and seeing the soldiers being pushed back.


    One hour had passed since the start of the battle¡­ Rain told Branden that if things go correctly, he will be able to arrive three hours after the start of the battle¡­ so they had to withstand two more hours¡­ that didn''t seem possible, though.


    As if things weren''t troublesome enough, something insane happened¡­ all of a sudden and in the middle of the night, the battlefield started to get clear as day. Everyone was surprised when they looked upward, and they saw the sun descending from the sky¡­ it seemed like the sun, but Branden quickly realized thanks to Magic Eyes, that it was just a giant fireball.


    Branden gulped¡­ the Fireball was like one kilometer wide and long¡­ It was slowly approaching the area and quickly made the snow clouds evaporate and almost heated up the battlefield.


    "... This is Insanity¡­" Branden said.


    Esmeralda, on his side, was trying to keep herposure, but she was pale as a ghost. At that point in time, it was clear that the enemies were toying with them¡­ they could just drop that fireball in the capital and nothing would be left.


    They had been warned by Rain that the enemies had some underlings that defied logic with their powers, but they didn''t think that it would be at that level.


    The sea dragon fired a st of water, the most powerful one that it could fire toward the massive fireball, but all the water just evaporated before it could touch the fireball¡­


    All the soldiers stopped for a moment thinking that they would be charcoal, and the enemies took the reins over the battlefield¡­ only for a moment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    In the next moment, a massive spinning thing that was also giant hit the giant fireball and while it melted almost instantly as well, it made its size decrease by twenty percent¡­


    Before anyone could look in the direction the attack came from. They saw something else flying toward the fireball¡­ it was a small, red, blue, and green thing¡­ it attacked the fireball with all its might, and a single attack made the spell unstable¡­ the shape of the fireball began to contort while it was being pushed away before soon exploding.


    A st of heat spread across the area and everyone began to sweat a lot, but soon they realized that the whole thing was only big, it wasn''tpletely made of fire, the interior was almost empty. In essence, the enemy only tried to fool everyone¡­


    In the next moment, Rain began to fall after attacking the Fireball¡­ while the spell wasn''t that insane, it was still powerful and he took the st of the explosion head on¡­ as such, his hair was standing andpletely dry. At the same time, his body was emitting a ton of steam when hended on the middle of the battlefield.


    "This party is getting crazy, let''s rock," Rain said while looking at the countless enemies around him. "If you guys want to keep hiding in the shadows, I won''t bother inviting you all to a fight, but I understand your challenge already. Soon, I will be where you are."


    While cking his fingers, Rain saw the enemies charging at him¡­ they want to bathe him in their blood, he already had a trick up his sleeve against them. He made his forearm guards extend with ice magic until they became ice des and in the next moment, Rain began to spin on the battlefield like a top and imed the lives of the enemies on his path.

 Chapter 549 Frost Sorcerer

    Just as Branden and Esmeralda began to sigh in relief, a thunderous roar and a powerful, unmistakable presence approached¡­ the arrival of the Raging Phoenix army.


    From the side of the battlefield, the warriors of the Raging Phoenix charged into view, their fury evident in their determined eyes and resounding battle cries. The sight was awe-inspiring as they stormed into the fray, their footsteps shaking the ground with unwavering determination.


    Rain''s friends, at the forefront of this unstoppable force, had kept their promise and arrived at the battlefield faster than expected. His army was filled with energy and determination despite the grueling day-long battle they had endured.


    The warriors of the Raging Phoenix surged forward with a renewed sense of purpose, and their collective might began to tip the scales of the battle in favor of the human kingdom. Experience more tales on empire


    The relief on Branden and Esmeralda''s faces was evident, as they knew that Rain''s arrival marked a turning point in the battle, one that would inspire the army of human forces and strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.


    "Is everything fine with you guys?" Terra, Seara and the people in the backline flew to the wall of the capital where Branden and Esmeralda were by using earth magic and then checked the surroundings. "It seemed that we arrived just in time."


    Branden and Esmeralda frowned when they saw Rain''s entire family¡­ it was weird to bring his whole family to the battlefield, even his kids were sleeping in the arms of his grandmother¡­ Still, he was being careful for a good reason since the enemies could teleport.


    "Yes, thank you¡­ I am too old for this," Branden said and then sighed.


    Terra nodded and then jumped to the battlefield to heal the wounded soldiers¡­ their numbers were quite high and as much as a pain in her heart bothered her when she saw some bodies of the former members of the king''s de, she kept working hard to heal those that could be saved¡­ They were allies now, and no one could deny that.


    As Rain showed up, the battlefield turnedpletely¡­ not exactly in their favor, but thanks to the fact that all the beast people and magic people only had eyes for him.


    The smanders still tried to approach the waterway while firing sts of fire toward the sea dragon, but the creature fired a st of water toward them as well and kept things at a standoff. Not for long, though¡­


    Several wind des, earth arrows, and water spears were fired at the monsters, and those easily imed the lives of the monsters¡­ Liss, Asche, Dana, Kei, and G were the ones responsible for giving some needed respite to the tired sea dragon.


    Youpleted the necessary requirements to unlock a new path.


    Level 50: Frostfire Fusion - Fuse frost and fire to create Frostfire spells, adding a burn effect to your icy attacks.


    The Frost Sorcerer Path is a journey through the realm of ice and cold, where you harness the power of frost and ice to control and manipte the chill of winter. As a Frost Sorcerer, you wield the ability to freeze, slow, and obliterate your enemies with icy spells. Progress through these levels to be a master of frigid magic, capable of freezing your adversaries to the core.


    (Intelligence + 30 per level.)


    Level 1: Ice Seal You started a long time ago your journey of mastering the basics of frost magic. Your frost spells gain an additional slowing effect, causing ten percent more damage per level and consuming five percent less mana.


    Although Rain used most of his mana dissipating the fireball, the little mana that he had used to make the ice des helped him gain a ton of experience¡­ they didn''t have time to lose their edge since Rain attacked and killed the enemies so fast and they grew sharper and more durable thanks to Rain''s increase in Intelligence as well.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    While he didn''t have much mana left, Rain kept recovering it while using Meditation Mastery while fighting as well¡­ he had to be ready in case the enemy used something big again, but that didn''t happen¡­ the fight kept going until morning, but no real troublesome issues took ce there.


    As the first rays of the sun illuminated the battlefield, a tired sense of triumph descended upon Rain and his forces. The long and arduous battle had finallye to an end, and they emerged as the victors. The ground was littered with the remnants of the battle, filled with bodies, both friend and foe and marked with scars carved by powerful spells and relentlessbat.


    The sun''s warm embrace gently touched the battlefield, casting a golden hue upon the weary soldiers, revealing the signs of their struggle etched into their faces. Fatigue weighed heavy on their shoulders, and their breaths came in ragged gasps. For some, the sun''s arrival signaled a new dawn of hope, while for others, it cast a shadow of sorrow over those who had fallen in the fight.


    Rain''s side had emerged victorious, but there was no jubtion, no celebration. The toll of the battle had been immense, and the cost was felt deeply by those who had fought so bravely. Theyy on the ground, trying to catch their breath, nursing their wounds, and offering silent prayers for the fallen. It was a moment of reflection, of somber gratitude for surviving a brutal encounter.


    "Need a hand?" Roan approached, offering a hand for Rain to get up while he was in the middle of a circle of bodies.


    "I would ept if your legs weren''t about to give in, I don''t want to make you fall in a pool of blood and mud, Dad," Rain said while he was staring at the sky with his back on the ground.


    "Nonsense, I am full of energy," Roan said and then grabbed Rain''s arm and lift him only to wobble to the side. "... I just need one month of rest and a new body, preferably a ten years younger body."

 Chapter 550 Promise

    "I suspected as much," Rain said, and then both of them helped each other to return to the capital.


    A lot of the warriors began to get up and follow them as well¡­ They were too tired to celebrate, and they lost some good friends there as well, and that was why they didn''t feel like celebrating a lot. They finally understood what Rain meant before. Just chasing power wasn''t enough.


    It didn''t matter how much power they had if they couldn''t protect their friends who watched their backs during the battle¡­


    Before long, Rain found his friends and family exhausted as well in front of the wall, being treated by the people of the city. It seemed that they had the chance to see some of the battle during the night, and the aftermath was even more insane¡­ It was like a sea of corpses and blood had arrived at their doorstep.


    "At least they know now what we did and how much they owe us," Rain thought.


    "You look like you had seen better days," Branden said while showing bags under his eyes.


    "You can say that once you look yourself into a mirror," Rain shrugged as both as he and his father fell with their butts on the ground.


    Roan fell asleep right there¡­ Rain could see that his father had some deep wounds on his side¡­ it had been healed, but not that much. He seriously needed some time to rest.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I guess my next goal is to make everyone in the family learn that healing spell that burns mana to restore even damaged flesh back to its original form," Rain thought.


    Everyone in his family could use healing magic, and that was why they were still tending to the wounded right now. Only Rain''s kids were sleeping¡­ seeing that much blood at their age wouldn''t happen. Rain was fighting to prevent them from seeing all that, after all.


    "You need to sleep too, Rain," Branden said. "We still have some time before any other battle starts." Experience tales with empire


    "I guess so. I will clean myself first, dry my bother, and then go to sleep," Rain said.


    Rain did all that there¡­ he controlled a bunch of water to clean his body and gear and then used wind and fire magic to dry his body and then got rid of all the dirty covering his skin by expelling it with his water magic before sitting on the wall cross legged and then using Meditation Mastery, that was his idea of sleeping now.


    "He sure is a handful," Branden shrugged.


    "You have no idea," Terra and Seara said in unison.


    Rxing was important, but Rain couldn''t do that yet¡­ he couldn''t underestimate the enemies when it was clear that they were pulling their punches to taunt him and his friends. In any case, at least Rain didn''t push himself too much until he woke up at sunset.


    Pretty much all the warriors had to sleep during the whole day and on the following night as well to recover. They only woke up to eat and drink water¡­ Fortunately, the people in the capital worked together to clean the battlefield.


    Moving the bodies to a single ce and cremating them had to be done as soon as possible to avoid diseases from spreading¡­ The job had finished white soon since Ka managed the people¡­ she was truly good at that kind of thing.


    "Oh, yeah¡­ we are pretty close to home," Rain got up and began to stretch his body.


    When Rain approached Terra, who was still healing the wounded, she tiredly pointed to over her shoulder. It seemed that the kids, Jori''s kids, were there, being watched by Rain''s grandma and mother.


    "You need to sleep too. I am going to take your ce now," Rain said and then began to carry Terra in his arms. "Can''t let you get ahead of me that much when ites to healing magic."


    "So, you have finally shown your true colors and intentions¡­ but that is the only thing that I can''t lose against you," Terra said while yawning.


    "That sounds like a challenge. I like your spirit," Rain smirked.


    When Rain arrived in the garden of his home, Danny and Annie dashed toward him. It seemed that they wanted to y, but they got quiet once they realized that their mama was asleep.


    "Just wait here for a bit. I wille to y with you for a while," Rain said.


    Their expressions lightened up a lot. Rain still spent a lot of time with his kids, but mainly, it was to focus on their future instead of just rxing¡­ It was hard to be responsible for so many things and still be a normal Father. Rain could understand why some people have such a hard time raising kids¡­ and it isn''t easy, and he is as healthy and stronger than a bull.


    Energy was something that he had to spare, but life wasn''t easy, and the enemies didn''t want to make it any easier.


    After putting Terra to bed and confirming that Seara was also sleeping soundly in the next room, Rain went to y with his kids while they passed on the warriors'' tents. They worked together, healing the warriors since most of their wounds were covered, and there wasn''t much blood left, so it was fine.


    "You two might be too young for this, but I hope that you can understand it eventually," Rain said. "You two and tour mamas are everything to me, and I want to live a happy and peaceful life with you all. That is why I need to work hard right now, and I can''t spend much time with you. This time and this moment will never return, and this is truly regretful.


    I can''t say that I will make up for the time lost in situations like this, but I will always try to be there for you all. No matter what, even if I am falling into pieces¡­ your papa will be your shield."

 Chapter 551 Option

    The next day, even though two thirds of the army were heavily wounded, they began to prepare to move since they knew that the battle wasn''t over¡­ around the same time, they began to hear that some of the sea folk arrived with some news for Rain.


    "The magic people attacked us until noon of yesterday, but soon they retreated when the walls were about to fall," Seadir exined. "We used our water magic to push them away, and even tried to freeze it as well, but they were ready to counter it with fire tornadoes. I guess they heard that the battle here was over¡­"


    "That seems to be the case¡­ they knew that they had around six hours before we could reach the area and they tried to cause as much damage as possible," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I suspect that the beast people did the same."


    Not before they put on fire all the viges and farming fields that they had found¡­ that would weaken the human kingdom a lot, it would need months, even with magic for them to recover from the damage¡­


    Although that all-out attack had been devastating, ultimately, they managed to push the enemies away with minimal losses ifpared to the other side¡­ Nevertheless, Rain couldn''t help but think that despite their hatred, the magic people and the beast people were following orders and keeping their heads clear in order to achieve their goal of wiping out the human kingdom.


    "What do you guys think of the actions of your brethren?" Rain asked while looking at Artisia''s squad.


    "My tribe asionally would lead others, but we were quite istionist, master," Artisia said.


    "I told you not to call me that¡­ what about you guys?" Rain asked while looking at the others.


    "We weren''t at the top of our tribes,mander. So, we can''t say much."


    "Then why did you side with Josar in the first ce?" Rain asked.


    "Well¡­ during that war, you saved our lives a bunch of times, we decided to repay the favor by siding with someone that wanted to repay the favor as well."


    That didn''t made Rain happy at all¡­ he felt troubled since he began to feel like Josar''s death was his fault¡­ it would be easy to think that some semnce of loyalty killed him, but that would be too convenient to think.


    "... Anyway, both sides lost a bunch of soldiers and they lost a lot of power, now they can be attacked again and again and me us when they can''t defend themselves," Rain shrugged.


    "What are our options now?" Jori asked.


    "First, we wait for Geo to confirm things on the beast people''s side and then we consider what we can do, but mainly, we will need a few weeks to recover and if we attack one side, the other will take advantage of it," Rain replied. "We can ask Seadrei for help, but that would be too dangerous.


    I would like to keep improving our strength¡­ there is also the dungeons that keep increasing in size, and there isn''t much that we can do about that."


    Rain had some other ideas, but he didn''t want to say that out loud¡­ he didn''t know the enemy was so well-informed, after all. Before long, Geo arrived in the capital, informing everyone what they were experiencing¡­ The beast people burned everything that they could burn yesterday and then began to march toward the mountains again.


    At that point in time, Rain was more confused than angry¡­ they should know that Rain could wipe out arge town from their territories. What would they aplish by annoying him?


    "For now, let''s focus on recovering from the damage and then prepare for the future," Rain said. "We lost around one thousand warriors and we need to repay the families of those who died for their efforts."


    "You can leave that to us, the monster''s bodies will serve to boost the economy a fair bit," Esmeralda said. "The main issue now is recovering the farms and only you guys can make that happen faster."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "You are right¡­" Rain said and then nodded. "One week should be enough to let everyone rest, and then we will return to that side of the country. Still, I will have to make some headquarters along the kingdom to train new people. At this point in time, I believe that we weeded out all the troublemakers who could be a nuisance in our ranks, I also trust in the judgment of the squad leaders."


    "More headquarters to train more people, right?" Roan asked. "How are we going to divide those ces? We will need some people leading each one of them and supervising them. Around five of them seems like a good starting number, but we don''t have enough people for that, right?"


    Roan was weirdly enthusiastic about that¡­ but he had a point. While the ces needed a leader, they also needed a vicemander in case something happens. So, they would need to split the group in pairs. That would work for Jori and Reca, if they still wanted to be part of the Raging Phoenix while they raise their kids and level up on the rabbit path.


    Asche and Liss probably could oversee another ce, Rain and his wives would be another¡­ that would leave them with two left.


    "I guess Dad canmand one of them, and Dana, Kei, and G can support him if they want, but we will need another group to lead another," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "I can do that, I have been training hard my bodytely and I can use Limit Breaker now," Branden suddenly dered.


    Now that everyone looked at him, Branden looked a bit more muscr¡­ they didn''t notice that before because his semnce was ofplete exhaustion¡­ maybe the training was the reason.


    "We are severelycking in terms of magic power, so I think it would be good to train the kids in the magic academy to use that and magic boost," Branden added. "What do you think?"

 Chapter 552 Hidden technique

    Rain had always been guarded when it came to sharing his knowledge of secret techniques with others. This reluctance came from abination of reasons, each of which had contributed to his initial hesitation.


    Rain had learned over the years that trust was not easily earned. Many people he had encountered in the past had their own agendas, and sharing his secrets could potentially lead to those secrets being misused or falling into the wrong hands. He was cautious about revealing the extent of his abilities to individuals he couldn''t fully trust.


    The secret techniques he had developed were a source of advantage in battles and challenges. They set him apart and gave him an edge. By keeping them to himself, he maintained an element of surprise and unpredictability in his encounters. Sharing these techniques could potentially diminish their effectiveness.


    Rain was well aware that, in the world they lived in, knowledge was power. Keeping his techniques secret gave him an edge over his adversaries. He believed that if he shared his techniques with others, they might level the ying field or even surpass him, making him vulnerable.


    However, he didn''t mind it that much since he had another trick up his sleeve, and it was much better than those techniques¡­ it was a bit situational, though. It was also in the first few stages, and it could be much more fearsome.


    "Sure, that means that we will have a force that can reach the four sides of the country in the blink of an eye," Rain said. "We don''t need to watch the northern ocean, but it will be a good idea to have a base there in case we need to help the sea folk and gramps."


    "I guess that is decided then," Branden said. "I will adopt Rain''s same training methods in order to weed out those who can be a problem and those weak-minded. It is quiet. What is the word that you use again?"


    "Spartan," Rain said. "Maybe I should have named my group the three thousand Spartans."


    "The group will grow even beyond that, though?" Branden said.


    Rain shrugged¡­ only he could understand that kind of reference. In any case, Rain began to travel around to create the headquarters with his earth magic. He brought his kids with him just to let them see how magic was awesome and motivate them to train hard and be better than him. That was possible since he trained too many subjects.


    It only took three days for the northern headquarters to be finished, and he felt proud of his hard work, but then, when Rain returned to the capital, he found everyone in a dark mood.


    "What is wrong? Did I miss my birthday party or something?" Rain asked.


    "The dungeons changed once again¡­ a new type of monster appeared there, Rain," Terra suddenly said.


    "What kind of monster?" Rain frowned.


    "... Skeletons," Terra replied.


    Rain blinked several times in confusion¡­ howe skeletons reached the dungeons? They couldn''t move, and he was pretty sure that there were no cemeteries close to the dungeons.


    "Ah, I see¡­ so that is how it is¡­" Rain said. "The deaths here, in those battles, served as fuel for the dungeons."


    "We reached the same conclusion after a while¡­ but isn''t that too much?" Seara asked. "What kind of insane being would sacrifice over forty thousand people after turning them into mindless soldiers?"


    "Someone who sees them as lesser beings, you also need to consider that the spirits of the monsters probably have been used to fuel the dungeons as well," Rain said, and then everyone gulped.


    They won''t have a break¡­ that was pretty clear. Anyway, the group decided to check the dungeon and confirmed the reports¡­ skeletons were multiplying inside the dungeons, but the area of the effect of the mana for the dungeons increased as well.


    "The skeletons didn''t leave the dungeon at all?" Rain asked to the squad leader stationed there.


    "No, sir. They didn''t try to leave. We are able to fight them, but their numbers are troublesome against ours, and it seems that the more they stay there, the stronger they be."


    Everyone looked more confused the more they heard about that¡­ how was that possible? Rain knew how it was possible¡­ monsters stay in dungeons because they are drawn to the mana that the cores give them. They can grow faster because of that and stronger, too¡­


    "I guess since this country only has five dungeons, they gained a massive boost of power thanks to the deaths in the war," Rain said while holding his chin in deep thought. "What happens to the skeletons when you kill them?"


    "They be dust, sir."


    "I should have known, their bodies are essentially made of mana, after all," Rain said. "Anyway, I am going to test things inside and see if I can clean things up here. Depending on the result, I will have to move the headquarters close to the dungeons."


    "Try not to take too long there," Terra said.


    Rain nodded and then entered the dungeon. At the same time, everyone looked confused by Terra''s words and Seara''s unusual behavior¡­ they usually would offer to go with him, but they didn''t look worried at all.


    "Did something happen? I know that Rain is stupidly strong, but¡­ this is something new and very different from the usual challenges." Branden said.


    "Don''t worry about it, Rain will exin thingster, but we found out one technique that is very useful," Terra smiled. "We don''t have to be by his side all the time to help him."


    Rain was always learning new techniques, but it was hard to imagine one that could work in such a weird way, but Terra was confident, and Seara also felt quite rxed, so their confidence wasn''t unfolded¡­ they couldn''t help but think about this so-called new technique of theirs¡­ if it was something more impressive than Limit Breaker and Magic Boost, then Rain probably won''t be seen as human anymore.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 553 Heart of ice

    The dungeon underwent a noticeable transformation due to the presence of the skeletons. Its interior took on a more foreboding and eerie atmosphere. Several changes were immediately evident.


    The once dimly lit passages of the dungeon grew even darker. The skeletons, with their hollow eye sockets and skeletal forms, seemed to absorb the ambient light. Shadows clung to the walls, making the entire ce feel like abyrinth of darkness.


    The temperature within the dungeon dropped significantly. It felt as though an icy breath permeated the air. The skeletal creatures themselves exuded an aura of cold, and their presence seemed to drain warmth from the surroundings.


    Rain used magic eyes as the monsters charged toward him and he frowned. Despite their appearance, they were filled with a pureyer of mana¡­ they wanted to kill him, but their aura was as pure as the sky. Still, Rain froze them all over before crashing them against the ground.


    The skill Ice Seal received 50 experience points.


    The skill Ice Seal received 50 experience points.


    ¡­


    "I don''t think that they can curse me, but I need to be cautious¡­" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Usually, skeletons only stop moving when they arepletely smashed and a few punches could do that, but let''s avoid that for now."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rain kept smashing the monsters, the amount of experience he was receiving seemed all right considering the mana that he was using, but it was off considering the number of monsters there. While Rain didn''t have to stop even once, he didn''t feel that aplished or happy by the chance of getting experience that easily¡­ he felt like it was too good to be true.


    "What are those assholes nning¡­ this doesn''t make any sense at all," Rain thought.


    The dungeons were slowly bing something that could be used to enhance their power¡­ while it was pulling animals toward it, it wasn''t like they still couldn''t be used after bing monsters.


    In any case, when Rain reached the third floor, he confirmed that it was one kilometer long and it some bifurcations as well, but only that. No boss or guardian or core for that matter¡­


    Rain checked the interior for a while, but nothing happened¡­ no skeleton showed up. He left and waited outside for ten minutes before returning and finding five of them only on the first floor.


    "It seems that they don''t spawn while someone is inside, but they still keep umting energy to make them appear all at once," Rain said when he joined his friends. "We will have to keep three squads in each of the dungeons and make them guard it for eight hours each. They will have toe and reach the end of the dungeon to defeat the skeletons.


    You all should write down how many monsters you kill on each run and inform us of it daily."


    "Yes, sir," the squad leader of the area said.


    "... Do you think that more of them will appear?" Branden asked.


    "It is possible¡­ even more so if more people die in this kingdom," Rain said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I don''t think that the enemies can control the dungeons, but they will try to keep feeding the dungeons with mana to make them be a nuisance for us."


    That was truly a problem¡­ they couldn''t head to the enemies territory without risking showing openings¡­ and if they keep defending, the dungeons eventually will truly be a nuisance. Moreover, they didn''t know fully what the true purpose of the dungeons was¡­


    In the end, Rain built the headquarters close to that dungeon in the next few days and made Jori and Reca be the leaders of it. At that point in time, the enemies knew that they had the underground tunnels that they could use since they used the sea dragon, so they will have to think of better ways to surprise the enemies.


    In the next few weeks, Rain and his friends finished the headquarters and began to train new recruits¡­ At the same time, he ended up taking the Southern headquarters to lead with his wives. It would have been better to stay closer to the sea folk, but Rain wanted to be the first line of defense in case the enemies came at them from that direction.


    Around that same time, Rain turned twenty and he realized that those twenty years passed rather fast, but since so many things happened, it felt like such a long time as well¡­ Seara was in her fifth month of pregnancy and his kids turned three¡­ they were starting to mimic his training more and more as well, minus the weights and the duration.


    Danny and Annie also helped heal the warriors a lot when they trained hard. During that time, Rain went to talk with the magic people and show them the state of their prisoners, but they didn''t care about it¡­ they immediately attacked Rain.


    In the end, Rain smashed dozens of them with the boulder¡­ but he regretted it a little since that despite the distance, their deaths also increased the power of the dungeons. More and more skeletons began to appear¡­


    "What is next?" Terra asked while Rain was watching the recruits that he was training carrying boulders on their back. "You have been too lost in thoughttely and I didn''t forget that you were nning to check the southern ocean."


    "I can''t leave right now when we don''t know enough," Rain replied. "In a few months, Seara won''t be able to move a lot and we will have to be careful."


    "That period will only grow for at least one year and half, I can imagine you using countless excuses not to leave the newest child behind," Terra said. "I know that we can''t move the whole Raging Phoenix, but we can''t let the enemies control us, remember?"


    "How dare you use logic and reason against me?" Rain asked. "Is your heart made of ice?"

 Chapter 554 Changes

    Terra rolled her eyes¡­. that was one of Rain''s typical tactics, saying nonsense to avoid a serious conversation. Still, this time, he didn''t y that card for too long.


    "I am thinking of doing the investigation myself and return as quickly as possible after confirming anything, that will be the quickest way," Rain said. "However, we will need someone here as strong as me to help you guys fight while I am away."


    "Someone that strong and who would be willing to fight with us¡­ Seadrei?" Terra asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "That is our best bet, still, I am waiting for something to happen," Rain said. "For something that will make him indebted to me and that will counterbnce his anger when he hears that I am about to go on a mission solo while Seara is five or six months pregnant.


    In the worst-case scenario, I will have to fight him to calm him down, and I don''t think that Gramps is the type of guy who calms down easily. Some bones will have to break, and I still think that I need ten years to reach his level of power."


    "That is a lot less time than I had expected," Terra said, a bit surprised. "I suppose we will have to wait a bit."


    Several months had passed since Rain had told Seadrei to do that experiment. Rain himself was also trying to aplish the same, and he had mastered some skills as well, but he still had a long way to go¡­


    Level 15: Mathematics (75) Proficiency in mathematics, allowing you to solve numerical problems and understand mathematical concepts.


    Level 20: Appraisal (35) Ability to assess and evaluate items, revealing basic information about their nature and properties.


    Level 30: Writing (65) Improved writing skills, enabling the character to express thoughts and ideas through writtenmunication.


    Level 55: Horse Riding (41)- Mastery in riding and controlling horses for transportation and mountedbat.


    Level 60: cksmithing (35)- Ability to forge and craft basic weapons, armor, and tools.


    Level 70: Herbalism (42) Knowledge of medicinal herbs and their applications for basic healing and remedies.


    Level 90: Swordsmanship (55)- Proficiency in the art of wielding a sword forbat purposes.


    Level 100: Stealth (43) Skill in moving silently, remaining hidden, and blending into the surroundings.


    Skills like Body Motor skills, Agriculture, and Leadership he mastered in thest few months. Those had been easy since they had led thousands of soldiers in the war, even though it onlysted for a few days. He also mastered agriculture thanks to the repairs that he did with his sisters on that side of the country¡­ it only took two weeks for them¡­ it was all thanks to the power of magic.


    In the end, Rain only had to wait for one month and then he suddenly was invited to Seadrei castle¡­ Seadir didn''t exin the reason, but his old man was in a good mood.


    "Should I bring Seara with me to avoid being attacked all of a sudden?" Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "It has been a while since I saw Dad, I am going too," Seara dered.


    Terra wanted to see how Rain moved underwater, but someone had to look after the kids and keep the recruits training¡­ still, now that Rain thought about it, bringing Seara with him was prettyme, even though Seadrei probably wouldn''t go that far after hearing Rain''s idea.


    That being said, the sea folk will probably get pissed at Rain if they hear that he wanted to make their king watch his house while he is away.


    "Well, let''s get going, whatever happens, it will be fine," Rain shrugged.


    Seara didn''t know why Rain said that, and in the end, that would be a good test for Rain. Did his training make him as much stronger as he had expected? Was he that close to be as strong as Seadrei? Now that Rain thought about it, if the experiment had been a sess, he should have made Seadrei stronger and increased his own difficulty of surpassing him.


    "I might have dug my own grave, huh?" Rain thought.


    When they reached the castle, Seara was in a good mood. It was the first time that her father would see her with a belly that big thanks to the child. In the end, while she didn''t usually do that in public, Seara grabbed his hands and then enthralled their fingers together.


    "This is nice, but why do I feel like she is only making my grave deeper?" Rain frowned.


    When they found Seadrei, he was humming in his throne and his face began to shine even more when he realized that soon enough, he will have his first grandchild. It wasn''t hard to imagine that the old man would be the overly doting grandparent and will spoil the child rotten¡­ much more so if the baby is a girl. Rain could see that as clear as the day.


    "Dad!" Seara said and then went to hug Seadrei. "I missed you!"


    "Great, now he can punch me without worries," Rain thought while nodding.


    "Yes, it has been, I hope that you are handling things well," Seadrei said. "You did a good job, Rain, protecting your family. I also have called you to thank you and reward you for that and for that other knowledge that offered me. As it turned out, you werepletely right."


    "No need to thank me," Rain said. "You can give me your spear and we will be even right away."


    Seadrei frowned¡­ he didn''t know if Rain was serious or joking as usual. At some point, jokes can''t be helped but be interpreted like real things.


    "Dad¡­ aren''t you looking younger?" Seara suddenly said.


    Now that Seara mentioned¡­ Seadrei looked a bit younger¡­ he had some white hair before, but now he had nothing. He also looked a bit more biffed as well.


    "You noticed, huh?" Seadrei asked. "That is thanks to Rain. His experiment worked and made me stronger and improved my body, it is getting stronger right now!"

 Chapter 555 Disagreement

    That was unexpected¡­ Rain didn''t think that his experiment would be that effective, but now that he thought about it, maybe instead of removing the limits of a single path, it made his path evolve into something.


    "Your original path was the Merman''s path, Right?" Rain asked. "What is it called now?"


    "Oh, you are quick to notice that," Seadrei said and then nodded. "When I mastered all the skills of my initial path, I unlocked a new one that offered five times more benefits, but the first skill was already pretty good. I became a Triton, and the first skill of this path is Rejuvenation.


    It improves all my parameters by fifty points per level, and it is a passive one, so it is getting experience automatically."


    Rain wondered what was the difference between a merman and a Triton, but that was a question for another time¡­ he began to consider how overpowered this path that Seadrei unblocked was¡­ at level max, it would make him gain more points than all that Rain had in all of his parameters right now.


    "I suspect that this surge in power is also rejuvenating my body, it would make sense given the name of the skill," Seadrei said. "I feel even more invigorated than I was when I became the sea emperor."


    "That¡­ is quite something," Rain said. "I guess I will have to train for fifteen more years instead of ten to be able to defeat you."


    "You have spirit, if anything, considering what you had just learned," Seadrei said. "Still, this proves how the dragons are so strong¡­ they did well keeping this secret. It is a double-edged sword to focus on a single path skill for so long, but it is worth the hassle. I can''t wait to see the next skills of this path."


    "Yeah, in any case, you owe me one, right?" Rain asked.


    "Yes, but stop asking for my spear already," Seadrei said while frowning.


    "It is fine, I am going to ask for something else," Rain shrugged. "I am going to check the southern region. I want to ask you to guard the human kingdom and my home while I am away."


    "... Do you want to do such a thing now? When Seara is in this stage of her pregnancy?" Seadrei frowned, and then his expression changed.


    "As I said, I only want to confirm that the enemies are there, I am not going to do anything else," Rain said. "I am aware that my forces aren''t ready enough for a confrontation, but I need to know where they might be."


    "... Considering what they did, they might be waiting for that, there is a chance that they have a trap in store for you" Seadrei said while shaking his head. "I can''t approve of that."


    "Well, it seems that I will have to find another way, then," Rain said. "It isn''t like I want to leave, but it is more that I need to leave and you are the only strongest person that I know that can do the same job as me and well enough to put me at ease. I need to do that now before Seara reaches a critical stage where worrying about me could cause someplications."


    Seadrei could empathize with Rain''s line of thought. It made perfect sense to leave for the investigation sooner rather thanter, especially considering the imminent arrival of Rain''s next child. He knew that the impending addition to Rain''s family was a significant event, one that would require his presence and support.


    Leaving before the child''s birth would allow Rain to focus on the investigation without the added burden of family responsibilities during a critical mission. It would also ensure that his family was safe and well taken care of during his absence.


    Seadrei recognized the importance of maintaining a bnce between family and duty. By addressing potential threats and challenges promptly, Rain could secure a safer future for his loved ones, even if it meant temporarily parting ways during a crucial moment in their lives.


    This decision showcased Rain''smitment to protecting his family and the broadermunity from any potential dangers thaty ahead.


    Seadrei could understand that was the best option, but his role as a father was stronger now. He couldn''t see Rain''s enemies as a true menace yet, even more so now when he felt that he was growing stronger with every passing moment.


    "Certainly you can wait a year to investigate the enemies, they can''t be that much of a problem when they never attacked you directly so far," Seadrei said.


    "I cannot," Rain shook his head. "Their actions are already causing too many issues to my family. I can''t solve all of them, but I can at least confirm where they are and where we should go when we have the chance to fight them."


    "I will send a group from my royal guard to investigate the matter then," Seadrei said.


    "That won''t do it, arge group will be found easily and didn''t you say that they are weaker than me?" Rain asked. "I prefer that they don''t know that we might find something about them, like their location, and to increase the chances of that happening, I need to do it alone."


    "That is uneptable," Seadrei shook his head in disapproval. "I understand that you have your responsibilities toward the human kingdom, but first and foremost you are a father and the husband of my daughter. Your first and most important family is to keep your family safe, and you can''t do that by risking your neck."


    "Dad¡­" Seara said while showing aplicated expression. "Please, understand¡­"


    "I understand the situation, but I can''t see a good enough reason for him to leave you at such a time," Seadrei said while shaking his head. "If the enemies are troublesome enough for him and he is unable to protect you, I will give him a hand when the timees."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 556 Pride

    "Wow, Gramps¡­ I thought that you were smarter than that," Rain said while blinking in disbelief. "I understand why you would underestimate me since you know my strength, but I didn''t think that you would underestimate the enemies that you don''t know."


    "... What do you mean by that?" Seadrei asked after he raised his left eyebrow.


    "What I mean is the fact that your sense of danger is severelycking for not having to fight seriously in who knows how long," Rain said. "Didn''t you forget the fact that a mere human controlled you years ago? Maybe I picked the wrong time to bring this conversation since you are too ted about the feeling of power that you are feeling right now.


    Perhaps Rejuvenation also brought back some of the carelessness of your youth."


    "I admit that I feel like I am a hundred years younger, but that doesn''t mean that I forgot my experience of five hundred years," Seadrei said.


    "But it seems that you forgot that a human controlled you in the previous war and that I was the one who helped you free yourself," Rain said. "Are you going to keep minimizing those events and forget that it could have caused the end of a war and our loss?"


    "You were captured too and I was the one who gave you the chance to escape," Seadrei raised his voice slightly.


    "And that is why I freed you and that is why I am not underestimating my enemies like you are," Rain said and then rubbed his eyes. "Forget about it, I will find another way."


    "... Wait, don''t turn your back on me," Seadrei said when Rain turned and began to walk away.


    Rain stopped and he felt like sighing. He assumed now that he wasn''t that close enough to Seadrei to understand what kind of person he was, but he could now¡­ they worked together in the war because they shared the same enemy and the sea folk was fighting for their honor. This new enemy had connections to the previous ones, but nothing confirmed yet that they had done anything against the sea folk.


    Even their current alliance was based on the fact that their sole goal was to create a safe enviroment for Seara and her child¡­ Rain thought that it was because they were true friends, but he couldn''t help but ponder about that.


    In the end, Rain turned around and looked at Seadrei with apletely calm expression¡­ he was his father-inw and the leader of a group that was allied to them, so he had to respect him at least that much.


    "Rain¡­ look at him properly," Seara said.


    "I am trying, but I don''t know what to do or think now," Rain said. "Are we friends ? Are we just allies? Are we just trying to use each other? I don''t know, if you can''t see things from my point of view, then we never have been friends, Seadrei. Still, I assure you that I won''t do anything that will put Seara or our child in danger or worry her too much."


    "... You may leave," Seadrei said and then looked away uninterested.


    "Yes, sir," Rain said. "Do you want to stay here for a while, Seara?"


    "I have to help Terra too¡­ and look after the kids," Seara hesitated and then left the castle with Rain.


    For a while, Rain and Seara left in silence, and they only began to talk when they were out of the ocean. The mood was quite dark, and Rain felt guilty for making his wife experience that. Still, trying to ignore Seadrei''s words and behavior wouldn''t have done it any good.


    "Sorry about that, I didn''t think that I was that naive," Rain said and then rubbed his eyes.


    "Don''t mind that, of course Dad respects and see you as a friend," Seara said. "He is just worried about his grandchild. Our kid is his first grandchild."


    "Forget about being worried, actually¡­ let''s not talk about this, it wouldn''t do us any good," Rain said.


    "Now I think that we really need to talk about this instead of letting things snowball and we start thinking too much about it," Seara shook her head.


    Rain sighed again¡­ why are his wives using logic against him? That was ridiculous¡­ or maybe that was the influence that he exerted on them.


    "Seadrei is happy about us and about the child, but because of his position, his age and his level of power, human problems are too insignificant to him," Rain exined. "The idea that our enemy could be a nuisance to the whole world isughable to him. I can easily say that he didn''t face any real threats in his realm during the time that he sat in that throne."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Rain also believed that the enemies could even destroy the whole human kingdom and he wouldn''t think too much about it if Rain left Seara with him¡­ now that Rain thought about it, Seadrei probably saw or heard of many humans like him over the years, their fame wouldn''tst for even fifty years, so he didn''t think much of Rain, that was why he said that if things get dangerous and Rain couldn''t protect her, he would step in.


    That was a critical attack on Rain''s pride.


    "I will put my pride aside for now and ignore that he said that, but in the end, our problems are only our problems," Rain said. "I guess I should apologize to you since this problem started way before we met, and you got involved in it."


    "Don''t say that, I want to solve this situation as much as you and I know that you don''t sleep much at night thinking of what we have to do to defeat the enemies," Seara said. "Just give me some time for Dad to clear his head¡­ he was a bit strange today. I am sure he will calm down eventually and think things through."


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