Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

The group weighed the risks and benefits of involving Iori in their plan to hide from the enemy. Esmeralda, though uncertain about Iori's current state, acknowledged the uniqueness of his knowledge and how it could benefit the vessel. The relics, lacking physical bodies and knowledge of magic circles, left them with limited options.

Rain nodded in agreement, emphasizing the importance of avoiding predictability in their approach to the enemy.

Despite the potential risks, they concluded that Iori might be the key to their solution. The decision made, they set out to find him and propose the critical role they hoped he would play in their ongoing struggle against a civilization that far surpassed their own.

"For now, let's rest and recover from this battle. We also need to absorb all the knowledge," Esmeralda said. "A clear mind can help us find possible solutions to all this."

Everyone nodded, and then the meeting ended. Although everyone had a lot to think of, Rain saw Jori, Reca, and their kids alongside Danny and Annie heading to the goblin's dungeon… their way of thinking clearly was by blowing some steam off… since the mission started, four days had passed, and no had the chance to do some exercise, and they wanted to get a bit stronger as well.

Still, even though Rain broke the limit of that skill, the progress of the goblins only made them punching bags for now.

Rain saw Regis, his bodyguards, and Isa leaving the hall as well while talking… it seemed that they were already considering other options. Terra left alongside Liss and Asche, who truly wanted to rest instead of doing anything else and the others left alongside Sealyn and Seadrei.

"It feels like I am back to high school, again," Rain said.

"Oh, you were unpopular too?" Nigel asked.

"You? Impopular? No way," Rain said. "This is the most shocking thing that I have ever heard. This is even more weird than combining matter with antimatter."

"Hey, look at me. I am Rain. Sarcasm, sarcasm, sarcasm, playing dumb and complaining about how my family doesn't treat me like I am the center of the universe," Nigel said.

Those words cut deep… for the first time. Rain didn't have words to counter Nigel's… that hurt more than a little deep. Day by day, Rain felt like his pride was being destroyed by a massive hammer.

"Well, I do have the humility path for a reason," Rain shrugged. "I'd better start working on the next path."

"Well, well, well… it seems that you are running away from this battle, huh?" Nigel said.

"You are welcome to try to fly too close to the sun," Rain said. "Be my guest."

"I will retreat for now, but I will be back," Nigel said.

"I am starting to miss being with Terra. I didn't have to hear this kind of nonsense," Larisa said. "Anyway, we caused a lot of damage, and didn't suffer much, but I can't say for sure if the mission was a success. Aside from information, we didn't get anything real."

"We obtained samples of the armor and pieces of the enemies' defenses. We can start by analyzing that," Sakaki said. "It seems like a synthetical material that is very compatible with mana. We definitely can use that."

"I was talking about mana for us and power for Rain," Larisa said. "We learned that the enemy can do what Vanessa can't and drain the mana of four worlds at all once… so we truly need to obtain more power… speaking of which, how many of those cannons do they have? At the same time, once Nigel is completely purified, can he even get stronger?"

"He can. Rain just needs to share of his blood with him on the relic," Sakaki said.

"Ew, gross," Rain said. "I will never share any part of me aside from my wives. "I am fine letting this asshole as he is now."

"It doesn't have to be Rain, then," Sakaki said.

"I also prefer that a woman shares her blood with me," Nigel said.

"Ew, gross," Larisa said.

"I can never win here…" Nigel said and then sighed.

Rain dedicated himself to the task at hand, retreating to his home to work on the calculations for the upcoming journey. Maxime lent his expertise in crafting and improving the lenses of the telescope.

Days turned into nights as Rain and Maxime collaborated, fine-tuning the lenses to perfection. The telescope underwent a significant upgrade, ensuring a clearer and more detailed view of the distant space they were about to cross. The anticipation for the upcoming mission hung in the air, and the sense of urgency fueled their dedication.

After several days of relentless effort, Rain finally confirmed the success of their hard work. The lenses, now enhanced and perfected, promised not only a clearer view of the cosmos but also a more efficient navigation system. The results of their work provided a tangible boost to the group's preparations, in more ways than one.

The Adept Crafter path leveled up. Dexterity + 06, Luck + 03

…

The Adept Crafter path leveled up. Dexterity + 06, Luck + 03

Level 90: Artistic Legacy - Leaving a lasting artistic legacy, crafters are known for their exceptional contributions and influence within the craft, further increasing their skill proficiency by 5% per level.

Level 95: Crafter Legend - Attaining the prestigious title of a crafter legend, revered as a master of masters. Their work is highly sought after, and they become a symbol of excellence and creativity in their craft, leaving an indelible mark on the world of artistry. Your creations become five percent more efficient per level.

Crafter Legend improved the efficiency of the lenses and soon Rain was able to see the next target after the lenses adjusted to the light of the surroundings. It took a few minutes for that to happen, but at least they saw the parts that escaped that base flying, and they also had the chance to measure the distance to the destination…