Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

"... 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 declared. "Besides, I want to keep improving my healing skills, and there is no better place 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.
Enjoy new tales from m-v l'e|m,p-y r

"Don't play 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 display 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 planning 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 platform and had an idea.

Rain wondered if he could make a large 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 platform, 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 becoming more pronounced and distinct in his newfound state of heightened awareness.

It was as if the world had come 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 relaxing, but Rain soon broke his attention since it was starting to get dangerous… The beast was awakening.