Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

The weight of responsibility got heavier on Rain's shoulders as he contemplated the impact of past events on the future of his family. The fact of his sisters and children being robbed of the opportunity to start their families lingered in his mind, casting a shadow over his thoughts.

The realization that the battles and conflicts he faced had far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the present but also the future of those he held dear, it troubled him very deeply.

To prevent a recurrence of such heartbreaking situations, Rain knew that he had to take proactive measures. The key, he believed, lay in ensuring that future battles wouldn't happen on Earth. The safety and well-being of his family depended on keeping the conflicts away from the home they cherished.

"Anyway, let's spar a little and sharpen our skills. That should make them approach us if they see that they can learn a thing or two," Roan said. "It is better to do things like this since we are the type of guys who are too awkward to solve things in a more direct way when it comes to feelings and mushy stuff."

Rain couldn't deny that, and he also couldn't deny that he also influenced the generations that came before him… even his father had become a musclehead who tended to solve things in a very roundabout way. Regardless, their plan failed since it looked like those three realized their intentions since father and son kept throwing glances at them.

After several days of thorough exploration conducted by the teams across the globe, their efforts showed only modest results. The teams, although diligent in their search, discovered relics that lacked the sentience observed in the relics with the spirits.

The absence of relics possessing the level of consciousness displayed by Rain's group was notable, leaving the leaders puzzled and dissatisfied with the progress.

Moreover, the absence of any signs of dragons raised more concerns. While the ice dragons had wreaked havoc and devastation, it seemed hard to believe that they had eradicated all other dragon species. The mystery deepened as the teams failed to uncover traces of dragons, leaving the leaders perplexed about the fate of these creatures.

The lack of substantial findings prompted another meeting among the group of leaders. The atmosphere was tinged with frustration and a shared sense of urgency as they considered the unsettling notion that some dragons might have escaped the initial attacks. The possibility that these dragons had fled the planet became a topic of serious consideration.

In light of this speculation, the leaders thought about the idea of exploring the underworld a bit sooner. The possibility that dragons might have sought refuge or established a presence in the hidden realms beyond the Earth raised a new set of challenges for the exploration teams. The underworld, a realm shrouded in mystery and potential dangers, became the focus of the next phase of their mission.

"How are the conditions there?" Esmeralda asked.

"I only stayed there for a few days, so I didn't explore the whole place, but there is no wind, water, food, light, or anything that can help us," Rain said. "Also, the mana levels there are almost nonexistent, so some people might find being there very uncomfortable."

As Rain delved deeper into his thought of the underworld's harsh conditions, a hypothesis formed in his mind, connecting the depletion of mana with the intricate workings of the system that governed their world. He couldn't help but draw parallels between the scarcity of mana in the underworld and the system's possible utilization of the mana left behind by the first dragons.

In his mind, Rain considered the notion that the system might have initiated the creation of the barrier separating the layers, employing the residual mana from the ancient dragons. It was a process that continued until every last drop of mana had been exhausted, leaving the underworld in a state of near-complete deprivation.

Moreover, Rain thought about the possibility that the system utilized this mana not only for the creation of barriers but also for the birth of new species above the underworld. The evolution of these species, in turn, contributed to the perpetuation of the system's existence.

Considering the connection between dragons and the evolution of certain humans through the infusion of dragon blood, Rain surmised that the system could have utilized the knowledge and experiences of these ancient beings. It could have drawn upon this wealth of information to shape an environment where these evolved humans and perhaps other species could flourish.

These became humans were, of course, the magic people, the beast people, and the sea folk.

"I guess it is hard to understand why the system still recreated humans… if it actually did," Larisa said. "Still, given that it allows the natural birth of demi-humans, perhaps it isn't that hard to believe it."

"The sea folk will have a hard time staying there, right?" Regis asked. "In that case…"

"We can create our own water to maintain our perfect conditions," Sealyn said. "We also want to go there and see things by ourselves."

As Rain's daughter, Sealyn wanted to trust her father, but as the sea empress, she had to put aside her bias for the sake of her people. She didn't become a ruler of her people so that her family connections would get in the way of her rule… Rain felt like sighing when he realized that, but he kept his poker face.

"I suppose that is the best. The three main groups here should choose ten or so people to check things there," Regis said. "The issue will be communications, we don't have any idea where to look for the sixth relic, am I right?"

"Yes," Rain said. "Still, given how much power a relic has, in an environment without mana, such a thing will stand out like a sore thumb."

"I already improved the communication relic," Liss said. "It should work for longer distances, but I can't say if it can ignore the layer."