Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 1287: Surrounded

Putting aside those types of worries, it was also obvious that any kid shouldn’t be raised in a hellish landscape like that zone. That was why Rain wanted to defeat all the enemies as soon as possible... with that in mind, Rain focused for two days straight on making everyone unlock the Envious Arachnid path. As soon as Van arrived, Rain also made him undergo spartan training to unlock that path...

Aside from his fatherly protective instincts, Rain couldn’t say that he hated Van, but that wasn’t enough reason for him not to be harsh on him. It was difficult for Rain to relinquish his duties as a father to protect Sealyn, but she soon will have her own family as well, and Van was supposed to do everything to protect Sealyn and their child when the necessity arose.

"Are you not mad that I hid this from you?" Van asked.

"No, Sealyn hid that as well, after all," Rain said. "That being said, I won’t be gentle with you until I know for a fact that you will do your best to protect those two and that you have the strength to do so without dying either, no matter the type of opponents that you will face."

"Isn’t that a bit unreasonable when even you can’t guarantee the same?" Van asked.

"Oh, already picking a fight with your father-in-law? You have balls of steel, if anything... do you want them to be crushed by my kick?" Rain asked. "... While I can’t guarantee that either, I know for a fact that I will go down first before any harm falls on my family. Until you show the same resolve, you are below me in that aspect and in all others."

Van, facing Rain’s stern and uncompromising demeanor, didn’t doubt the validity of Rain’s words. Rain was a living legend, a figure who had faced insurmountable odds and emerged victorious. The man who even defied death after being crushed by a meteor showcased a level of stubborn resilience that seemed beyond mortal limits.

In the face of such a living legend, Van recognized the futility of challenging Rain’s expectations with mere words. He understood that expressing his intentions alone wouldn’t be enough; actions would be the true testament to his commitment and determination. Van chose to remain silent, absorbing Rain’s stern guidance, and resolved to let his actions speak louder than any words he could muster.

The unspoken understanding between them resonated through the air, acknowledging the weight of responsibility that came with protecting Sealyn and their unborn child. Van recognized that proving his resolve through actions was the only path forward in earning Rain’s trust and meeting the expectations set before him.

As such, he showed that resolve by unlocking the path in less than six hours when the others took two days to do so... Rain studied Van seriously while thinking of what he should say, but Elisabetha stopped him.

"I can see, you know, saying something like you won’t approve of him despite that... you will be sounding more like a mother-in-law by doing that," Elisabetha said.

"You have a point," Rain said and then sighed. "You can go and join the others to learn the other paths... keep up the good work."

"Okay?" Van frowned.

Rain’s words didn’t match with his tone, so Van felt a bit confused. In any case, it seemed like a good time to unlock the other paths that they had, but soon Rain heard someone shouting in the distance... it was Annie. He decided to use Telepathy while he kept his part of the wall guarded.

"What is wrong?" Rain asked.

"They are coming... the yellow mist clan," Annie said. "They are approaching this side of the wall. freewebnσvel.cѳm

Rain began to fly using wind magic, and soon he saw the yellow mist coming from the direction that Annie was guarding... it took them long enough to make their move. According to Arel, they didn’t have many people, but they were indeed a tribe of living beings instead of summoned monsters being controlled by a lord.

"I have some more bad news... more enemies are approaching from the other side," Arel said.

Rain immediately looked toward the north and south, and soon, he found a group of cloaked enemies coming from the south. The arcanists were in that direction, and that timing was too suspicious... it definitely wasn’t a coincidence, and the surprises didn’t end there.

Coming from the north, Rain could see an army approaching in the distance... an army of relatively tall foes. Rain turned around and soon saw another group as well. The two new groups approaching from the north and south revealed themselves as the dark trolls and the mechanical knights. Rain had consulted Arel for some information he had on these enemies before.

The trolls were infamous for their regenerative abilities, known to rapidly heal from wounds. However, the trolls weren’t the only ones to worry about; the dark trolls’ mutated counterparts, the dark trolls, were even more troublesome. Their bodies were infused with corrupt energy, granting them enhanced resilience and the ability to regenerate entire limbs in a matter of seconds.

As for the mechanical knights, they were colossal creatures standing at ten meters tall. Their bodies were not composed of flesh and bones but rather a combination of magical power, armor, and intricate runes that kept them functioning like living beings. This made them challenging opponents, as they lacked the vulnerabilities associated with living creatures.

Rain took a moment to process the information, realizing that the situation had become more complicated than expected. The yellow mist clan approaching from one side, the dark trolls and mechanical knights from the other, and the approaching threat of the arcanists in the south presented a multi-front challenge that required careful planning and strategic thinking.

"Assume your positions as we had discussed before and focus on defending the base while decreasing their numbers," Rain said while using Telepathy. "This was within our expectations..."