Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 1548: The Raging Phoenix

"Those are some pretty harsh accusations. What do you have to say in your defense, overseer?" Rain asked. "We will hear you; you won’t be considered guilty until proven innocent."

It should have been clear that the overseer was watching them, but he didn’t say anything, either out of caution about being found out or because his real wasn’t truly complete. For that to be the case, either Rain or the dragon god had to die. Only the victor would be the creation that he had been wishing for... or perhaps not.

"You should take his silence as consent," The dragon god said.

"That is very convenient for you to say it," Rain said.

"With all that in mind, I have a proposal for you," The dragon god said.

"I have to refuse, I don’t swing that way, and I am happily married with two hot milfs," Rain said. "Now, let’s punch each other to death."

"... This is your golden chance to live the life that you always wanted. With respect for your accomplishments, I believe that you deserve this," the dragon god said with a serious expression. "Relinquish your Powers to me, and I guarantee you that you will live a peaceful life with your family and friends. My ultimate goal is to become completely free from the overseer, and because he used my soul for his experiments, I don’t want anything else."

As Rain listened to the words of the dragon god, a sense of familiarity washed over him. These were the ideals he had pursued tirelessly for thousands of years. Despite their past conflicts, Rain couldn’t deny the truth in the dragon god’s words.

The dragon god’s actions spoke volumes, having had numerous opportunities to seize control of Earth yet refraining from doing so. This restraint validated the sincerity of his intentions and added weight to his words. Rain couldn’t help but acknowledge the shared goal they both pursued, spanning millennia of history and conflict.

However, even if his words were true, things weren’t that simple... even if his actions had the single goal of getting rid of the overseer and stopping his schemes, that didn’t make his actions one hundred percent justified.

"... I might consider your offer if you return the other relics. I know that you have them," Rain said.

"... Ah, this is a problem. They have been useful to me, and since I recovered them from the machine gods, I have the right to keep them," The dragon god said.

The remaining relics were the shield of Athena, the spear of Ares, the mirror of Aphrodite, the boots of Hermes, and the thyrsus of Dionysus. Truth to be told, Rain didn’t have any need for them, he couldn’t even recall the names of the spirits sealed in them. However, those guys had been working hard for long, far too long, and Rain believed that they deserved a rest. They wouldn’t have it as long as they stayed with a dragon.

"You want me to compromise, but you aren’t willing to do that yourself?" Rain asked while furrowing his eyebrows. "That is kind of hypocritical, don’t you think?"

"Ask for anything else, and you will have it; you can even ask for more as long as you give me the other relics," The dragon god said. "They are powerful relics and they have the knowledge and experience from a period that the current Earth doesn’t need to have. Eventually, the current generation from Earth will disappear and it will be better if they don’t stay there."

"For someone who claims to have a single goal, you sure demand a lot, and you also think that you can decide for the others what is good for them, huh? Bruh..." Rain said while furrowing his eyebrows.

"... You aren’t planning to make this easier for me, huh?" The dragon god asked.

"You are the one who is asking a lot without giving anything concrete back," Rain shrugged. "It is like you are saying: give me your freedom and your potential to protect yourself for free. It is for your own good... do you understand how that sounds?"

"... It looks like you were right, we won’t be able to see eye to eye," The dragon god said.

"That was obvious from the beginning," Rain shrugged. "One hundred years ago, you made the dragons start another war against me and my friends. I lost some of them during the war, and you tried to kill my family and friends. From that very moment, your sentence has already been decided."

As Rain stood on the battlefield, his body battered and broken from the previous battle, a sudden surge of energy coursed through him. It was as if time itself began to rewind, undoing the damage inflicted upon him by the final strike of the battle.

With each passing moment, Rain’s wounds began to heal at an astonishing rate. Flesh knitted together, bones realigned, and bruises faded away as if they had never been. The regeneration was swift and thorough, erasing any trace of the devastating attack that had left him on the brink of defeat.

With his body restored, Rain stood once more, a clear demonstration of resilience and determination amidst that planet. He truly looked like a raging phoenix...

"I have all the power of the aspects, and their skills are completely maxed out; I have thousands of years more experience than you," the dragon god declared as his body began to take the shape of the Hydra again. "Do you seriously think that you stand a chance against me?"

"Actions speak louder than words," Rain said and then used his technique which had evolved from Limit Breaker to Limitless Breaker.

As Rain’s body underwent the transformation, an extraordinary change crossed through his flesh. His skin, once ordinary, began to shimmer with a metallic gleam as if it were being infused with liquid silver. The transformation was surprising to see, as his entire form seemed to shift and flow like molten metal...