Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Rain's family and friends couldn't help but feel a slight unease when they realized that Rain had misled them about the supposed retreat, leading to an hour of futile negotiations. They exchanged glances that conveyed a mix of annoyance and concern, and in the back of their minds, they wondered why Rain had resorted to such tactics.

However, their trust in him and their knowledge of his unwavering dedication to their safety helped them understand the reasoning behind his deception.

They knew that Rain had a greater plan in motion, one that required strategic thinking and unorthodox approaches. While the wasted hour was frustrating, they believed that it was a small sacrifice in the grander scheme of things, and they prepared to support Rain in whatever bold course of action he intended to pursue.

"We are going to fight again… but how are we going to do that when the enemy forces increased, and we still have to deal with the barriers?" Terra asked after she crossed her arms. "How are we going to avoid the same thing happening again?"

"What about all the others who are currently being controlled?" Liss asked. "You want them to recover the same way as you?"

"That would be a bit too much," Rain said. "Even for my standards. In any case, right now, the sea emperor and the others are outside the barrier, so this is our Golden chance."

"You should at least explain what you have in mind to the sea folk, they are about to leave already," Branden said while looking beyond Rain.

"True, we will need their help to free the others, after all," Rain said and then turned around before using Impulse toward the magic people.

Seara and the other sea folk were utterly flabbergasted when they witnessed Rain making a swift and seemingly miraculous recovery. It was as if he had harnessed the power to reverse the flow of time, defying the laws of nature and medicine. Their faces registered a mix of astonishment and disbelief, their eyes widening in sheer shock.

To them, Rain's resurgence defied explanation and logic. They had seen him in a dire state, and now, he stood before them, vital and reinvigorated. It was a sight that left them speechless, struggling to comprehend the extraordinary turn of events that had unfolded before their eyes.

"Sorry for my delay," Rain said. "If you guys want to save the sea emperor and the others, you will need to listen to this."

— —

The sun was starting to set when the king decided to stop the sea emperor and the others from keeping chasing the magic people. Thousands of them died in a couple of hours, and that was more than satisfactory for the first day… he also learned how to make the puppets use their magic, so they achieved all of their goals, and they only had to sacrifice fifteen thousand human soldiers.

That seemed a more than worthy trade-off for the king and Joanis.

Still, when he gave them the order to retreat… A sudden and intense earthquake jolted everyone in the human camp, catching them by surprise. The ground shook violently, causing tents to fall apart in all sides and people to stumble and panic.

As if the earthquake weren't enough, an even more ominous threat approached on the eastern horizon. A colossal tsunami, massive and menacing, surged toward the camp from the east, swallowing everything in its path. The wave was a towering twenty meters high, an imposing wall of water that moved with relentless force.

It crashed over the camp, inundating the area and turning it into a vast, ten-meter-deep expanse of water.

Despite the overwhelming spectacle and chaos, the humans knew that their protective anti-magic barrier would shield them from the worst of the devastation. As the tsunami engulfed the area, the barrier stood strong, fending off the surging waters and allowing the camp to remain unscathed.

"The sea emperor underlings are plotting something, Your Majesty," Joanis said. "We could use all of this water to hurt the magic people further."

"That is an excellent idea," The king showed a tired but excited smile. "This will be a good way to end this glorious day."

It didn't take long for the massive wave to reach the sea emperor and the others who were under the king's control. The sea emperor raised his spear and immediately stopped the waves from reaching them… they turned to the sides and moved in the magic people's direction, but even from a distance, the king was able to see that the water surrounded the group instead.

The sea emperor created a barrier that prevented the waters from reaching them, but he was only stopping the waters… in the end, the people behind him still began to be pulled toward the waters one at a time.

"I am losing control over some of them…" The king said while frowning. "What is the meaning of…"

The king's thoughts ended right there because he saw something in the corner of his vision… when Joanis looked in the same direction, words couldn't describe the shock in their expressions… They found Rain skiing in the waters, using his ice magic and showing both of his middle fingers at them.

"How?! How?!" The king got up and then slammed his fist on the ground. "How is that little peasant still alive? Wasn't he almost dead one hour ago? Explain this right now, Joanis! Now."

The king was expecting some explanations from Joanis, but he looked astonished and surprised. He couldn't think of a single explanation for that… their plan was perfect. Not even the dragons would be able to escape from their trap!

"Joanis! Answer me!" The king roared.

"... Calm down, your Majesty," Joanis said while showing an annoyed expression. "Even if he is completely fine, which is most likely impossible, he still is a single boy. He can't defeat the sea emperor… use him this time to kill the boy. Don't fail again."