Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

As Rain straightened his broken nose, healed it, and regained his composure, Seara took the lead, guiding him toward Seadrei's location within the sea folk's camp. During their walk, she provided insight into Seadrei's transformation, explaining that he had relinquished his right to the throne, opting instead to embrace the role of a military leader and strategist. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire

Seara explained that Seadrei's decision to step away from the throne was a conscious choice to prioritize his expertise in leading and commanding the sea folk in battle. Despite Sealyn's commendable skills in melee combat, Seadrei's extensive experience and prowess made him a superior fighter in that aspect.

His mastery of combat techniques and battle strategy surpassed others, establishing him as a formidable force on the battlefield… one that was similar to Rain's.

However, despite Seadrei's martial prowess, there was no upheaval or resistance within the sea folk regarding Sealyn's ascension to the position of sea empress. Seara said that Sealyn's proficiency in magic rivaled Seadrei's own prowess when he wielded his signature weapon, the emperor's spear, which was now the Empress Spear.

Sealyn's exceptional magical abilities and understanding of water magic allowed her to stand on equal ground with Seadrei, earning her acceptance and recognition among their people as the sea empress.

"I raised her well," Rain said while nodding several times.

"You only spoiled her," Seara said, and decided to stop there because saying anything else would only make Rain feel depressed.

They found a large tent where they found Seadrei and the three musketeers with them. They were Seadir, Coraline and Sirenus. Seadrei had heard of the news, so he wasn't that surprised… they stopped writing something on a map on a table and they looked at Rain.

"Trying to act like you were working when you were just procrastinating a few minutes ago?" Rain asked.

"... He is joking, don't take it too seriously," Seara said. "He is the real deal."

As Rain stood amidst the gloomy backdrop of that place grim-darkness, he couldn't resist donning the hat of a comedic philosopher. It was time to make good use of the Jokester path.

"Ah, dear unenlightened masses! Fear not the shadowy abyss that shrouds our existence, for behold, I bring forth the mighty weapon of jokes and nonsense!" Rain said. "In this realm of perpetually furrowed brows and brooding silhouettes, I shall be the shining beacon of banter, the maestro of mirth, and the juggler of jokes!

Lo and behold, for I shall tickle the funny bones of the most hardened souls and enlighten the land with laughter. And so, dear friends, let us march forth not with swords and shields but armed with punchlines and puns! For in this world of perpetual gloom, it's high time to shed some light with some laughs and cringe, don't you think?"

Seara sighed and then put her hands on Rain's cheek before headbutting his nose again. She was a bit short, so she had to jump a little to reach him. While the pain in the nose made him feel like crying, Rain also laughed a little thanks to that.

"You had my curiosity, but you now have my silence," Rain said.

"How did you find us?" Seadrei asked.

"Long story short, I headed south nonstop," Rain said.

"It took several months to cross that massive ocean, but I suppose you didn't have to be careful since most of the dragons are here," Seadrei said. "I can tell that you are dissatisfied, but you can't say anything when we did our best."

"That is completely right. I can't say a thing, but I break some of your teeth for letting my family split up like this," Rain said. "I believe that you owed me at least that much."

"You are completely right, I can't say anything in my defense," Seadrei nodded.

"All right then… show me your teeth," Rain said.

"We don't have time to solve things with our fists here," Seara said. "We need to get rid of the water dragons because the others must be doing something in secret."

As Rain wondered through many matters, he didn't contemplate the activities of the other dragons. It took him a while to notice an oddity that slipped through his observations: the area surrounding the demi-humans territory remained oddly untouched by the massive snowstorm.

His realization struck him like a bolt. Amidst the chaotic landscape and tumultuous events, the absence of the snowstorm's grip around the demi-humans vicinity stood out as an anomaly. It puzzled Rain, prompting him to question why this particular area had been spared from the ferocity of the storm that had engulfed much of the surroundings.

"That is indeed suspicious… are the water dragons keeping the largest force here busy?" Rain asked.

"Yes… that is what we are thinking right now," Seadir said after he crossed his arms.

"I see, I see… have fun thinking about that," Rain said. "I will wait until I can break your jaw at a more suited time. When am I going to see Sealyn?"

"... Why did you come here again?" Seadir frowned.

"For my family, why else?" Rain shrugged. "I already tried to achieve too much before, and I failed. Now I am going to start over by making sure that my family will be well no matter what and that no one will split them. No offense. Voluntarily or involuntarily."

The sudden realization dawned on those around Rain when they realized his disinterest in their ongoing war efforts. Shock rippled through their expressions, evident in the furrowed brows, and widened eyes.

Despite Rain no longer standing leagues above everyone else in terms of power, the lingering belief in his potential as a formidable asset was stillamong them. They had assumed that his return would bring a shift in their favor, a reinforcement that could tip the scales of their conflict. However, to their surprise, Rain's priorities were starkly different.

For Rain, his main concern lay in securing his family's safety and well-being. This revelation didn't resonate well with those who had expected his involvement in their larger-scale conflicts…