Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

As one would expect, the monsters that Rain found along the way died with a single punch in their heads. While betting half of his mana, Rain also gained a lot of theirs alongside experience as well. "Hmm… maybe I should use some of the mana to level up Tame and control some monsters and make them fight for me here," Rain thought when he finished the first group of monsters that he found. "I gained a lot more mana than I expected, I can't use it all on that asshole… I can also max out the skills of the magic paths, but this experiment can be worth the hassle." Tame, despite being only at level ten, showcased its potential due to Rain's exceptional dexterity and considerable magical prowess. With these abilities, Rain could successfully tame relatively smaller creatures such as Frost Slimes. However, maintaining control over these tamed creatures required a constant drain on Rain's mana reserves. Hence, focusing on leveling up the Tame skill further became important as it would reduce the mana consumption and potentially allow Rain to tame more potent or numerous creatures without exhausting his magical energy too quickly. As usual, he was obsessed with efficiency. In the end, to make things easier, Rain decided to bring ten ice slimes to a fire dungeon and then let them play around there for a while at the entrance, soon Rain found the results, even though he didn't stay behind to confirm it. The skill Tame received 50 experience points. The skill Tame received 50 experience points. The skill Tame received 50 experience points. … "This is very nice… I really need to treat my training like a real business," Rain thought. "I have to automate the process as much as possible and only deal with the big guns myself." It would have been nice if Rain could use Mortal Bet alongside those tamed monsters, but he decided not to get carried away with his greed. The contentment path was still far away from him and he didn't want to make the journey toward it longer. Regardless, it didn't take long for Rain to realize that the number of monsters he found along the way was quite high… he had to hide the bodies as well, so he was wasting a lot of time. Before long, Rain learned the reason why… there were other dungeons in that territory aside from the initial four. That was a good thing, thought… more places for tamed monsters to fight, but soon he realized that he could only tame the same amount of monsters at the level of the skill. "I shouldn't be surprised, but… I should take it easy and let two groups hunt here and then dash toward grandpa and grandma," Rain thought. Rain also used some mana on the shield and armor as well, but he didn't notice any difference… when he reached the other side of the continent two days later, he found Nigel frowning. It seemed that he had a few things to say, but he didn't have the balls to complain. "I can tell that the process is working, you don't have to worry about it," Larisa said. "I can't see that, his shadow is the same as ever," Rain said. "To completely purify him, your energy needs to be equal to the amount of Power he received from the dragons, so that will take a while," Larisa explained. Rain nodded since it made sense… but he also thought that perhaps there was another way to help with that. It was also a bit weird that Nigel didn't seem to mind that process at all. Considering his behavior, it felt obvious that he would like to have half of his body like that. Maybe the fear of the woman in the darkness helped him with that. As Rain ventured forward, checking the surroundings for any indication of the dragon capital's presence, he realized that detecting it wouldn't be an easy task. In environments like snowstorms or blizzards, finding something in the air, even if invisible, could be possible as snowflakes tend to accumulate on objects, providing a clue to their existence. However, locating an invisible floating fortress in such adverse conditions remained a daunting challenge, demanding keen observation and perhaps a stroke of luck. "I have to find a better solution for this problem… but first, let's talk with Grandpa and Grandma," Rain thought. "They might give me some insights about that, and perhaps they noticed something weird in the sky at some point." Upon reaching the ocean, Rain realized he didn't have to stop to engage in battles or bury the monsters he encountered. Instead, he kept moving, and after half a day of travel, he found their base. To his surprise, the place had undergone significant changes within the last three months. The base was bustling with activity and vitality. People were actively engaged in various tasks, such as working on food supplies, enhancing the relics they utilized, and remaining vigilant for any approaching enemies. This transformation indicated a marked improvement in the community's capabilities and preparations for potential threats. The atmosphere was filled with energy and determination as everyone contributed to fortifying their defenses and strengthening their resources. In the end, Rain found his grandparents rather fast, they were talking with a large group of people with serious expressions on their faces. It seemed that trouble had arrived a bit earlier than Rain. "Rain?" Meiro said and then blinked several times when he saw Rain. "I didn't expect to find you so soon." "A lot of things have happened since the last time I was here, but we can talk about that later," Rain said. "Did something happen?" "It will, probably…" Luana said. "A few days ago, we saw a large pack of ice Dragons heading further south, and that never happened before. We can only imagine that they are about to bring trouble. Everyone here is worried thanks to that, but we are working hard to fortify our defenses."