Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Chapter 638 Greedy vow

An unknown skill leveled up.

An unknown path leveled up.

An unknown skill leveled up.

An unknown path leveled up.

…

Rain's mind was clear and serene… dark desires and endless anger weren't affecting him and yet, he clearly received the notifications like he was using a skill similar to the corrupted skills of the dragons.

Name: Rainendall

Level: 239 (19.000/23.900)

Current Path: Frost King's Path (Lv 35 (2050/3500)

Health: 23.330/24.570

Mana: 79.960/79.960

Stamina: 24.490/25.730

Strength: 2256 + 40

Dexterity: 2596 + 40

Intelligence: 7874 + 40

Vitality: 2412 + 40

Wisdom: 5992 + 40

Endurance: 2490 + 40

Luck: 556 + 40

Free Points: 70

Rain checked his parameters and confirmed that the skill was working… his greed to obtain everything necessary to protect his kids was affecting the system.

"I guess greed can't be always bad…" Rain thought.

Rain realized the importance of desire in a living being's survival. He recalled an experiment he had heard about where scientists worked with rats. In this experiment, the scientists tried to control the rats' hormones related to desire. The results were quite astonishing and served as a stark reminder of the fundamental role desire plays in an individual's life.

When the scientists tampered with the rats' hormonal balance related to desire, the rats lost their will to even eat food. It wasn't necessarily a matter of laziness, but rather the loss of the basic drive to want anything. As a result, the rats perished because they couldn't even summon the desire to eat food.

Rain understood from this experiment that a healthy, balanced life required desire. Without desire, living beings would struggle to find motivation, experience happiness, or achieve their goals. He realized that the key to a fulfilling life lay in maintaining a harmonious balance between various desires, as they provided the driving force for one's existence.

"Well then… let's see how I can level up this technique," Rain thought. "I can't check the skill since I haven't unlocked this path yet, but it seems that I can ten points in all parameters multiplied by the level of the technique and the number of people that I can die for?"

It was similar to Seal, but soon Rain confirmed the limitations of the skills. It could only work when he vowed to protect someone with his life, so he couldn't become infinitely stronger just by being close to the members of the raging phoenix. He wanted them to survive, but he wouldn't die for them…

At the same time, the skill had a limited range. Around one hundred meters multiplied by the level of the skill. It reached level five when he did the same to Sealyn, Seara, and Terra. At the same time, the level of the skill marked how much the bonuses in parameters would be, and the higher the level, the more Rain felt a certain urge inside him to do everything in his power to achieve his vow.

"It isn't a corrupted skill… but it doesn't come without limitations," Rain thought. "Still, this will come in handy. The guys on the squads work with each other for a while and we made them train enough to see each other like brothers… they will become quite strong if they can have at least ten people that they vow to protect with their lives."

Before leaving to work on the tunnel, Rain explained to his wives what he had just done and learned and they looked at each other in confusion.

"... What will happen if you fail to do that?" Terra asked. "Not like I am being overly pessimistic here… but if this is just like Seal, what will happen? You will just lose some levels on the skills or are you going to suffer some sort of drawback."

"I am also worried that you will become an even worse workaholic if you vow to protect one hundred people," Seara frowned.

"Well, it shouldn't much of a drawback since I will probably die first before anything happen to you guys," Rain shrugged. "So, don't worry about it."

Rain decided to name this technique the "Greedy Vow." The term was fitting, as this magical ritual bound people to certain actions or responsibilities in exchange for power. It was a pact that required a profound level of commitment, and Rain was driven to work harder than ever. He understood the gravity of the vow and the immense burden it placed on him.

In this unique pact, if he failed to protect those he had vowed to safeguard, the consequences would be very dire. The strength of his determination would be tested to its limits. Failure might even drive him to madness, as only an unwavering resolve could fuel the magic of the Greedy Vow.

Rain recognized that the stakes were high, but he was prepared to embrace the challenge and deepen his connection with this newfound source of power.

"All this much is only natural, given that I basically got ten percent stronger on a single evening… power always with a price, after all," Rain thought. "Still, this might be hard to pull off… Also, I can't understand how this is connected to water magic."

Maybe it wasn't since the kraken dragons technique was different… then again, how their technique worked with water? Rain had no idea and while he didn't need to know to learn it, he needed to know in order to counter completely.

"I am going to work on the tunnel, if things go well, I should be able to finish it in one week, even though I can only work at night," Rain said.

"Your powers are starting to make a lot less sense than usual," Terra said. "Do you know what you will have to do in order to make the travel time decrease?"

"One problem at a time," Rain said. "Let me celebrate this big victory first. A double massage will be good enough."

In the end, Terra and Seara punched Rain in the stomach…