Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Chapter 708 Relics

As Rain stepped outside, his eyes fell upon the first group he encountered—his father's. Despite the evident signs of exhaustion and wounds, the warriors were sprinting with remarkable speed. Some members of the group carried their injured comrades from the battlefield. Roan, Dana, Kei, and Gila kept a vigilant watch over the group, but Rain couldn't spot his mother and grandparents among them.

The urgency and determination in their movements hinted at the severity of the situation, igniting a sense of concern in Rain's heart…

Although they arrived a bit sooner, Rain couldn't see them being chased by any dragons… it would be troublesome if the monsters decided to attack some town or village along the way, even though that would give them time to prepare more.

"... It seems that you guys had one hell of a battle here…" Roan said when he found Rain. "Sorry for not being able to buy more time."

"Considering your behavior, I take that more, and everyone else is fine," Rain said.

"We had to split when we decided to slow down the dragons. They used the underground tunnels to go to the port town," Roan explained.

"You look a bit different, big bro," Dana said. "Your aura is quite… wild?"

"... It must be because I killed a bunch of the dragons," Rain said.

Rain considered the idea that his aura might have changed. Despite not allowing much dragon blood to fall on him directly, the sheer experience gained from battling and slaying these corrupted creatures could potentially influence his own powers.

The twisted nature of the dragons and their corrupted abilities might leave an imprint on Rain, altering his aura and capabilities in ways he hadn't anticipated. The thought lingered in his mind, prompting him to ponder about the future potential changes that it might happen as well.

"You guys and your troops can rest until mid-afternoon or perhaps more if the dragons take their time," Rain said. "You all look like you could need a good bed and some warm food."

"I hope that the soup made of these dragons is good enough. I feel like hitting a piping hot spicy soup," Gila said. "Did you cook it?"

"No, I didn't have the time…" Rain forced a smile.

Gila's shoulders dropped… it was amazing how Rain's food could lift one's spirit. In any case, Rain soon went to confirm the other side, but Asche and Liss only arrived one hour later… alongside them, Rain could see some fire dragons flying in the air, but soon they retreated for a bit and joined the others. Their instincts were truly good… Rain was ready to kill them all.

"How do you plan on killing them without my help?"

"Perhaps I should let them eat you; I am sure you will make them feel like their asses are on fire," Rain said.

"How can you be so rude to someone who helped you so many times?"

"By helping, you mean whispering nonsense in my ear?" Rain asked. "Your help is as much wanted as a very annoying stomach ache."

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"Why are you mumbling to yourself?" Asche asked.

"It is nothing… you don't look very tired, and your troops look better than Father's," Rain said.

As Rain surveyed the troops that had just arrived, he noticed that Asche and Liss's troops seemed surprisingly composed. Despite the intensity of the recent conflict, their forces appeared less exhausted, and the losses seemed minimal. It hinted at their ability to potentially engage in another battle without a prolonged period of recovery.

The resilience of their troops and the effectiveness of their strategies were evident, contrasting with the weariness evident in other groups… or maybe they had another reason for that.

"Because of this… this bow is amazing, you know," Asche said while grinning. "When I have money with me or gems, the arrows that I fire become insanely powerful… they make my money disappear, though. Thanks to that, I am broke, but I was able to repel the dragons when they got too close."

Rain couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in confusion. The idea that a magic bow could consume money and gems to enhance the power of its arrows sounded very weird. The connection between financial resources and the efficacy of magical projectiles seemed illogical to him.

It was a notion that challenged conventional understanding, leaving Rain questioning the mechanics behind such an unusual enchantment.

"You should at least try to pretend that you were gratefully for my buffs," Liss said. "Still, I can't deny that this bow is insane."

"... Do you feel weird when you use the bow? Or do you hear anything?" Rain asked.

"I feel broke after using it… why are you asking me if the bow can talk?" Asche frowned.

As Rain explained the properties of the shield, carefully omitting the ability that it could talk, Asche and Liss couldn't help but draw parallels between the shield and the magic bow. The similarities in power and utility intrigued them, creating a sense of curiosity and wonder.

The notion that two seemingly unrelated relics shared very weird traits sparked discussions among the group, with some speculating about the potential connections and mysteries underlying these magical artifacts.

"I don't feel anything when I use it," Asche said.

Rain imagined that if the bow was like the shield, the spirit inside it wasn't like the shield and just wanted money instead of revenge against the dragons… either way, things were getting weird with those relics.

"I think you guys should defend the other side since they have more flying enemies," Rain said. "Maybe we should ask Branden for some money for you to use."

"I tried that, but I can only use my own money, no borrowed stuff or anything like that," Asche said.

"We will have to study this bow later. Go eat something before the fight starts," Rain said. "We will fight together soon enough. Perhaps you shouldn't eat too much since the sight around will only get worse."