Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Chapter 722 For the best

Terra, being a superior healer compared to Rain, understood the significance of compassionate and supportive training, prioritizing harmony and encouragement over competitiveness.

In contrast, Rain might have a different approach, possibly encouraging a more competitive or rigorous training method between his children. His emphasis on strength and resilience in training might sometimes lead to an unintended consequence, where Danny, being the older sibling, might feel an implicit pressure to perform better than Annie.

This discrepancy in training advice and approach from their parents could cause confusion for the children, as they receive mixed messages about how to train and compete with each other.

As one would expect, the kids took a while to try harder. Annie started giving her all first since she realized that with their strength being at the same level, she didn't have to worry about causing much damage.

"Terra taught them how to fight by focusing on palm strikes and by focusing on defense, so it is hard for them to land troublesome hits," Rain said while watching his kids. "It seems that Annie is good at stepping in and attacking while Danny is the inverse… but he does that nervously and sometimes misses the blocks."

Before long, Annie was able to land some hits on Danny by repelling his guard to the side… defending can be quite painful and Rain knew that well. In any case, he understood the issues with his kids.

"All right, I get it," Rain said. "Let me heal your hands a bit and then you can start again. Annie can do the same as usual, but Danny should move your left leg forward a bit more."

"... Why only Danny is getting tips?" Annie asked while pouting.

"Ahahahah." Rain laughed loudly. "I will give you some as well if you have a hard time dealing with him after this. Don't worry. My goal here is just too make you two improve."

"..." Annie kept pouting in silence.

After recovering a bit, they began to spar again and soon Annie found some trouble… since Danny leg was on the way, she didn't have the chance to attack as much as possible and Danny had the chance to look for some chances to hit back. Annie wasn't used to defending at all, so the pain she felt really annoyed her.

"Keep your eyes open and try to grab his fists when he attacks and then pull him in to break his balance," Rain said.

Rain experienced an unusual sense of calm and contentment when teaching his children. This feeling was unfamiliar to him because he hadn't often had the opportunity to engage in such activities with his kids. Despite the infrequency of these moments, Rain found an unexpected sense of fulfillment and satisfaction while guiding and instructing his children.

The joy he felt while teaching them might have stemmed from the fact that, as a leader in various battles and conflicts, his duties rarely allowed for personal, nurturing interactions. Rain realized that these teaching moments provided him with a chance to connect with his children in a way that felt deeply rewarding and meaningful.

It brought a sense of warmth and joy that he might not have experienced in a long time.

In the end, things went like that for a while, one would have the upperhand at a moment and then they would have it. Still, Annie struggled the least when compared with Danny… she was calm, and she had a bit more confidence in her skills, so she didn't worry about hurting Danny and he was constantly worried about that.

"You guys can train like this from now on, and use your head more often as well, but one of us has to be nearby," Rain said. "Don't try too hard when we are not around."

"Yes!" Danny and Annie said in unison.

"It is time to take a bath before dinner… time sure flew in the blink of an eye," Rain said when he saw the sun setting.

Danny and Annie went to the bathroom and Rain went to help them, but a powerful grip on his shoulders stopped him. He also could feel the anger of a wife, it was compared to the bloodlust of the dragons, minus the bloodlust.

"Go ahead." Rain said. "I lived a long and fulfilling life."

"Why did you make them train harder like that?" Terra asked. "They are too young for it. Besides, if one is better than the other, this will become more obvious and that will hurt the feelings of the other."

"Even if they are boy and girl, they will eventually be compared to each other, rather than letting troublesome feelings get on their way, it is better for them to learn how to deal with them as soon as possible," Rain explained. "Still, I can understand where you are coming from. It is only natural for a mother to want to protect her children from all harm.

But I am not a mother, and I am their father. I can only raise them to deal with such a things since I can't protect them from everything and all the time. The only thing I can really do is teach them how not to let obstacles stop them for long and not let the falls define them. What should define them is how fast they can get up."

Terra wasn't surprised that Rain thought things through… when it comes to his children, he pretty had them in mind all the time. His training methods could be a bit harsh for them, but at least they definitely would prepare them effectively for their own adult lives.

Still, now that he thought about it… time sure flies, his kids were only born a while ago and they were already five and Rain was almost twenty two years old…

"Thinking about it makes me depressed… but I can't keep acting and thinking that they will be under my wings forever," Rain thought. "This is for the best."