Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Rain experienced a growing sense of unease as he noticed the shift in the dynamics surrounding his return. The people he held closest seemed noticeably on edge, their demeanor reflecting a stark contrast from the warmth and camaraderie he had once known.

A century of relentless conflict and strife had evidently wrought profound changes in their characters, and while Rain understood the toll such circumstances could take, he couldn't help but feel a great deal of disappointment.

The depth of change in those he cherished left Rain disheartened, expecting a different reception and finding instead a more guarded and tense environment. The unsettling realization that the once-familiar landscape had transformed into an atmosphere he termed dark edge cast a shadow over his hopes for reconnection and reunion.

The future he returned to appeared drastically different from the world he had imagined, leaving Rain with a sense of concern and apprehension about the days ahead.

In the end, Seara snorted and then turned around and left the area with Impulse. Her skill reached a level where she could cross five hundred meters instantly… she improved that a lot.

"I am going to talk with you later. I have a broken family to repair here," Rain said.

"You have a long road ahead of you since your family is a massive pain in the neck," Isa said.

"Well, this is all my fault, so I can't complain about it," Rain said and then sighed.

Rain tried to chase Seara, but she kept her distance. They could move as fast as each other, so Rain felt proud of her progress, but they couldn't waste time with that kind of antics. He stopped moving for a moment and wondered if he should go look for Sealyn first… but it would be bad if she didn't recognize him. Still, she was supposed to be with Seadrei.

"I don't know if I will be able to hold back punching him…" Rain thought. "Since my disappearance… he became her fatherly figure, after all."

Rain sighed and felt that he was starting to become the king of depression… always sighing and thinking about things like that. Regardless, he had to face head on that issue sooner or later, and he preferred not to waste any time.

Finding the base of the sea folk was easy since it was close to the ocean, and they stood out as well. Upon Rain's arrival at the sea folk's base, the immediate reaction from Coraline and Sirenus was one of alarm and readiness to defend themselves, evident by their swift movement to grab their weapons. This initial response was a natural reflex triggered by the unexpected presence of an outsider.

"Oh, you are the Seadir's underlings A and B. It has been a while," Rain said and then smiled when he saw the annoyed expressions on their faces.. "I am just joking. You are Sirenus and Coraline, right?"

However, their apprehension lessened swiftly as Seadir, their leader, intervened and recognized Rain's identity. Seadir's familiar gesture—a firm grip on his subordinates' shoulders—served as a reassurance that Rain wasn't a threat, prompting Coraline and Sirenus to relax and ease their guard.

The display of recognition from Seadir diffused the tension, conveying a sense of acceptance and trust toward Rain within the sea folk's base.

"... Sears said that you used the seal, but we thought that she was just reminiscing the path and she was just tired," Seadir said. "I can see in your face that you have had some difficult days."

"You can't even imagine," Rain shrugged. "Seara is running away from me after giving me a very cold shoulder. Where is Sealyn?"

"She just went to bed, and she doesn't want to be bothered," Seadir said.

"I am her father. Being a both is a part of the package to my kids," Rain said. "Didn't she believe that I was around either, even though Seara went straight to talk to me?"

"You were only a part of her life for less than two years. She grew up accepting that her father was dead," Seadir said.

The weight of Seadir's words struck Rain with an intensity that felt like his heart was being pierced by countless ice needles. The bitter truth laid bare before him, cutting through the hope he had carried, leaving behind a cold, raw ache that seeped into his very being.

The notion that his youngest daughter, Sealyn, whom she didn't even remember his face of, wouldn't believe in his return seemed not only logical but inevitable.

The stark reality of the situation dug deep, reminding Rain of the vast hole of absence that had existed between them. The knowledge that he had missed crucial moments of her life and had become a mere fading memory, almost a phantom, for her was a crushing blow to his hopes of a warm and welcoming reunion.

"You can kill me now, deliver the finishing blow," Rain said. "Tell that she has a boyfriend or something."

"... She has," Seadir said.

After learning the painful truth, Rain found himself in a state of emotional turmoil. The weight of the revelation hit him like a ton of bricks, stirring up a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

Driven by a sense of desolation and a need for solitude, Rain unconsciously gravitated towards the coast. His steps felt mechanical, almost detached from his conscious will. He sought refuge in a a cliff that overlooked the vast expanse of the ocean.

As he stood there, staring into the horizon, a haunting image crossed his mind – the recollection of the god of war leaping off a similar precipice in a moment of despair.

Hours passed in the solitude of that cliff, where Rain dealt with the depth of his emotions. His mind oscillated between memories of past confrontations and the realization of his daughter's current status as the Sea Empress. It dawned on him that she was no longer a child, but a grown adult with her own life and responsibilities.

The idea of her potential romantic involvements was a natural part of her life, an aspect that he needed to come to terms with.@@novelbin@@

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"It is fine, I won't have the chance to bully her boyfriend, but I can break his ribs now and then using sparring as excuse," Rain got up and then said.