Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

"I already know that, I can also tell that you have been messing around with Seara, I will make you pay for that," Terra said.

"Come on… she developed the habit of breaking my nose. What kind of weird habit did you develop?" Rain asked. "Anyway, you guys meet often, and why were the beast people transformed into monsters? Even the beast queen…"

Terra proposed the idea of a monthly progress meetings and random dungeon selections for everyone. Rain found himself caught in a whirlwind of emotions. On one side, there was relief. The fact that they all shared a fervor for training and self-improvement eased his mind. It brought a sense of unity and purpose to their family's dynamics.

However, as he heard of these plans, Rain couldn't shake off a growing sense of responsibility. He realized that, perhaps unwittingly, his relentless drive for strength and improvement had influenced the lives of those he loved. Seeing them adopt a lifestyle so focused on training, much like his own, struck him as both reassuring and disconcerting.

There was a touch of regret too. Rain pondered if he had unknowingly steered his family toward such a path, one where the pursuit of strength dominated their lives. He questioned whether this was the life he wanted for them, recognizing that his choices might have inadvertently shaped theirs.

The realization left him with a peculiar mix of conflicting emotions—gratitude for their shared commitment yet weighed down by a sense of responsibility for steering them down this path."

"Is everyone doing well? Aside from the fact that you guys might have received some brain damage and became training freaks?" Rain asked. "I can't help but question your sanity for trying to face someone who was able to smash me with a meteor. I appreciate the feeling, though."

"You can blame yourself for taking too long to return," Terra said. "We all knew that we would have peace knowing that someone able to defeat you was out there and the world is a mess right now. We already spent too much time hiding."

"Fighting is good, but leaving everyone behind for the sake of strength isn't," Rain said. "Grandpa and grandma and many others were still living in a dark, cold place… even if they couldn't fight alongside you all, they had their own source of strength."

Rain was acutely aware of the evolutionary pressures that had shaped life across the realms. The relentless cycle of survival of the fittest dictated that the weak would be eliminated while only the strong would thrive. However, Rain understood that physical strength alone didn't define their worth. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

While he championed strength and self-improvement, he also recognized the importance of unity and compassion among his family and friends. A wise man once said that he couldn't carry someone's burden, but he could carry someone…

He had seen how adversaries had become consumed by their desire for power, abandoning any semblance of empathy and understanding. Witnessing this, Rain was determined not to let his loved ones fall into the same trap. He didn't want to create a divisive environment where those unable to keep up the pace were left behind, fostering resentment and causing their unity to fracture.

Rain believed that true strength lay not just in physical prowess but also in compassion, understanding, and unity. He aimed for a balance where their pursuit of strength was tempered by their collective well-being and solidarity. For him, abandoning those who struggled to keep up would only lead to regrets and fractures within their family.

"As much I want to blame you for that, I can't do it…" Terra said. "Can you give me a foot massage, please?"

"That is a weird transition in this serious talk…' Rain frowned.

"I just want a sweet moment before the others arrive, you know how I usually act," Terra said. "They should arrive tomorrow."

People grow and change, but it was still weird for Rain to see Terra being that honest. Regardless, Rain decided to do that for her since she needed to relax and she needed to loosen up a bit as well… or maybe not since Rain didn't know what he should do once he confirms that everyone is all right…

"Tell me what happened to you," Terra said.

Rain lost the count of how many times he already told that tale… he said it at least five times and he was about to lose the count since math wasn't his forte.

In any case, Terra didn't show much reaction after everything that happened since the war until he met her. It was hard to grasp after all… still, she looked tense when she heard about the dragon god being a place beyond their reach… if he was still in Saturn, he should have gotten a lot stronger… in the last one hundred years.

It was annoying for Rain as well, the guy was supposed to be quite smart since he learned how to teleport and even summon meteors without the black materia. Still, he was a complete moron…

"Can we wind against that kind of Enemy?" Terra asked. "I have gotten stronger, but I don't think that I can survive a meteor that destroyed the Capital and I focused the last one hundred years improving my ability to recover from any kind of damage."

"Well, considering your current skills, I bet that you can revive under the same conditions after twenty or perhaps ten years," Rain said. "I can tell how much better your healing skills are if compared to mine."

"Obviously, I can beat you in a direct fight too," Terra said.

"Getting carried away, aren't we?" Rain frowned. "Arrogance is only a natural part of success, everyone that is arrogant is bound to success."

"Anyway, my healing skills reached a point that I can no longer improve them, I unlocked out all the paths that are related to healing ten years ago," Terra said. "I am trying to master all the skills now."