Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

The search for the fifth search location proved to be challenging initially, primarily because it was buried beneath layers of snow. The reason for this was quite extraordinary - the crystal dragons resided in an unexpected place, dwelling in the depths of a dungeon that lay concealed within a desert on the southeast side of the dragon territory.

The entrance to this dungeon wasn't conventional by any means. It presented itself as a colossal hole, a massive abyss that plunged an astounding five hundred meters deep into the ground. Upon initial inspection, nothing could be seen midway down the depth of the hole. This entrance was not only difficult to locate but also unnerving, shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.

The very nature of the dungeon being concealed beneath the desert made it a perplexing and challenging place to access.

"It feels like we are about to enter the mouth of a dragon," Seara said. "Anyway, I don't remember Isa saying anything about the dragons knowing how to create dungeons."

"She didn't say anything about that and she also said that it always had been like that," Rain shrugged. "She never questioned it, so it is hard to say if the dungeon is natural or not."

The peculiar location of the crystal dragons, residing on the final floor of this dungeon, presented a significant obstacle in the group's quest to locate and retrieve the relics. The daunting nature of the entrance hole raised several questions about what lay hidden within the depths of the dungeon and the challenges that lay ahead in exploring and navigating such an enigmatic space.

Isa didn't know the monsters that could be found there either.

"We aren't lacking firepower, so why don't we jump in already?" Sealyn asked. "The lack of communication with the others is making me worry."

"Can't you stay more than three days away from Van?" Seara asked.

Sealyn rolled her eyes and then looked at her mother, only to see her looking at Rain and grinning. Her words were used to bother Rain more than anything. In the end, Sealyn only saw Rain rolling his eyes as well…

"It seems that there is some history here, one that we missed," Annie whispered to Danny.

"I don't understand, I feel like Dad would be the type of guy who would help me in this kind of thing," Danny frowned.

"Only because you are a guy too," Annie shrugged.

"... While we aren't lacking firepower, we don't know how difficult this dungeon is," Rain said. "Moreover, it could be different from the ones we are used to exploring. Therefore, we will have to use a formation and simple tactics and slowly improve it to improve our movement speed as well."

Rain considered that delving into the dungeon alongside his family might serve as an opportunity to strengthen their bonds. He recognized that they were all individuals deeply invested in their physical prowess, dedicated to training, and driven by a passion for combat and exploration.

For them, nothing forged connections quite like facing challenges together, battling monsters, and conquering obstacles side by side.

Their mutual penchant for adventure and combat offered a common ground upon which they could build and strengthen their relationships. The act of battling adversaries and overcoming obstacles together had a peculiar way of deepening their bond and fostering a sense of unity among them.

"Danny and I will be on the front first, and you all will offer some support from the backline," Rain added.

"I should have known…" Terra said and rolled her eyes.

"You also should know that men would rather have their ba… their hands crushed instead of letting the woman of the family get hurt while they watch," Rain said. "I know that you are nuts tough to crack, but this is just a countermeasure for now. There will be enough monsters for everyone to crush with their bare hands."

"So, this is a legendary family trip, huh?" Seara asked.

"I prefer to skew monsters with my spear," Sealyn said.

"Ready, Danny?" Rain asked when he tapped on the back of his son.

"Yeah, I will try not to mess up," Danny nodded after gulping.

Rain watched Danny's demeanor and noticed a lack of confidence in his son's expression. This subtle change in Danny's disposition didn't escape Rain's notice, prompting him to wonder about the underlying cause behind Danny's unease.

While Terra didn't comment on Danny's demeanor, Rain couldn't help but wonder. He considered the possibility that Danny might have felt responsible for some aspect of the previous battle. Danny had been positioned at the front line during the encounter with the ice dragons, standing in front of his mother and sister when the dragons launched their suicidal attack.

Despite his position, the freezing attack had rendered them all helpless, his positioning hadn't made much of a difference in the outcome.

Rain considered whether Danny might be blaming himself for not being able to shield his family from harm during the encounter with the ice dragons. However, he recognized that it wasn't Danny's fault - no one could have anticipated or prevented the effects of the ice dragons' attack.

"Let's get going. You all can follow us after ten seconds, all right?" Rain asked.

The others nodded, and then Rain and Danny jumped into the hole. Before long, the women in the family looked at each other and then shrugged. It sure was tiresome not to try to get in the way of the pride of men… even though the female faction was bigger. Still, that was the second generation that happened in Rain's family, so it wasn't that surprising.

In any case, after ten seconds of crossing the darkness, those two reached the first floor, and when they looked up, they only saw darkness… As for the things in front of them, it looked like an ordinary cave, but the walls, ceiling, and floor were emitting a lot of light.

"Why is it so bright?" Danny asked while squinting his eyes.