Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 881: Therapy

Rain decided to leave the mental landscape while also making a mental note not to get used to the earth dragons again since he might awaken Larisa’s memories further.

Still, he decided to check what he could do with the gloves, and he was surprised to see that his strength increased to the same value as his endurance, and he was also able to use earth magic with five times more potency with ten times less mana used.

"Those guys were brainiacs if they were able to make relics like this so soon… even though the shield doesn’t look particularly smart," Rain thought.

The shield guy mentioned an interesting aspect of the past when a group of humans tried to resist the onslaught of monsters that invaded the Earth during their time. According to the shield’s story, among these humans were a dozen individuals who exhibited considerable strength and were instrumental in mounting some form of resistance against the monsters.

It seemed that these twelve individuals might have had worked in scientific fields or collaborated closely with organizations that endured the onslaught and that aimed to combat the monsters. The shield told at a common narrative trope wherein humans attempted to harness the powers of these monsters to use their abilities against the creatures themselves.

However, Rain knew this strategy as both a clichéd strategic and a foolish decision since that, despite these efforts, the ultimate outcome remained unchanged. Regardless of these attempts to wield the monsters’ powers or use them as a means of defense, the fate of humanity seemed unaltered, leading to the eventual downfall of civilization.

"Not like I can say that much about it… since I also tried to learn the dragons’ techniques…" Rain thought.

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In any case, Rain began to move further west in the dragons’ territory while trying to keep his presence hidden. Still, he didn’t find anything after a day… it wasn’t like he was expecting roads, but he was still surprised that they wouldn’t make bases in the central area of their territory… or maybe they didn’t need to do that.

"Well, at least I am mapping their territory, so it is fine," Rain shrugged.

Rain had anticipated a desolate, barren landscape as he ventured into the dragons’ territory. His expectations were rooted in the assumptions that persisted about such domains—dark clouds looming overhead, lightning bolts striking, and a generally foreboding atmosphere. However, the reality he encountered stood against these preconceptions.

Instead of a lifeless and gloomy terrain, what greeted Rain’s eyes was a breathtaking sight teeming with vibrant life. The land was rich and verdant, bursting with lush greenery and vitality. The thriving ecosystem, flourishing flora, and diverse fauna in the dragons’ territory painted a picture of unparalleled beauty.

Rain assumed that the dragons’ immense mana, concentrated in such a space, might have acted as a catalyst for this thriving environment. The sheer volume of mana present in the dragons’ territory, thanks to their presence, seemed to have a profound influence, infusing the land with vitality and fostering an ecosystem that bloomed with life.

When night came, Rain kept moving in order to use the darkness as a disguise as well, but he didn’t find anything while crossing the area.

At that point in time, he had already crossed a distance that was equal to the expanded human territory… but he only found a single settlement… Rain could see some mountains in the distance, and he was starting to think that such a place might be the best option for him to find the monsters.

"I can’t even find traces of their movements in the sky… they truly don’t move around that much," Rain thought.

Rain used Magic Eyes as much as possible, but he didn’t find anything odd in the distance… in any case, it was boring to map out a place when he didn’t find anything. When Rain began to think of zigzagging around to cover more ground.

In any case, when morning came, Rain began to feel weird… a couple of hours had passed, and the shield guy didn’t bother him anymore… he was probably bothering Larisa, and that was good, but it was still suspicious.

"I understand, but it is still understandable that he treats you like that. From my point of view, you are very hard to deal with, Nigel," Larisa said. "You know that, but you keep acting like the way you do and end up getting on the nerves of others. Few people are patient with those who have bad personalities."

"I managed to get by until now like, so why do I have to change myself to please others?" Nigel asked. "I don’t want to live while trying to be someone that the others want me to be. That is a depressing way to live one’s life, to let others decide the kind of person you should be."

"You have a point, but you are still annoying. You should at least try not to be so unpleasant all the time," Larisa said. "Based on what you told me about Rain, he is a patient person, and you are the first person that he treated badly and didn’t try to harm the people that he cared about."

Rain rubbed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh. He had imagined numerous things unfolding within his mental landscape, but a therapy session wasn’t remotely on that list. As he found himself troubled in these unexpected encounters, Rain couldn’t help but feel a feeling of longing for the comfort of his family and friends.

The solitude he planned was attracting an assortment of rather troublesome individuals, leaving him wishing for the companionship and ease of familiar faces.

The jarring contrast between his expectations and the reality of dealing with peculiar situations in his mental realm only amplified his sense of isolation. The desire to escape from these odd encounters and return to the comfort of his own world grew stronger with each passing moment. Birds of a feather, or so they say… maybe Rain was someone annoying too.