Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

As Rain's powerful kick connected with the enemy's left side, a searing pain shot through the creature's body like a lightning bolt, with a sickening crunch. The force of the impact shattered the enemy's ribs, sending waves of agony coursing through its form.

The intense pain radiated from the site of the impact, spreading throughout its body like wildfire, leaving the creature gasping for breath and struggling to maintain its composure.

Every movement sent sharp spikes of pain lancing through its chest, each breath a laborious effort against the constricting grip of agony. The broken ribs grated against each other with every movement, a constant reminder of the forceful assault inflicted upon it by Rain's merciless strike.

Despite its formidable strength and resilience, the excruciating pain threatened to overwhelm the creature, its once confident demeanor faltering in the face of such intense suffering.

In the next moment, Rain moved his other leg to attack the other side of the enemy, so the enemy moved the crossbow to block the attacks and fire a bolt at point blank range and sever Rain's legs… but much to the enemy's surprise, Rain kicked at the same time.

"Argh…" The enemy groaned in pain as the expression of agony was vivid across their face.

Rain's precisely timed kick, synchronized with the enemy's attempt to retaliate, proved devastating. As Rain's leg connected with the enemy's side, the force drove the broken ribs inward, piercing through several of the creature's organs. While the enemy might have possessed an outer shell resistant to damage, its interior structure was evidently far more vulnerable.

The impact caused a visceral reaction within the enemy's body, eliciting a pained groan and contorting its expression with unmistakable agony. Despite any outward displays of resilience, the internal damage inflicted by Rain's attack significantly compromised the enemy's ability to continue the battle effectively.

While the enemy was agonizing in pain, Rain grabbed the ominous sword and covered it in dark ice before swinging it down with all his might… in the next moment, the arm of the enemy was severed, and Rain recovered the crossbow that returned to its normal side.

Thanks to that, the enemy had the chance to move away after turning into a sphere of light again. That was surprising. Rain thought that thanks to the internal damage, the enemy would be unable to pull that off.

Before disappearing in the distance, the enemy soon left the planet like a reverse meteor… it was a pity. Rain was planning to turn their skills into a path, but he decided to secure the crossbow first and not risk one of the machine gods teleporting it away, but it couldn't be helped.

"I guess this is fine for now…" Rain thought and then sighed. "We achieved our goal, after all… it is better not to overreach."

The return of the enemy, despite the apparent chance of escape, prompted Rain to wonder about the circumstances with greater caution. It appeared stupid that the enemy, having seemingly been on the brink of retreat, would willingly reengage in the battle.

The injuries sustained by the enemy, particularly the grievous internal damage inflicted upon them, rendered the prospect of a swift departure smarter. This led Rain to consider alternative explanations for the enemy's sudden return.

Upon closer observation, the look of surprise etched upon the enemy's countenance provided a crucial clue. It suggested a lack of agency on their part, implying that their return was not a result of their own decision-making. Such an inference hinted at the possibility of external influences or coercive factors compelling the enemy's actions.

This unforeseen development introduced a layer of complexity to the situation.

"Very well, master," The enemy said after their face calmed down a bit.

"It seems that you have outlived your usefulness," Rain said. "Man, I always wanted to say that…"

In the next moment, the crossbow disappeared from Rain's hand and then he also put his sword on his back. He didn't need a weapon to fight someone who only had one arm now.

"How are things on your end?" Rain asked via Telepathy.

"We are about to wrap up here," Seara said. "What about you?"

"Same, make everyone retreat to the pocket dimension and then wait to leave immediately," Rain said.

During that short window of time, the enemy suddenly started to shake and emit more energy… the darkness on its wings began to spread around its body while the creature began to emit mana in the form of light that covered its whole body as well.

In the end, both forces were unable to mix together, so the enemy turned into an amalgamation of light and darkness that surrounded their whole body while dancing.

When that was over, the enemy flew toward Rain as if bending space, immediately reached him, and then punched his stomach.

Rain was sent spiraling in the other direction for several kilometers… before he could even stop, the enemy appeared behind him and kicked his back to the ground.

As Rain collided with the ground, the sheer force of the impact resulted in the formation of a colossal crater spanning hundreds of meters in diameter. The Earth trembled beneath the weight of his descent, and a cloud of dust billowed upwards, obscuring the immediate surroundings.

The enemy, standing at the edge of the crater, observed intently as the dust ascended into the sky, waiting patiently for it to settle.

Amidst the haze, the enemy's resolve remained steadfast, fueled by the unwavering command of their master to capture Rain at any cost. With determination etched into their features, they prepared to execute their mission with ruthless efficiency. The enemy's gaze remained fixed on the crater, poised for any sign of movement from their elusive quarry.

However, Rain didn't care about fighting fairly, for that matter. In the next moment, the enemy suddenly felt danger coming from behind, and when he turned, he suddenly grabbed the ominous sword that almost touched their neck… However, the enemy flinched when the enemy saw their own severed arm holding the weapon.