Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

The logic behind them was relatively simple, after all. Besides, they would be able to find where those were, and Rain would be able to teleport to where they were and destroy them.

"The machine gods are still operating under some restrictions, so they won't come to destroy us if we create that… at least for a while," Rain thought. "Anyway, the planet had enough mana for that since the overseer can keep the barrier that separates the layers… that being said, using our own mana for that should be the best option."

For the defense system to work, the group needed a bunch of things. Aside from crafting a big enough cannon that could store that much energy, they also needed to make it work automatically after sensing a powerful attack approaching.

"... We should be able to save some mana and gain piercing power by using a mana gem as a projectile and making it explode," Rain thought.

Rain probably could create a relic in the shape of a cannon using his skills and even the part of the knowledge of the machine gods' class system. However, it would have to be pretty big in order to have an effective range. Mana can move at the speed of light since it is a form of energy… firing something of that scale should take some time and to charge it as well…

"Do you guys have any other ideas?" Rain asked.

The former lords started to look a bit nervous… Rain was giving them a rare chance, and they didn't know how to contribute to the cause, so things might end up a bit bad for them in the future if they don't show what they can do. Still, they didn't have any ideas on how to fight the machine gods since they were easily captured by them and spent hundreds of years unable to escape from their grasp.

While making them feel like that was useful to Rain, he also realized that he couldn't show that much vulnerability. Even if they won some small battles against them, it was better to be cautious. As he waited for those guys' ideas, Rain checked their paths for some tips.

Level 45: Prism Barrier - Erect a protective barrier of prismatic energy that deflects and refracts incoming attacks, rendering enemies' assaults futile. This skill creates a multi-faceted defense that adapts to various forms of aggression.

"You don't think that this one would be useful, Loar?" Rain asked.

"My planet had a defensive system, and we used this technique as a basis for it," Loar said. "While the Prism Barrier prevented the annihilation of the planet when we were hit by a mana cannon, it only prevented its instantaneous end… instead of being destroyed after a few minutes, it took a few days for the planet to explode…"

• Level 55: Barrier of Dispersion - Conjures a barrier that disperses incoming attacks, redirecting their energy away from the user and their allies.

Level 45: Sonic Barrier - Summons a sturdy barrier made of sound waves to deflect incoming attacks and absorb damage.

Using those skills as examples, Rain asked the former lords if they could use them for defensive purposes, but it was hard for them to imagine that they would be useful for anything large in scale. They had zero confidence when it came to fighting the machine gods.

"This is almost useless… the best idea that I can think of that won't require massive amounts of energy and time would be by using the materials of the enemies against them," Hardt said. "You have some of the dark metals that compose the bones of the first dragons, right? Use them as shields."

"That is definitely the strongest type of material that we can use… However, we need more than just putting it around the planet in some parts. We don't have that much left anyway," Rain said. "Our reaction time wouldn't be enough either against light-speed attacks."

"Creating a single large shield should be enough to prevent the annihilation of the planet," Hardt said. "The real problem should make it work as soon as the incoming attack is detected."

"We can do something about that by putting wards in the planets of the solar system," Sakaki said. "If their goal is only detection, their area of scope should be pretty big. Besides, the stronger the attack, the easier it is to detect it. The next step should be making the shield be teleported to the right place at the right time…"

The previous step was already pretty complicated as it was… Sakaki was getting ahead of himself, but at least it seemed a bit easier than building a mana cannon. Making all that work automatically would be an even more massive pain in the ass.

Level 20: Flame Ward - Create a protective shield of fire that reduces incoming damage.

Level 25: Ice Ward - Create a protective shield of ice that reduces incoming damage.

Using those simple skills of the mage's path, Rain assumed that he could start working on the detection system. In the cold planets, he could make the ice wards absorb the cold energy and make the detection range expand, and the inverse would be applicable to the flame wards.

Rain did some experiments with that by using the power of the runes with those skills, and soon, he got some results. The temperature on the planets where he created the wards began to stabilize around them, and when Rain tried to attack them with the real intention of destroying them, a blast of elemental energy was fired against them almost immediately.

"I guess this is a start…" Rain said. "It is far from perfect, though."

Rain wished that he could use something as a reference in that situation, but he didn't have anything. He never heard of enemies that could fight at such a high-level scale. No one had, even in fiction… so Rain and his friends were forced to make breakthroughs all the time.