Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Rain trained diligently, employing the seals and tapping into their mystical essence to discern the direction where Terra might be found. However, despite his unwavering efforts, his domain, though potent and expansive, didn't provide the help and guidance he sought in locating her.

It took a considerable amount of time and persistent concentration for Rain to make progress. He immersed himself in the intricate workings of the seals, refining his understanding and manipulating their energies to gain insight into the whereabouts of his friends and family.

His domain, while a formidable asset in many aspects, didn't offer a direct solution to pinpointing the exact location of Terra. Instead, Rain found himself honing his magical senses over the course of several days.

With each passing moment, he delved deeper into his magical abilities, sharpening his innate perceptions and enhancing his capacity to discern the energies and connections surrounding him.

"It is a bit weak, but if I keep increasing my mana pool and wisdom…" Rain thought.

Fortunately, Rain had plenty of skills for that, and with the bonuses of Parameter Boost, that would be even easier. So, Rain decided to focus on the skills that could help him with that. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

Insightful Mind (20) - Enhance your wisdom, gaining a greater understanding of the world around you. + 05 Wisdom per level.

Wisdom's Blessing (39)- Bestow a boost in wisdom to yourself and nearby allies of ten points per level.

Scholar's Insight (49)- Start a new journey with a keen eye for research, gaining bonuses to learning and discovery. Mana + 01% per level.

"These should be good for now… I will focus on them until they reach the max level," Rain thought. "Aside from that… I should use Endurance Sacrifice to max out the paths that will be easier to do so."

Little by little, Rain started to make progress and soon he noticed he differences… when his mana pool was bigger, he noticed with more easy the mana that wasn't his become part of him for a purpose like healing him.

As Rain dedicated himself to honing his magical senses, he also made it a point to had one hour daily to engage with Sealyn and Seara in all kinds of talks. Despite Sealyn's pressing responsibilities, she made time to connect and talk about their lives, much like Rain had done in the past with his children.

Sealyn's commitment to her duties mirrored Rain's past self—a relentless dedication to work that allowed only a spare hour each day for personal matters. This parallel struck a chord within Rain, reminding him of the times when he, too, had limited hours to spend with his children due to his own tasks.

Reflecting on this reversal of roles, Rain couldn't help but feel regret for the moments lost in the past. In hindsight, he recognized the value of those precious hours he had missed with his children. The regret lingered, a haunting reminder that the world's demands and external responsibilities…

This realization brought forth a clear truth—the importance of family amidst the chaos and demands of the world. The issue between prioritizing the world's welfare and nurturing familial bonds weighed heavily on Rain's mind. Still, if he hadn't protected the world that he knew, his family would have gotten into a worse situation earlier on…

"How are our great grandparents?" Seara asked. "I wonder when we can go and bring them back to a place where we can claim our own…"

"They are fine, I helped them a bit with their light problems…" Rain replied. "Things will improve for them once I find everyone. My first goal will be to hunt down the ice dragons and stop that damn snowstorm."

"The ice will take a while to melt… years perhaps," Seara said. "Things has been like that for decades, after all."

"It won't if I ask nicely the fire dragons to melt the ice," Rain shrugged. "The meteor dragons will be particularly effective against that. A few punches in the face should do the trick."

"If you say so…" Seara shrugged.

"Mom has been quite jaded as of late. It is very depressing," Sealyn shrugged. "It must be her age."

"What did you say?" Seara asked, and the mood got really cold.

Seara and Sealyn bore a striking resemblance in appearance, prompting many to mistake them for sisters rather than mother and daughter. Their similar features, demeanor, and even mannerisms—created an uncanny likeness between them.

Despite this visual similarity, the dynamics between the two often reflected their respective roles. Sealyn, despite being in her own stage of adulthood, occasionally adopted an attitude toward Seara that hinted at the older woman being jaded or out of touch with certain aspects of life.

This added a layer of tension to their relationship, compounded by the fact that Sealyn, being a bit shorter in stature, felt irritated by any implications of her youth being dismissed.

Sealyn's youthful vigor clashed with perceptions that she was "too young" to fully understand or appreciate certain experiences, which occasionally caused friction between her and Seara. Rain felt glad to see all that… he had missed a lot, but there were still many things that he still could see.

"It is about time for me to get going… I will return as soon as I find everyone else and make sure that they won't get in trouble," Rain said.

"... I am sorry for not being able to spend more time with you," Sealyn said while looking a bit troubled. "It also feels a bit weird to suddenly start calling you Dad."

"I am fine being called papa," Rain laughed.

"I am sorry to say, but you won't hear that from me… you might still hear that from Danny and Annie, though," Sealyn said.

"I am not sure how I should feel about that, a bit happy and conflicted, I guess," Rain said.

"Well then… I will be waiting for good news… Dad," Sealyn said and then rolled her eyes. "Why is this so hard?"

"Don't ask me," Rain laughed once more.