Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

As she continued, Terra told the grim realization that had appeared among their group. It appeared highly likely that the beast people, after dwelling within the dungeons for an extended period, became assimilated or integrated into the dungeon's structure itself.
Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire

The absence of their remains or any traces hinted at a grim conclusion: something, yet unknown, had likely claimed their lives and subsequently disposed of their bodies into the searing depths of the lava.

"The beast queen didn't look like she had undergone that process, though," Rain said.

"She was probably too strong and durable for the lava to consume her," Terra said. "I tried to defeat her a bunch of times, but she always repair herself by jumping on it. Even if she loses one arm or a leg, five minutes in there and she returns with a new limb."

"That is worrisome…" Rain thought.

Rain considered the information and pieced together with his understanding of the situation regarding the beast queen. Considering the intense aura he felt emanating from her during their encounter, he assumed that she likely still bore the wrath brand. This brand seemed to act as a source of power for her, continuously fueling her strength with an endless supply of wrath-driven energy.

That was probably why the lava couldn't consume her…

The intriguing part was the nature of the abilities she displayed. Despite initial assumptions of an affinity linked to wrath, the powers she exhibited were more akin to those of the volcano dragons rather than the inferno dragons. The volcano dragons were renowned for their remarkable ability to regenerate and revive themselves even after using their self-destruction.

Rain thought about that, recognizing that the beast queen's capabilities resembled those of the volcano dragons, suggesting an inherent healing or self-repairing aspect that went beyond the typical traits of the wrath brand. Maybe she had two brands… but was that even possible? Could her body take the power of two sins like that?

"I combined the power of wrath and pride and got the ruthless path and that corrodes the mind a fair bit… I can't imagine her body enduring the power of two different brands," Rain said.

"What if it is a single brand that combines both of them?" Terra asked. "I am imagining that those brands work like the magic circles that the demi humans can use."

"... That could be possible," Rain thought after thinking for a short while.

This realization added a layer of complexity to their potential confrontations with her in the future. The beast queen fusion of wrath-brand energy and lust restorative powers posed a formidable threat, requiring a different approach and strategy to counter her abilities effectively.

Rain understood the necessity of being cautious and devising a plan that would circumvent her exceptional regenerative capabilities while exploiting any potential weaknesses.

"I guess the combination of those two sins would be ferocity… it agrees quite well with the beast people," Rain said. " This term suggests an intense, passionate, and potentially aggressive or violent approach driven by both anger and intense desire after all."

"So, she can heal fast because of lust and she can power up in an inexplicable way thanks to wrath?" Terra asked. "The sins magic sure are useful."

"You need to stay away from them, though," Rain said. "We will never win using the same tools as the enemies. The strongest of them probably knows everything there is to know to counter them, after all."

"The dragon god… what are our options, then?" Terra asked. "We have been training hard, to the point that we left you behind, but it isn't enough…"

"For now, you need to keep doing the same while I am doing some experiments," Rain said. "We don't want the dragon god targeting you all if you become stronger all of a sudden."

"You are a worrywart as ever," Terra said and then shrugged.

In that situation, Rain initially had a strong inclination to rely on his own intelligence, skills, and self-improvement rather than depending on external powers like the abilities derived from dragons or relying heavily on tools. His focus always had been on enhancing his personal abilities, believing that this approach would lead to better outcomes.

However, as the situation intensified in the last war, he realized that even with his increased capabilities and the relinquishment of certain restrictions, like abstaining from using dragon powers or over-reliance on tools, the final battle's outcome remained unchanged.

Despite his efforts to improve himself, it became evident that there were limitations to what his personal growth could achieve in altering the result.

This realization made Rain reconsider his approach.

He understood that in order to overcome the challenges he faced, he needed to explore new alternatives beyond solely relying on his own development… The necessity to find a better alternative implied that Rain recognized the need to adapt and explore uncharted paths, looking beyond his previous approaches to find a solution that could potentially show the desired result in the next final battle.

"I am still trying to figure out the best option, but it will be hard to find one that will help us all…" Rain thought. "At least I can focus on protecting only those I care about, there is no more human kingdom anymore… there are still dozens of thousands of us out there, though."

Rain's emotions reflected a complex blend of relief and guilt. He experienced a sense of relief because he no longer felt the immense pressure of bearing the responsibility for thousands of lives or shouldering the burdens of everyone else's concerns. This freedom from such a heavy weight was liberating, allowing him to focus more on his personal growth and immediate goals.

However, with this relief was a sense of guilt or remorse. Rain realized that with this newfound freedom from overwhelming responsibility, he was also neglecting the concerns and worries of others. He might have felt a lot of guilt for not being as deeply involved or concerned about everyone else's well-being as he was before.

This inner conflict likely came from his empathetic nature and a strong sense of responsibility towards others… now it only extended toward his family and friends.