Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

The group had gathered more information, shedding light on another aspect of Joanis's strategy. In addition to his relentless pursuit of Rain and the generous reward offered for Rain's assassination, Joanis was actively spreading a variety of rumors about his organization, known as the "King's Shield."

These rumors portrayed Joanis as an unwavering protector of the royal family, suggesting that he would go to great lengths to safeguard their interests and maintain the kingdom's stability.

By crafting an image of steadfast loyalty to the monarchy, Joanis aimed to garner support and solidify his influence within the kingdom, rallying those who valued the preservation of royal lineage and traditions.

This strategic use of rumors aimed to strengthen Joanis's standing in the eyes of the public. It positioned him as a defender of the kingdom's heritage and the royal family, creating an atmosphere where people were more likely to interpret his actions as driven by a sense of duty and honor rather than personal ambition or power-seeking.

"Who is going to create the king's armor?" Rain asked. "And the king's boots, gloves?"

"... I know that he is with our enemy this time, but please don't make fun of my father," Esmeralda said while looking away.

"Sorry… Anyway, it seems that even while he is away, Joanis has some means to make sure that the kingdom won't turn against him and the King," Rain said. "He has allies everywhere, and we will have to crush them one after the other."

"But first, we will have to deal with the people here. We got some of their soldiers and gear, but they barely used half of their strength," Branden said.

"I have an idea. Can you call them back, Rain?" Roan asked. "It is time to teach the enemies that we can go on the offense as well…"

Roan dedicated the rest of the afternoon to explaining his idea to the group. Still, they all agreed to postpone its execution for a more suitable time. Like in the middle of the night… Rain wondered if he was becoming a bad influence on his family after he heard the plan.

With the arrival of night, Rain took swift action. He incapacitated the prisoners, rendering them unconscious, and then carefully arranged them on makeshift earth platforms. Turning to Seadir, he asked him to make them go to the ocean. However, the release of the prisoners would only occur once they reached the waters. Seadir's companions would then set them free.

This strategy had a clear goal. By releasing the prisoners into the ocean, they would be kept far from the ongoing battle. Furthermore, they would face numerous challenges, including distance and a lack of resources, which would hinder their ability to return to the conflict swiftly.

It was a calculated move aimed at ensuring their safety while minimizing their potential to rejoin the battle too soon.

"All right, it is time to move," Rain said. "They don't have any scouts around since they don't think that we have enough people on our side to truly target them at night."

Everyone nodded, and then they began to move… in the end, only Rain was left on their side before he jumped toward the other side of the waterway and then began to walk toward the enemy's camp.

In the end, he just walked for half an hour before some enemies finally took notice of him, and they began to move to face him.

Despite the fact that they didn't have scouts, the battalions assumed their positions insanely fast, and soon they began to march to surround Rain…

In the next moment, Rain jumped with all his might, and then he punched the ground when he fell… the soldiers expected that he would attack them, but soon they began to imagine what would have happened if he had done…

Rain's punch made the ground tremble for a while, and several cracks began to spread in all directions…. Facing Rain would be the same as asking to be hit by a punch that powerful. Thanks to that, some soldiers began to sweat cold and tremble a little… Was it really worth risking their lives to save a princess they had never seen before?"

"Fear not! His attacks can't cause all that much damage! He is using magic to scare us all!"

"It seems that someone has some brain," Rain thought.

Thanks to those words, the enemies began to move with more determination and focus… it seemed that they had a capable and charismatic leader on their side that Rain had to get rid of as soon as possible… it was probably one of Joanis wealthy allies since an ordinary soldier wouldn't be able to rally so many others.

Before long, Rain found himself completely surrounded, and the soldiers were ready to attack him with all they had. Still, instead of that, they waited, and then, in the next moment, three fire tornadoes emerged and then began to approach Rain.

The approaching fire tornadoes were a terrifying spectacle, swirling and advancing relentlessly toward Rain. These columns of flames reached high into the sky, casting a foreboding crimson hue over the battlefield. As they moved, they devoured everything in their path, leaving scorched earth and smoldering chaos behind.

The intense heat radiating from the fiery tornadoes made the air shimmer with waves of blistering energy. The ground beneath them sizzled and cracked, unable to withstand the searing assault. Each tornado spun with an almost malevolent grace, leaving no doubt about its destructive power.

Amidst this chaos, Rain stood resolute, clearly contrasting to the cataclysmic whirlwinds closing in on him. His eyes remained fixed on the approaching fire tornadoes, and his body poised for action. He understood that facing these formidable spells would test his skills and resolve like never before… not really.

When the temperature began to increase in the area, Rain decided to make his move. Using his earth magic, he made the ground below the fire tornadoes rise on the ground, and thus the fire tornadoes began to go upward as well…