Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

These were the Skills that Rain decided to focus on for now, for at least one week, and check his progress over time… all of them would need mana to level up outside of combat, but that would be fine as long as Rain doesn't have to fight, he wasn't planning to until he learns as much as possible, after all.

Rain also wouldn't be able to assassinate dragons without some risks as well… They were too big for that. Maybe Rain could think of something to help with the patience path, but it was better to keep his plate light in order not to risk making it fall.

"You decided to follow a curious path. It isn't a bad idea to counter the nature of the dragons like that, but you aren't virtuous enough to make this path more efficient for you."

"Is that so? Remind me who asked you that?" Rain frowned. "Not me, I am sure of it."

"You must be a blast at parties with your sarcasm. Weren't you the type that would stay sober and bother everyone else when they were having fun?"

"I was, I always preferred orange juice in order not to miss a single day at the gym," Rain said.

Rain found himself caught in a weird situation with the shield. On one hand, he was intrigued to learn more about its origins and the period it came from, particularly given the clear time that they came. However, Rain was cautious not to overtly show his curiosity, thinking that the shield might pick up on his interest and become guarded or withhold crucial details.
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This troublesome dance of withholding information from each other had evolved into an annoying game, where each party seemed unwilling to disclose too much, resulting in a frustrating yet oddly beneficial exchange.

Despite the shield's nature and the cumbersome nature of their interactions, Rain acknowledged the value derived from these exchanges. The shield, intentionally or not, provided valuable assistance and insights, aiding Rain in navigating the challenges he faced. Even though it definitely had a hidden agenda…

The skill Composure leveled up.

The Diligence path received 200 experience points.

The skill Composure leveled up.

The Diligence path received 200 experience points.

Since the shield was annoying, the skills of the Patience path would level up quite fast, so Rain decided to work on the next few ones as well overnight since he didn't have to think too much about anything else… at least not until he learns a few things about the situation in the dragon's territory.

Level 5: Enduring Patience

Strengthens one's resilience and fortitude, leading to a 1% decrease in stamina cost. This allows for extended periods of exertion and sustains physical endurance during prolonged fights.

Rain showed a large smile that stretched from ear to ear, a testament to his recent achievement—one that he had yearned for quite some time. His triumph lay in crafting a technique aimed at diminishing the Stamina cost associated with his various skills.

While it was commonly assumed that this feat could be accomplished solely through rigorous physical training, Rain had discovered that employing a blend of magic and harnessing the power of virtues played a pivotal role in this breakthrough.

However, a critical issue emerged with the new skill; Rain realized that in the heat of battle, he couldn't afford to let anger take hold, as it would nullify the benefits of the technique entirely.

"This will be a big difficult… Limit Breaker will cost less energy, but it makes me a bit angrier… a lot angrier at level one hundred," Rain thought. "I will have to work on that as well."

In any case, Rain used his head the whole night to come up with the theory behind the technique, so he decided to rest for a couple of hours… to make things a bit warmer so him to relax and in order not to be bothered by slimes, Rain ended up summoning some fire birds that bombarded the ice slimes and while the level of the skill was low and the creatures were small, he let them drain his mana in order for them to kill the monsters without his direct help.

After a couple of hours, Rain woke and stretched his body feeling revitalized… for a moment, he missed waking up seeing Terra on Seara's face again, but soon he regained his focus after slapping himself a bit.

"I have truly become an M while they had become S…" Rain said. "Oh destiny… is this the world you wish for me? A world of pain mixed with pleasure?"

As Rain continued his sprint to the west, the fire bird companions followed suit, gliding gracefully beside him. Their increased size was clear, each bird now boasting a magnified wingspan and a more commanding presence in the wintry atmosphere.

Their vibrant fire plumage shimmered, emanating an warm glow that illuminated the surrounding area, casting a warm and reassuring aura amidst the prevailing cold. Despite their augmented size, their movements remained fluid and synchronized, matching Rain's pace effortlessly as they traversed the landscape together.

Level 45: (30) Firebound Companions - Forge a pact with fire-aligned creatures, summoning them to join your side. As the skill advances, you can summon more potent creatures, each level increasing the mana limit.

"Thirty levels, huh?" Rain thought. "It is a pity that I can't leave them behind… yet."

As usual, Rain was no longer planning to play by the system rules… he gave up on that when he was smashed by a Meteor. There was no point in playing a rigged game… with that in mind, Rain began to work on how he could make the summoned monsters work like that for him.

The golems could do the same thing, but for some reason, the fire birds couldn't… maybe it was a matter of Skill and talent with the said element.

Still, Rain's mood was pretty good since he was using Impulse, and the cost of the technique had decreased.