Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

However, despite these thoughts swirling in Rain's mind, there remained a degree of uncertainty. The complexities surrounding the teleport guy and the relics hinted at a deeper and more intricate connection that transcended Rain's current understanding of the world. It left Rain and the group with more questions than answers regarding the teleport guy's true capabilities and motivations.

In any case, reaching the exit took no time at all… Rain used the scepter to fight the abilities of the monsters, and they lost their ability to blind everyone. Still, there was a problem, while Rain gained mana, the scepter also gained mana, and so she was recovering her powers and memories.

"She is another pain in the ass, I give up," Larisa said.

"Birds of a feather, I would say," Rain said. "I will solve this later."

Rain focused on returning to the location of the capsule with everyone. They finished the mission two days earlier, and while they could have returned immediately, they decided to wait for Isa and her group to avoid problems. In the end, they killed time by sparring with each other while Rain went to talk with the two inhabitants of his mental landscape.

"... Now that I look closely… have I seen you before?" Rain asked when he looked at the black-haired woman.

"... No," The woman finally said.

"She must be lying… we still don't recall when the first dragons appeared, but it shouldn't be that far ahead of your death," Larisa said. "Then again, she doesn't know what you looked like before."

"I looked as amazing as I look now," Rain said.

No one laughed, so Rain had a hard time keeping his face straight. In any case, Rain used his mental powers inside his domain to show a clear image of how he looked before in his previous life.

In his previous life, Rain was a tall and slightly muscular boxer. He stood with a commanding presence, his physique honed through years of rigorous training and dedication to the sport. Rain's stature exuded confidence and strength, which are attributes essential for a boxer in the ring.

His brown hair was styled neatly, complementing his chiseled facial features. It was short and a bit spiky, providing a practical yet stylish look. Light brown eyes framed by defined eyebrows showing a seriousness and a nonsense appearance, hinting at the intensity and passion that fueled his goals both inside and outside the boxing ring.

"You looked rather bland, and why the serious look?" Larisa asked.

"Nothing wrong in looking average, looks fade," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, did you see me before?"

"... Maybe?" The black-haired woman asked.

"All right, you will receive my welcoming dropkick, too, if you keep up this attitude. Viva le gender equality!" Rain said. "No one answers my questions with questions here."

"I wouldn't know, since I don't have my memories," The black-haired woman said. "Still, your face doesn't look unfamiliar."

"This is a start," Rain said.

"Her powers are similar to that other woman, they are equally as insufferable since they see themselves as better thanks to their powers as well," Larisa said. "In any case, her voice doesn't sound too familiar."

"Do you remember the voices of all the people you worked with?" Rain asked.

"... Some of them used electronic voices, so I guess you have a point," Larisa said. "We can't rule her out."

"What is your name?" Rain asked.

"Vanessa," The black-haired woman said.

"It is easier enough to recall," Rain said. "I will call you Max instead of Maxime, and it is too mouthful."

"It feels like there is no point in complaining," Maxime said while scratching the back of his head.

"You are completely right," Rain said. "Anyway, are you going to tell me your name as well?"

"Elisabetha," The woman in the darkness said.

"It is a bit hard to pronounce, too, but my wives would kill me if I were to shorten your name, so I will deal with it," Rain said.

"And I was about to say that you truly have a knack for leading people…" Larisa frowned.

Nigel laughed for a while, but he stopped when he realized that Rain was preparing his drop kick. Things were going to start to get even more noisy inside his head, but at leas, the relics wouldn't fall into the hands of people that would be heard to trust.

Speaking of which, Rain wondered if Isa and the others found some relics as well… it would have been troublesome if they found the sixth relic since Rain wouldn't be able to claim it for himself.

After a day's wait, Isa, Van, Regis, and the others finally arrived. They had completed their mission a bit faster than expected as well, managing to find two relics. However, these relics were not as powerful as the ones housing the spirits.

Regis seemed visibly troubled upon witnessing Rain showing a particularly powerful relic. His expression hinted at an internal conflict, leaving him to wonder whether Isa had orchestrated things to ensure Rain obtained such a formidable relic. The discrepancy in the relics they found could have raised suspicions in Regis's mind regarding Isa's intentions and decisions during their mission.

Despite the group's successful retrieval of relics, the disparity in the relics' strengths became a topic of unease among them. As Rain's group and Isa's team shared details about their respective missions, the atmosphere became tinged with uncertainty and intrigue. The question lingered in Regis's mind, casting a shadow over the reliability and fairness of the relic discovery process.

"... I suppose we can return. How can we contact them to bring us back sooner than planned?" Regis asked.

"I can control both of the capsules, at least until we cross the clouds. That must be why they didn't find us here yet," Rain said. "After that, Branden will do the rest."

Regis nodded, and everyone else did the same. He still was a bit annoyed by the final results of the mission, but he wouldn't voice them outloud and cause problems when they just began to work together.