Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 197: War (39)

The impact sent a jolt through Rain's skull, momentarily disorienting him. The unexpected counterattack left him dazed, and his thoughts momentarily scrambled as he fought to regain his bearings.

Rain felt the world almost turning upside down, but he held his ground, even though he was pushed away for several meters and he fell on his knee. Still, that helped him…

While blood was falling from his forehead, Rain touched the ground and then made a lot of earth being compressed on a single spot and around his arms… instead of protecting them, it looked like they became a new pair of arms that emerged from his elbows.

A flicker of genuine surprise danced across the enemy general's countenance as he observed Rain's tactical shift. The sudden change in Rain's approach was unexpected, catching the general off guard for a fleeting moment. As Rain's attack power surged, a question lingered in the air: Just how much of a difference would this make?

Rain's strategy was a calculated one, drawing from past experiences. He harnessed a technique he had honed against armored beetles, an effective means of overcoming their formidable defenses. Now, in the heat of this intense battle, he was banking on that very same technique to provide him the edge he desperately needed.

Rain charged toward the enemy and then punched him with his earthen fists with all his might. The sound of the impact echoed not only in the air but on the ground as well… the impact stopped the rain from falling around those two for five seconds, and it pushed the enemy backward for five meters.

Rain charged again and then attacked his left Earthen Fist… the enemy general readied himself even more for the hit, but that didn't change a thing… the crushing blow pushed him backward and silenced the whole battlefield.

The battlefield seemed to hold its collective breath as soldiers from both sides cast their gaze upon the relentless exchange between Rain and the enemy general. The clash of their strengths was a spectacle that transcended the chaos of battle, drawing the attention of all who witnessed it.

With each punch Rain delivered and the enemy general's unwavering defense, the sheer force behind the blows was nothing short of astounding. The very ground quivered beneath their feet as if the earth itself struggled to bear witness to this astonishing display of power.

To the onlookers, it was a surreal scene. The impact of Rain's strikes against the enemy general's steadfast guard was a sight to behold, one that held an almost otherworldly intensity. The sheer kinetic energy released with each collision was enough to make even battle-hardened soldiers question the limits of human capability.

The entire battlefield was interested in how that fight would end… and while that wasn't normal of a thing to happen, both sides stopped fighting and formed an encirclement around the area… they couldn't get too close. Still, at least they knew that once either side falls, the others will have the chance to move.

Rain wasn't that known yet, so most people on the human side weren't expecting a lot from him, but they wanted the chance to take down the enemy general… on the other hand, the magic people were waiting for the chance for their general to win the exchange since that would boost their morale tremendously… However, the enemy general wasn't showing any signs of preparing a counterattack.

"I don't like this… this guy is too cunning to go down this easily," Rain thought.

With each thunderous blow, Rain landed on the enemy general's defense; he could feel the bones beneath the man's skin, his attacks resonating with the underlying structure of his body. It was a sensation that sent shivers through Rain, a stark reminder of the raw power he commanded and the immense force he was unleashing in each punch.

As the battle continued, Rain couldn't help but sense that the enemy general's strategy was to buy time. Rain's attacks seemed to be pushing the general to his limits. Yet, the rest of his underlings merely watched, neither intervening nor supporting their leader. It was a curious observation, one that raised suspicions within Rain's mind.

He couldn't shake the feeling that the final general, the one responsible for brainwashing his father, might join the fray soon. It was a possibility that filled Rain with both trepidation and determination. The last thing he wanted was to give her an opportunity to exert her mind-controlling powers on him, potentially turning him into a pawn of the enemy.

But would she reveal herself on the battlefield so easily, especially when her capabilities seemed to be limited to her brainwashing abilities?

"Either way, I need to finish this as soon as possible…" Rain thought.

Rain stopped his attacks to prepare the final one. At that moment, he realized that the enemy could be waiting for that in order to kill him, but Rain didn't have any other option…

"It is time to show them my real secret weapon," Rain thought as he lowered his stance and tightened his guard.

Rain's entire being tensed, his muscles coiling like a tightly wound spring, as he prepared to unleash the full extent of his strength. The enemy general remained immovable, his stance unyielding, as if he were daring Rain to come at him with everything he had. With Impulse coursing through his veins, Rain propelled himself forward, a force of nature charging ahead.

As he moved, the ground beneath him cracked and splintered, creating a small crater as his power bore down upon it. Rain's body transformed like a coiled spring releasing its energy, his form shifting with the promise of an unstoppable blow. His momentum carried him directly toward the enemy general, his fist drawn back, ready to deliver a punch of overwhelming force.

The enemy could tell that the next attack would be like no other,so he readied himself to take it... he wouldn't have imagined that he would take a punch from another world.