Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 952: Backfired

As Rain aimed his hands toward the vast network of roots, he summoned immense torrents of scorching fire, directing them at the roots to incinerate and obliterate the source of this chaos. However, to his astonishment, no signs of damage, scorching, or even a wisp of smoke emerged from the resilient roots. In a confounding turn of events, the roots remained, ignoring the fiery onslaught.

Rather than showing any signs of damage, the pulsating cocoons at the base of the roots began to glow with an even greater intensity. They seemed to absorb and devour the mana-infused flames that Rain unleashed, drawing in the magical energy as if it were sustenance. The mysterious cocoons greedily absorbed the immense magical power, glowing brighter with each surge of mana Rain channeled into them.

This peculiar reaction indicated that the cocoons were not merely passive objects but rather active recipients of immense magical energy.

"What the fuck…" Rain said with his eyes wide open.

"This confirms it…. the roots absorb magic power and give birth to those freaks," Larisa said. "I would dare say that they absorbed all the mana on the land as well. "At least on the thinnest layer above… it is hard to imagine that they could have obtained mana from the barrier."

Rain's survey of the surrounding area confirmed Larisa's observation. With a closer inspection, it became apparent that the ground, once robust and teeming with life, appeared barren and desolate. The soil seemed lifeless, without signs of any nutrients or vitality that typically sustained the land.

Even under the influence of changing weather conditions, such a dramatic shift from thriving terrain to lifeless sand-like ground seemed entirely unnatural and perplexing.

"It is very different from the land of the magic people that I remember…" Rain said. "This battle will never end like this."

Rain left the fissures and then joined the others… as he had expected, things didn't improve there and they never will. The parts of the blue lizards turned into magic energy once they died, and the same magic energy would be used to create more of these monsters… it was truly a never-ending battle.

Moreover, while they were getting stronger, they were turning that part of the world into a lifeless wasteland.

"Well, this looks like a cliched plot from a game, but it seems about right," Rain said when he joined his friends.

Rain gathered everyone to share his findings. With a sense of urgency and gravity in his voice, he conveyed all the details of his observations and assessments to the group.

Rain began by detailing his discovery about the roots, explaining that these structures were engineered by the dragons themselves. He emphasized that these roots weren't just a product of nature but were deliberately created by the dragons to act as conduits for summoning their spawns.

He elaborated on the mechanism, emphasizing that the dragons utilized their own cellular composition within these roots as a medium to generate and propagate the spawns as the blue lizards.

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The sheer scale and complexity of this revelation left the others perplexed. The dragons possessed not only the skills but also the intricate knowledge to manipulate their own cells, intertwining them with the roots to produce an endless supply of menacing creatures.

This method of propagation seemed to exploit a kind of biological manipulation that went beyond conventional magic or elemental abilities.

However, Rain's discoveries didn't end there. He voiced his concern about the dragons' ultimate goal, acknowledging that while they comprehended the method behind the spawns and the roots, the dragons' larger objective, which was probably to absorb all the mana from the world remained a mystery. Why and for what? He couldn't tell yet…

"We will have to deal with the root of this… issue," Esmeralda said. "This is something that the ice dragons brought or created, and they must have some other ways to maintain it. Our goal is to destroy that and the dragons."

"We will have to split up to have any chances of pulling that off," Branden said. "In three groups, defense, offense, and search and destroy."

Rain could sense the weight of responsibility pressing down on him, his frustration growing stronger beneath the surface. The plan devised was to divide and conquer, it was a time-tested strategy, but he couldn't shake off the unease that troubled him. The notion of splitting their forces, while a tactical maneuver, felt dangerous given the formidable capabilities of their enemies.

As he mulled over the plan, Rain's frustration swelled. He despised the necessity of resolving crises in this manner. The divide and conquer approach, although a common winning tactic, carried risks, especially against adversaries possessing superior knowledge, tactics, and the ability to overpower them with lightning-fast efficiency.

The dragons, with their intricate understanding of magic and the roots' mechanisms, posed a formidable challenge. The prospect of confronting them in fragmented groups felt like walking into a lion's den divided, leaving them vulnerable to the dragons' calculated maneuvers and potentially devastating assaults.

"Rain isn't our best mage anymore, but he is the most resourceful, so he will look for the core of the roots and destroy them," Esmeralda declared. "Half of us will stay here and the other half will face the closest dragon."

The decision to send Rain on such a mission to locate and destroy the core of the roots deeply worried Rain's parents, Terra, and his children. They were acutely aware of the dangers inherent in such a task. In the worst-case scenario, Rain's mission could draw the attention of all the dragons, putting him in high danger.

The gravity of this situation intensified when they realized that Rain hadn't previously argued over the possibility of splitting their family unit to ensure their safety. Now they were focusing on doing the same for the sake of humankind instead of their group alone…

"I guess my plan backfired splendidly," Rain thought and then sighed while rubbing his eyes. "The story of my life.