Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 1453: Return

"You guys wouldn’t be able to endure the attack... you would be erased or at least all of your skills in a matter of seconds," Elisabetha explained. "If you guys want to help, leave the pocket dimension and help the others since they are outnumbered."

That was a good idea... so Rain opened the portals again, and then the former lords began to leave. Before long, those who were very wounded began to enter the pocket dimension instead of waiting to suffer too much damage.

"It doesn’t seem like he fulfilled his promise of making time pass faster in that dimension," Elisabetha said. "He just wanted to irk you to try harder."

"He did that... and he died thanks to it, somewhat," Rain said as his arms began to regrow. "Despite that, he didn’t look even a bit regretful. Since he finally found something that he found interesting, he should have felt a bit compelled to live for a bit longer."

"Maybe considering his life experience, he probably wouldn’t have found the same amount of Joy as he did by fighting with you, and he didn’t want to dilute the power of those memories either," Elisabetha said.

This phenomenon is called habituation. Essentially, it’s the process by which we become desensitized to repeated stimuli over time. Our brains are wired to adapt to our environments, and when we’re exposed to the same stimuli repeatedly, our response to it gradually diminishes.

One reason for this is that our brains prioritize novel or unfamiliar stimuli. When we encounter something new, our brains pay close attention to it, processing it more deeply and producing a stronger emotional or physiological response. However, as we continue to experience the same thing repeatedly, our brains become accustomed to it, and the novelty wears off. As a result, our response to that stimulus becomes less intense.

Another factor at play is sensory adaptation. Our sensory receptors can become less responsive to constant stimulation. For example, if you’re in a room with a strong smell, you might notice it when you first enter, but over time, your sense of smell may become less sensitive to it, and you’ll no longer perceive it as strongly.

"Anyway, he was a moron... but annoying enough to make his army keep going even without him," Rain said. "At least everyone will get stronger, and I will recover my parameters and then some."

The fight against the dark sentinels lasted for a while, and Rain had enough time to heal himself before most people had the chance to see him while he looked like a complete mess. Despite the odds, they didn’t suffer any casualties... It seemed that using space magic to avoid taking damage helped everyone last a bit longer, even more than the time that Rain lasted against Hilo.

"Ugh, this is so annoying... how come you defeated him faster than we defeated his army?" Terra asked. "By the way, you look terrible."

"This is truly vexing... but I guess that makes sense considering that you used one of the aspects against him," Seara said. "... You look tired enough to make me think that you have aged a bit in this fight."

"I guess so... anyway, we are going home and taking a few weeks off," Rain declared.

The usual Rain would say something nonsensical at that moment, but he was too tired for it... meditating and using his own body to recover stamina faster truly took a toll on his spirit and body. Considering how hard he was fighting against exhaustion, it wouldn’t surprise him if he had to sleep for a few weeks once again.

Rain teleported back to their base, and then he sighed in relief when he saw that Sealyn still hadn’t given birth; she also sighed in relief since Rain didn’t have time to send the reports. As everyone began to show up and greet each other, Rain was reaching his limits.

"I have a lot of research to do, so I am going to start immediately," Rain said. "You guys should rest for a while too. No point in overworking ourselves to death."

Before anyone could say anything about that, Rain should listen to his own words. He disappeared into his own pocket dimension... two down, six to go. The fights weren’t getting any easier, but they deserved a break.

"Did something happen?" Sealyn asked. "Dad looked a bit off. A bit too tired... I guess he must have had a burnout thanks to all those fights."

"He is going to give us his report later, so we will determine the source of his behavior later," Seadrei said. "For the time being, you shouldn’t worry about anything."

Seadrei possessed an understanding of Rain’s intentions since he often acted the same. Despite Rain’s efforts to conceal his concerns, Seadrei could tell the underlying currents of worry and determination beneath his stoic facade. However, Rain made a conscious decision not to burden the others with them. Instead, he chose to lead by example, employing a leadership style that showed overt commands in favor of subtle guidance and unwavering resolve.

Though he may not have assumed the formal mantle of leadership as he once did, Rain still exerted a profound influence over the group, guiding them with the wisdom and experience born of countless battles. Like a seasoned commander leading from the front lines, Rain took it upon himself to set an example for the others, demonstrating through his actions the courage and fortitude required to face the challenges ahead. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

When Rain appeared in his pocket dimension, he immediately laid down and began to rest... usually, he wouldn’t show himself that much vulnerable in front of his underlings, but there was no other place that he could hide at the moment.

"I was planning to help with the research, but it seems that we will have to wait for that," Loar said. "Let’s spar until then. The fights are getting harder, and we need to become more useful. If he dies, we will die alongside him."