Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

By providing that explanation, Sakaki hoped to alleviate some of the unease surrounding the relics' involvement in crucial matters.

Understanding the delicate balance between trust and skepticism, Rain observed the group's reactions. While he had grown more trusting of the relics, he acknowledged that others needed more reassurance. The upcoming project and its potential benefits could be a turning point in earning the group's confidence in the relics' capabilities and intentions.

"Ah… I just realized that I increased my workload again," Rain thought when the meeting ended. "I must be losing my mind…"

"I was wondering when you would realize that…" Larisa said. "You are quite something, Rain."

Rain facepalmed… that kind of work would increase the strength of the group, and that would make things easier for him in the long run, but even so… Well, it was too late now. No point in worrying about that.

In the end, Rain even loses the drive to enjoy the bully session… the match that he will have with Van. In any case, as soon as Rain got home, he began to work on the rings. Thanks to Maxime's help, they ended up finishing a bunch quite soon, and since he had to focus on quantity instead of quality, that also helped a lot.

The next day, Rain went to the arena considering the future mission. He didn't even have the time to enjoy the matches. They were becoming more interesting, and lasting a bit longer, but that didn't change a thing and eventually, he and Van were called for the match.

Since his return, Van had been avoiding Rain with all his might. Rain couldn't help but wonder if Van was considering forfeiting the match. However, on the day of the match, Van appeared resolute, assuming his fighting stance.

Rain, on the other hand, stared blankly at him, contemplating how he could keep his mouth shut and avoid finding solutions to problems that always ended up forcing him to work tirelessly.

As the tension built up in the arena, the spectators eagerly awaited the showdown between Rain and Van. It was clear that both fighters had their own thoughts and motivations driving them, creating an atmosphere charged with anticipation.

"I thought that Rain would act nonsensical as usual, but I guess my guess was wrong…" Seara said.

"Maybe the excitement that he showed before didn't have anything to do with Van, after all," Terra shrugged. "We need to be less judgemental when it comes to him, it seems."

Life is just like that, sometimes you don't do anything worthwhile and you end up receiving all the credit… it was a pity that Rain didn't realize that.

In any case, Rain had planned to use the tournament to improve his skills a bit more, but he decided to change his posture a bit… people will have to show that they deserved to fight him while showing all of his might… it was time to return to the past where Rain focused on efficiency above anything else.

When Esmeralda declared the start of the match, Van disappeared from everyone's field of vision, and then in the next moment, Rain was punched on his left side… the attack pushed him away for several meters, and he barely stayed on the ring… his posture inclined a bit, but soon he turned to face Van once.

"Another one, huh?" Rain thought. "I guess training in the garden made a lot of people see my training."

Rain looked at the cautious Van in front of him, and to his feet… it seemed normal. Even though he used the same technique that hurt his feet quite a bit, Van looked completely unfazed.

"Well, our bodies are different, after all," Rain thought. "Demi-humans, sea folk, and beast people have the advantage when it comes to physical abilities against the humans."

After calculating the damage that Rain received, Van began to move from one side to the other using the same technique… at some point, he had multiple after images in the arena, such was his movement speed.

Rain didn't let that faze him and just focused his senses on the moment… when he blinked for a moment, he soon felt another powerful punch on his face. Still, at the same time, the nose of Van was smashed by something that he didn't see either.

Rain staggered on the edge of the ring, his balance almost breaking as Van's powerful attack almost sent him over the edge. The force of the blow resonated through his entire body, threatening to tip him off the platform.

On the other side, Van experienced the consequences of his own momentum. The unexpected counter had disrupted his balance, causing him to be pushed backward. He fell on the ring floor, rolling several times before regaining his footing. As he got up, it became evident that the attack had taken its toll. Van's nose was bleeding profusely, a crimson stream flowing down his face.

His eyebrows twitched in irritation, signaling the pain and frustration he felt.

Despite the setbacks, both fighters quickly recovered and assumed their fighting stances once more. The intensity of the duel heightened as they prepared for the next exchange, each determined to outmaneuver the other.

"Let's test who is faster with this technique then," Rain said.

Rain charged in with all his might, and Van did the same. Thunderous impact echoed in the arena as Rain and Van met in the middle of it several times. Their bodies were almost distorted in the light as they reached the spot over and over again and punched each other.

The after images got over each other, showing frames of their attacks and the moments they got hit… they only punched each other's faces, so only those parts received any damage. They started to get swollen… but soon the result was shown… when they punched each other once more, and Van's eyes rolled before he fell backward… The match was over, and Rain won.