Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix
Chapter 1257 - 1257: Necessity

Rain and the group cautiously navigated around the enemies' base, meticulously exploring the terrain as they moved. Despite their best efforts, they failed to find any signs of the undead king or a central command structure. It perplexed them; they hadn't anticipated that the undead king would choose to conceal himself when a small group infiltrated his territory.

The landscape was filled with skeletal structures, and the eerie feeling of being watched persisted. The miasma added an additional layer of difficulty to their mission, distorting their senses of direction and depth. As they progressed, the group's vigilance heightened, aware that enemies could emerge from any direction.

The encounter with the first wave of skeletons had tested their will, and they managed to repel the initial assault using a combination of magical attacks. Rain, with his prowess in fire magic, played a crucial role in disintegrating the skeletons. However, the unexpected emergence of skeletons from the towering bone structures hinted at a more intricate strategy employed by the undead king.

"... I see now," Seadrei said. "He doesn't want to fight, at least for now."

"What do you mean by that?" Jori asked.

"The miasma is weakening us," Seadrei said. "At this rate, we will be forced to leave or only fight when the enemy wants to. He might be hidden inside one of those bones."

Name: Rainendall

Level: 537 (48.000/53.700)

Current Path: Diligence Path (Lv 140 55.550/140.000)

Health: 290.670/290.670

Mana: 1.110.960/1.110.960

Stamina: 291.330/291.330

Strength: 32.436 (-3000)

Dexterity: 30.986 (-3000)

Intelligence: 41.534 (-3000)

Vitality: 28.772 (-3000)

Wisdom: 41.027 (-3000)

Endurance: 28.170 (-3000)

Luck: 24.746 (-3000)

Free Points: 575

Rain was surprised to see that… to think that his parameters had decreased that much, and he hadn't realized it yet. Overall, he had lost ten percent of his magical and physical strength. It looked like everyone lost that much power as well, so the diligence path wasn't protecting Rain that much.

"We have been here for almost two hours, so it seems that we will lose fifty points on all parameters every single minute that we stay here," Rain said. "The power of sloth is truly annoying."

Jori, as the leader of the group, realized the implications of Seadrei's assessment. He acknowledged that, as the leaders, they might endure the effects of the miasma for a longer period compared to the others, but even Rain or Seadrei wouldn't be able to sustain it for an entire day.

The undead king had employed a cunning strategy, creating a fortress that not only weakened and cursed his adversaries but also provided protection for himself in the process.

"We can't afford to stay here much longer," Jori said, with a tinge of frustration in his voice. "The enemy has strategically designed this place to wear us down. We need to find the undead king and end this before our strength diminishes further. That being said, we need to know for how long this will affect us. Reca, you should leave the city and wait until the effects disappear to return."

"Fine…" Reca said and then groaned.

Reca looked like she wanted to ask why she had to do that, but she decided to follow the hierarchy of the mission. She could complain as much as she wanted later. The group headed toward the closest exit of the city, and then Reca left the group.

The others began to move around in a spiral to check every corner of the place as fast they could, but it looked like the enemy didn't want that… soon enough, some bone arrows began to rain over them.

When Rain began to hear the hissing sound of the arrows, he quickly summoned a wind wall to protect the group and that had been enough… when everyone looked upward, they saw the skeletons archers being absorbed by the walls and then they looked at each other.

"This isn't going to work, is it?" Jori asked.

"Our best option is to destroy everything and force the enemy to show up to stop us," Seadrei said. "Can you ask Reca for details about the curse?"

"One minute…" Rain said, and then he used Telepathy on Reca. "... It seems that the curse is weakening at the same rate as it is getting stronger on us. They are recovering fifty status points in all of their parameters per minute."

"This isn't good; even if we defeat this guy, we will be too weak for several more hours… we will be completely exposed to attacks from other enemies," Jori said. "Arel, are the other lords watching us."

"They could be, I can't say for certain," Arel said.

In the harsh reality of war, the principles of justice and fairness fade into the background, overshadowed by the pursuit of victory. The battlefield was an arena where survival and triumph trumped all moral considerations. The fundamental goal of warfare, recognized across the annals of history, dictated that success lay in exploiting the weaknesses of the adversary.

In the art of war, there was no room for sentimentality or mercy. Both sides engaged in a ruthless dance, each seeking to gain the upper hand to avoid catastrophic losses. Waiting for the enemy to reach their zenith of strength was simply foolish, a luxury that no prudent commander could afford.

The imperative to strike at the opportune moment, catching the enemy off guard and at their weakest, was deeply ingrained. It wasn't just a tactical advantage; it was the very essence of survival. The urgency to act swiftly and decisively echoed through the ages, a stark reminder that in the brutal reality of war, time waited for no one.

"We will destroy the city and force the enemy to come; even if they don't come today, they will regret this after we make them lose a lot of their resources," Jori said. "Rain, we need the knowledge to obtain the wrath's path."

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