Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

"Keep me informed of any changes in their movements," Branden said. "That being said, I am certain that they won't do anything aside from attacking like this until our soldiers begin to get exhausted…"

Those were basic battle tactics, weakening the enemy while saving your strength. There was no point in worrying about honor and fairness in the war since the winner could always write history the way they saw fit afterward.

Before long, some royal guards fell on the floor when they were unable to withstand the barrage of attacks. Others took their place, but the shields were starting to get damaged beyond repair.

Rain's instincts surged within him, urging him to take action, to snipe down some of the approaching enemies from his hidden position. The anticipation was almost tangible as he gripped his hands tightly. However, the orders from his superiors echoed in his mind, a stern reminder that he had to wait until the enemy was closer.

He understood the logic – the element of surprise could be critical in their strategy.

Beside him, Branden fidgeted, his fingers twitching. Rain could feel the impatience emanating from him. Branden's desire to leap into action was palpable, but like Rain, he had to adhere to the orders that had been given. His role was to set an example for others to showcase discipline and unity.

As the enemy attacks continued, Rain's heart pounded in his chest. The tension in the air was thick, the anticipation of battle mixing with the struggle to hold back their impulses. Every fiber of his being was ready to unleash his magic that was already ready. But he knew they had to play their part in the larger strategy to succeed in this battle.

"Well, my mana is at full capacity, and not using it now would be a waste," Rain thought.

Rain had to be careful, and he couldn't let others see what he was doing. He also had the chance to test a few things while the enemies were completely focused on attacking.

Rain's senses were on high alert, his attention fixed on the subtle vibrations traveling through the ground. His connection to earth magic allowed him to detect the enemy's movements. But the challenge lay in pinpointing their exact location amidst the rain-soaked battlefield.

The rain fell in a steady rhythm, its pattern creating a natural white noise that interfered with his ability to focus. The enemy forces were stationary, and that posed a unique challenge. Without movement, their vibrations were faint, nearly imperceptible amidst the background noise.

Rain strained to distinguish between the sounds of raindrops and the subtle disturbances caused by the enemy soldiers.

His eyes, enhanced by his mana manipulation, allowed him to see the faint silhouettes of the enemies. However, maintaining that vision required a constant expenditure of energy, and Rain knew he couldn't keep it activated indefinitely. The man in his eyes provided a glimpse of their positions. Still, it was a temporary solution, one that would inevitably drain his magical reserves.

In the end, using the vibrations was the best method, and training his senses in that regard and in that situation would only improve his skills further… It took a few minutes for Rain to get used to that, but he eventually improved his technique.

In the midst of the rain-drenched battlefield, Rain's heightened senses worked overtime. While the vibrations caused by the enemy's movements provided some clues to their locations, he discovered another, more unexpected source of information – the absence of vibrations caused by the raindrops themselves.

As the rain fell, it created countless ripples and disturbances on the ground. Rain's keen awareness allowed him to differentiate between the subtle tremors caused by the droplets and the larger movements of the soldiers. Where there should have been vibrations, there were gaps – areas where the rhythm of the raindrops was disrupted.

It was a realization that granted him a new level of precision in pinpointing the enemy's positions. By focusing on the lack of vibrations in certain spots, Rain could deduce where the soldiers were stationed. It was an ingenious use of his earth magic, a technique born out of necessity and honed by his relentless determination.

Yet, Rain's mind was never idle. Even as he tested this newfound technique, another idea formed – a strategy that could potentially turn the tide of battle in his favor. But for now, he had a pressing task at hand: making the enemies pay for their intrusion into his homeland.

On the extreme sides of the enemy's formation, the water snipers suddenly began to disappear… thanks to the sound of the rain and thanks to the darkness of the night, they didn't realize that since they were focused on their attacks. However, their allies began to sink to the ground, unable to escape.

An unknown skill leveled up.

The Fighter's Path received 300 experience points.

An unknown skill leveled up.

The Fighter's Path received 300 experience points.

It was a bit costly, but Rain created mud traps under the enemies, and then when they fell, he sealed the top with an earthblock. Inside, the enemies began to drown and tried to use their magic to escape, but they didn't realize that they were being drowned by mud, so their magic didn't work.

Using the rain and the terrain and the conditions to make mud made Rain save some mana, but that sure was something nasty to do. It was the only thing that he could do without leaving traces behind, though. Also, long-ranged projectiles would lose speed and power…

"Controlling the environment from this distance sure is hard… it would be impossible if I hadn't trained earth magic every single day since I learned it," Rain thought.

After Rain's precise attacks claimed the tenth or so enemy, a palpable tension began to ripple through the remaining ranks of the enemy soldiers. Their once-confident demeanor faltered as confusion and unease took hold. It was clear that something was amiss, and Rain's clever tactics had finally forced them to acknowledge it.