Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix-Chapter 1069: New defenses
When everyone heard that, they furrowed their eyebrows… they couldn't sense the cold thanks to Rain's domain, but they could tell that few creatures could live under those conditions, and they would be quite powerful.
"Monsters now, huh?" Terra asked. "Well, at least the lightning and fire gloves will be very useful under these conditions."
"Only at close range," Rain said. "The weather conditions and the mana on the snow will decrease the effectiveness of other types of magic. "
Thanks to the conditions of the world, few people actually came equipped with the ice gloves… it would be essentially useless, after all, unless they were like Rain and could cause physical damage, even with magic.
"We know the location of one of the enemies' bases," Isa said. "We should send a small team to check the situation there, one that can move faster in order to escape from them if necessity rises."
"You have a point, we need to report things to the headquarters, after all," Sealyn said. "How do you want us to divide ourselves this time?"
"I am still inexperienced if compared to Rain when using domains, so he should go and he should choose those who he wants to bring with him," Isa replied.
"Well, I don't mind that, but I will go as well," Sealyn declared. "You can choose the other members."
The smaller the domain, the faster Rain would be able to make it move with him as its core. Two people with him were the best option, but since Sealyn was going, perhaps taking Danny and Annie with him would be the best option… at least according to his fatherly senses.
After closing his eyes and crossing his arms as well, Rain decided to take Asche with him, she was probably the best attacker when it comes to physical attacks from a long-range, after all.
"That is an odd combination, but I guess it is the best one," Terra whispered. "Glad to see that you are finally putting your feelings aside in this kind of mission."
"I am not sure if this is the best way of thinking, though," Rain shrugged. "Anyway, try not to cause too many problems while we are away."
"You should tell that to our kids, not to us," Seara furrowed her eyebrows.
"We are ready to go," Sealyn declared.
Without wasting time, those three began to move toward the north in complete silence. The atmosphere didn't agree that much with small talk since Asche had become battle-hardened, and for the better or for the worse, Sealyn was pretty similar to Rain, minus his endless worries about his family and friends.
In any case, since they had to be cautious, they had to fly for half an hour before they finally could see the enemy's base. It was snowing heavily in that area, so the visibility was bad, and they ended up slowing down a fair bit.
As Rain, Sealyn, and Asche approached the enemy base, a massive rectangular structure emerged from the snow-covered landscape. The fortress seemed to have been standing there for centuries, covered in ice and snow, making it nearly impossible to discern its true material.
The accumulation of frost and freezing conditions over time gave it an ancient appearance as if it had become an integral part of the frozen world.
Oddly, there were no visible walls surrounding the structure, adding to the mysterious nature of the fortress. Its sheer size was staggering, stretching several kilometers in both length and width. The vast expanse suggested ample space within, making it difficult for the trio to imagine the internal layout.
Surveying the surroundings, they noticed the presence of formidable defenders both on land and in the air. Larger versions of sabertooth tigers patrolled the snow-covered grounds, their fur replaced by menacing crystal spikes that glistened ominously. In the sky, sleek and elongated blue birds soared, their forms graceful yet foreboding.
What truly alarmed them was not just the strength of these creatures but their sheer numbers. The creatures emanated mana levels comparable to one hundred years old dragons, each one was a formidable force.
Yet, the true challenge lay in the sheer multitude of defenders; hundreds of these creatures guarded the imposing fortress, creating a daunting obstacle for anyone attempting to breach its defenses.
"Attacking this place won't be quiet… a large-scale battle will take place, and they will have time to guard whatever materials they might have in store there," Asche said. "It has been a month since they sent the older cargo, right?"
"Yes," Rain replied.
"It might be time for another cargo to leave the planet… it is hard to say," Asche said. "What should we do, Commander."
"I am going to send the report to headquarters, but we need more before retreating," Sealyn said. "Can you approach the base while keeping us hidden? They don't have barriers there, right, Dad?"
"Right… still, even if we can escape their magic senses, these creatures still have their instincts," Rain said. "It will be difficult to hide our emotions and escape those wild senses."
"... What do you think is there?" Sealyn asked.
"Probably the entrance of something even more massive underground," Rain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That would explain why we can't sense anything. Considering how much snow and ice is here, perhaps they are mining many kilometers underground."
"That makes sense," Sealyn said and then stopped to think for a moment. "I will send the report to headquarters and see what they have to do about this."
It was good to know that Sealyn wasn't that hotblooded… even though she was very curious about the enemy's base, she knew it better than doing anything hastily. They had too much to lose, after all.
"We received your report, after discussing about it for a while, we decided that you all should keep an eye on this base and look for others," Esmeralda said. "Once you gather enough data about their activities and confirm that there are no other enemies in a large distance, we can decide the next step."