Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Inside the room, a peculiar atmosphere prevailed as the occupants, including Rain, focused their attention on the old man. The elder figure nodded in response to Rain's words, and his actions seemed to carry an unspoken understanding.

It gave off an eerie sense that the old man possessed the ability to read people like an open book, and this acknowledgment made it apparent that Rain was indeed telling the truth. The silent confirmation from the old man created a sense of understanding among those present, leaving Rain with an uncanny feeling that his sincerity had been effortlessly discerned.

"Tell us what you talked with Isa before," The owl man said.

That was a difficult topic… if the old man could tell if Rain was lying or not, he couldn't do that, but he also couldn't revealed much without putting Isa on a tough spot.

"Well, she just gave me a few pointers on how to deal with the dragons and fight them," Rain said. "Things like how they usually fight in some terrains and about their techniques. That kind of stuff."

The old man nodded again… it seemed that Rain guess was correct, but his detection skills weren't at the level of Isa. That was a relief… Rain was truly bad diplomacy and starting their interactions with an isolationist country with lies would only make them more wary of people like him in the future.

The elders continued to exude an air of authority as they probed Rain with various questions about the outside world. Their demeanor, though somewhat imposing, hinted at the vast knowledge and experience they held. Despite the somewhat forceful nature of their inquiry, Rain was willing to provide answers.

He recognized that their society held valuable knowledge and wisdom, and he was eager to learn from them. As a result, he didn't mind the barrage of questions and answered them as candidly as he could, hoping to gain insights in return.

"Isa… you aren't the type who gets interested about the outside world," The owl man said. "Why did you let this human enter your territory and talked with him for so long?"

"I was just curious since we don't usually see lone travelers around these parts, even more so considering how he approached," Isa replied.

"How did he approach exactly?" The owl man asked.

"I don't remember well… I guess it was from the sea, right?" Isa asked.

Isa said that she saw Rain flying high in the sky, so she was playing games with the elders as well, and that annoyed them. Still, they didn't gain much by antagonizing her.

"... Considering what you heard, what do you think, Isa?" The owl man asked.

"I think that they are planning to do something to change the societal landscape of the world," Isa explained. "Until now, they have been only minding their business since we pushed them away from this land, but it seems that they have grown tired of their long nap."

Isa provided an explanation for the dragons' actions. She assumed that the long-standing conflicts among humans, magic people, and beast people had likely caught the dragons' attention. Over thousands of years, the dragons had been steadily growing in both numbers and strength. This growth might have emboldened them to pursue world domination, targeting the various races as they went.

The demi-humans, being particularly powerful, were likely reserved for last as the most formidable opponents, thus explaining the dragons' focus on the other races first.

"We can't say for sure if they will be able to win against us in a direct confrontation, but the dragons aren't the type who would let us escape with the victory, even after thousands of years," Isa added. "They are prideful, but they are wise as well. They know that they have many ways to deal with us as long as they are patient.

Even if we have the numerical advantage, they will find other ways to decrease our numbers and eventually win. They do have the advantage when it comes to lifespan, after all."

A war of attrition agaisnt the dragons… that would be a nightmare. Even for the more advanced demi-humans… that is because the dragons could keep doing that for thousands of years. While their society was advanced, their leaders would often change in that period, even more so if things got unstable during the war. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

"I suppose we should start preparing for this eventuality," The owl man said. "It will be our chance to get rid of them and pay the final part of our debts."

Rain had anticipated that the owl man might bring up the idea of forming an alliance to counter the dragons, given their shared concerns about the impending dragon threat. However, as he examined Isa's expression and listened to the conversation, it became increasingly apparent that the demi-human society's main focus was on self-preservation.

The elders and leaders among the demi-humans seemed to be preoccupied with ensuring the survival and prosperity of their own people. Their concerns extended to their unique society, advanced technology, and the secrets they held, which they might not be willing to share or risk by forming alliances with other races.

"While the dragons wage war agaisnt the other species, we will prepare and ambush them when they show their backs to us," The owl man said. "What do you think, fellow elders?"

"Agreed,"

"We can't risk spreading the knowledge that we have on the hands of those we can't trust,"

"It will be fine if barbarians and monsters keep killing each other."

Isa looked at Rain and shrugged… it wasn't like both of them were expecting an alliance in the first place, but it was still disappointing that the elders could be so close-minded. Still, they survived and prospered like that for thousands of years, and they didn't have many incentives to change their behavior now.

It was totally understandable, and neither of them could say much or thought of saying anything. It was better to focus on more important things.