Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

"As such… Rain, of the human race," The owl man said. "We have no interest in joining your side or risking our lives to fight for lands besides our own."

"I never asked you to do that," Rain said. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire

"... Since you gave us a great deal of information, we will allow you to enter our territory to talk if Isa if you like it," The owl man said while ignoring Rain's words. "But you will be heavily guarded and watched. If you are fine with that, you can come and go."

Rain had mixed feelings about the situation. He didn't particularly like the idea of being under the constant watchful eye of people who had shown little interest in forming a friendly relationship with him. However, he recognized the value of maintaining a good relationship with Isa, who had provided him with valuable insights and knowledge.

Rain held a deep respect for Isa, and he didn't want to cause any trouble for her or jeopardize their connection.

Understanding that he had limited options and wanted to express his gratitude for Isa's assistance, Rain ultimately decided to accept the terms set forth by the elders. It was a choice driven by his sense of obligation and his desire to cooperate while navigating the complex dynamics of the demi-human society.

"Alrighty, can I go now?" Rain asked.

"Why don't you give the weapons to them? You can gain something for it," Isa asked.

"I guess you don't want it, but I don't want to give it to them either," Rain said. "I will return home a bit disappointed, but at least I learned a few things."

"We can still trade information if you do something for me," Isa said.

"You will have to choose your words carefully because my wives will know if I hide this conversation from them," Rain said. "Their spidey senses are off the charts when it comes to this kind of stuff."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Isa frowned. "I just want you to bet those weapons in combat here."

"Combat?" Rain frowned.

"Things can be pretty boring here, so we have an arena were people fight each other and bet all kinds of things," Isa said. "Money, relics, women, men, their lives…"

Rain's expression shifted to one of genuine surprise upon hearing about the Arena. The concept of an Arena itself wasn't entirely unexpected, considering the significant number of demi-humans with beast people blood in their society. It made sense that they would have a place for showcasing their strength and skills.

However, Rain found it a bit perplexing that so many rewards and benefits were associated with what he had initially thought of as a simple combat challenge. The revelation left him curious and eager to learn more about this unique aspect of demi-human culture.

"Your society is… quite interesting," Rain frowned.

"What do you say, elders?" Isa asked. "Do you want to test your best warriors against a human from outside to learn more about his fighting style and their ability to make weapons and relics?"

The elders could tell that Isa was up to something… but her proposal wasn't so bad. They didn't know about Rain's accomplishments since he hid those from them and it would be interesting to see the strength of someone who wanted their help, despite the fact that he denied it.

"Very well… we will hold some duels at sunset," The owl man said.

"... Why do you want to see me fighting your people?" Rain asked when they left the building and began to head to the arena.

"The people here have grown complacent in the last hundred years, they think that they can do the same thing as their ancestors with ease," Isa explained. "Beating their asses will make them understand that they can't underestimate what they don't understand."

Rain couldn't help but notice the subtle signs of annoyance among the guards as they continued to escort him and Isa. Her words had clearly struck a nerve, even though the guards refrained from taking any immediate action. Rain understood Isa's point of view, though.

He intended to prove that they couldn't take everything for granted so easily, especially when a mere human like him was capable of defeating them. This challenge would serve as an opportunity for Rain to demonstrate his strength and, in turn, earn respect and recognition among the demi-humans.

The duels were supposed to happen in three hours, but they headed to the arena already since Rain was drawing too much attention. Much to Rain's surprise, the arena was underground, and the place had many entrances like a subway and as soon as the people began to hear about the duels, they began to head toward it.

The underground arena was very impressive, with dozens of thousands of seats arranged in a massive circle surrounding the fighting ring at its center. The ring was made of solid stone, and its imposing presence commanded attention. Illuminating the vast space were numerous torches fashioned from magic stones, casting an eerie and captivating glow that bathed the arena in a dark and red atmosphere.

It was a place where champions were made, and the echoes of past battles seemed to linger in every corner, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement among those who had gathered to witness the upcoming contest.

"Any tips?" Rain asked when he jumped on the ring and began to stretch his body.

"It will be better if you take those out," Isa said while pointing to Rain's weights. "You are probably stronger than most of the warriors that they will send, but you won't fight a single one of them. They will keep sending them until they realize it, that might take a while.

If it was just for a while, it was fine for Rain to take the weights… he felt light on his feet once he put them on the side of the ring and then tested his body. He couldn't go all out, so he had to get used to it.