Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Rain decided to move away from the area and regroup… he had no idea what the machine gods had done, and he didn't expect anything related to the core of that place.

As soon as Rain reached the previous layer of the space station, Rain saw his prisoners and Loar fighting the dark sentinels… their numbers had decreased a lot, but so did the prisoners… Loar's hands were covered in wounds, and actually, they were missing their skin thanks to the numerous attacks that he launched using his special form.

"Master, I will watch your retreat," Loar said.

"Perhaps I should fire you from your position by calling me that," Rain said. "Return, I don't need anyone to watch my retreat when I can teleport."

Loar and the prisoners sighed in relief as they began to be called back to the pocket dimension. Several of their allies had been beaten to a pulp, so it looked like they could soon join them.

The dark sentinels tried to target Rain, but he soon disappeared, and the entire place began to collapse. As the space station's structure succumbed to the unseen force, cracks and fissures propagated rapidly, signaling its impending doom. Amidst the chaos, a faint blue glow emanated from within, gradually intensifying until it enveloped the entirety of the station.

Suddenly, colossal arms, several kilometers in length, materialized...

These enormous limbs, seemingly ethereal yet undeniably physical, tore through the compromised structure of the space station with ease. In a swift and decisive motion, they seized several of the dark sentinels, crushing them mercilessly in a single, brutal onslaught. The impact reverberated through the station, sending shockwaves rippling outward as debris scattered in all directions.

"What the hell is that…" Roan asked while blinking several times.

"A gift from the machine god… probably the one who stole our relics in the vessel," Rain said. "The enemy was using the core of the planet as a source of energy, and it didn't like that… nothing."

Rain chose not to tell his thoughts to prevent others from gaining insight into his intentions. By maintaining secrecy regarding his plans to extract planetary mana, he aimed to avoid unnecessary scrutiny or interference from allies and adversaries alike.

While he lacked the ability to harvest planetary nutrients akin to the machine gods, Rain considered the potential extraction of planetary mana as a viable alternative. However, he recognized the inherent risks and consequences associated with such actions. Despite the potential benefits, Rain resolved to bear the full burden of accountability should any adverse outcomes arise from his endeavors.

"Start evacuation," Rain said. "We don't have time for anything else, so hurry up before things gets too troublesome or the enemies have the chance to do anything else."

The massive creature made up half of the space station he destroyed, and soon, a torso, a head, and arms began to emerge from it. The creature looked like a giant alien without details of its body, and it was expanding faster and faster. While Rain and the others tried to run away, the creature targeted the dark sentinels chasing them and massacred thousands of those with ease.

"Shouldn't we do something about that?" Seara asked.

"We can't…" Sakaki said. "I am sensing some dangerous readings from the culture. I want to touch it to analyze it, but… I am not sure if we even we can survive that…"

The emergence of the colossal creature from the shattered remnants of the space station was a sight to behold, leaving everyone in awe of its sheer magnitude and power. Its body underwent a remarkable expansion, glowing with an intense radiance that seemed to burn with unimaginable energy.

The aura emanating from the creature was reminiscent of the magical boost effect, albeit intensified to an extraordinary degree, pulsating with raw power that dwarfed anything previously encountered.

Before long, all of the dark sentinels were exterminated, and the mana giant quickly turned its gaze toward Rain and the others. Around ninety percent of them had been evacuated already, but a larger number was still there.

"Let's buy time for the full retreat," Seadrei said. "You and I can endure attacks of that level. The others can offer us some support from a distance."

"... I guess you are right…" Rain said.

Rain's uncertainty stemmed from the lack of clarity regarding the mana giant's motivations and objectives. While he could sense its overwhelming rage, he struggled to determine whether it harbored hostility toward him and his companions specifically or if its anger was directed indiscriminately at everything in its vicinity.

This doubt left Rain confused, as he couldn't predict the creature's behavior or discern whether it posed an immediate threat to their safety.

Moreover, the eerie resemblance between the mana giant and the overseer's aura added another layer of complexity to the situation. The similarities between the two entities evoked a sense of danger, as Rain couldn't shake the feeling that the mana giant might share the overseer's mysterious and potentially hostile nature.

This realization fueled Rain's cautious approach, prompting him to proceed with vigilance and prudence as they confronted the formidable creature.

While Rain was thinking about that, the monster opened its mouth and then fired a mana cannon on the same level as the mana cannons that the machine gods had. Rain created a space shield to protect his friends, and much to his surprise… all the mana of one of the gems that he had just obtained had been used in a single moment…

"What the fuck…" Rain thought.

The skill Spatial Shielding leveled up.

The skill Spatial Shielding leveled up.

The skill Spatial Shielding leveled up.

…

The skill reached level one hundred in a single moment.

Rain wished that he had another option, but he hadn't. In the blink of an eye, he teleported all those behind to his pocket dimension… that thing wasn't something that they could face. Still, just when Rain was about to teleport away, the monster emitted a powerful glow that took over the area.