Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Chapter 292: Considerations

"Oh? You mean kidnapping to turn your people into slaves?" Rain asked while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Can you guys survive out of water for long?"

"You should know that!" The merman shouted again.

"I am not deaf, so don't bark in my ears," Rain said. "If I knew, I wouldn't be asking, retard."

The merman shared that his people had been dealing with kidnappings for many decades, and this was the reason for his attack on the port city. He explained that these incidents had occurred and his kind had to pass through this area.

Rain found this revelation quite puzzling. He couldn't recall any reports of slavery in the human country, so the idea of the sea folk being kidnapped for such a long time raised doubts. However, he couldn't completely dismiss the merman's claim, as it was a plausible scenario given the complexities of the world.

This disclosure prompted a moment of contemplative silence among the group, and their collective gaze eventually landed on Orcis. As the leader of the port town, Orcis bore the responsibility for what happened within its borders. The accusations made by the merman were serious and warranted thorough investigation to uncover the truth.

"Please, don't look at me like that," Orcis said. "Why would I risk my port city knowing that you would attack us and our ships?"

"Your ships have always been prepared and have countermeasures against us," Ther merman said. "What were those preparations for then?"

"They were just us exacting our caution," Orcis said and then rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Have you guys heard of anyone being enslaved in our country? We didn't even have the chance to capture the magic people since we were always on the defending side, barely winning."

"As if we would believe you!" The merman said.

"This guy sure is noisy..." Rain furrowed his eyebrows. "He seems to be a big shot, so we can't kill him, but they will retreat for a while if I kill the giant monsters, right?"

"They might be important for them, so we have to avoid that," Branden said and then began to think for a short while. "Can you give us at least one week? If you do it, we will find some people involved in the kidnappings with irrefutable proof."

"You will only fabricate the proof," the merman said.

"We are running out of time," Rain said while looking at the monsters getting closer and closer. Aside from the piles of rubble, they were also destroying other buildings. "Just send someone that will come with us then. We will release you to call for someone else to do that for you. If you don't, then it will be up to you to continue this battle.

A lot of people will die, but you will have some losses as well."

The merman appeared to believe Rain's words. He recognized that Rain's combat skills and magical abilities made him a serious threat. The idea that Rain could infiltrate their territory, defeat some sea folk, and escape without suffering consequences was entirely believable.

Moreover, the merman knew about Rain's substantial mana reserves and powerful magic. He understood that Rain could gradually eliminate the colossal sea monsters, one or two at a time, which posed a significant risk to the sea folk. Engaging in a prolonged battle with Rain and his group could result in substantial losses for the sea folk.

This assessment influenced the merman's decision to opt for negotiations rather than escalating the conflict further.

"... We will accept your offer," The merman said.