A few days later there was sound outside yet again, Kaden expected it to be more human meat.

"You lived", it was yet another phoenix. "How is Kranor?"

"A bit apathetic", Kaden decided to say. It was the truth. "Are you planning to let me out finally? It seems even if longer time passes, he will not kill me."

Indeed, this phoenix had yet another of those keys and was about to use it to open an entrance, but stopped when Kranor suddenly appeared.

"I demand Kaden receives education", Kranor demanded. "I want all the privileges, if he were my child since birth."

"I ... I'll take your request", the phoenix said with slight surprise.

"Its not a request", Kranor said. "I demand it. I'll also listen to those old fucks and agree to not rush out. I want to talk to them."

While Kaden had expected Kranor to do something, this wasn't what he expected. He was very direct and didn't waste any time. This was very good. Kranor would totally strike at humans. He saw that Cari would likely end up at top even with the costs.

Having seen the enormous resources the phoenix clan had, one of the most powerful Cari clans, spreading of godless mana system would be unstoppable. Kaden assumed basically all Cari and even the smarter High Beasts could soon have access to it. Growth of the beast side would gain significant boost while humans still fought against themselves and were not adopting the new way. At least not until they were forced to. It would likely be too late at that point.

Kaden didn't care about the human lives. Nor did he really care about beast lives either. What he cared about was weakening his opponents. There were some very high up church members he wanted to kill. They needed to be weakened, but it would be a long term project. Yet, if Kranor was able to convince the spread of godless mana system, that long term project would become much shorter.

"Do you understand?" Kranor said. The voice was the sort that wouldn't accept disagreement.

"Yes", the phoenix answered with some wariness.

"Kaden", Kranor started. "Go out. Observe, look around. Once I get out, you can stay here, but right now I believe you would rather be free to move around than be confined with me. I'll find you later."

"All right", Kaden said.

Kranor said nothing more and walked back inside. The phoenix then was then willing to open the exit. Kaden wasn't sure what was the difference. Kranor with his strength should be able to rush through before the door would be closed. Perhaps there was something extra, such as requirement to approach slowly or something.

Kaden was finally able to go about as he pleased, at least within the external sections of the phoenix clan. The internal sections were inaccessible.

The entire area felt really good to Kaden. He assumed it was because of the presence of the volcano. There was large amount of mana related to fire and also somehow life. The entire area was permeated with higher than normal levels of such mana. Whether this was something the phoenixes had arranged over time or if it was natural, Kaden couldn't say.

As far as Kaden cared, there wasn't much to see. The interesting stuff would be hidden in the places he did not have access. At least not yet.

Instead Kaden found himself a nice ledge where he sat down. It was quite a sight. Most of the phoenix clan was visible and one could see very far into the distance to. Despite that he rather liked the place, he did not see it as his home. It could be a place where he could spend time, but it was not home. In fact, Kaden didn't really know if there even existed such a place. At the very least he wasn't aware of it.

Kaden put his feathers in order after ignoring such thoughts. He started researching his own godless mana system. He was planning to wait researching his spells until Kranor arranged to him whatever this 'education' involved. There should be some testing area somewhere.

It wasn't much different than being with Kranor, but it was far more free. Kaden had managed the most immediate things he wanted from Kranor.

That was the way Kaden spent his time. Researching and cultivating.

There were even no interruptions. Quite a few phoenixes came to get a look since Kaden was new, but none of them bothered him. Kaden wasn't sure how widely his past had spread, but he guessed it didn't really matter.

It seemed their patriarch had noted him too and had told what should be done with him. Kaden had passed the test so no one would bother him afterwards. That would be going against the ruling of their patriarch.

Thus protection would remain at least as long as he was useful. As it happens, Kaden's own plans coincided with desires of the phoenix clan so he would remain useful for the time being.

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Kaden also had to admit that things were moving very well for him. Sure there had been a few setbacks, but nothing major. Such as getting injured or that he was seen small and weak. Yet, targets of his vengeance were dead. The ones he had always wanted to see dead. There were still some left, but they were beyond him for the time being.

Then again, just how much of those good things were simply because no one paid attention to him? Now with the church likely having noticed the godless mana system, he could be noticed, even if there was a way to go back to live with humans.

"Perhaps once humans get weak and Cari can invade deep in their territories, I can go along with them", Kaden though to himself. Indeed, it was not hopeless. The targets he had left were the long lived sort anyway. True Magi didn't die too often and for sure even fewer above them.

There were things to decide, but Cari territory was fine place to plot his plans and become stronger.

The next morning someone came. Yet another phoenix clan member. This one was a bit higher, but not True Cari yet, but close.

"This is a key", the phoenix simply said. "It'll let you get in and out of the clan. Know that it can be revoked at any time."

"Hmmm?" Kaden hummed as he took the key and looked at it. It was small, yet complex piece of formations. As far as Kaden could tell the complexity was far more due to many functions stuffed in it rather than actual complexity. It was just a key. "I see."

"Due to Kranor's request, it will also get you access to the training area at the volcano, the Caldera Pit", the phoenix added. "Perhaps if his madness has passed, he might become elder again. At least he is acting properly again. Did you have something to do with it?"

"That might be the case", Kaden decided to reply. "I said some things that might have been good motivation. That can focus mind. I should know."

It seemed Kranor used to have relatively high status. One that he was likely kicked out from when he went mad. It seemed the phoenixes seemed happy that Kranor was willing to work with them again. As for the motivation. Kranor would get his vengeance or better chance at it, if humans were weakened. All the while phoenix clan would grow stronger and also Cari in general.

There were still questions about other powerful clans that had say in matters. Even if Kranor could make the phoenix clan to spread the godless mana system, would all of the others accept it? Dragons for example? They were the strongest and they had the dragon god. Dragons probably were more devout than phoenixes, even if they too were rather devout or at least gave great respect to the phoenix god.

That was worry for the future. Kaden didn't really even care. That is, if they never came after him, which was a possibility. If Kranor was willing to take up the matter, phoenix clan likely wouldn't do so and the godless mana system would likely remain a secret until it eventually spread naturally from humans regardless what they decided.

With such thoughts, Kaden decided he wanted to see this so called Caldera Pit.

There was yet another defensive formation layer at the volcano. Kaden found himself simply pass through it. As soon as he flew inside, heat and certain feeling of exhilaration hit him. Very dense fire and life mana. He felt the amount of mana that passed through his core increase slightly. The density didn't directly increase the efficiency, but it was a factor.

Kaden had already got used to seeing the extreme amount of wealth the phoenixes had. The sort of training system he found inside was very high grade. If one wanted to use that term. There were layers of these training areas going deeper inside the volcano. Even one of these would have cost a lot and required effort to keep functioning.

Considering Kaden had been part of an 'elite team' in Saint Empire, he had never seen anything like it. The sort of training areas were likely only available to the very highest members of the military. Perhaps even True Magi. As for the churches. Kaden expected they might have similar places hidden for their internal use.

And phoenixes had layers of them. Kaden couldn't even really see properly at the bottom. The mana was so dense in there.

One could go deeper and deeper as their ability allowed. Kaden recalled the words of the patriarch. If he went down there in any way, living or dead, his body would likely be torn apart by the mana inside. At least all of the fire and life would separate away with those being the most abundant mana around.

It wasn't even just the layers. Kaden found some formations and even a few phoenixes training in them. It seemed they simulated fights for them. It made sense. If you were training in extreme conditions, you would likely want to be able to act properly in them.

Kaden was actually pretty interested in these formations. They seemed pretty special. How did they generate such good simulations? Kaden had heard of similar among humans, but it was more like they shot beams and strikes and the sort, but not actual opponents.

Yet, it didn't even end there. Kaden noted that there was doorway at each of the layers he could see. He went there to see and discovered it was collection of information. Spells, mana theory, history ... basically anything. There was a timer that appeared as Kaden was about to enter.

"It seems everyone has a limited time", Kaden understood. As far as Kaden understood this sort of rules, they were supposed to cause people to specialize. One shouldn't waste their time on everything. Pick something you are interested in and take it to its limits. Random understanding would come along, if you really wanted to learn at some point. "I also expect more time is added over time and perhaps for special accomplishments. Also the lower levels with higher level stuff probably burns through the time faster."

Kaden didn't yet know what he would look for so he didn't go in. What the phoenixes had built for themselves wasn't something that could be built anywhere. The mana environment probably required this specific volcano. The rest could be built over time, if one had the resources.

Among humans any similar training facilities would be hidden and or under heavy defenses and only for some specific group of people. Not that it was much different at the phoenix clan either. The specific group of people were the phoenixes. The defenses were the clan defenses. Which, as Kaden had previously noted, were rather extreme.

Phoenixes had very good hold on their status despite their smaller numbers. They also clearly intended to keep it that way by splurging enormous amount of resources at it.

"And now I am here and able to take a share of it", Kaden though to himself. "Indeed, I will be expected to work for it, but thats what I was going to do anyway. Phoenix clan is indeed the best choice available."

No training facility could replace the true experience out in the world and its numerous conflicts, but the Caldera Pit clearly reached towards it probably as far as it was possible to.