Tweet, tweet, tweet!
The harmonizing sounds of the otherworldly birds singing and chirping echoed in Liam's enhanced hearing.
The extraordinary sensation after the system granted him permanent extrasensory perception that augmented his physical capabilities and senses was still foreign that he needed to get accustomed to.
With that in mind, he traveled from the Dark Empire to the Light Kingdom with no reservation, running and jumping as fast and as high as he could to test his limits and exceedingly transcending even the best Olympics records in the 2040s.
Now that he was gradually beginning to get used to his newly found capabilities, it did not take away the surreal feeling and the absurd after-effects of this kind of travel in his physical body.
It made Liam torn between yearning for some normalcy or asking to tap into more power.
However, one thing was for sure.
Even though his body became more robust, his stamina couldn't keep up yet with his newly found power.
It was because he didn't use the
The scroll considerately asked him to pick from the
Since he couldn't understand it completely yet and he didn't know what was most suited for him, he decided to leave it.
[Welcome to the Light Kingdom!]
The system's mechanical voice announced!
The luminous screen quickly vanished from his sight right after.
It was then when Liam managed to take a meticulous inspection of his surroundings.
Liam had to fight off wrinkling his nose and twisting his mouth to hide his grimace sporadically.
The paradisiacal impression of the Light Kingdom irresistibly made Liam shiver.
Roaring waters flowed below the bridge that was connected to the impressive whitish castle, impeccably made of obtrusive mud brick-like materials with golden outlines standing magnificently before him.
The sun's gentle rays touching his skin reminded Liam of the pleasant weather he used to enjoy every summer back on Earth.
Some people might consider the Light Kingdom as a paradise, heaven, or any utopia full of blissful experiences.
The forest on the outskirts of the kingdom was full of vibrant and cheerful colors.
Liam pictured out perfectly the little butterfly-like insect creatures fluttering their tiny wings, hovering on every otherworldly flower there was.
If a sound of a trumpet would echo any minute now and a choir of angels would appear before Liam in that instance, he wouldn't even be surprised, considering how stunning the place he was glimpsing at now and acknowledging that he was in a different place where illogical things could happen.
"Pfffft!" Liam uncontrollably laughed.
It made him more certain that he was in a different place since there was no way they would accept him in heaven.
He did not feel at ease seeing his surroundings.
If anything, he would rather go back to the Dark Empire and never set foot in the Light Kingdom ever again.
The reason?
His character simply made him feel that way.
He knew where he belong.
And the Light Kingdom wasn't the place suited for people like him.
Wasn't that the reason he chose the Dark Empire over the Light Kingdom?
Liam inhaled deeply, he braced himself for what would happen.
He had little to no clue how he would be accepted upon coming close to the castle's arch entryway with the top curving into a C-shape.
On both sides of the entryway, it was supported by pillars attached to the massive walls that protectively surrounded the castle.
Uncertainty clouded Liam's mind.
A long time ago, he had learned by experience due to being a detective a pearl of vital wisdom that imprinted in his intelligent mind which inevitably became one of his principles in life.
Glamorous outer appearances could be a mask.
Right, most of the time, it was just a facade.
The first thing that you see would always have about seventy-five percent chance of being not what it appeared to be.
It was deception at its finest.
Just like what he did while he was at the Dark Empire, Liam paused in front of the entrance before some kind of trap showed up to attack him.
"State your codename player!" The machine-like voice intrigued Liam.
It sounded almost the same as the mechanical voice which the system currently has.
"Player codename: Ronin," Liam leisurely responded.
"State your purpose, Player Ronin."
"With all due respect, this gentleman wishes to see the Light King, may I?" Liam respectfully asked.
"Permission granted."
Liam had expected that the Light Kingdom's Paragon Knights would escort him the same as what happened in Dark Empire.
However, nothing of that sort happened.
Instead, Liam squinted at the flicker of light that had passed, tracing the entryway's outline.
"In case you are wondering, an indestructible force field protected the entrance to the castle. Unless your codename has gained permission to enter, the force field would deny you."
The puzzled gentleman shifted his stare at the half-human, half-elf-like creature standing in front of him.
His yellowish, white hair cascaded abundantly over his shoulders down to his bosom.
A silver band sat on top of his head, a fat sapphire stone at the middle of the headdress positioned on his forehead, highlighting his ivory skin.
The regal clothing bathed in silver with intricate golden patterns accentuated the enchanting charm that the mere presence of this non-human creature who had greeted Liam exuded.
"Player Ronin, I personally welcome you to the Light Kingdom. My name is Paragus."
Realizing who he was talking to, Liam lowered his head to gesture a bow.
Somehow, Liam had already guessed the moment he entered the barrier.
Hearing the creature introduce himself served as a confirmation for his assumption.
"It is a pleasure to be graced by your presence, King Paragus."
Paragus was delighted.
The young, inexperienced player seemed respectful and good with his choice of words.
He found people like him to be rare in the
Even though he was a king, he had often come across players who were the same age as him.
Some of them did not bother to greet him properly.
Others were rude and a few more were instantly demanding to give them a quest before introductions could even be done.
There was also a sizable amount of those who loved to boast and show off their skills.
For that reason, Liam's courteousness impressed the Light King as if the player was perfect for the atmosphere they were keeping in the Light Kingdom.
Liam watched as the Light King's silver, lightning-like eyes bore into him.
"The pleasure is all mine. Usually, it is my knights who are in charge of giving the visitors the right of passage. Unfortunately, the Mana Beasts were keeping them busy at the moment."
King Paragus' voice became more humane.
"This gentleman has heard as much, King Paragus. It seems that I have come at the right time."
"You appear to be well-informed, Ronin. Come, walk with me. The castle is not that far."
Paragus turned around, gesturing to follow him.
His soundless light steps almost made him look like he was floating instead of walking.
Liam followed idly behind the Light King.
"You are here to ask for a quest, would that be right?"
Liam noticed it was not a simple question.
The Light King had his hands on his back as if he was investigating.
The tiny jewels embedded on the headdress that he was wearing threw colorful reflections as it exposed them to the sun's rays.
It was a wonderful distraction for a brief time.
Liam knew that if he were to succeed in his quest from the Dark Lord, he would need to tread carefully now.
He only has one chance to win their trust, after all.
Besides, he did not know what the Light King was capable of.
However, they were playing at Liam's game.
"Yes," came Liam's reply, despite the Light King's statement felt like an interrogation and not a simple query.
A piercing silence fell between the two of them as if they were reading each other as they continued strolling.
At this point, Liam silently smirked behind the Light King.
Tap, tap, tap...
Liam's shoes were the only ones making a sound on the pavement.
The Light Kingdom was a paradise that almost everyone would dream of going to.
The heavenly atmosphere and the beautiful scenery surrounding the place were enough to leave an individual mesmerized.
If his wife had been there with him, Liam knew that Selene would have loved the place.
It was a great place to settle in.
"Player Ronin..."
Liam came to a halt, mimicking King Paragus.
Paragus slowly angled his body to face the player.
A gentle, friendly smile parted his lips.
"My knights are currently chasing off the Mana Beasts that infiltrated our kingdom. If you accept my request, then it shall be the quest that you must complete."
"I'd be delighted to be in the Light Kingdom's assistance, King Paragus."