[Would you like a PvP?]
The message flashed again on the floating purple screen. Naomi and Reinard didn't seem to see it for such apparent striking color. So, the System's existence was only privy to Liel alone.
[The System will not tolerate information breaches.]
[Would you like a PvP?]
Liel tried to smooth his expression, having no idea what a PvP was.
[PvP is an abbreviation for Player versus Player.]
[Idiot.]
Liel clenched his jaws, squeezing a little too tightly at Reinard's hand before letting him go.
"Okay, I don't know what just happened, but I have no intention to witness you guys fighting internally about who's the real alpha male." Naomi broke the silence. "How much drams I get for this canis picoon?"
Reinard turned his attention to the motionless giant canine with some arrows sticking from its front. He chuckled, critical eyes studying the harmless grass-like feathers while his fingers rubbed on his butt chin. "Five hundred drams."
"Five hun–"Naomi's eye bulged, "I spent days in this forest waiting for it to appear."
"Well, all hunters do."
"I left the feathers in good condition. At least, it's worth a thousand drams."
"Yeah, but canis picoon's feathers are not doing well in the market nowadays."
"You're joking."
"I'm telling the truth. You can sell this to other traders if you like. I'm cool if you don't want to sell it with my price," Reinard shrugged his shoulders, glancing at Liel.
"But I'm not sure you and your skinny new friend can drag this giant canine to town. No traders like it when the goods smell, as you know."
Liel frowned at the blatant monopoly. "That's not fair."
"Nothing is fair." Reinard regarded him with a meaningful look. "I thought you're familiar with an unfair world."
As if he was hinting at something.
It occurred to Liel that perhaps Reinard also experienced such an imperfect world where the world seemed to team up and make their life a living hell. Perhaps, all System users knew what unfairness was.
He wondered why the System didn't chime in like usual.
"Anyway," Reinard clapped his hands, bringing their attention back to him. "I'll give you five hundred and fifty drams, take it or not."
Naomi still didn't look pleased. Liel could share the sentiment, even though he didn't know what a five hundred and fifty drams were worth in this universe.
"And a strip of smoked whale meat as a bonus, how about that?"
Contemplating for a moment, Naomi finally let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine. But next time, I won't sell it if you pull something like this again."
"Well, as much as I take pride in my successful exotic beasts' business, I don't control the market."
Naomi huffed as she received the pouch Reinard handed to her. For a five hundred and fifty drams, the coins inside weren't that many. "Okay. Just send the meat over to the village, will you?"
"Sure. Well, be careful on your way back."
Then, Reinard took a deep breath and motioned with both hands. Instantly, the ground under him lit up with yellow lines, shaping into perfect circles and triangles. The lines were interconnected into a neat geometrical drawing, about five meters in diameter.
Naomi pulled on his hand, and Liel stepped back, away from the lit-up lines. The previous soft yellow glow suddenly turned into blinding white light.
When Liel opened his eyes again, Reinard and the dead giant canine had disappeared.
"Is that teleportation?" Liel asked.
[Obviously.]
"Yes. Cool, isn't it?"
Liel scoffed. "He should have teleported us too. That's what I call 'cool'."
Naomi hummed as they started to walk out of the forest. "Agreed. Sadly, Reinard's teleportation magic is only for inanimate object and dead creatures."
'If Reinard is a System user too, that means I can also use teleportation, right?' Liel asked in his head.
[No. Because you are too dumb.]
If only the System could materialize in front of him, Liel would like to give it a punch for the baseless insult. He wasn't dumb.
[You are dumb. You rejected the System.]
'Well, the System is dumb in the first place. And really, really weak to boost.'
[The System is not weak.]
'Whatever.'
[Automatic PvP mode activated.]
'What's that?'
[…]
Liel rolled his eyes. 'Don't say that I have to fight whoever the next System user I meet just because you're upset.'
[…]
'Seriously, you fucker?'
[Automatic PvP mode will be deactivated if you apologize now.]
Liel rolled his eyes, finding this situation extremely ridiculous. He decided to leave it at that and ask instead. 'If I can't use teleportation magic, then what can I do?'
[The possibility is endless. But for now, you cannot use any magic.]
'Why is that?'
[Status Update]
[You have 0 Magic Power.]
[You have no skills.]
'Of course,' Liel sarcastically commented.
[You will become stronger and have the ability to use magic, as well as learn skills if you complete the quests.]
'What's the quest again?'
[Quest No. 3: Burn Ashwell village.]
[Difficulty: Grade A.]
[Time Left: 2 days 21 hours 3 minutes.]
[Status: Incomplete.]
[Reward: A chance to get a power-up item – Cold Shoulders Armor or Sundering Axe.]
Liel considered this.
In order to get his revenge on Erik, he had to get stronger. Apparently, the best way to do that was to complete some quests from the System.
It was true that he had been imprisoned once. But it didn't mean that Liel was a brutal man who loved fighting and destroying a village for no cause.
Even so, 'Tell me about the village.'
[Ashwell village is located on the north coast of Baya Island, in Tashlym Regency, approximately 100 km east of Flatfalls, the capital of East Baya.]
'Not the location,' Liel grumbled internally. 'But why burn the village? Is there a reason for that?'
[Ashwell villagers are swept away by a deadly unknown illness. With no cure, the next best thing is to burn the village down before it spreads and causes global destruction.]
'Along with the villagers, you mean?'
The System did not respond, but Liel knew enough that the answer was yes.
'I'm not an arsonist, or a genocide enthusiast. Don't ask me for it.'
[The System does not force you into doing anything.]
[The System only informs that the unknown illness can be the start of a certain pandemic you must have known about in your previous life.]
Liel knew what it meant. 'I don't kill.'
The euphoria he felt when Erik gasped for air with hands clutching at his bloody stomach was unmistakably a red alert for his hypocrisy.
So was the justified joy when he squeezed Ava's neck much too tightly, even if he gazed down at her in sadness.
But, this was different.
Someone – somewhere – might know of a cure to save the villagers. Not that he cares, anyway. He could ignore it altogether.
'Give me another quest.'
[No quest found.]
"Liel." Naomi called his name as they reached a clearing. "This is your share." She grabbed his hand and placed a handful of coins in his open palm.
"I don't need this," he said, intent on returning the coins.
"Are you secretly rich?"
"No."
"Then take it," Naomi's gaze flicked to his bare chest. "At least, buy some clothes."
Suddenly a little uncomfortable, Liel crossed his thin arms on his chest. "I know my body is not the nicest sight–"
"It'll be cold at night," she interrupted with a smile.
"Oh." He hoped Naomi missed the flush on his heated face. But, if he was as pale as the System informed him earlier, there's a big chance she'd see it.
"Where do you live anyway?"
Liel shrugged. "Here and there."
"And where will you sleep tonight?"
He didn't think of that. Not yet anyway. "I think I'll manage."
"It's quite far from town, but if you can hurry, I'm sure you'll get there before dark."
"What about you?"
"My village–"
Naomi stopped abruptly. Her blue eyes widened, showing shock. Liel was about to ask about it when tears fell down her freckled cheeks. She bit her bottom lips, quickly hiding her face in both hands.
Not knowing what to do, Liel turned to his left and right—feeling awkward. He tensed when a sob spilled out from her clamped mouth.
He hated this.
It wasn't the first time Liel saw Naomi crying.
His late girlfriend cried in front of him once. Letting bullet tears fall freely, uncontrollably. Along with her snout. Not a pretty sigh, but it saddened him more nonetheless.
She cried because her parents didn't want to meet him. They had heard of his time served in prison. Heard of the nasty things people talked about behind his back.
They didn't even want to meet him, let alone allow their only daughter to date him.
So she cried.
She cried, and Liel could do nothing but cradle her in his arms, whispering promises that he wouldn't back down so easily, that he would do anything for them to be together.
But… this Naomi wasn't his girlfriend.
This Naomi didn't know him. She didn't feel the same way as him. And yet–
The red-haired girl unexpectedly threw her arms around him, burying her tearful face into his neck, and sobbed even harder.
"He- he's… hic… he's dead…"
Liel circled his own arms around her in a tight embrace and whispered sweet nothing in turn. "It's gonna be okay."
[Uhm… are you sure?]
[PvP mode activated.]
[Unknown System user approaching in five.]
'Five what?'
[Four.]
'Wait!'
[Three.]
'Wait a damn minute, fucker!'
[Two.]
Liel cursed internally as he tightened his hold on Naomi's crying self.
[One.]
Something dark shot down from the sky, right to where Liel and Naomi stood.
BAM!