After Liam had eaten the fruit and descended the tree, his mind felt much clearer than before, and his intelligence was no longer limited to calculations or science. It was as if a veil had been lifted from his mind, allowing him to perceive the world in a new way. He could now see patterns and connections that he had never noticed before, and he could sense the emotions and thoughts of other beings around him.
As he looked around, he noticed that the forest was teeming with life, from the insects crawling on the ground to the birds singing in the trees. He could feel their energy and their presence, and he felt a deep sense of awe and wonder. He had never felt so connected to nature before, and he realized that everything was part of a larger whole.
He also felt a newfound sense of empathy and compassion towards others. He could understand their feelings and motivations, and he could see the world from their perspective. He realized that everyone had their own story and their struggles and that everyone deserved to be treated with kindness and respect.
Liam felt like he had been reborn, and he knew that his purpose in life had been strengthened. He would use his power to develop and bring prosperity to his people.
"FREY"
Liam shouted for his most trusted soldier beckoning him to the spacial tear, which by now had been obscured by the building surrounding it.
In response to the overbearing and loud voice, Frey rushed over swiftly traversing the newly developed pathway.
The middle-aged swordsman had always been so stern and serious, it was hard to imagine him ever cracking a smile. But after Liam's recent emotional awakening, he found himself looking at Frey in a different light. He realized that even the most stoic of people have emotions and connections to others. Liam saw Frey as a person now, not just a subordinate.
"Hey, Frey," Liam said, approaching him in the newly built training yard. "Can I talk to you for a second?"
Frey turned to face him, his expression unreadable. "Of course, Your Highness. What do you need?"
"Come take a seat here Frey." Liam gestured to the seats beside him.
"I just wanted to know...how are you doing? I mean, really doing. I know we don't talk much about personal stuff, but I want to know if there's anything you want to share."
Frey's eyebrows raised in surprise, and Liam could see a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "I...appreciate the concern, Your Highness. But I'm doing fine. Just keeping busy with training and patrols."
As Liam sat across from Frey, he couldn't help but notice how the sunlight danced across his face, illuminating his freckles and the stoicism in his eyes. He took a deep breath and started to speak, this time more slowly and thoughtfully than ever before.
Liam nodded, not wanting to push too hard. But he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Frey than he was letting on.
"Is there anything that makes you happy, Frey? Something you like to do in your free time?"
Frey paused for a moment, his gaze distant. "I...enjoy reading, Your Highness. History books, mostly."
Frey's eyes widened in surprise, and Liam could see a hint of uncertainty in her expression. He realized that he had never really opened up to her like this before, and it was a bit unsettling for both of them.
Liam smiled, feeling a connection forming between them. "That's great! I love reading too. Maybe we can swap book recommendations sometime."
Frey's lips quirked up slightly in a small smile. "I would like that, Your Highness."
Liam listened intently, feeling grateful for the opportunity to connect with someone he had always admired but never truly understood. By the end of their conversation, Liam felt closer to Frey than he ever had before, and he knew that their relationship had changed for the better.
As he continued to ask questions, Liam's newfound understanding of emotions and connections allowed him to connect with Frey on a more personal level. Liam could sense Frey opening up to him more and more. He talked about his family, his past, and even some of his fears. He listened intently as he shared his hopes and dreams, his fears and anxieties, and the things that made his heart sing.
Liam was surprised by how much he could relate to Frey's struggles and how much he could learn from his perspective. He realized that his focus on logic and rationality had blinded him to the rich emotional landscape of the world around him, and he vowed to be more mindful of the people in his life going forward.
Frey, for his part, was grateful for Liam's willingness to listen and learn. He could see the effort he was putting in, and it made him feel seen and appreciated in a way he had never experienced before. As they talked and shared more deeply, their connection grew stronger, and they both felt a sense of closeness and understanding that they had never felt before.
Suddenly, Liam's demeanour changed. "Now tell me, what are you?" Questioned Liam with a cold and serious look on his face.
"Your Majesty, we are a species that go by the name 'Voves' and come from the planet Iostea." With reverence, Frey answered his lord confused by his sudden change in tone.
"I see what would you say your …"
Liam continued interrogating Frey for the next hour or so. From this, he gained quite a lot of information. He found that certain species had made an agreement with the universe in exchange for serving other species when called upon to support them.
However, another piece of information he gleaned was that the universe had developed a few species with the sole purpose of serving others; unfortunately, these species were less likely to possess souls and were considered far inferior.
Of course, this didn't mean naturally formed servile species like the Voves were not considered inferior, but at least they had souls.
Unluckily for Liam, the Voves hadn't even gone beyond the Enlightenment and were heavily reliant on cold weapons and lacked science. In spite of this, their belief in gods was close to non-existent, choosing only to believe in the 'god' tiered individuals of various species.
After his strict questioning of Frey, Liam apologised for his cold manner and returned to a warmer and kinder demeanour
Having collected all the information he needed, Liam wanted to immediately begin his own Enlightenment, but he had to use his rewards and summon more personnel first. Then and only then would they pass on his teachings without his interference.
He remembered the message he got after eating the fruit.
[As you have surpassed all other OX-98654-B transportees by killing a D-2 rank entity while at rank B-4 on day 0 you have received 2x Random Advanced Recruitment Right + 1x Random Epic Personnel]
The Epic personnel piqued his interest the most so he used it at once.
[Azure Locklear]
[Epic Commander (Growth)]
[Title - Ocean's Blade]
[Rank - C-1]
[Level - 32]
[Phisical Abilities - 137]
⤷ [Strength - 120] + [Constitution - 180] + [Agility - 110]
[Intelligence - 100]
[Superior Energies] ⤷ [Aura - 91] + [Mana - 158]
[Skills]
⤷ [Advanced Swordsmanship (D+), Basic Spearmanship (F+), Intermediate Martial Arts (E+), Strategist (A), Loyal Orders (A-)]
[Abilities]
⤷ [Commander's Halo (A)]
⤷ [Ocean's Blade (B+)]
⤷ [Commander's Shout (B-)]
With this new recruit, he wouldn't have to control his soldiers at all times and instead spend his time on other things while reaping the exp from the Voves.
Now that Liam was done with his summoning he introduced: scientific theory, ways to prove and disprove, questioning the world, ideas revolving around revolutions, and proper laws to the Voves and advanced their species.
Liam began to realize that his way of thinking was very different from the Voves'. While they were more focused on serving others and fulfilling their duties, Liam was more interested in seeking knowledge and innovation. He saw the value in education and the pursuit of new ideas, and he believed that creativity was key to solving the problems that plagued their society.
"Listen, my dear Voves," Liam said to a group of soldiers gathered around him. "I know that your duty is to serve, and that's an honorable thing. But imagine how much more you could serve if you were equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve problems faster, communicate better, and adapt to new situations. That's what education can do for you."
The Voves looked at Liam with a mix of curiosity and scepticism. "But how can we learn when our duties require us to be in the field all the time?" asked one of them.
"That's a fair point," Liam replied. "But education doesn't have to happen in a classroom. You can learn from each other, from books, from experiments, from experience. And you don't have to stop serving while you learn. In fact, the more you learn, the more valuable you'll become to your lord and to the universe. Don't you want to be the best you can be?"
The Voves pondered Liam's words, and some of them started to nod in agreement. "We want to be the best we can be, my lord," said Frey, who had been listening attentively. "Please teach us."
As he introduced the Voves to scientific theory and ways to prove and disprove, Liam could sense that some of the Voves struggled to grasp the concepts, and others resisted the change in their routine. They were a species that had been assigned to their Lord by the universe, and their duty was to serve others when called upon. To them, seeking knowledge and innovation had never been a priority.
But Liam was determined to change their way of thinking. He believed that if they could embrace these new ideas, they could evolve their society and create a better future for themselves.
So Liam showed off his patience and persistence and praised every little progress they made. He also rewarded them with small bonuses and privileges when they achieved significant milestones.
Slowly but surely, the Voves began to embrace these new ideas, and their society started to evolve. He encouraged them to use their imaginations to come up with new ideas and solutions, and he taught them about the value of creativity.
And so Liam began to teach the Voves about the basics of science, math, and logic, using examples from their daily lives and tasks. He showed them how to measure and predict the outcomes of their actions, how to communicate more clearly and efficiently, and how to think critically and creatively.
He encouraged them to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and apply what they learned to improve their service.
Over the next few hours, thanks to his overwhelming charisma and identity as their lord Liam's teachings began to take hold. The Voves started to see the value in education and the pursuit of new ideas, and they began to develop new technologies and inventions that were more efficient and effective than their previous ones. Liam was pleased with their progress, but he knew that there was still much work to be done.
While this influx of knowledge had been difficult for them to accept, as they were assigned to their Lord by the universe, they chose to believe him.
Slowly but surely, the Voves began to embrace these new ideas, and their society started to evolve. They began to develop new technologies and inventions that were more efficient and effective than their previous ones.
Liam was pleased with their progress, but he knew that there was still much work to be done. He continued to guide them, teaching them about the importance of ethics and morality, and encouraging them to treat others with kindness and respect.
He also realized that he needed to find a way to share his knowledge with other species and lords so that they too could benefit from it. He knew that he couldn't do it alone, but he was determined to try.
As Liam continued to teach the Voves about science and technology, a strange feeling started to creep up on him. He couldn't quite place it, but it was almost as if he was being watched by something or someone.
At first, he dismissed it as just his imagination, but the feeling persisted, growing stronger with each passing day. Liam couldn't shake the feeling that he was not alone.
He began to notice strange occurrences happening around him. Trees would sway without any wind and animals would act unnaturally.
Liam started to investigate, searching for any clues or hints that could lead him to the source of this mysterious presence. He explored the forests, mountains, and valleys, but found nothing.
As he continued his search, Liam stumbled upon a group of beings unlike any he had seen before. They were tall and slender, with skin that glimmered like diamonds in the sunlight. Their eyes were large and purple, and their hair was made up of strands of glowing energy.
Liam approached them cautiously, not knowing what to expect. But to his surprise, they welcomed him with open arms and invited him to join them in their study of the universe.
However, Liam wouldn't trust these strangers so easily and began to question them.
He learned more about these beings, discovering that they were a highly advanced race known as the Celestials. They possessed knowledge and technology far beyond anything Liam had ever seen before.
But as they spoke, Liam couldn't help but wonder what their true intentions were. Why were they revealing themselves to him now? What did they want from him?
The mystery surrounding the Celestials only deepened Liam's intrigue, and he knew that he had to tread carefully if he wanted to uncover the truth about this enigmatic race.
Liam approached them cautiously, not knowing what to expect. But to his surprise, they welcomed him with open arms and invited him to join them in their study of the universe.
However, Liam wouldn't trust these strangers so easily and began to question them.
He learned more about these beings, discovering that they were a highly advanced race known as the Celestials. They possessed knowledge and technology far beyond anything Liam had ever seen before.
They had been fascinated by his spread of knowledge to the Voves and were intrigued by his benevolence. What had attracted them to this place was his title Innovator, a title well respected among the universe and coveted by many.
For now, it seemed they had not discovered his possession of the world tree. He found that the universe had restricted the power of the Celestials on any planet but their own, Atrania, in the entirety of this universe, since the Celestials were known to be disruptors that feasted on both knowledge and existence. This is on top of the system that new worlds like OX-98654-B, already have where all external entities would be heavily restricted or prohibited from accessing the planet.
Over the next few hours, Liam became close with the Celestials, and they began to teach him about their ways of thinking and their approach to the universe. And though they were unable to gain talents as Liam had, they showed him that there was much more to life than just science, technology and the system: that there were forces in the universe that even they could not fully comprehend.
Infatuated by their way of thinking, Liam began to incorporate their teachings into his own. With the help of the Celestials, his mind expanded even further, and he gained a deeper understanding of the universe.
Soon the first day would begin and all those that were sleeping would awaken rushing this new primal beauty into chaos.
In preparation for this, the Celestials brought out a strange device and activated it quickly. He felt free from the system and locked away at the same time.
This device as it turned out dragged a portion of the soul to which the Universe had no access. This was why the universe could only rely on natural life as it could not produce true souls.
Liam was perplexed as to why the Celestials would use it now and was told that they were about to tell him about some secrets that the universe doesn't want you to know and are against its interests.
Liam had always believed that his purpose in life was to help others. As the leader and teacher of the Voves, he had dedicated his life to guiding them towards a better future. However, the secrets the Celestials revealed to him had shaken his beliefs to the core.
This experience had left Liam conflicted. He had always believed that the end justified the means, but now he was not so sure. He began to question his role as a leader and teacher. Was he really doing the right thing? Was he leading the Voves down a path that would ultimately harm them?
These doubts plagued Liam, and he found himself struggling with his own thoughts and feelings. He wondered if he was truly cut out for the role of a leader. Could he make the tough decisions that were necessary to ensure the survival of his people? Or would he falter under the pressure?
Despite these doubts, Liam knew that he had to continue leading the Voves. He had seen the potential in his people, and he believed that they could overcome their struggles if they worked together. He began to focus on developing their skills and talents, encouraging them to find their own paths in life.
Through it all, Liam remained a complex and nuanced character. He continued to struggle with his doubts and fears, but he also remained committed to his people and their future. As he worked to develop the character of Liam further, the readers could see how his experiences with the Voves and the Celestials had shaped him into the leader he was today.
He had been Enlightened.
Diiing. Diiing. Diiing.