As the dust from the battle settled, the once chaotic forest returned to a strange sense of calm. Liam stood still, breathing deeply as he surveyed the scene. His energy felt stable now, no longer teetering between control and destruction. The heroes, weary but standing, looked at him with both respect and a hint of unease, still processing the intensity of their encounter.
Liam, wiping off some sweat from his forehead, broke the silence. "That was quite the fight. Appreciate the effort," he said, his voice carrying a casual, almost light-hearted tone. It was as though he was thanking them for a mere sparring match, not an intense battle that had nearly torn them apart.
Caiser, catching his breath and trying to steady his shaken nerves, stepped forward. "I… I'm really sorry about the snake," he said, bowing his head slightly. There was a note of genuine remorse in his voice. The memory of Liam's tamed snake still lingered in Caiser's mind, a mistake he regretted more than any other action during the fight.
Liam, however, merely shrugged, his expression relaxed. "It's fine," he said. "That was my first tamed creature. To be honest, I didn't really get to know much about it. Didn't even figure out all of its quirks." There was a flicker of something like nostalgia in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his usual calm demeanor. Caiser blinked, surprised by Liam's nonchalance. Here was a man powerful enough to lay waste to entire teams and yet seemed oddly detached from things others would hold dear.
Caiser, unsure how to respond, let a small, relieved smile cross his face. But that smile quickly faded as Liam's expression turned serious. "Anyway," Liam said, his voice now carrying a weight that immediately captured the group's attention. "There are women and children trapped inside the cave. You'll want to take them to safety."
Caiser, regaining his composure, nodded. "That's why we came here in the first place," he explained. "We'll make sure they're safe."
Liam studied him for a moment before glancing toward the cave entrance. "Good," he said. Then, without missing a beat, he added, "I'll need some money. Or something valuable. I'm not familiar with the trade system around here."
Caiser blinked again, slightly taken aback. "Money?" he asked, tilting his head. "Why would you need—" He stopped himself, realizing that Liam might not be from this part of the world, or even this world. But still, the request seemed oddly out of place, especially after all that had happened. Trying to gauge Liam's intentions, Caiser tentatively asked, "And what if I didn't give you anything?"
Liam's response was immediate, his tone casual but with an underlying edge that sent a chill through Caiser. "Then I guess I'll have to kill the innocent people in the cave." He said it so nonchalantly that it took a moment for the weight of the words to settle. Liam's expression didn't change—his smile was still there, though his eyes held a strange, positive intensity that made Caiser question if he was joking.
Caiser felt a knot form in his stomach. "You wouldn't actually do that… right? You're not going to kill innocent people just for money, are you?" His voice was cautious, unsure of how serious Liam was.
Liam didn't answer directly. Instead, he just smiled, his eyes still fixed on Caiser with an unreadable expression. The silence between them grew heavier, and the tension thickened. Finally, Caiser sighed in defeat. "Fine," he muttered, pulling a small pouch from his belt and tossing it to Liam. The coins clinked as they landed in Liam's hand. "I'm not sure how much this is worth, but things are pretty cheap for heroes, so this should be enough."
Liam caught the pouch with ease, inspecting the silver-like coins for a brief moment. "Thanks," he said, his tone casual once again. He glanced at Caiser, giving him a slight nod. "I'll come find you if I need anything more."
Caiser nodded, still feeling a mix of confusion and wariness. "We'll be around," he replied. "If you need help, don't hesitate to ask."
As they began to part ways, the forest seemed to swallow the group of heroes, their figures fading into the thick foliage. The sound of rustling leaves and distant birds replaced the battle's echo. Liam watched them disappear into the wilderness, a small smile playing on his lips.
With the night quickly approaching, Liam took a deep breath and turned his attention to the forest around him. The shadows of the trees grew longer, and the once-green landscape now felt more ominous, the darkness creeping in with each passing minute. He wasn't worried, though. The darkness didn't bother him.
Finding a large tree with sturdy branches, Liam settled near its base. He gathered some leaves, creating a makeshift bed on the ground. It wasn't much, but it would do for the night. Then, with a subtle motion, he activated his [Divine Shield], allowing it to form a protective barrier around him. The shield's faint glow illuminated the area around him, casting soft shadows on the tree trunk and the ground below.
With the shield active, Liam felt secure. The passive ability [Retribution] was set to automatic, storing any damage inflicted on the shield and ready to unleash it on any potential attacker. And with his [Auto Counter] skill's passive [Counter] always prepared, he knew that any enemy foolish enough to strike him would regret it instantly.
Settling in, Liam opened his system tab. The familiar interface appeared before him, showing the progress of the ongoing integration.
[System Integration in progress]
[Time limit: 13 hours]
Liam smirked, thinking about how much had happened in just one day. It was almost unbelievable. But as he stared at the timer, something bothered him. The system integration was progressing faster than he had expected. Why was that? It felt strange, almost as if something else was influencing the process. But he didn't have enough information to make sense of it yet. The system, as usual, would have answers. It always did.
Satisfied that there was nothing immediate he could do, Liam let his mind wander for a moment, reflecting on the day's events before slowly drifting off to sleep.
The next morning arrived quietly. A beam of sunlight pierced through the dense canopy, casting light on Liam's face. He blinked awake, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. For a moment, he simply lay there, staring up at the leaves above him, listening to the sounds of the forest waking up. Birds chirped in the distance, and the faint rustle of leaves suggested small animals moving nearby.
Sitting up, Liam stretched and looked around. His [Divine Shield] had done its job well. Surrounding him were the bodies of several monsters, all lying in heaps, their forms mangled and twisted. Most of them had self-inflicted injuries—victims of his shield's [Retribution] effect. Liam couldn't help but smile. It seemed the forest's predators had tried their luck during the night, only to meet a swift, painful end.
Standing, Liam dusted off his clothes and opened his system tab once more.
[System Integration in progress]
[Time limit: 6 hours]
The timer had decreased significantly. But another strange thing caught his attention: there were no rewards. Unlike the first time he had fought in this forest, there was no experience, no essence, no visible gains from killing the monsters. It puzzled him. Why was the system behaving differently now?
But Liam wasn't too concerned. The system would provide answers eventually, and when it did, he would be ready. For now, he had time to think, plan, and prepare for what came next. Today, like every day, was filled with endless possibilities.