A faint chirping sound emanated from his shoulder as he took his first step into the darkness. Startled, Keifer noticed his surroundings gradually brightening with a surreal white light.

Turning slightly, he caught sight of a white bird perched on his shoulder. The light from the bird spread like a lantern, illuminating the darkness.

Surprised at first, Keifer quickly regained his composure.

Is this another transmigration perk? If so, how do I use it? He pondered, realizing he couldn't very well ask the bird.

With the newfound light, he navigated through the thorn-infested forest. After a few minutes of walking, he noticed the thorns becoming less dense.

I must be reaching the end, he thought.

A few steps further, Keifer suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. The white bird beside him became illusory before fading away as if erased.

Bewildered, Keifer formed a preliminary guess:

"Perhaps the bird, or this ability, is connected to my stamina. If so then, wouldn't understanding this be my first step?"

His urgency to understand this power stemmed from a memory: he had seen a similar bird in his personal hell before he transmigrated into this world.

Finally, reaching the edge of the forest, Keifer stepped out to find numerous individuals with weapons facing him. One of them suddenly dashed towards him, wielding a strange translucent sword!

Panicked, Keifer felt a sudden heat spread through his heart. In the next moment, birds took flight from the forest behind him. Scattering into the rainbow star sky.

Still confused, he witnessed several events unfold, culminating in a man descending in flames and demanding to know his identity!

Who is that? Keifer wondered as the seemingly mystical aspects of the events faded from his mind. He couldn't care less about how the man descended in flames or why numerous people wielded somewhat translucent swords. No, he was preoccupied with other concerns.

One stark realization struck him: everyone before him was a giant! They each stood at a towering height of 2.5 meters, with the new arrival standing roughly 3 meters tall!

Such people were surely beyond normal.

Furthermore, he seemed to be in a precarious situation, given the 3-meter-tall man's evident hostility.

He asked who I was. They don't know? But the previous guy seemed to. He called me a miracle. Is that perhaps some name? Maybe something I did was a miracle... Keifer briefly recalled the strange heat that spread through his heart before the birds took to the air.

Undoubtedly that was me, but I still don't know how. Keifer was already formulating a theory, though he needed time to verify it. That would be for later; right now, he needed to survive these 'giants.'

After a few moments of deliberation, Keifer calmly adopted a deeper, clearer voice—one that seemed lofty and belonged to a significant source.

He muttered a single word: "Miracles."

Casper, who was not a stranger to the numerous horrors of the thorn forest, was keen on investigating the stranger. Although the figure bore characteristics of what their God prophesied to be their savior, Casper had had his faith shattered numerous times and could not risk the being before him turning out to be some horrible monster from the thorn forest.

The thought that the monsters might have become intelligent enough to execute such intricate plans greatly terrified him.

But as soon as the being muttered "Miracles!" Casper felt his resolve waver. The translucent sword in his hand flickered out of existence for a moment before reappearing.

He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Prove it."

Keifer, still grappling with understanding his surroundings and how he could survive, responded with a somewhat puzzled tone: "Why?"

Fabian, who had been observing the exchanges, couldn't help but form his own thoughts about the strange figure.

Why? Is he not the miracle promised by the Glorious Light? Isn't he the one that will save us from the thorns and monsters? I bet he isn't... No way it could be that easy. I'm sure he's some monster, maybe a faceless man... His thoughts gradually turned to disbelief and suspicion towards the stranger.

However, Casper was beginning to think otherwise. As a far stronger individual compared to Fabian, his senses were more attuned, and from them, he could detect no hidden negative agenda. If anything, the being before him seemed akin to light. A gentle white bird!

The image swiftly flashed through his mind!

Taking a breath, Casper slowly lowered his blade. His eyes regained their piercing blue hue while the translucent sword vanished altogether. He looked around at the watch guards and declared, "Miracles have come to us!"

The entire guard detail instantly fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Some looked around for confirmation, while others were simply stunned by what they had just heard.

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Fabian was especially startled, unsure whether the Great Lord of Wonderland might be making a mistake. Although he wished to believe that the being before them was the promised miracle, he had lost many allies to false hopes. He was determined never to make such assumptions again.

Keifer, observing the reactions of these extraordinarily tall people, felt a wave of relief wash over him. Although he did not fear death, he believed that the power over his own life should solely belong to him.

So what happens now? Can I leave?* he wondered. They don't sound like Canese, though I can understand them. Their language seems ancient or at least sounds that way. Keifer pondered while observing any developments that might unfold.

It was clear to him that whatever "Miracles" represented, it held great importance to these people. Consequently, he was of great importance to them.

The guards, still stunned, struggled to process what was happening. Although they all believed in the miracles prophesied by their God, they had expected the being to be full of glory. Instead, he had emerged from the forest... like a thief!

At that moment, they all had a simultaneous thought: "God shall come like a thief; only those who are worthy can find him." This was a claim from one of their Holy books.

There was a standstill in the area, one that made Keifer uncomfortable. He quickly glanced around, seeking something he could use to his advantage. Soon, he spotted a small stone boulder with a smooth surface, as if it had been flattened by the numerous people who had sat on it.

Without a word, Keifer gradually walked toward the boulder.

The watchguards and even Lord Casper were startled by his sudden actions. Many had the urge to draw their swords, but recalling who this entity might be, they refrained.

Sitting on the cold, grayish stone boulder, Keifer casually looked at the "giants" and said, "Explain."

A shiver ran down Fabian's spine as he instantly interpreted the command as something sinister. "Does he want to glean information from us? Maybe to plan an attack!" His eyes locked onto Lord Casper, his gaze screaming: "This thing cannot be trusted; it must be destroyed."

However, Casper paid him no heed. The Lord, dressed in hunter's attire, responded in a deep voice, "We are the giants of the city of Wonderland. We worship and adore the Glorious Light."

Listening, Keifer sensed that the man had added that last part for a reason altogether different from the former. Nonetheless, he gradually let a smile play across his lips.

In front of creatures who could easily kill him, the usual look of solemnity was not an option. And as for the man referring to them as giants, that did not surprise him.

Lord Casper, watching for any unusual reactions, continued, "For two millennia, we have been sealed in this place by the wall of thorns, our sky now glowing like a rainbow. Despite this, my people have always held onto hope. Hope for a miracle."

Am I supposed to be that miracle?* Keifer pondered, smiling.

"But the thorns themselves are not the issue. It is what lies within them—monsters! Creatures with no discernible origin, as if they grow from the earth. They come and ravage our city, and we can only push them back, never truly defeating them."

Keifer noted a saddened tone in the man's final words, which left a deep impression.

Monsters. Thorns. Ravaging the city. But if that's the case, how have they survived all this time—for 2000 years, no less? If the thorns harbor the monsters, why don't the monsters just finish them off?*

Thinking for a moment, Keifer formulated a preliminary guess: It's possible the monsters never intended to completely kill them off. Perhaps they wanted to keep them at bay—terrified but alive. And maybe the ravaging is simply a way to remind them of the threat...

He pondered for a moment more before considering an alternative: It's also possible that the giants have other means of survival.

Casper observed the stranger for a moment before asking the most crucial question, "Can you help us?"

This was the question he needed answered the most.

Keifer, anticipating such a question, had already developed a rough understanding of the Wonderland Giants' situation.

They seem to be trapped, and something that resembles me—perhaps this "Miracle"—is supposed to save them, he mused. Such deep-rooted faith can only stem from something akin to a prophecy. Keifer felt his analysis was correct, though he needed more information to confirm it.

At that moment, Keifer couldn't help but recall a past life. A life when he lived in the mountains as a hermit, practicing the so-called arts of the heavens, which ended with him dying from the cold.

His smile widened as he looked up at the nearly 3-meter-tall giant and spoke in a soft, welcoming voice, "A miracle is an unexpected occurrence, but an exchange, although sometimes invisible, still occurs for it."

Hearing this, Lord Casper exhaled in relief. He was never one to trust the benevolence of secret, unknown entities. But a deal? That was a different matter. Because in a deal, the other party must surely want something.

"What do you want?" Casper asked, his voice deep and steady.

Still seated on the grayish stone boulder, Keifer glanced at the myriad of colored stars, enhancing his mysterious aura. Casually, as if unbothered by anything, he said, "Welcome me."

Casper's eyes nearly flared red. As a veteran of numerous conflicts, he knew that welcoming was akin to acceptance, submission, and bondage. No way was he subjecting the city of Wonderland to that. They were already caged.

No more!

But before he could summon his weapon, he heard the mysterious figure say:

"I would rather be loved than feared."

Casper abruptly froze.

Unsure how to respond or act in this situation, Casper's eyes narrowed in a rare mixed expression. He looked at the stranger and asked, "Do you intend to harm the city of Wonderland?"

From the stranger's final words, Casper sensed no malice but felt the entity would likely keep his word if he wasn't welcomed. Thus, he could only submit. Though it pained him, he couldn't risk a clash with an unknown power—one he did not yet understand.

Seeing that his approach was successful, Keifer gained a deeper understanding.

They either see me as a very valuable person who cannot be ignored or opposed, or something about me frightens them, compelling them to obey. It must be one of the two.

Taking a few seconds to respond, Keifer said, "If welcomed, I would do no such thing."

Casper lowered his eyes momentarily before sighing, "You're welcome in the city of Wonderland."

Fabian, witnessing this, was shocked to his core. He wanted nothing more than to strike down the stranger. In his eyes, Lord Casper was inviting ruin to the city of Wonderland. For all they knew, this could be a rumored entity intending to use the city as a feeding ground.

Despite his reservations, he knew he couldn't go against the Lord's words. He could only do so once he had gained the strength to enforce his will.

This was the law of Wonderland: the strongest was the Lord!

Keifer, hearing Casper's words, formed a delighted smile. He gently placed his right hand on the cold boulder and said, "I accept."

Just as he spoke, he suddenly felt his chest heat up, but unlike before, this was accompanied by deep exhaustion, far more profound than when the white bird had disappeared. He instinctively knew he should never allow himself to feel total exhaustion.

With growing worry and spreading intense heat, Keifer struggled to maintain his inviting smile.

After a while, Casper asked, "How can you help Wonderland?"

Keifer deliberated for a moment before responding, "It will be a gradual process involving numerous steps, but for a city that has survived so long, you can overcome this."

Lowering his head briefly, Casper took a deep breath and asked, "What can I call you?"