Power of Runes Chapter 430: Tiers of Citizenship

Stars shimmered across the sky above the City of Light, with celestial bodies suspended in the distant heavens. No moon lit the night, yet the radiant glow from those faraway stellar objects sufficed to illuminate the darkness, casting a gentle and unwavering light across the whole city.

Combined with the constantly humming city and its residents, this infused the atmosphere with an unusual serenity, where the din of voices and footsteps wove harmoniously into the night's hush rather than descending into disorder.

The area surrounding the City of Light experienced two successive nights before the sun rose, trailed by two relentless days.

This zone possessed a distinct solar rhythm, differing from most other areas, which made its pattern seem odd but instinctive to the inhabitants.

More than 100 suns scattered throughout Eden, and their quantity kept growing as explorers ventured into fresh territories.

However, this wasn't overly peculiar, given regions devoid of suns or moons entirely, which rendered such quirks feel commonplace by contrast.

Still, this night carried extra importance for the city's folk, a shift detectable in the very air.

"Hmm? Where are all these people going?"

"I have no idea!! They just started running out of nowhere, I thought something happened."

"What? A big shot from the Transcendent Circle is here?? Who told you that?"

"I heard it from someone near the Inner District gate, they said the news just spread a few minutes ago."

"Hurry!!! People from the three big factions don’t come forward for no reason at all!! There has to be something big happening."

"F**k!! I am gonna run, I have to grab onto this opportunity. I still remember how much I regretted it the last time."

"Do you think they will recruit people? Or maybe announce something?"

"Who knows, but even just seeing them once is worth it. Stop asking and start running!!"

"Oi, don’t push!! Everyone’s heading the same way, we will all reach there."

"Shut up and keep moving, if you get left behind then don’t blame anyone."

Their shouts mingled as crowds swelled, fervor and haste rippling outward, sweeping up even the clueless into the rush toward the Inner District.

The Core District housed numerous dignitaries and vital structures, so crowds of this magnitude couldn't assemble there without endangering those inside.

Assassins lurked everywhere, ready to strike for coin regardless of location, rendering massive assemblies in vulnerable zones far too hazardous.

Few favored the Outer District for gatherings, owing to its insignificance and poor facilities, leaving the Inner District as the prime venue.

A vast stadium stood in the Inner District, crafted with a space expansion array that accommodated millions effortlessly, ideal for the city's major events.

Those short on funds or arriving too late to enter could only follow the live broadcast via their system interfaces.

With the Universal System operational, daily life had transformed profoundly. It managed nearly all tasks, from digital transactions to communication, recording, and countless other essentials people depended on routinely.

Serving as phone, computer, and cultivation aid, it transcended mere utility.

The system had woven itself into existence like a smartphone, an indispensable extension no one questioned anymore.

Soon, the stadium overflowed, seats claimed and spaces crammed, while the excluded tuned into streams on their systems, determined not to miss the spectacle.

Anticipation buzzed through the stadium amid a steady hum of chatter, voices blending in thrilled waves, until abruptly, utter silence descended.

For in the stadium's central void, an amber flame materialized, tiny and flickering at first, then surging to human height, captivating every gaze instantly.

As the amber blaze gradually dissipated, a stunning woman emerged in its stead, her beauty stunning men and women alike into momentary stupor, as if minds were briefly ensnared.

From a distance, she resembled a flame sprite. Long ebony tresses cascaded down her back, with tousled layers around her face tipped in orange-gold, like embers' faint caress.

Her amber eyes exuded mesmerizing pull, poised to incinerate all they surveyed, paired with porcelain skin like flawless jade and a lithe, ideally proportioned figure that compelled unwitting stares.

Her presence evoked a subdued inferno, smoldering silently with latent ferocity warning against proximity.

An amber flame mark on her glabella, emblem of Transcendents, enhanced her ethereal allure, setting her apart from the mundane crowd.

She surveyed the assembly and flashed a brief smile at the hovering cameras broadcasting citywide, her eyes pausing as if greeting myriad viewers.

Viewers from distant cities could tune in freely, of course.

This setup suited attention-seekers perfectly, and now every eye locked on her, soon to echo across Eden.

"I did not expect so many people to gather here."

Her tone rang light and offhand, yet pierced clearly to all ears unobstructed.

"Well, now that this many people are here and some are watching me through the stream, I will not beat around the bush."

"I am Elizabeth, a direct disciple of the Transcendent Eternal Supreme. One of the Three Eternals who created the Universal System and this Land of Eden that you all are familiar with."

"Gasp!!"

"What..!?!"

"Holy S*it!!"

The revelation jolted the audience, gasps erupting reflexively, though they clamped down instantly upon noticing Elizabeth continued, loath to disrupt.

Rumors had swirled before, mere whispers until now verified as fact.

"Decades ago, we all were brought together and were provided with the opportunity to break out of mortal limits and stand tall alongside beings from other realms."

"Although the purpose was clear, the intent behind it is no longer present. You all are living your lives peacefully, while others are fighting every single day to protect this peace. Even the talentless are out there risking their lives, struggling and pushing forward for the sake of the same peace you are enjoying without a second thought."

Her eyes scanned the throng steadily as she declared this, calm yet laden with gravity that urged averted glances.

"And yet, most of you are here not because you wish to grow stronger, not because you wish to stand and fight, but because you are chasing after some sudden opportunity, something that you believe will change everything without effort, something that should have already been yours if you had taken the right steps long ago."

A short hush allowed her message to penetrate deeply.

"Through various observations, we have noticed that most of you all are slacking. You have no fighting spirit, you lack desperation, and you are taking everything too easily, as if time will wait for you, as if strength will come to you on its own."

"Thus, we thought you all needed a wake up call."

Calm persisted in her voice, though its burden intensified progressively.

"Let me tell you, you are not safe. The peace you are enjoying right now is fragile, and it will vanish the moment you are no longer capable of protecting it. The comforts you are seeking will turn into nothing when faced with true destruction."

"Did you think this Realm was created just so that you all can have a better future path? That you can live easier lives compared to before?"

"That is only a part of the truth."

"The real reason behind all of this is the existence of beings from other realms."

"The Heavenly Realm might be our ally, the angels might stand with us, but they are still foreigners, and their priorities will never fully align with ours."

"And the Abyssal Realm, the devils, they are watching, waiting for weakness, waiting for the moment when Eden can be swallowed whole without resistance."

Her gaze sharpened subtly over the hushed masses.

"If you remain weak, if you continue to hide behind this fragile peace, then you will not just lose your lives, you will lose everything."

"The opportunity has already been given to you all. Power, growth, a path forward, everything has been placed within your reach."

"But if you remain lazy, if you keep waiting for something to happen instead of moving forward on your own, then you will die, your family and loved ones will die, and everything you hold dear will be swallowed up by the Abyss without leaving anything behind."

Her pronouncement hung oppressively over the stadium, transcending mere caution to embody inescapable reality, compelling even the apathetic to self-reflect quietly.

"That’s why it has been decided by the Transcendent Circle, as the sole representative of every being of the Land of Eden, it has been made mandatory for all of you to explore this unexplored realm, to clear dungeons, fight abominations, grow stronger, and bring glory to the whole realm, instead of standing still and waiting for change to come on its own."

"From now on, normal people who are not powerful and do not want to face dangers will have the lowest status."

"From now on, there will be tiers of citizenship, and everyone will have a designated tier given to them according to their power and the amount of contribution they have made. The treatment provided to them will also differ accordingly, reflecting what they have given back to the realm."

A momentary lull ensued as her eyes roamed the audience, letting the implications burrow further.

"Thus, the comforts you all seek will vanish if you remain a normal person, but that does not mean that normal people will be treated as the lowest of society without protection. Harming the weak will not be tolerated at all, and strict actions will be taken against those who try to exploit this system."

"The tiers will be divided from Tier 1 to Tier 9, with Tier 1 being the starting point and Tier 9 being the highest level of citizenship there is. Those who do not have talents related to fighting can still contribute in other ways and raise their tiers through their efforts. However, those who are weak and have no merits to their name will be assigned Tier 0, which will reflect their lack of contribution and their unwillingness to step forward."

"For more information, you can check all of this on your Universal System screen. Soon, all of you will receive notifications regarding this, along with the details of how your contributions will be evaluated and how your tier can be increased."

Her delivery stayed resolute, infused with unyielding resolve brooking no dispute.

"Another thing that I need you all to remember is that although this may feel like discrimination, it is nothing more than the result of your own lenient behavior. You needed a wake-up call, and we have provided it, so that you understand what is at stake before it is too late."

Elizabeth hushed then, permitting her declarations to embed firmly in every mind, the gravity of this shifted world bearing down gradually.

She lingered patiently, affording them moments to absorb it all, for her forthcoming revelation promised another jolt, stripping away any lingering complacency.

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