Power of Runes Chapter 432: The Absolute Anomaly

-Clap!!!

A final clap rang out from the man dressed in ceremonial robes decorated with an array of armaments, the sound reverberating sharply through the stadium, and in the blink of an eye, he hovered right next to Elizabeth.

"That was quite the speech."

"Direct... and effective."

He halted for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, scrutinizing their faces for fear, uncertainty, and the emerging glimmers of resolve, before fixing back on her.

"I can see you have given them something to think about."

Gasps rippled through the onlookers at the sight of the middle-aged man radiating mature charm and steady allure, their focus snapping to him as he positioned himself effortlessly beside Elizabeth.

Moments earlier, Elizabeth had mentioned the Church of Light, and now, so soon after, a powerhouse of authority materialized at her side, forging an immediate link in everyone's thoughts.

Excitement stirred, anticipation built, and a subtle flame ignited in numerous eyes, transforming the prior tension rather than erasing it.

Eager to witness the next development, the impending interaction between these two, and above all, the significance of this abrupt arrival, the crowd's attention sharpened even further.

"It's an honor that the High Priest of the Church is himself present before me."

Elizabeth replied in a tone open to interpretation, leaving doubt as to sarcasm or sincerity, her face serene with no sign of elaboration.

Grasping the subtext in her voice, the High Priest brushed it aside, offering a warm smile as he responded, "No, no... the honor is mine. It is not every day that I stand before a direct disciple of an Eternal. Your presence has graced this city with Radiance itself. Though, it would have been better, truly, if your arrival had been revealed to me beforehand. I regret that I was not able to greet you under the Light from the very beginning."

"It was only after you began to speak here that the Light revealed your presence to me."

Elizabeth sneered silently inside but held her tongue, her features unchanging.

She knew full well the Church folk's brazenness—they could fib without batting an eye, feeling no guilt, as though it were second nature.

How could city dwellers learn of her coming while the Church's High Priest remained clueless? Pure fabrication, and a flimsy one.

"It matters not, though I would have preferred if you had waited for me to finish what I had to say before coming here like this."

Elizabeth stated flatly, her voice steady yet laced with a subtle sharpness that everyone caught.

Undeterred, the High Priest kept smiling, his demeanor as unflappable as before.

"Do not worry, there is a reason why I had to appear like this. You see, the Church of Light also has something to announce. Just imagine my surprise when I saw you already addressing the people. I believed this to be the moment guided by the Light itself, a moment to reveal what has been personally ordered by the Heavenly Eternal Supreme. I ask for your forgiveness if my presence seems improper. If my presence here is not desired, I will take my leave under the Light."

Inwardly, Elizabeth swore at the High Priest, her annoyance flaring at his cunning words.

Dropping an Eternal's name, then threatening to depart as if it hinged on her choice.

Sending him away now would paint her as defying an Eternal's command—she wasn't naive enough to fall for that ploy.

"Oh my!! You must be jesting, how could I refuse such a polite request. If you wish to announce something, feel free to do so. After all, I was almost done with what I had to say, the only thing left for me to do is to search for some talented individuals, if there are any in the city."

Elizabeth responded smoothly, her gentle tone and honeyed phrases easing the charged air, as though the prior verbal spar had never occurred.

The spectators stood dumbfounded by the unfolding drama, their gazes darting between the pair, straining to decode the veiled intents in their exchange.

It resembled not mere talk, but a intricate verbal duel, each phrase hiding deeper layers.

Despite that, the audience's curiosity intensified as they eagerly awaited the Church's announcement, for the Transcendent Circle's declaration had already rocked the whole of Eden, and the next revelation could shift matters even more profoundly.

The High Priest gave a nod to Elizabeth before utterly dismissing her, redirecting his focus to the cameras and the crowd, his smile expanding just a touch, as though this were the very instant he had anticipated.

"May the Light be with all of you who bear witness... I stand before you not as one worthy of praise, but as a humble High Priest of the Church of Light. At most, I am but a vessel of the Light’s will, a mere messenger chosen to deliver what must be revealed. What I bring before you is not mine to speak, but a matter of great urgency that now stands before us all."

His words flowed with warmth and smoothness, filling the stadium and the live streams effortlessly, creating the sensation that he addressed every listener personally.

"This matter stands apart from the troubles you are already aware of, and let it be known under the Light... it bears no relation to the Church of Darkness."

After a short pause, he let his statement sink in, his eyes scanning the audience before pressing on.

"The Church of Light, or rather the Heavenly Eternal Supreme, wishes to issue a decree."

As soon as that term escaped his lips, silence deepened across the stadium, everyone sensing intuitively that the forthcoming words held exceptional gravity, drawing total concentration without prompt.

"A matter of great importance has come to our attention, something that goes beyond the conflicts you are aware of and something that concerns the very order of existence itself, which is why I ask all of you to listen carefully."

"There exists an individual, someone who has somehow disturbed the web of fate, altering the destined paths of many beings, whether knowingly or unknowingly, and such a change is not something that can be taken lightly."

A soft murmur bubbled up from the crowd but swiftly died down, as attendees held back, determined not to overlook a single syllable while curiosity blended with growing unease.

"The Heavenly Realm became aware of this anomaly long before the Realm of Eden was formed, and under the guidance of the Heavenly Eternal Supreme, the Angelic beings had already begun their search across various galaxies and planets, yet even with their boundless reach, the results remained beyond grasp."

He halted for a moment, letting the revelation absorb, then resumed his even rhythm.

"However, after the formation of Eden, the task has become easier, because this being now exists within this land itself, which means that the distance that once hid them no longer exists."

"Finding this individual is of paramount importance, because someone who interferes with fate is not merely an irregularity, but a potential source of chaos that can disrupt the natural balance of all realms, and such a possibility cannot be ignored."

His face grew steadier in expression, the subtle smile now more restrained.

"And just a few months ago, the Heavenly Eternal Supreme sensed something even more concerning, something that elevated this matter to an entirely different level."

"There exists a being who has escaped all forms of binding placed upon existence itself, whether it be of living or dead, which means that they are no longer restricted by the laws that govern all other beings."

"This means that they are no longer bound by fate, no longer restrained by karma, and no longer judged by sin or elevated by virtue, while even the cycle of rebirth has no hold over them, and their destiny cannot be defined or predicted in any conventional way."

"Even causality itself struggles to apply to such an existence, making them an anomaly that stands outside the natural order, something that should not normally exist."

"And it is highly suspected that this being is the same individual who disturbed the web of fate in the past, which only makes this matter far more urgent than it already was."

By this point, the crowd was utterly hushed, the initial thrill overtaken by a profound awareness that the disclosure surpassed their wildest expectations.

"Thus, the Church of Light, under the will of the Heavenly Eternal Supreme, is issuing a Divine Mandate, and this is something that concerns all of you without exception."

"Anyone who is able to locate, identify, or provide credible information regarding this individual will be rewarded, and those rewards will not be ordinary, but something that can truly change your standing and future."

"Should anyone succeed in capturing or presenting this person, the rewards shall exceed your wildest dreams, potent enough to completely reshape your life's trajectory."

A subtle smile crept back onto his features while his eyes scanned the assembly, taking in the reactions that were gradually surfacing.

"Therefore, I beseech you all to stay alert to your environs and scrutinize sharply, since the quarry we hunt could lurk nearer than imagined, and the opportunity offered by the Light might not recur so freely."

Right on cue, precisely as his declaration concluded, a transformation rippled through the full expanse of the Realm of Eden, paired with a delicate chime reverberating within the consciousness of every entity—regardless of whether they crowded the stadium or followed the broadcast from remote distances—provided they remained tied to the Universal System, ensuring no one missed the ensuing event.

A recognizable panel materialized in their view.

**

" UNIVERSAL SYSTEM NOTIFICATION "

" REALM QUEST HAS BEEN ISSUED "

" Quest Name: The Absolute Anomaly "

" Quest Type: Realm Quest "

" Target: Unknown "

" Quest Description: A singular existence has been identified as an anomaly that stands beyond the natural order, one who has altered the destined paths of countless beings, knowingly or unknowingly, creating ripples that extend across realms and disrupting the balance that governs existence itself.

This existence is no longer bound by the fundamental laws that define all beings, as they have escaped the constraints of fate, karma, sin, virtue, rebirth, and even causality, making them an irregularity that cannot be predicted, measured, or controlled through conventional means.

Such an existence poses an unpredictable variable to the stability of Eden and beyond, and thus locating and identifying this anomaly has become a matter of utmost importance. "

" Objectives:

-Provide credible information regarding the identity or location of the target.

-Track and report movements of suspected individuals.

-Capture or assist in the capture of the target. "

" Time Limit: Not Specified "

" Rewards:

-Blessing of the Universal System.

-Blessing of the Realm of Eden.

-Heaven-Blessed Sovereign Physique.

-Legendary Tier Evolution Stone.

-Legendary Tier Potential Stone.

-Right to take a single item from the Heavenly Vault. "

" Note: Rewards will be granted based on contribution. The individual who successfully captures or delivers the target will receive rewards of the highest order. "

**

In that fleeting instant, hush blanketed the whole realm as innumerable souls gaped at the shared interface ahead, their cognition grinding to a halt while the quest's significance permeated, every word embedding firmly.

A Realm Quest, unleashed across Eden for the inaugural time since its genesis, enveloping every System-linked inhabitant, proclaiming its unparalleled gravity without additional words.

With comprehension propagating from soul to soul, its profundity sharpened, revealing not just a proffered fortune, but the inception of history's grandest manhunt.

**