The sky of the City of Light was twinkling with stars and celestial bodies hanging in the outer sky, there was no moon in the sky, but the light coming from the brightness of those distant starry bodies was enough to light up the night, spreading a soft and steady glow over the entire city.
That, along with the ever-buzzing city and its people, gave the atmosphere a strange calm to it, where the noise of voices and footsteps did not feel chaotic, but instead blended naturally with the quiet of the night.
The region around the City of Light had two nights straight before the sun came into the sky, and then two continuous days followed without interruption.
This region had a different movement of suns, unlike most other regions, making its cycle feel unusual yet natural to those who lived there.
And there were more than 100 suns present all over Eden, and their numbers were still increasing as people explored more and more new regions.
But this was not too strange, as there existed some places where there was no sun or moon at all, making such irregularities seem almost normal in comparison.
But tonight was special for the people of the city too, and that difference could be felt in the 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 voices overlapped as more people joined in, the excitement and urgency spreading through the crowd, pulling even those who had no idea what was happening along with them toward the Inner District.
The Core District had many important people living there and many important buildings, so a gathering of this scale could not take place there, as it might compromise the safety of those within.
After all, assassins existed, and they would assassinate anyone for money, whether it was inside the city or not, making large gatherings in sensitive areas too risky to allow.
Not many people preferred to gather in the Outer District either, as it lacked importance and proper arrangements, thus that left only the Inner District as the most suitable place for such a gathering.
There existed a huge stadium in the Inner District which was built using a space expansion array, allowing it to hold millions of people inside without issue, making it the perfect location for most of the events that happens in the city.
As for those who did not have enough money to enter the stadium or were late enough that they could not get in, they could only watch the online streaming through their system window.
With the Universal System being active, the way people operated had changed significantly over time. The system could handle almost everything, from online money transfers to calling, recording, and many other functions that people relied on daily.
It could be used as a phone, a laptop, and even as a way to grow stronger, making it far more than just a simple tool.
The system had become a very integral part of their lives, just like a smartphone, something people relied on without even thinking about it anymore, as if it had always been a part of their existence.
After a certain amount of time, the stadium was packed to the brim, every seat occupied and every corner filled, and those who were unlucky enough that they could not enter were left watching the online stream through their system, unwilling to miss what was about to unfold.
The stadium was brimming with energy and a continuous murmur of people, voices overlapping as excitement spread through the crowd, but in an instant everything fell into pin drop silence.
Because floating in the middle of the empty space within the stadium, an amber-colored flame suddenly appeared, small at first, flickering quietly, before it rapidly grew in size until it reached the height of a normal person, its presence drawing everyone’s attention without fail.
As the amber flames slowly faded away, they left behind a beautiful woman in their place, whose appearance alone was enough to make everyone, be it men or women, fall into a brief daze, as if their thoughts had been momentarily taken away.
The woman looked like a fire fairy if one looked at her from afar. She had long black hair that fell behind her back, with slightly messy layers framing her face, the ends tinged with orange-gold hues, as though gently brushed by lingering flames.
Her amber-colored eyes held a deep attraction within them, as if ready to burn everything they gazed upon, and with her fair complexion, smooth like polished jade, along with her slender yet balanced build that felt perfect in every proportion, it was enough to make anyone stare without realizing it.
The aura around her was like that of a silent flame, burning quietly yet carrying an intensity that made it clear that getting too close would not end well.
And with an amber-colored flame resting quietly on her glabella, the signature mark of the Transcendents, it made her look even more otherworldly, as if she did not belong to the same world as everyone else present.
She looked at everyone present around her and also gave a flashing smile to the flying cameras that were streaming everything across the city, her gaze lingering for a brief moment as if acknowledging the countless eyes fixed on her.
Of course, if someone wanted to watch the stream from another city, they could do so without any problem.
Which made everything quite convenient for those wishing to seek attention, and at this moment, all of that attention was gathered on her alone. Which would soon spread throughout the Eden.
"I did not expect so many people to gather here."
Her voice was light, almost casual, but it was heard by everyone without fail, it reached them directly without any obstruction.
"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!!"
Everyone was almost thrown off by those words, their reactions slipping out instinctively, but they instantly forced themselves into silence the moment they realized Elizabeth was still speaking, not daring to interrupt her.
Although there were rumors about this information, but they were still just that rumors, but now all of that has been confirmed.
"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 gaze slowly swept across the crowd as she spoke, her eyes calm but carrying a weight that made people instinctively avoid meeting them.
"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 faint pause followed, allowing her words to sink in.
"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."
Her voice remained calm, but the weight behind it grew heavier with each word.
"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 eyes hardened slightly as she looked over the silent crowd.
"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 words settled heavily over the stadium, not just as a warning, but as a truth that no one could ignore, forcing even those who had been indifferent till now to question themselves in silence.
"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 brief pause followed as her gaze moved across the crowd, allowing the meaning of her words to settle more deeply.
"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 voice remained steady, but there was a subtle firmness in it that left no room for argument.
"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 fell silent after saying all this, allowing her words to settle into the minds of everyone present, the weight of the new reality slowly pressing down on them.
She waited patiently, giving them time to process everything, because the next thing she was about to say would bring them yet another surprise, one that would not leave them with the option to remain as they were.
***