For a few moments, no one spoke.
The silence that followed was far heavier than before, no longer filled with awe or excitement, but with a suffocating weight that pressed down on every individual present.
Then, slowly, whispers began to rise.
"W-What does that mean... Tier 0...?"
"Does that mean if I don’t fight, I will be treated like nothing...?"
"Is this even fair...?"
"But... she is not wrong... we have been living too comfortably..."
The voices were low at first, uncertain and hesitant, as if people were afraid to speak too loudly, afraid that even their thoughts were being judged.
Some had pale faces, their expressions filled with unease as the reality of her words began to sink in.
"I... I have a family... how am I supposed to go fight...?"
"Then what, you want to stay weak forever...? Didn’t you hear her... if we stay like this, we will die anyway..."
"I thought... I thought things would get easier after coming here..."
"Easy? Did you not listen to anything she said...? There is no ’easy’ here..."
A man clenched his fists tightly, his voice trembling, not with fear alone, but with something deeper.
"So what if it is harsh...? At least now we know where we stand..."
Nearby, a group of younger individuals exchanged glances, their earlier excitement replaced by something more serious.
"This... this is our chance, right...? If we move now, we can rise..."
"But what if we fail...?"
"Then we fail while trying, not while hiding..."
Some lowered their heads, shame creeping into their expressions as they realized how passive they had been until now, how they had waited for opportunities instead of creating them.
Others looked up, their eyes slowly hardening as a different kind of determination began to take root.
"I won’t stay at the bottom..."
"I don’t care what it takes, I will climb up..."
"If this is the reality, then I will adapt to it..."
Fear, frustration, anger, shame, and determination all mixed together, creating a restless atmosphere that continued to grow.
But alongside them, something else had begun to take root, something sharper, something more dangerous.
A quiet resolve.
Even those watching through their system screens across the city were not untouched. Similar voices rose in homes, in empty streets, in dimly lit rooms where people sat in silence, staring at the screen as if seeing their own reflection for the first time.
Some clenched their fists.
Some lowered their heads.
Some simply kept watching, unable to look away.
And above all of it, Elizabeth remained silent, her gaze steady as she observed everything, her expression unchanged, as if she had expected this reaction from the very beginning and was waiting for it to settle into something more.
Meanwhile, our main character just chuckled softly seeing all this as he muttered, his voice low enough that only he could hear it.
"I knew it, the future has changed even without me doing anything...."
Ash already had an inkling of this, because this was reality, not a game. The stage was vast, and here every life carried its own weight, its own fear, and its own hesitation.
Thus, people were naturally afraid to venture out, to kill monsters, to clear dungeons and grow stronger when their lives were truly on the line, something that could not be ignored like in a game.
A mortal mind was weak-willed by nature, and without the right kind of stimulation, it would never realize the hidden potential sleeping within, choosing comfort over growth without even realizing it.
Thus, the move made by the Transcendent Circle provided the exact push people needed. Previously, warriors, mages, and adventurers held higher status, but it was vague and unstructured, something people could ignore if they wished and continue living as they were. But now, clear distinctions had been drawn, leaving no room for escape or denial.
This is not the game, and the people here are not clearing dungeons to grow stronger like the people of Earth did to level up faster, thus the events that will follow will also be different....
And if one observed carefully, it could be noticed that Ash had completed the game and reached its ending in just five years, but here, almost a decade had already passed, and yet the events that should have unfolded long ago had not taken place.
The progress had been moving at a painfully slow pace, almost stagnant when compared to what he had experienced before.
But now, with this sudden stimulation, people would begin to move, to explore, and to clear dungeons more actively, and as a result, the story itself would begin to progress at a much faster rate.
And since the realm itself was far beyond anything the game could replicate, it was only natural that the path ahead would not follow the same course, and the future would diverge even further.
Thus, Ash was not surprised that even without his direct involvement, the future had already begun to shift.
But Ash knew this was only the beginning, and from here onward, the future was bound to become completely unrecognizable, far beyond anything he knew.
Even so, Ash had gained a lot of information just by listening to Elizabeth’s explanation, and he faintly remembered seeing her in Snow’s memories.
She might know where the people of Akumia are....
Ash thought inwardly, and the desire to meet her grew stronger within him, because he felt she might hold answers he had been searching for.
Meanwhile, Eva heard Ash’s mutterings from the side but chose not to say anything. She knew he would not share everything just yet, but since he had promised to do so slowly, she was satisfied for now, holding back her curiosity.
Thus, she continued to observe everything through his eyes, quietly watching the unfolding scene without interrupting him, her focus fixed on the same figure that had drawn everyone’s attention.
"Cough!!"
Everyone instantly fell silent, the lingering whispers cutting off midway as if someone had pressed pause on the entire crowd, all attention snapping back toward her in an instant.
Elizabeth nodded slightly seeing everyone’s reaction, her expression calm and composed as she continued speaking.
"As you all know, there also exist the Church of Light and the Church of Darkness. They are affiliated with the Heavenly Realm and the Abyssal Realm respectively."
"The people among them are also like you all, mortals who chose to work for those realms, which I am not particularly fond of. But this happened before the Universal System came into existence, thus there is no need to dwell on the past."
A faint pause followed as her gaze shifted slightly across the crowd, as if measuring their reactions before she continued.
"Although the Church of Light and the Heavenly Realm are our allies, you should still remain cautious around them. An ally does not mean complete trust, especially when their origins lie beyond our realm and their interests may not always align with ours."
"And I am speaking all of this freely, while standing in the City of Light itself, directly under the influence of the Church of Light, just to show you one simple truth."
Her eyes held a faint glint as she spoke the next words, her tone lowering just enough to make it feel heavier.
"There is no need to fear anyone as long as the Transcendent Circle is there, just remember our motto : if they can bleed, they can die."
A subtle ripple passed through the crowd hearing that, a mix of shock and realization, but no one dared to interrupt her as the atmosphere remained tightly controlled.
"From now on, many individuals from the Transcendent Circle will visit various cities and regions in search of talent, looking for those who have the potential to walk the Path of Transcendence and join us."
"The selection criteria will be strict, far beyond what you may be imagining, but at the same time, it is also an opportunity. If you are able to catch the attention of those who are scouting, you may be given a chance to join the cohort of various Transcendents who regularly venture into the unknown parts of the realm, where true growth lies."
"But understand this clearly, strength alone will not make you worthy."
"To become a Transcendent, what is required is not just power, but Will."
"An Unyielding Will that does not break under pressure, a Will that continues to move forward even when faced with despair, and a Will that refuses to bow even when the odds are completely against you."
She paused briefly, letting the anticipation build before continuing.
"Every one of you possesses Will, but most of it remains dormant, unfocused, and easily shaken."
"Only when your will crosses a certain threshold, when it becomes firm enough to no longer waver under pressure, can it begin to manifest."
Her voice slowed slightly, allowing the meaning behind her words to settle.
"But manifestation alone is not enough. Without guidance, that will remains crude and unstable, unable to take a proper form."
"That is where the Transcendent Circle comes in."
"We guide those whose will has begun to manifest, shaping it, refining it, and leading it toward its true awakening."
A faint intensity appeared in her eyes as she continued.
"And when your will is fully awakened, when it no longer bends, when it becomes something that defines your very existence..."
"You awaken the Soul Flame."
Her hand lifted slightly, pointing toward her glabella, where the faint amber flame rested.
"It manifests here, above your glabella, as a reflection of your Will."
"It is not something that can be borrowed, nor something that can be forced. It is the purest expression of your resolve."
A quiet silence spread through the crowd as people instinctively focused on the flame above her forehead.
"Those who possess a Soul Flame gain the ability to sense the will of others."
"It is not a clear measurement, nor a number that can be calculated, but a feeling, an instinct that allows us to recognize those who have high Will power."
Elizabeth then continued speaking, briefly explaining the history of the Transcendents, how they had stood against forces beyond the realm and protected the balance of existence, her words painting a distant yet vivid image in everyone’s minds.
She also introduced them to the Path of Transcendence, making it clear that it was not separate, but something that could be walked alongside the path provided by the system.
"It is best to tread the Path of Transcendence while also following the path given by the system. The system accelerates your growth, reducing the time required to gain strength, allowing you to reach greater heights much faster than what would normally be possible."
"However, do not mistake speed for completion. The system can make you stronger, but it cannot shape your will for you, nor can it decide how far you are willing to go."
"That is something only you can determine."
Her words flowed steadily, each line connecting smoothly with the next, making the path ahead clearer while also making it feel far more demanding than before.
"And in the end, when the time comes, it will not be your level, your skills, or your talents that will decide your place among us."
"It will be whether your Will is strong enough to step beyond what you are now, and whether you have the resolve to keep moving forward even when everything tells you to stop."
With that, Elizabeth slowed her words slightly, letting the weight of everything she had said settle deeply into the hearts of everyone present, knowing that from this moment onward, their understanding of strength would no longer remain the same.
-Clap!!
A single sound echoed across the stadium, sharp and clear, breaking the stillness instantly.
-Clap!!
-Clap!!
-Clap!!
Slow applause followed, steady and deliberate.
Every head turned toward the source.
From above the stadium, a man stepped forward, descending slowly as if walking on air, his movements smooth and controlled without any visible effort.
He wore long, clean golden robes that flowed naturally around him, their surface carrying a faint, soft glow under the lights. His appearance was neat and composed, with a calm expression and a small, polite smile resting on his face.
-Clap!!
He gave one final clap before stopping, his gaze settling on Elizabeth.
"That was quite the speech."
His voice was gentle and steady, easily reaching every corner of the stadium without force.
"Direct... and effective."
He paused briefly, his eyes moving across the crowd, observing their expressions before returning to her.
"I can see you have given them something to think about."
His tone remained calm, almost pleasant, but there was a subtle difference in the way he carried himself, something that set him apart from the atmosphere Elizabeth had created.
He stood there without saying anything further, his presence alone enough to shift the mood slightly, as if another force had quietly entered the stage without needing to announce itself.
***