The moment stretched infinitely long, plunging the entire space into deathly silence.
Only Ronan's voice, tinged with confusion and disdain, lingered in everyone's ears.
Though his voice was soft, it was as if a heavy hammer struck their chests. Knights of the Dawn Order and devout followers of the Eternal Freedom Church alike froze in place, staring blankly at the unfolding scene.
Two fingers… stopped the furious, full-force thrust of Hermann's longsword?
This... this couldn't be possible!
The impact was overwhelming. The earlier thoughts of "Ronan is doomed" now felt like loud slaps on their faces, burning with shame.
Wasn't he just some weak, parachuted-in leader?
Wasn't he just an ancient linguist?
Wasn't he a rookie mage?
Since when did scholars and mages possess such absurd strength?
Extraordinary, panic, disaster, hero, epic, legend, destruction, myth... Panic-level individuals might not be top-tier powerhouses, but they were far from weak.
"Could it be the equipment?" Dawn Farrokh muttered in doubt.
"Do you not see that Ronan's gear is all surface-level trash? They're nothing more than decorative junk—hardly functional!" his companion immediately retorted.
Dawn Farrokh mumbled again, "Surely, they aren't all enhanced to +10 or higher?"
The companion cast a derisive glare, completely forgetting that Dawn Farrokh was his superior. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible."
"Are you out of your mind? Who would waste resources to enhance trash gear? And do you even know how hard it is to get enhancements to +10? The entire kingdom only has a handful of such items!"
The whispers carried disbelief and shock. No one understood why Ronan suddenly seemed so strong. They could only speculate that this cunning man had hidden his true power.
Meanwhile, perhaps Hermann wasn't as strong as the rumors claimed. After all, even within the same Panic Grade, there could be vast differences in power.
In stark contrast, the knights of the Dawn Order were gravely serious. They knew Hermann's strength better than anyone—it was far beyond that of a rookie Panic Grade warrior.
To see two fingers effortlessly block Hermann's sword was incomprehensible.
Ronan's power exceeded all expectations.
Unbeknownst to them, Ronan's shoes—enhanced to +13—did far more than boost his agility. They granted him a unique skill: Extreme Evasion, allowing him to avoid any targeted attack with 100% certainty once per day.
Even if he couldn't catch the sword, he would've dodged it easily.
The murmurs around him were like mocking laughter, seeping into Hermann's ears and drilling into his mind, fraying his nerves. He felt like he was going mad.
A "genius" within the Church, Hermann had never suffered such humiliation before.
He was enraged. He was unwilling to accept this.
He struggled, attempting to counterattack.
He tried to withdraw his sword, but Ronan's two fingers clamped down like iron, holding the blade immovably in place.
It was then that Ronan pulled out the Dark Bible, a magical tome.
The crowd stiffened, their expressions turning solemn as all eyes locked onto Ronan.
If two fingers alone could subdue Hermann's longsword, what kind of magic could this man unleash? They couldn't help but feel a flicker of anticipation, eager to witness Ronan's magical prowess.
After all, he was a mage...
As every pair of eyes fixated on him, Ronan slowly raised his right hand, lifting the Dark Bible high. The atmosphere grew unbearably tense, the air almost freezing in place. Even the sounds of breathing and heartbeats vanished.
Hermann, watching Ronan's actions, felt an icy dread creeping up his spine. He had no idea what spell Ronan would cast, but he feared that in the next moment, he might be reduced to ashes.
Just as the tension reached its peak, Ronan abruptly lowered his raised hand.
In Hermann's widened eyes, the Dark Bible began to enlarge.
What magic is this?
Hermann's mind raced in confusion before the answer struck him in the form of a loud, resounding:
PIA!
The Dark Codex slammed into Hermann's face.
SPLAT!
The towering figure was sent flying, crashing into the wall, where he stuck like a squashed bug.
Knowledge is power.
In that instant, the already silent room grew so quiet that the faintest pin drop could be heard.
The paladins of the Eternal Freedom Church were visibly shaken. This man's strength was beyond comprehension. He hadn't even used his magic; he'd merely tapped Hermann with the Dark Bible, and the result was devastating.
Could Ronan actually be a Disaster Grade powerhouse?
The thought alone was terrifying.
Ronan himself was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected the enhanced Dark Bible to have such a powerful effect. Then, bowing deeply, he performed a nearly flawless gesture of apology.
"I'm terribly sorry. It seems I used too much strength," he said sincerely.
PUFF!
Still plastered against the wall and writhing like a dying worm, Hermann coughed up a mouthful of blood at these words.
This was psychological torment at its finest.
The tone implied: "I didn't realize you were this weak."
As a proud genius raised on endless praise, Hermann had developed an inevitably arrogant demeanor.
But now, all his pride and dignity were shattered into pieces and crushed underfoot.
Unable to endure it any longer, Hermann raised his neck and roared in a hoarse, tearing voice:
"Kill him! Everyone attack together! Kill him!"
But apart from Hermann's furious screams, no one moved.
The system's countdown timer steadily ticked away. With one minute remaining, it abruptly reset to zero.
[Ding! System Alert: Congratulations, Host, for completing the survival task.]
[Reward: System skin - "Black and White: Light and Darkness."]
Ronan's forehead darkened. A system skin?
Plenty of games sold cosmetic skins, but this was the first time he'd encountered a system offering one.
What was he supposed to do with it? Was the system going to transform into a beautiful woman for him to admire?
What use was "aesthetic pleasure"?
Just as he was about to scoff, Ronan felt a strange itch on his ears. Strands of hair fell over his shoulders—one side silver, the other jet black.
They matched her eyes—one jet black, the other silvery white.
Ronan couldn't find words to describe her. No amount of poetic language could do justice to her ethereal beauty.
His heart skipped a beat. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Even Aurelia, whose beauty was unmatched, seemed to pale in comparison.
Her flawless face was devoid of any emotion, cold and serene like a perfect sculpture. Her eyes sparkled like the purest gems.
If there were truly goddesses in this world, they would look no different from her.
She floated behind Ronan, her slender figure like a ghost. Black and white hair swayed gently, her elegantly tapered legs dangled, and her pale toes pointed downward.
The system's voice echoed again:
[System Notice: ××××××××××, ×××××××]
[××× Interference Detected ×××××××××.]
[Ding! System Notice: The repair engineer has restored the worldline. The worldline has returned to normal.]
[Congratulations, Host, on unlocking the system's special functions.]
[Special Task 1: Conquer the White Saintess, Arelia, to obtain the Heart of Purity.]
[Special Task 2: Conquer the Blood Rose Arianna and obtain the Heart of Valor.]
[Special Task 3: Conquer the Thorned Rose Dolores and obtain the Heart of Nobility.]
[Special Task 13: Conquer the System itself and obtain the Heart of Eternity.]
[Complete all tasks to unlock The Door.]