After indulging in his narcissistic moment, Rian's gaze shifted to the section that made most Heralds frown — the Hidden Mission.
"Sistem," Rian said, crossing his arms and tilting his head back with stylish confidence,
"this handsome man would like to see the details of the Hidden Mission."
Ding!
_____________________
Title: Luis Sera
Rank: B
Description: Until the end of the story, do not allow Luis Sera to die and help him escape safely from the Village of Valdelobos.
Reward: Evaluation Stone.
_____________________
Unlike main missions, Hidden Missions never displayed notifications. No warnings, no hints, no indicators whatsoever. It was no surprise, then, that the failure rate for these missions reached 98%.
They were traps in the dark — Heralds never knew when a Hidden Mission was triggered, what it required, or how to complete it.
But if successful… the rewards were not just great — they were absurdly powerful. A single success could dramatically boost a Herald's final evaluation.
In many cases, clearing a Hidden Mission was the only path to achieving an EXTREM rating.
Immediately after, Rian tapped on the detailed information about the Evaluation Stone.
_____________________
Name: Evaluation Stone
Grade: Bronze
Description:
The Herald can use this during the Mission Evaluation session conducted after returning from a Mission World. When used, the Herald receives a random bonus score during the evaluation, potentially improving the final Mission Result.
Note: This item can be used up to five times before breaking.
Initial Price: 10,000 System Points.
_____________________
"A tool that can boost evaluation results?" Rian smirked faintly. "Honestly, this handsome man didn't expect that keeping Luis alive until the end would actually complete the Hidden Mission."
With a more serious expression, he added, "To think this handsome man was just fulfilling an agreement."
Raising his hand, Rian muttered, "This stone... is truly useful."
Though the bonus value was random, the stone was extremely valuable for improving mission evaluation results. Moreover, it could be used up to five times before shattering.
If his next mission evaluation ended up unsatisfactory, Rian could rely on this stone to aim for a higher and more rewarding result.
The crimson-colored stone—the Evaluation Stone—was now resting in Rian's right hand. He tossed it into the air, letting it spin a few times in a playful arc before catching it smoothly with one swift motion and slipping it into his pocket.
With his trademark theatrical flair, Rian declared, "System, this handsome man wishes to return to his original world."
As if responding to his command, a soft notification echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Herald is granted 10 days of rest within the Infinity Room. The Herald may choose to rest either in another world or in their original world using System Points.]
[Time ratio between the Infinity Room and other worlds: 1:10. This means 10 days in another world equals 1 day in the Infinity Room.]
[Each day spent in another world or the Herald's original world costs 2,000 Points.]
With dramatic flair, Rian covered half his face with his left hand—half-serious, half-theatrical.
"Only 2,000 System Points? Too cheap!" he exclaimed with a wide grin. Spreading his arms as if standing on a grand stage, he continued, "This handsome man is rich! Take it, System! This handsome man gladly pays!"
Ding!
[Herald Serial No. 90,000 has chosen to return to their original world.]
[-2,000 System Points]
A notification floated before him as Rian's body was enveloped in a faint glow—the sign of transference.
But before he completely vanished, Rian lowered his left hand and raised his right, curling his index finger slightly.
"Hold on…" he said to the System with a confident smile. "Before I go, this handsome man would also like to convert 1,000 System Points into my country's currency!"
Ding!
With the sound of a successful transaction echoing in his mind, Rian's figure dissolved from the dim chamber—like grains of sand carried away by the wind.
***
When Rian returned to his original world, he didn't flash his usual charming smile.
No dramatic poses, no flamboyant gestures—at least not this time.
For the first time in a long while, Rian was almost calm, almost like an ordinary man. But of course, he was anything but ordinary.
His goal was clear.
The first step was to retrain and refine every Silat movement he had once mastered.
Techniques long rusted by time were now polished once again with determination, as if his body needed to remember the identity of a true traditional martial artist.
But that was only the beginning.
Between training sessions, Rian began forming a grand strategy: gathering every bit of information from the Resident Evil franchise.
From the main games to spin-offs, live-action films to CGI movies—he devoured them all. He noted infection patterns, virus evolutions, biological weapon designs, and the weaknesses of every creature that appeared.
For others, it was just entertainment. For Rian, it was combat data.
And he didn't stop there. Rian dug deep into Jujutsu Kaisen, knowing that as a Six Eyes (Rikugan) user, he needed to fully understand the system of energy, techniques, and limits that governed the origin world of his power.
Every scene and line from Gojo Satoru, every tactic of Toji Fushiguro, every scheme Kenjaku devised to exploit the weaknesses of Six Eyes and Gojo, and even the terrifying precision of Sukuna's slashes—Rian studied, analyzed, and meticulously recorded them all.
But Rian wasn't just gathering information from Resident Evil and Jujutsu Kaisen.
Devil May Cry.
A world filled with demons and brutal carnage. He studied the fighting styles of Dante, Nero, and Vergil—not for flair, but to understand the rhythm of supernatural combat and the flow of high-speed reflexes.
Once Rian had absorbed everything he could from Resident Evil and Devil May Cry, he didn't stop there. He expanded his research further.
Bayonetta.
A realm overflowing with soul-devouring angels and grotesque demons, wrapped in an atmosphere of glamour and bloodshed.
Rian explored every installment of the Bayonetta series—not to be dazzled by the sensuality or over-the-top spectacle, but to learn from Bayonetta's fighting technique.
He dissected every savage, graceful execution performed by the witch of hair—not to copy her entirely, but to grasp the rhythm of relentless combat, dimensional movement, and the art of slaying celestial beings with elegance and efficiency.
For Rian, even the art of killing could be elegant—if executed with precision and calculation.
He didn't just study; he documented, analyzed, and compared every observation to his own combat system, refining it piece by piece.
But Rian wasn't done yet.
God of War.
A world ruled by blood, mythology, and vengeance. He didn't merely watch—it was as if he lived through every chapter, from Kratos' rise as the God of War in Greece to his scarred, burdened journey alongside Atreus in the Norse realms.
He observed how Kratos faced gods, giants, and monsters—barehanded, with sacred weapons, and a burning will that refused to yield.
It wasn't Kratos' raw strength that fascinated Rian, but his combat discipline and cold, uncompromising nature when confronting enemies far stronger than himself. Rian concluded that true power wasn't about muscle—it was about resolve and precision.
And after that…
Final Fantasy.
Rian didn't have time to explore every entry in the vast series, so he focused on two that stood out the most: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy XV.
In the world of Final Fantasy VII, he absorbed the concepts of mako energy, human experimentation, and the conflict between spiritual power and technology.
He studied everything—from Cloud and Sephiroth to the inner workings of organizations like Shinra.
Meanwhile, from Final Fantasy XV, Rian learned about rapid combat mobility, small-team coordination, and the fusion of human strength with royal power and ancient magic.
What fascinated him most? The emotional transitions of the characters during prolonged battles—and the kind of personal sacrifices that shattered the usual logic of heroism.
None of this was mere entertainment or nostalgia.
Within just ten days, Rian constructed a comprehensive map of multiversal combat understanding—a foundation of knowledge woven from countless worlds.
And to finish it off, he began combing through countless other anime universes, absorbing their systems, powers, and logic, archiving every detail within his razor-sharp mind.
During those ten days, Rian's daily routine seemed simple on the surface: physical training, watching, taking notes, reading. But beneath it all, he was laying the groundwork for his next great leap in power.
For an ordinary human, such a feat would have been impossible. But Rian was a wielder of Six Eyes.
Because of that, the impossible was never an obstacle—only a small challenge to be overcome with absolute precision and clarity.
Of course, amid all his rigorous study and training, Rian never forgot to take care of his face.
Organic mud masks, specialized anti-pore ice treatments, imported brightening serums—all were part of his daily routine. His skin had to remain flawless. A handsome man had to look perfect.
For Rian, great power alone wasn't enough—it had to be paired with a dazzling appearance.
And so, after those ten days finally came to an end, Rian returned to the Infinity Room.
However, he didn't explore it right away. There was still one promise he hadn't fulfilled.