Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully-Chapter 75: Losing Control

The acolyte’s taunting words died in his throat, replaced by a strangled gasp.

The air in the common room of "The Respite" had plummeted in temperature so much that an unnatural frost was creeping across the floorboards.

The acolyte felt an oppressive presence, a weight so immense it stole the breath from his lungs and rooted his feet to the spot.

He wasn’t the only one. The city guards, the other acolyte, even the people on the floor, everyone felt it – a chilling cold that seized their hearts.

Then, Riku was there.

One moment, the space behind the sneering acolyte was empty. The next, Riku stood, his back to the ruined doorway that was once the inn’s entrance.

He hadn’t walked in; he had simply appeared, seemingly materializing from the very shadows and chill that now filled the room.

For a minute, he did nothing.

He simply stood there, an unnerving stillness about him. His usual gentle demeanor was gone, replaced by an aura of cold, silent fury. His eyes, usually warm and thoughtful, were narrowed slits, and within their depths swirled a faint, unsettling purple light.

The guards and acolytes stared, confusion warring with a rapidly growing dread. Where had he come from? What was that look in his eyes? The temperature in the room continued to drop.

"W-who are you?" one of the city guards stammered, his sword hand trembling despite his attempt to maintain a brave front. "Identify yourself!"

Riku, however, continued to remain silent for another long moment. T

The purple light in his eyes pulsed subtly. Unseen by the others, a complex arcane sigil, woven from threads of pure, unaligned mana, flickered into existence within his pupils before vanishing.

’The Gaze of the Overseer’

He forcefully cast a spell that unveiled the recent events of the location, replaying them in his mind’s eye like ghostly echoes. He saw the door kicked in, the old man assaulted, Lila’s desperate dash, her capture, the acolyte’s cruel taunts. Every detail burned into his awareness.

Ding!

A bright crimson warning flashed in Riku’s peripheral vision.

[CRITICAL WARNING!

High-tier divination spell detected!

The host’s emotional state is destabilizing rapidly!

Escalation of force beyond necessary defense is imminent!

Immediate de-escalation suggested!]

Riku, however, ignored the system’s frantic alert.

The images from The Gaze of the Overseer had solidified his cold rage. His purple gaze swept over each of them, lingering on the acolyte who had dragged Lila, then on the one who had kicked the old innkeeper. It was as if he was cataloging their sins, weighing their souls, having now witnessed their transgressions firsthand.

Then, he took a single, slow step forward. And another. His movements were deliberate, unhurried, yet each step seemed to amplify the oppressive pressure in the room.

"You kicked an old man," Riku began, his voice deceptively soft, yet carrying an unnatural resonance that made the floorboards vibrate faintly. He was looking at the acolyte who had assaulted Hemlock. "An old man who offered you no resistance, who merely pleaded for understanding."

He turned his gaze to the other acolyte, the one who had thrown Lila. "And you... you laid hands on a young woman. Dragged her by her hair. Gloated over her helplessness." His voice was still quiet, but the purple light in his eyes intensified, making the acolyte flinch and take an involuntary step back.

"Do you really think that no one can do anything to you?" Riku’s voice, still deceptively soft, now held a clear undercurrent of power that promised retribution. It wasn’t a question; it was a death sentence.

The acolyte who had dragged Lila tried to stammer, to summon bravado, but all that came out was a pathetic squeak. He felt a pressure on his throat, as if an invisible hand was tightening around it.

Before anyone could react, Riku moved. It wasn’t a blur of speed; it was more as if reality itself bent to his will. One moment he was several paces away, the next he was before the acolyte, his hand outstretched. Not to strike, but his fingers splayed, and an invisible force slammed into the acolyte’s chest.

Crack.

The sound of ribs breaking was sickeningly loud in the sudden silence. The acolyte flew backward, crashing through a rickety table before slamming into the far wall with a wet thud, then sliding to the floor, unmoving.

The city guards, momentarily stunned by the sheer, brutal efficiency, finally reacted, drawing their swords with panicked shouts. "Heretic! He’s a heretic! Get him!"

One guard lunged, his sword aimed at Riku’s heart. Riku didn’t even turn his head. With a flick of his wrist, the guard’s sword arm twisted at an unnatural angle. The man screamed, dropping his weapon, his face contorting in agony as he clutched his shattered limb.

Another guard tried to circle around, but Riku’s foot shot out, connecting with the man’s knee with a sound like a dry branch snapping. The guard crumpled, howling.

Watching the brutal scene in front of them, the remaining two guards and the second acolyte froze, their weapons halfway raised, terror etched on their faces.

"Mercy. We were just following orders. It was an order for the church. How could we go against it?"

The two remaining guards immediately fell onto the floor, having lost all their will to fight. At this point, all they wanted to do was leave here alive and never look back.

The intruders were not the only one affected by Riku’s show of power. On the floor, the old innkeepers huddled together near the kitchen doorway, watching in horror as the scenes unfolded in front of them. Near them, Elara had the same expression, feeling nothing but sheer terror.

Lila, still on the floor where she’d been thrown, pushed herself up, her eyes wide at the scene. This wasn’t the Riku who made jokes, shared chocolate and was kind to everyone. This was... something else. Something terrifyingly powerful.

"Riku..." she whispered.

However, her voice was lost in the oppressive chill that prevailed in the inn.