I was speechless, but Lucas and Hera looked at me, waiting for an answer. I pondered the decision carefully.

  Becoming a Worldwalker… The risk of dying, the chance of becoming a monster myself… At first, I thought it might be a good thing, but I was proven wrong. There were far too many negative consequences. However, considering my current situation, I didn’t have much of a choice.

  I needed to survive.

  Memories, identity, and everything else could wait. Right now, survival was my top priority. And if becoming a Worldwalker increased my chances of staying alive, then I had to take that path—even if the risks terrified me.

  But what if I died? What if I became a monster? What exactly did they mean by "being devoured"? Was it some unknown entity that consumed failed Worldwalkers? There were too many uncertainties, which made everything worse. But if I succeeded, my odds of survival would be much higher. And if I failed… perhaps I’d just die a painless death.

  Right?

  I clenched my fists. What about the necklace? Could it protect me? Would I really bet everything on something I barely understood?

  Damn it.

  I didn’t know. But I had no other options. Risk always comes with survival.

  I took a deep breath, then looked at Lucas with determination.

  "If I become a Worldwalker, will it increase my chances of survival?"

  Hera answered, "Yes, but only if you successfully transform. Don't worry, though. With how the necklace is reacting to you, it might actually help during the process."

  Hearing that last part made me pause.

  Process?

  I frowned. "I forgot to ask… what exactly is the process of becoming one?"

  Hera hesitated before answering. "It's not that hard… though it’s dangerous. But the actual steps are easy."

  Something in her voice made me uneasy. "And those steps are?"

  "All we need is the heart of a monster… and its blood."

  My stomach twisted. "T-The heart? And the blood? What are they even used for?"

  Hera winced. "Oh… yeah. I forgot to mention—the process is pretty disgusting."

  She stopped mid-sentence, her expression twisting with clear disgust, as if recalling something unpleasant. Then, after a deep breath, she continued.

  "Basically… you eat the monster’s heart. Then you drink its blood. While you're doing that, we carve runes into your body and all across the room. Once the ritual is complete, you’ll officially become a Worldwalker."

  I froze. The entire room fell silent.

  "...What in the actual fuck?"

  Hera gave me an awkward smile. "You'll get used to it."

  That response sent a shiver down my spine. "What do you mean, I'll get used to it?"

  She remained silent. That silence told me everything.

  "You’re telling me… I have to do that again?"

  Hera looked away. Lucas sighed, then spoke in a serious tone.

  "That’s how we grow stronger in the early stages of being Worldwalkers. We devour monsters to steal their power. That’s our path. By consuming them, our abilities enhance and evolve."

  He met my gaze. "But even we don’t fully understand what it means to be a Worldwalker. There’s still too much we don’t know."

  Lucas leaned forward. "So—are you in or not?"

  I stared at him.

  This time, I didn’t take long to decide. I couldn’t afford to hesitate. There was no choice. No turning back.

  I took a deep breath and answered.

  "When do we start?"

  Lucas smiled. He stood up and walked to his desk, rummaging through the drawers. "Hera, prepare."

  Hearing that, I said, "Wait, are we doing it today?"

  Lucas replied, "Of course. That was the plan from the very start."

  Hera reached into her pocket and pulled out a glowing crystal. Meanwhile, Lucas took out a wooden stick wrapped in cloth at one end—a torch. He then moved the papers off his desk and placed his palm firmly in the center.

  Suddenly, the ground shook.

  A red aura pulsed from Lucas' hand, seeping into the massive desk. Strange, vein-like patterns spread across the surface, glowing crimson. The veins slithered to the floor, then to the walls, forming a large, rectangular frame—a door.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Lucas turned to me. "Come."

  I was stunned by what had just happened, but his voice pulled me back. Slowly, I walked toward him. Hera followed.

  I stared at the glowing doorway. "...What is this?"

  Lucas smirked. "A passage. The door to becoming a Worldwalker."

  A door?

  I studied the pulsing veins, trying to make sense of it. If it was a door, did it lead to another room? And if so… why?

  Lucas chuckled. "You're wondering why the process needs to be done in another room, right?"

  At this point, I wasn’t even surprised by how easily he read my thoughts. It was getting annoying.

  Lucas kept smiling. "The process itself is simple. But the conditions and requirements… are difficult. Come, I’ll explain on the way."

  With a flick of his hand, the red veins on the wall shifted, pulling upward with a deep, echoing thud. The door revealed a dark staircase leading underground. As if on cue, torches along the walls lit up one by one, illuminating the descent.

  We stepped inside.

  I glanced down the long staircase, wondering just how deep it went. Lucas walked ahead and used his torch to light another one along the wall.

  ...Wait.

  If the entire place was already lined with torches, what was even the point of carrying one?

  Before I could ask, a loud thud echoed behind me.

  I spun around—the entrance had vanished, replaced by a solid wall. The glowing veins were gone.

  Lucas kept walking as our footsteps echoed in the underground passage. Then he spoke.

  "As Hera mentioned earlier, the requirements for becoming a Worldwalker are simple—you need to consume the blood and heart of a monster."

  I frowned. "Yeah, you already said that."

  Lucas smirked.

  "You'll be drinking the blood and eat the heart raw."

  I stopped in my tracks.

  "...Wait. Raw?!"

  Disgust twisted in my stomach. I frowned deeply, feeling the urge to gag.

  Was that really what I had to do…?

  Lucas continued, "I know it’s disgusting, but this is the only way to become one… There’s a chance you could turn into a monster, a chance you might die instantly, and another chance that you’ll successfully become a Worldwalker."

  A question suddenly came to mind, stopping Lucas in his tracks. "Can I ask something? When you become a Worldwalker, do you get to choose your power or ability?"

  Lucas shook his head. "No, becoming a Worldwalker doesn’t give you a choice. The ability you gain depends on the power already inside you. To put it simply, your power is automatically given based on your innate self. For example, my ability allows me to see the truth in all beings. However, we don’t call them abilities—we call them Authorities. An Authority is a power unique to each Worldwalker, and every Authority has a name. Mine is called The Truth."

  "So, when you become a Worldwalker, your Authority is determined by who you are," Lucas continued. "And once you obtain it, its name will automatically be bound to you. As for how to use it… you’ll just know—it’ll feel as natural as breathing."

  I thought to myself… Authority? A power unique to me? That sounds amazing. I wonder what kind of Authority I’ll have… A mix of excitement and nervousness stirred within me.

  "But," Lucas added, his tone turning serious, "using an Authority doesn’t mean you can use it endlessly. Do you remember that red aura I had earlier? That’s called Worldflow. It fuels our Authorities and allows us to use them without problems. Worldflow is the source of power for us and the monsters roaming this world. Once you become a Worldwalker, you’ll be able to sense it immediately.

  "However, be careful, Julian. Running out of Worldflow will leave you powerless against the unknown entities that want to devour you. Worse, it can drive you insane and turn you into a monster yourself."

  His words made me tense up. So Worldwalkers risk losing their sanity…?

  "If you ever start feeling unstable," Lucas warned, "tell us immediately. We can’t afford to have someone go insane and endanger everyone here. If a Worldwalker turns into a monster, the only option is to kill them. That applies to me, to Hera, and to everyone else who lives in this place."

  Lucas looked at me and noticed the fear on my face, as if I was hesitating about whether to become a Worldwalker or not. But then, he continued, "Either way, let’s finally talk about the ranking system of Worldwalkers."

  Hearing that, I interrupted, "Ranking system?"

  Lucas nodded. "There are eleven ranks for a Worldwalker. The first rank is Awakened, which is where you’ll start. From there, the first phase consists of the 10th to 8th cycles. The second phase includes the 7th to 5th cycles. The third phase covers the 4th to 3rd cycles. And finally, the last phase consists of the 2nd to 1st cycles. Think of it like leveling up—the lower the cycle, the stronger you become.

  "When you first awaken, your Authority will be unstable, since you’re just starting out. Once you reach the 10th cycle, both you and your Authority will evolve, allowing you to control it with more precision."

  We were still walking as Lucas explained, the sound of our footsteps echoing through the underground staircase. The path to our destination stretched on, seemingly endless.

  I pondered over what he said. So Worldwalkers have a ranking system… which means I’ll need to descend through the cycles to become stronger. But how do I go from Awakened to the 10th cycle?

  "How do I advance from Awakened to the 10th cycle?" I asked. "Is there another process for that?"

  Lucas answered, "To reach the 10th cycle, you need to devour a lot of monsters. You’ll have to engage in countless battles, using your Authority until you can fully control it. When you’re ready, you’ll ascend to the next cycle through a process we call Ascension."

  I frowned. "How do I know when I’m ready to ascend?"

  "You’ll feel it," Lucas replied. "Your Authority will send you a signal when it’s time to evolve. When that happens, you’ll need to perform another ritual."

  I hesitated before asking, "Is there a specific ritual required for Ascension?"

  Lucas scratched his chin. "That’s something we don’t fully understand yet. There is a ritual, but it varies from person to person. Some old records say that the more people who witness the ritual, the stronger you’ll become. Others claim that the riskier the ritual, the greater the benefits. We’ve tested some of these theories, but… nothing conclusive. For now, we follow a standard ritual that works, but we still don’t know how to maximize its effects."

  I nodded, absorbing the information. Then, one final question came to mind. "By the way… what rank are you?"

  Lucas smirked. "I’m currently in the 9th cycle. At this rank, you gain a Sub-Authority. Your first Authority remains your main power, but as you ascend, you unlock additional abilities related to it."

  Seeing my confusion, he elaborated, "Think of it like being a swordsman. Your Authority is your body, and your Sub-Authorities are the different sword techniques you learn over time. Your core power remains the same, but you develop new ways to use it as you grow stronger."

  "I see… If that’s the 9th cycle, what do you gain in the higher cycles?"

  Lucas shrugged. "That, I don’t know. I haven’t reached those levels yet."

  Suddenly, Lucas stopped walking. Hera and I halted as well.

  Before us stood a massive steel door.

  We had finally reached our destination.

  Lucas looked at me and smiled. "Julian, from here on out, we will begin the process of becoming a Worldwalker. If you ever feel fear because of how dangerous it is, just become stronger," he said with a scoff. "Though, that’s the very reason we are always in danger anyway."

  Lucas placed his hand on the door, and the same red aura from before glowed around his palm. As if responding to his touch, red veins began to spread across the surface of the door. Slowly, it started to move, creaking open.

  Lucas glanced at me and said, "The path of the Worldwalkers is unknown. It will grant you power to protect yourself, but it will also destroy you. I’ll say this now—do not treat it as a blessing. Think of it as a curse. We are those who cannot protect anyone, not even ourselves. We are forever cursed."