Mei then said, "Then let's start now. Please sit in the middle of the ritual."

  Following Mei’s words, I sat in the center of the ritual circle. Just then, a warm glow suddenly lit up from my necklace.

  Shocked, I looked at both Hera and Lucas. Lucas nodded, and Mei then remarked, "It seems the necklace is reacting quickly."

  Lucas and Hera stepped away from the ritual circle. Noticing this, I turned to them, but Mei reassured me, "Do not worry. They're just getting ready. In this ritual, their only role is to be lookouts. They cannot interfere, because if they do, the ritual will fail instantly—turning you into a monster. Their job is to watch and act only if something goes wrong because of the necklace."

  Lucas and Hera took their positions. Hera held a crystal in her hand and, without hesitation, crushed it. The moment it shattered, the fragments reassembled—forming a long spear. The remaining shards floated behind her and transformed into a small sword. She took a stance, ready for battle at any moment.

  Lucas removed his glasses, and in an instant, his eyes turned red—devilish, piercing. His pupils shifted into something unnatural, watching me intently. Then, suddenly, his sclera darkened, turning pitch black. A truly demonic gaze bore down on me.

  What the fuck is that?! His Authority is supposed to be called "The Truth," but how the hell does this count as that? Shouldn't it be called "Demonic Eyes" or something? That name sounds way more reasonable—and cooler, honestly.

  I turned my attention to Hera. What kind of Authority does she even have?

  Before I could dwell on it, Mei stepped in front of me and sat down. Smiling, she said, "If anything goes wrong, those two will kill you. If you turn into a monster, that is."

  She grinned, then asked, "Now, are you ready?"

  I glanced at Hera and Lucas. If I fail, they’re going to kill me. If I get devoured, they’ll kill me. But honestly, it won’t even matter. The entity will get me first.

  Even so, I met Mei’s gaze and steeled myself. "Please begin."

  Mei then smiled and raised both arms. Her sleeves slid down, revealing a golden bracelet embedded with a green gemstone. She made a strange gesture—her right hand poised as if holding an invisible orb, while her left cradled an unseen cup.

  A green light flickered from the gemstone.

  "What is that?" I asked.

  Mei answered without hesitation, "A relic."

  She turned to me, and though blindfolded, it felt like she could see me.

  A relic…? I thought.

  Suddenly, a green cube, invisible except for its glowing edges, appeared before her hand. Light radiated from within. A golden cup materialized in her left hand, filled with a thick, blue liquid—blood. In her right hand, something grotesque took shape. A beating, blood-soaked heart, deep blue and dripping.

  The overwhelming stench hit me instantly—a rotting, putrid smell so strong I instinctively covered my nose.

  That’s a heart, but… Mei calmly stated, "This is the heart of the monster you will eat. And this is its blood. You will drink it."

  I looked at her in disbelief, but she simply said, "Hold it."

  I hesitated, repulsed by the stench, but eventually reached out, grabbing the heart. It pulsed in my palm. Its aura was unsettling—dangerous, filled with uncertainty. The texture was slimy, squishy, and warm, blood oozing between my fingers.

  Am I seriously eating this?! Where the hell did it even come from?

  Mei smiled, explaining one last time, "Now then, Julian, I will begin the prayer and bless it for protection. When I tell you to eat, swallow it whole—do not bite it. Keeping the heart intact ensures the connection to the Worldflow remains unbroken. Once you swallow it, drink the blood immediately. It will be painful, but endure it. Savor every drop, even the blood dripping from the heart itself. It may sound disgusting, but this is the only way to become a Worldwalker. Focus."

  Are you sure this isn’t a ritual to become a monster? I thought grimly, staring at the heart in my hand.

  My heart pounded violently in my chest, but I still followed Mei’s orders. Steeling myself, I closed my eyes. Mei turned to Lucas and Hera—Lucas nodded, signaling for her to proceed.

  Mei pressed her palms together in prayer, bowing her head before speaking:

  "Oh, Sanguira, Goddess of the Crimson Tears,

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  You who weep for the forsaken and bleed for the faithful,

  In this sacred hour, as the ritual begins,

  I call upon Your gaze to fall upon me.

  Let Your blood-stained tears be my shield,

  Let the sorrow You bear be my strength.

  In the dark embrace of the unknown,

  Guard my soul, my flesh, my fate.

  If trials seek to break me, let them tremble before You,

  If shadows dare consume me, let Your light drown them in crimson.

  May Your will carve my path,

  May Your mercy temper my suffering,

  As I walk this path of transformation.

  I give this offering in faith,

  I spill this blood in reverence,

  And I stand beneath Your name,

  Unyielding, unbroken, unforgotten.

  By Your tears, by Your blood, by Your will—so it shall be."

  As she prayed, blood seeped from beneath her blindfold, as if she were weeping in blood. The blue heart in my hands slowly turned red, as did the blood in the cup. The blessing was complete.

  Mei raised her arms. Using her right hand, she wiped the blood dripping from her right eye. With her left, she wiped the blood from her left eye. Then, in a commanding voice, she declared:

  "Awaken, my goddess."

  The braziers surrounding the ritual suddenly ignited with crimson flames. Red orb embers floated in the air like scattered stars, illuminated the chamber with an eerie glow.

  Mei turned to me. "The blessing is done. Now, eat the heart and drink the blood."

  Taking a deep breath, I lifted the heart in my right hand, bringing it to my mouth. The stench grew even stronger, its rotten scent burning my nose. But I was prepared.

  Opening my mouth wide enough to fit it, I shoved the heart inside, swallowing it whole in one motion. Thick, warm blood spilled from it, some sliding past my lips and dripping down my chest, soaking my necklace in red.

  Mei stood up.

  The ritual had begun.

  Just as I swallowed, a burning sensation surged through my chest. In that moment, I coughed up blood, pain tearing through me as if something inside was trying to take over.

  Ugh… What is this?

  I struggled to endure it—it felt like my heart was being replaced by the monster’s heart. A pained cry escaped my lips, and instinctively, I clutched my chest with my right hand, fingers digging into my skin as if trying to rip out whatever was inside me.

  But before I could, Mei grabbed my hand, stopping me.

  "Endure and focus, Julian. If you fail, you will be devoured," she warned.

  The sensation was eerily familiar—the same feeling I had when I first struggled to move my body. But this time, the pain was lesser. The real difference, however, was the overwhelming presence of something inside me, devouring me, trying to take control.

  Ugh… Is this the monster I ate? I thought, trying to steady my breath.

  I forced myself to focus, willing the pain to fade from my mind. If I lost control, I would become a monster.

  Mei then stepped behind me. "Interesting… You're still holding on. Now, drink. This is the part where you must never acknowledge anything, Julian. No matter what."

  I glanced at the necklace on my chest—it wasn’t reacting. Not even the slightest glow. Lucas and Hera, who had been watching closely, seemed particularly fixated on it, yet there was no response.

  Is the necklace really not going to help me? I wondered.

  But there was no time for doubt. I had to push forward. Hera and Lucas would do their job—whether that meant protecting me or killing me if I lost control.

  With the cup in my left hand, I raised it. The stench was unbearable, rotting and putrid, but I gritted my teeth and drank, forcing myself to savor every last drop of the thick, nauseating blood.

  Heat exploded through me, burning me from the inside out while a freezing cold spread over my skin. My body convulsed as the monster I had consumed fought harder, its presence growing stronger.

  And then—I felt it.

  Worldflow.

  It surged within me, wild and untamed, a chaotic force rampaging through my veins. A scream ripped from my throat as a red aura flared around me, but at the same time, it bled out of my body like fire scorching my skin. Burns began to spread across my arms, my chest—first-degree burns erupting in different spots as the power threatened to tear me apart.

  Mei acted fast. She pressed a hand to my back, her own Worldflow pouring into me, healing the burns, soothing the violent energy inside me.

  But I could feel it—the Worldflow, the blood, the heart. They were changing me.

  Yet, the necklace still didn’t react.

  Lucas, his demonic eyes unblinking, continued to watch it closely. Hera did the same, her expression unreadable.

  This is… Mei thought, her focus sharpening. A Worldflow rampage. This is too much. Right now, I'm expelling the excess, but Worldflow keeps forcing its way inside. I need to create a path, guiding it through his body, forming a proper stream. But this monster’s heart… It’s corrupting him. At this rate, he’ll turn into a monster.

  The battle inside me grew fiercer. The Worldflow tore at my insides, the monster's will refusing to be subdued. My mind wavered, but I clenched my jaw. I have to hold on.

  And then—

  A voice.

  Cryptic. Haunting.

  "Cam… Campbell… Julian…"

  It echoed from every direction, calling my name.

  Different voices—some like a woman, some like a child, others not human at all.

  The ritual chamber darkened. A thick, black mist slithered into the room.

  Lucas stiffened. "They're here. The invitation has come."

  Hera moved instantly. Her body glowed blue as she coated herself in Worldflow, repelling the mist. Lucas followed, his red aura flaring. The floating red orbs in the room blazed, pushing the darkness back. The entities lurking in the walls tried to slip through, but the protection of the Goddess held firm. The red braziers flared, forcing the shadows to retreat. The voices softened, their eerie whispers fading.

  This is my chance!

  I forced myself to focus, tuning everything else out. I could feel it now—Mei’s Worldflow forming a stream inside me, guiding the energy through my veins, expelling the corruption.

  Follow her lead. Guide the energy. Expel the corruption.

  Mei’s breath hitched as she noticed. "He’s… controlling it?"

  The monster’s will was unrelenting. It clung to me, refusing to be subdued.

  "I… don’t wa…"

  A voice echoed—not from outside, but inside me.

  "I don’t want to be eaten…"

  A plea. Desperate.

  "Please… do no… don’t eat me… Don’t eat me…"

  A chill ran down my spine.

  Terror.

  But before I could react, Mei’s voice cut through the fear. "Do not acknowledge it. Focus."

  I snapped back, shoving the voice aside. No distractions. Just focus.

  And then—

  The orbs and braziers in the ritual chamber turned black.

  The air thickened, heavy with an overwhelming presence.

  My necklace—silent until now—suddenly pulsed.

  A black light radiated from it.

  A voice.

  Deep. Cold. Terrifying.

  "Found you."

  A shiver crawled down my spine.

  This voice—

  It didn’t belong in this world.