After the uproar caused by Grey's sudden declaration finally died down and everyone's attention returned to him, Grey continued, slowly sweeping his gaze across those gathered.
"I understand that talking about trust while asking you to sign witch contracts at the same time is pretty hypocritical of me. But when it comes to our safety, there's no such thing as being too careful. That applies to all of us. Friendship is wonderful, but when life and death are involved, it's nice to have... guarantees."
As he spoke that last word, Grey met Lily's eyes.
She smiled knowingly and gave him a grateful nod. Her own secret was no less explosive than Grey's. She was the first to step forward, seal the agreement, and sign the contract.
Hope flinched almost imperceptibly, but stayed silent, pressing her lips into a thin line.
One by one, the people present approached the document, leaving their marks upon it with their own blood. The moment the final signature touched the paper, part of the document crumbled into shimmering particles of light, and everyone felt their hearts skip a beat.
Grey let out a relieved breath.
He hadn't expected his proposal to be accepted so easily. After all, by doing this, he was practically admitting that he couldn't fully trust them. Soon enough, he realized that everyone present had their own reasons to be cautious, and because of that, no one objected.
It was at that moment that Lily narrowed her eyes slyly, tilted her head to the side, and asked as if it were nothing important:
"All of this is great... We've established that we can more or less trust each other. But how exactly is this supposed to help us achieve our goals?"
Grey immediately caught onto her trick. He was certain Lily hadn't asked that question by accident.
It was as if she already knew what he was about to say and was helping him smoothly move to the next topic.
He gave her a calm nod of gratitude. Then he rose from his seat and, clasping his hands behind his back, began to speak.
"We can't achieve our goals until we become stronger. Without strength, all our dreams will remain nothing more than dreams forever."
His voice was steady, yet filled with an unshakable confidence that made everyone listen to every word. Even the shadows in the room seemed to freeze in anticipation of what he would say next.
"Since I possess the most complete knowledge regarding the cultivation methods of different races," Grey said, "I will take on the role of leader and mentor. The group's brain center, if you will."
Sunny, who had been squatting in the corner of the room, scratched the back of his head in confusion.
"Umm... What do you mean by cultivation?" he asked with sincere bewilderment.
Grey nodded, having expected such a question. He fell silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts.
The topic was so vast that one could spend years discussing it without ever reaching a final conclusion. So how was he supposed to explain it all in just a few sentences?
Grey began speaking, not even noticing that he had started pacing back and forth across the small room. His measured footsteps echoed softly through the silent chamber.
"In our world, all living beings are capable of growing and developing their power."
"That is what cultivation is called. And I'm not talking about simply strengthening the body. As a person develops, they improve as a whole. Their magic changes, their energy reserves grow, their life force evolves, and even their soul transforms."
The candlelight danced across Grey's face, emphasizing the seriousness of the topic. Everyone's gaze unconsciously followed his movements. They understood perfectly well that Grey's lecture could affect the course of their entire future. That was why they listened with absolute focus.
"Every race has its own path," he continued, stopping and sweeping his eyes across the room.
"Witches go through a painful awakening process. Vampires develop with age. Werewolves grow stronger as their pack increases in size. Angels, beastmen, demons, elves, mermaids... every race has its own method of becoming stronger. And all of them differ fundamentally in both nature and method."
He paused, giving them time to process his words.
"Even within the human race, cultivation methods differ from Empire to Empire. In the Magic Empire alone, there are three separate paths: mages who awaken mana, rune knights who rely on physical strength and external enhancement, and of course, specialists, true masters of weapon mastery."
Grey walked up to the table and rested his fingertips against it, leaning slightly forward.
"I may be biased, but from my point of view, the cultivation system of the Roman Empire is the most universal. So I'll use it to explain things without going too deep into unnecessary details," his voice became quieter, as if he were sharing a secret.
"Any citizen of Rome has the right to undergo Awakening. For that purpose, every province contains a temple where people can touch the 'Sphere of Origin.' This sphere, forged from orichalcum, is both an artifact and a conduit of divine power. Its main purpose is to help a person locate their personal magic core and establish a connection with it. This process is called Awakening. According to rumors, the god Hephaestus himself created the sphere and granted ordinary people this opportunity so they could grow and become stronger."
Everyone listened while holding their breath.
What Grey was talking about was not some secret hidden behind seven seals, but neither was it common knowledge anywhere outside the Roman Empire.
The room was so silent that one could hear the wax dripping down the candles with a faint crackle.
"Even though I sincerely hate the Roman Empire," a trace of bitterness flashed through Grey's voice before he quickly suppressed it, "I can't deny that their cultivation system is the most advanced and accessible. So when speaking about cultivation as a whole, I'll be referring to theirs."
"Awakening is the first and most important step toward obtaining power," Grey continued, his voice calm and measured, as though he were reading from an ancient manuscript.
"An awakened mortal encounters the concept of inner energy, mana, or magical power for the first time. These powers differ completely from person to person. For example, Roman legionnaires mainly control elemental magic."
Sheryl leaned forward with interest, her eyes gleaming in the dim light of the room.
"And what about witches and beastmen?" she asked.
"Good question," Grey gave a slight nod, acknowledging the relevance of her curiosity.
"Witches are special. In some ways, they resemble beastmen. Although their awakening process is often extremely painful, it happens naturally. They cannot make mistakes. Magic chooses them, not the other way around. They instinctively know how to use it. That's why they are incredibly dangerous even at the earliest stages."
He paused, as if pushing away a certain thought.
"But that's not what we're discussing right now..."
"After Awakening, a mortal becomes a practitioner and advances to the next level, the level of a Rudiarius (1). Their physical abilities improve, their health becomes stronger, and most importantly, they learn how to interact with mana."
"The second level is called Legionary (2)," he continued, raising two fingers. "Physical strength reaches the limits of human capability. Lifespan increases by ten years. But if someone asked me, 'What is the essence of this level?' I would answer: adapting the body to interact with this new energy."
"For example, Roman practitioners circulate the energy of their magic core in order to open the internal channels through which mana flows. Common folk call them meridians."
Grey raised a third finger, his gesture sharp and deliberate.
"The third level is called Olympian (3). The essence of this level is CONTROL over energy. The mana inside the body becomes as responsive as one's own limb. A person surpasses the limits of ordinary human capability. Their strength can be compared to that of a horse, and their lifespan increases by another twenty years."
For a second, Grey fell into thought, weighing whether it was worth burdening his companions with even more information that was currently useless to them.
The candlelight danced across his face, emphasizing the depth of his eyes, eyes that reflected knowledge far beyond his years.
"The fourth level is extremely important," he said firmly, raising another finger.
"Upon reaching it, a person advances to the next STAGE, distancing themselves from the concept of a 'mortal.' Those who reach the fourth, fifth, and sixth levels are called Saints (4-6)."
Aileen and Irene raised their hands at the same time. Grey nodded, expecting the question.
"Why are several levels all called Saints?" they asked almost in unison.
"Good question," approval rang through his voice.
"From what I know, it's because further development requires more than simply controlling one's energy. A person must use that energy to cleanse their body of every impurity. Step by step. A Saint is not a level. It is a NEW STAGE."
He began folding his fingers one by one as he listed them.
"At the fourth level, the bones are cleansed. A Saint Adept (4) gains another thirty years of lifespan and strength comparable to a magical beast. Such a person can shatter a brick wall with a single strike."
"At the fifth level, the blood is cleansed. A Saint Apostle (5). Fifty additional years of lifespan and strength comparable to several bulls."
"At the sixth level, the final level of the Saint Stage, Saint Arbiter (6), the internal organs are cleansed. The lungs, stomach, heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, and..." he paused dramatically, "...the brain. Plus another eighty years of lifespan and strength comparable to a truck."
Everyone listened with pounding hearts and wide eyes. Even Hope shook off all traces of sleepiness and sat up straight. Lily's face had turned serious, stripped of its usual playfulness.
"The brain is cleansed last," Grey said quietly, his voice dropping almost to a whisper, making everyone unconsciously lean forward.
"If that succeeds, a person awakens their soul sea and advances to the next Stage. The Stage of a Sky-dweller (7-...)."
Silence settled over the room, broken only by the crackling of candle flames.
"Only those who reach that stage truly control their own fate. Everyone else is nothing more than a pawn in someone else's game."
Once again, he swept his gaze across everyone in the room, lingering on each face for a brief moment, as though trying to engrave this memory into his mind.
"I hope all of you will strive for that level together," a trace of vulnerability flickered through his voice before he quickly hid it behind a smile. "And that you won't forget the help of a simple cripple who gave you a push at the beginning..."
When his voice faded, a tense silence settled over the room. It felt as though everyone had forgotten how to breathe, overwhelmed by the scale of the possibilities that had just opened before them.
Sunny was the first to break the silence, his voice trembling with excitement.
"H-how can we reach that kind of power?"
Grey smirked and raised three fingers once again.
"We do not live in a vacuum. Human development requires three main conditions."
He folded down one finger, his voice turning sharp and clear like that of an experienced mentor.
"First, knowledge. I possess it, and I am willing to share it in exchange for the simple conditions you already know."
He folded another finger without taking his eyes off the gathered group.
"Second, dedication to the cause. I expect diligence from you, the willingness to study and work until exhaustion, and the ability to grit your teeth and overcome your own limitations."
At last, only one finger remained. He emphasized it deliberately while leaning slightly forward.
"And third, no less important than the others, money. Cultivation requires resources, artifacts, and countless other forms of support. Earning money will be our top priority over the coming months."
His voice grew firmer, filled with a confidence that seemed to spread throughout the entire room.
"Does everyone agree to follow my guidance on the path to power?"
Everyone nodded in unison. Not a single person hesitated.
"Good," Grey nodded in approval. The corners of his lips curled into a satisfied smile that he made no attempt to hide.
"Now let's discuss the details."
The next part of the conversation focused on specific plans.
Consumed by youthful passion and ambition, they eagerly began throwing ideas and suggestions at one another. The air in the room itself seemed charged with their enthusiasm.
With joyful excitement shining in their eyes, Aileen and Irene discussed how they could help earn money with their beautiful voices. Their slender fingers danced through the air as if already plucking the strings of invisible instruments.
Lily lazily stretched across the bed, yet still tossed out ideas from time to time, participating in the discussion with genuine interest.
Sunny frowned deeply, recalling every connection and rumor circulating through the Southern Districts as he relayed them to Grey. His usually carefree face carried a seriousness that made him almost unrecognizable.
Even the quiet Sheryl and Hope listened intently and occasionally added their own thoughts.
Amid the chaos of voices, Grey felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
He had taken another step toward his true goal.
Toward the day he could find his mother, his sister, Cassia, and everyone else.
"Well done, kid..." Senior's voice echoed within his subconscious.
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Author's Note: [Whew. You have no idea how much effort it took to create a clear level system in my head. I hope this chapter clarified some of the things that may have confused you before. The details of cultivation will continue to unfold as the story progresses, and I'll do my best to keep everything logical and easy to understand.]