When I woke up and all those memories flooded my mind, it was quite overwhelming.Another loud knock snapped me out of my dizziness.

  "Hey, kid, open the door."

  From the voice alone, I could tell it was Edward.

  I thought about running away or simply not opening the door, but I doubted that would end well. In the end, I opened it and saw Edward standing there with a small smile on his face.

  "Took you long enough."

  "Sorry, Mr. Edward. I was still sleepy."

  He went inside and sat down on the couch.

  "So, Viktor, I'll tell you a bit more about Beyonders now."

  I doubted that anything he was about to say would be useful, since I had read the novel before—although that was a long time ago.

  "The way Beyonders gain powers is by drinking potions."

  Yeah, I already knew that. It sounded like he was just going over the basics.

  I wondered what pathway Edward was going to give me. Since the previous Viktor had already accepted becoming his student, it would be hard to refuse now.

  "The potions are made from mystical ingredients, and the formulas were created through hundreds of years of testing what can be mixed together."

  "When you drink a potion, there is a chance of losing control, but with the first potion, the risk is very low."

  Was Edward going to give me the same pathway as his own? That seemed likely, considering he wanted me as his student. But what pathway was Edward on anyway? His sequence probably wasn't very high, and from Viktor's memories, it seemed he could use green flames. I wasn't sure which pathway that belonged to.

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  "There are twenty-two pathways, each with their own abilities," Edward continued."Every pathway has nine potions. The lowest is Sequence 9."

  "The one I will give you is the same one I have—a very powerful pathway, even among all twenty-two."

  Now I was getting excited. Since I had already teamed up with a psychopath, I at least hoped the pathway would be good.

  "It's called the Criminal Pathway."

  …Damn it.

  Now that I thought about it, the coldness in Edward's eyes when he killed that man fit the Criminal Pathway perfectly. But I didn't want this pathway. Damn it.

  By Sequence 8, it would already start changing one's personality significantly—altering values and turning someone into a psychopath.

  Edward looked at me for a few seconds. I hadn't said anything, which made him notice my reaction.

  "Is there something wrong?"

  "No," I said. "It just sounds so great that I'm nervous and excited about it."

  What was I saying? I wasn't excited—I was worried. I would much rather have a safer pathway, like Spectator or something similar. I'd even take the Assassin potion over this.

  "Then I'll prepare the potion right away," Edward said. "Try to calm down. You should have your emotions under control when you drink it."

  What should I do now?Should I go to the kitchen, say I want to help him, grab a knife, and stab him?

  No—that was a terrible idea. Even a Sequence 9 Criminal could use weapons extremely well, and I had no idea what sequence Edward was. He could even be a Sequence 6 Devil. A stab wouldn't mean anything to him.

  If I told him I didn't feel like it today, that would be suspicious. He'd probably pressure me into it anyway.

  "Good. I'm almost ready."

  Oh shit. What should I do?

  Maybe I should just accept it. It wasn't like I'd lose all my emotions immediately—it was only Sequence 9. It would just strengthen my desires. I could think about what to do afterward. That was better than running away or attacking him without a plan.

  "Mr. Edward, I'm ready."

  Since I had decided to drink it, I might as well get it over with.

  "Are you sure your emotions are under control right now?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Then drink it."

  He handed me a bowl filled with red liquid. It looked like old blood. Rather than appearing mystical, it looked like something you wouldn't even give to a dog. The bowl itself was old and rusty, which didn't make it any more appealing.

  I gathered my courage and drank it.

  I felt strange—burning.

  My emotions shifted for some reason. Some grew stronger, others weaker. It felt unnatural.

  "It feels weird," I muttered.

  "Great. You survived."

  "Didn't you say the first potion isn't that dangerous? I wouldn't have died from it, Mr. Edward."

  "From now on," he said calmly, "you can call me Teacher."