Aria gave him a steady look and shook her head with a solemn expression. "Forsaken Wilds is one of the three forbidden regions in the entire world of Acaris, Max. Even Legend Rank experts—those with strength far beyond ours—have perished there just because they let their guard down for a single second. That place isn't a test. It's a graveyard."
She paused and let her words sink in before continuing. "And the Abyssal Stair... that isn't just a route. It's a battlefield, a proving ground for the Middle Domain's most terrifying young geniuses. Only Legend Rank experts or geniuses, you can say, under the age of fifty are allowed to step foot on that path. It's not about strength alone—it's about potential. Talent. Destiny."
Her voice was calm, but there was a flicker of memory in her eyes, as if she had once seen the consequences firsthand.
Max nodded slowly as her words sank in. He hadn't underestimated the world—he just hadn't seen the scale of it clearly until now.
