In a dimly lit alley of the village of Utopia, a mouse emerged from its hiding place and climbed to the surface. Before it lay the unconscious body of a young boy.

The mouse approached the boy's warm form, bit into his hand, and began to chew. The mouse's eyes widened, turning from dull to a vivid crimson, and it exploded into fragments.

James drifted in his inner consciousness, surrounded by peace and silence. However, he felt a sharp pain in his right hand and heard his mother’s gentle voice echoing in his ears, "James, wake up." He opened his eyes.

Before him stretched a gray sky and towering buildings, accompanied by the foul stench of refuse and beggars. He also felt dampness on his back.

He slowly surveyed his surroundings. "Where am I?" He attempted to rise but was met with a piercing pain in his abdomen, as if numerous insects were feasting on him from within.

[Do not move, sir. The body will be fully healed in five minutes] said the now-familiar voice.

The boy tried to move his hand but soon gave up, unable to bear the pain. "What happened? I don’t remember anything. How did I end up here?"

[You were attacked by a passerby, but I have taken care of the situation, Master ] the voice replied again.

"I see," James responded. He was aware of Utopian disdain for slaves, so he was not surprised. What truly puzzled him was his survival. The last thing he recalled was a massive man, twice his size, striking him in the stomach.

The boy set aside his thoughts and began contemplating his new powers, while his ears picked up the ambient sounds of the market and the occasional passerby. Despite the overwhelming stench of filth, he could occasionally detect the aroma of bread.

Feeling nauseous, the boy muttered, "I’m really hungry."

At that moment, he felt as though a group of small feet was walking over his wound and sensed warmth spreading to the injured area. He lifted his head and examined his wound.

He was astonished to see a crimson light emanating from the wound.

[The healing process is complete. You may stand now] the familiar voice resonated.

James attempted to stand and, miraculously, rose as if he had never been injured. He looked at the crimson window in front of him. "This is astonishing."

[It is my pleasure, Master]

The boy requested the system to recount the events leading up to his unconscious state. Crimson text began to form before James, as if conjured from a fantasy. The system detailed the events and mentioned the Monarch Aura and its rental cost of 10 points.

Curiously, James inquired, "So, every kill provides me with ten points? And if I want to rent those powers again, do I need to pay with points as well?"

[As the heir to the throne, you can acquire your own powers, but renting is not an option. The incident was a special case due to the heir’s life being in danger] the system explained.

James nodded in understanding and asked, "How do I earn points? And what can I use them for?"

The system displayed a large red window showing James’s image along with the following details:

[Name: William James]

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[Rank: Child of the Dark]

[Blood Drop: 1 Drop]

[Strength: 10]

[Endurance: 7]

[Stamina: 12]

[Luck: 3]

[Agility: 4]

[Magical Powers: 3]

[Magic Type: Fire / Dark (locked)]

[Master, these are your current stats. You can upgrade them using blood drops. 1 Kill = 10 Blood Drops 1 Assisted Kill = 3 Blood Drops To upgrade your stats, you can press the screen or specify the stat name and the amount of blood drops you wish to invest. 1 Blood Drop = 1 Stat]

[Warning: Allocating too many stat points at your current level may result in adverse effects, most of which can be lethal. Your cap is 10 points per stat at once. Exceeding this limit may cause severe side effects.]

James read through his stats calmly and assessed his condition. Although he didn’t fully understand the numbers, his instincts told him one thing: he was extremely weak.

James asked in confusion, "Is killing the only way to acquire points?"

[Killing is not the only method, but it is the quickest. There are various tasks you can undertake to earn points as well] the system responded.

A smile appeared on James’s face as he sighed deeply. "I don’t want to kill any innocent people to gain strength, but those scoundrels are a different matter. I need to get to Uncle Michael’s shop quickly and inform him about what happened with my mother’s grave."

With that, James exited the alley and hurried through the crowd, searching for his uncle’s shop.

As James approached Uncle Michael’s shop, his eyes widened and his heartbeat quickened. He felt a surge of anger coursing through him.

In front of the blacksmith’s shop, a massive man, over two meters tall, with a bald head and a corpulent figure, emerged. He carried a piece of bread in his right hand. His face bore a black scorpion tattoo, and behind him were two men with the same tattoo on their cheeks, moving toward James.

With each step the bald man took, the passersby trembled in fear.

"Ben the fat" james formed a strong fist and gritted his teeth as he studied the man in front of him. Despite his comical title and unassuming appearance, he was Zerak's right-hand man, renowned for his ferocious strength, immense size, and powerful magic providing impenetrable defense.

Despite his intense rage and the urge to leap at him and stab him with a dagger, James hid in a nearby alley and waited for the man to pass.

"I’m not running away. I just don’t have the strength to confront him right now."

James controlled his heartbeat and tried to stay calm.

In a moment of silence, james heard the familiar voice from the windowthis time it was big and black with red writings

[The heir is in danger! A powerful individual is approaching you now. Please escape immediately!]

James’s eyes widened, and he froze in place. He slowly turned his head and looked outside the alley at the crowd.

James’s trembling eyes reflected the imposing figure of a man over two meters tall with a black scorpion tattoo on his face.

A menacing smile formed on the man's face as he silently moved his lips.

Despite not speaking, James could read his lips.

"F..O..U..N..D.....Y..O..U."

The boy began to breathe heavily, his heartbeat racing, and time seemed to slow down. He felt a profound weakness and knew it was the end. He did not want to face the corpulent man because he knew he would be punished for his delay in arriving at the mine, and that punishment was death.

After his mother’s death, Zerak had given him a single chance to survive in this city, on the condition that he never be late and work until his bones broke.

"Move... Move!... Move, you damn body!"

Despite his numerous attempts, James could not move. The massive attacker drew closer, each step amplifying his heartbeat.

"Damn it ... Damn it ... I can’t die here, not after gaining the power to fight." Tears streamed down the boy’s face as the man approached like a predator stalking its prey.

"I can’t win... I can’t win..." the boy's body started to shiver as if it was accepting its defeat

James’s thoughts began to dissolve, and a black darkness enveloped his mind. He could not think of a plan to escape. He was trapped in a dark, enclosed alley between two tall buildings, unable to use them for escape. Even if he miraculously evaded the corpulent man, he would still encounter his followers at the exit who could easily kill him.

In the midst of his despair, a familiar voice resonated in his ears.

[Do you wish to use the skill: Blood Control?]

James weakly gazed at the window before him. In a remarkable moment, all the darkness that had enveloped him dissipated, and a peculiar calm settled over his body. He recalled the details of the skill and his fire magic abilities, and then realized: despite his current weakness, he was not as powerless as before. He now possessed his own magical element!

A shiver ran through his body, and he asked quietly, "System, does Blood Control freeze all bodily functions? Even magic?"

In the midst of the foreboding darkness, the crimson window shone with a glimmer of hope.

[Yes], the crimson window confirmed.

A menacing smile spread across the boy's face as he regained his confidence. He then glared with renewed determination at the corpulent man, who watched him with bloodthirsty eyes, ready to kill.