The next morning, Raven woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy. The soft sunlight streamed through the curtains in his room, creating a warm glow that illuminated the opulent space. Beside him, Seraphina was still sound asleep, her face serene as if no worries disturbed her mind. Raven gazed at Seraphina for a moment, feeling a deep satisfaction from how his plan had unfolded perfectly, but beneath that satisfaction, he knew Seraphina was merely a pawn in his grander scheme.
Carefully, Raven got out of bed and walked to the window. He opened the curtains, allowing the cool morning breeze to flow into the room. With each breath, he felt the new power coursing through him, the result of combining the Wind Step and Shadow Glide skills into Shadow Wind. This skill granted him the ability to move with incredible speed through shadows, becoming almost invisible. Raven felt like an unstoppable predator, ready to hunt down anyone who stood in his way.
He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the sensation of the new power. "Shadow Wind," he whispered softly, and in an instant, his body faded into the shadows beneath him, vanishing and concealing his presence. He moved with near-invisible speed, gliding from one corner of the room to another, his shadow barely visible. When he reappeared in the center of the room, a satisfied smile graced his face. This new skill was not only a deadly weapon but also a perfect tool for stealth and movement without detection.
Seraphina woke and saw Raven standing by the window. "Your Majesty," she called gently with a sweet smile still lingering on her face. "Are you awake?"
Raven turned to see Seraphina now sitting on the bed, her silver hair cascading and shimmering in the sunlight. "Yes, and I feel stronger than ever," he replied, his voice low and deep, radiating undeniable power and calm.
Seraphina looked at Raven with eyes full of love and conviction. "I will always be by your side, Your Majesty. Whatever you plan, I will fully support you," she said in a soft yet firm tone.
Raven stared at her with a sharp gaze, his eyes hiding a cold intent. "Good," he replied tersely, lacking the usual warmth. In his mind, Seraphina was just a tool to be used and discarded as needed. She played her role perfectly, but Raven felt no emotional attachment. Every sweet word and gentle touch was merely part of the manipulation he used to ensure Seraphina's loyalty.
After a brief breakfast, Raven decided it was time to test his new powers outside the palace. He planned a short trip to the nearby forest to see how well the Shadow Wind ability could assist him in various situations. Raven wanted to ensure he had fully mastered this skill before moving on to the next, much larger plan.
"Seraphina," Raven said without looking at her, "I'm going to the forest for a while to train my powers. You can stay in the palace and ensure no one suspects us."
Seraphina nodded obediently, a gentle smile on her face. "Very well, Your Majesty," she said briefly.
Raven donned his usual black cloak to blend into the shadows. The cloak merged with his form, making him almost invisible as he moved. With swift steps, Raven left his room and walked through the palace corridors. Each step exuded unwavering confidence. He moved through the palace with increasing speed, avoiding the attention of any passing guards or servants.
Once outside the palace, Raven utilized the Shadow Wind ability to disappear into the shadows, moving at an extraordinary pace toward the forest on the city's outskirts. This forest was a tranquil yet mysterious place, known for housing various magical creatures, from nature spirits to dangerous monsters lurking in the darkness of the trees.
Upon arriving at the forest, Raven stopped at the base of a towering tree. Sunlight filtering through the foliage created shadows on the ground, giving the place a magical atmosphere. However, Raven knew that behind the beauty, danger was always lurking.
As he ventured deeper into the forest, Raven focused his mind, sensing the presence of creatures around him. He heard rustling sounds from the bushes, and soon, a large monster emerged from the trees. It was a basilisk, a four-legged creature with a massive scaly body and glowing red eyes staring intensely at Raven. Its mouth gaped wide, revealing sharp fangs ready to tear apart its prey. The basilisk let out a low, threatening growl, as if warning Raven that he had entered its territory.
Raven looked at the basilisk calmly, a faint smile on his lips. "This is a great opportunity to test my power," he thought, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
The basilisk wasted no time. With surprising speed for such a large creature, it leaped toward Raven, its mouth wide open, ready to strike. However, Raven remained still, waiting for the perfect moment to act.
"Shadow Wind!" Raven commanded firmly.
In an instant, Raven's body faded into the shadows beneath him, vanishing from the basilisk's view. The monster halted, confused, its glowing red eyes searching for the missing prey. But before the basilisk could react, Raven had already reappeared behind it, moving with near-invisibility.
With swift movements, Raven drew his sword and struck the basilisk's back precisely. The blade pierced through the monster's tough scales, producing a cracking sound as metal met hard skin. The basilisk roared in pain, black blood flowing from the wound on its back. Raven leaped back, evading the monster's quick-moving tail, and vanished into the shadows once more.
"Wind Manipulation!" Raven shouted, this time with greater force.
A strong gust of wind formed around Raven, creating an air vortex that lifted leaves and small branches from the ground. The wind swirled around Raven, forming a shield that protected him from the basilisk's attacks. With a hand gesture, Raven directed the wind toward the basilisk, which was still trying to locate him. The wind surged with high speed, crashing into the basilisk with immense power. Its thick scales were stripped away, and the monster was thrown to the ground forcefully.
The basilisk groaned, attempting to rise again, but Raven gave it no chance. "Gale Force!" he shouted, his voice echoing among the trees.
A powerful wind attack struck the basilisk with tremendous force, destroying its last defenses. The monster was hurled to the ground once more, this time unable to rise. With one final strike, Raven severed the basilisk's head, ending its life with a decisive blow.
Raven stood over the now-lifeless basilisk, taking a deep breath. The black blood pooling around the monster created a small puddle on the mossy ground. A deep satisfaction filled his heart, knowing that his new power had truly made him unbeatable.
As he gazed at the fallen basilisk, Raven felt a strong energy flow from the defeated creature. In his mind, he decided to copy the basilisk's skills. He knew that any ability he could gain would make him even stronger and harder to defeat.
Raven opened his system window, observing the energy flowing from the basilisk's body, and immediately used his power to copy the skills.
[New Skills Acquired]
Venomous Gaze, The ability to unleash a deadly gaze that can paralyze or even kill a target with extremely potent poison. This gaze can incapacitate opponents in an instant.
Stone Skin, A defensive ability that hardens the user's skin to the toughness of stone, providing exceptional protection against physical and magical attacks.
Raven nodded in satisfaction. These abilities would be incredibly useful, especially in close combat or against physically stronger foes. He realized that with each new skill he acquired, he was getting closer to absolute power.
As Raven absorbed the energy from the dead basilisk, he also sensed an additional significant amount of evolution points. He reopened his system window to check the number of evolution points he had earned.
[Evolution Points Acquired: +50]
Total Evolution Points: 100
A thin smile once again graced Raven's face. With 100 evolution points in hand, he had many options to further enhance himself. However, he decided to keep the points for now, waiting for the right moment to use them in the most strategic way.
After ensuring there were no more threats around, Raven began to make his way back to the palace. He activated Shadow Wind once more, and his body immediately merged with the shadows of the surrounding trees. The speed and agility he possessed allowed him to glide effortlessly through the forest, like a shadow that could not be caught by the human eye.
By the time he arrived at the palace, the sun had begun to set on the horizon, leaving a sky painted with orange and purple hues. Raven paused for a moment outside the main gate of the palace, gazing at the magnificent building with a look full of plans. This palace was the center of Veloria's power, and he was getting closer to fully controlling it.
Raven entered the palace with a calm demeanor. He moved through the vast corridors gracefully, arousing no suspicion from anyone who might see him. Every step he took was filled with unwavering confidence and a clear purpose. Once he reached his room, he found Seraphina waiting there. The woman stood by the window, gazing outside with hopeful eyes. As soon as she saw Raven enter, Seraphina turned and offered a warm smile.
"How was your training, Your Majesty?" Seraphina asked with a caring tone, her steps light as she approached Raven.
Raven simply nodded, showing little emotion. "It went very well," he replied coolly. "I got what I needed."
Seraphina smiled, seemingly pleased with the response. However, behind that smile, Raven saw emotional weaknesses that would eventually make Seraphina nothing more than a pawn he could manipulate at will.
"Good," Seraphina replied.
Raven walked past her, approaching the window and looking out at the darkening horizon. "Take care, Seraphina. I have bigger plans for us."
Raven spent the night in silence, contemplating his next plans. He knew that to achieve his goals, he needed to involve more parties in his power game. With the power he now possessed, including skills from Seraphina and the basilisk, Raven felt ready to move to the next stage.
In his mind, he began devising strategies on how best to destabilize and ultimately control the Veloria royal family from within. With his sharp intellect and increasing strength, Raven was confident that nothing would stand in his way. He would start by manipulating his siblings, exploiting their weaknesses to ensure they would not only submit to him but also depend on him for their survival.
However, his plans were not limited to the royal family. Raven also considered alliances with forces outside Veloria. He needed to find powerful allies and control them in the same way he controlled Seraphina through manipulation, influence, and if necessary, sheer power.
As the night grew late and the stars began to shine in the dark sky, Raven knew that the time to act was drawing near. Every passing second brought him closer to his goal, and he would not let anything or anyone stop him.
The next morning, Raven woke up feeling stronger and ready. He had outlined the steps he would take next, starting with a secret meeting he had planned for that night—a meeting that would pave the way for his next grand plan.
With unwavering confidence, Raven looked at his reflection in the large mirror in his room, seeing the powerful and commanding image of himself. "Veloria," he murmured, "you will soon be under my control."
He then turned and prepared himself for the day, knowing that each passing day was one step closer to the absolute power he had long dreamed of.