Woke up in a villain's body

Raven twisted and rolled in his bed sleeping, troubled by images in his dreams. Dark shadows flashed before him, and the sound of metal clashing as a Blood Demon Skeleton chased him, its empty red eyes glowing with a very big amount of hunger for blood.

Just as the creature lunged at him with its sharp swords, Raven suddenly woke up. His heart was racing as he sat up in bed, he instinctively looked around the room. To his surprise, the Blood Demon Skeleton he saw in his dream was standing right at the foot of his bed, staring directly at him.

In a rush of panic, Raven threw a red orb of energy at the skeleton. "You bloody bastard!" he shouted, filled with adrenaline

The skeleton effortlessly absorbs the attack, making the energy ball vanish. "Sorry, boss, but you called me. I was just waiting for your commands," it replied, sounding surprisingly calm.

Raven blinked in shock. "You can talk?"

"Of course! Your top-tier summons always can," the skeleton said, its voice echoing through the quiet room and since I am the only summon I will talk until a stronger summons appears.

"Then why didn't you speak when I summoned you earlier?" Raven asked, still trying to catch his breath.

"You didn't demand anything that needed a reply," the skeleton shot back matter-of-factly.

Raven considered this, feeling both excited and scared. I did summon this while I was sleeping. I need to be careful with what I do. He snapped his fingers to send the skeleton away. The thought about his powers hung over him as he prepared for the challenges ahead.

Raven stood up and quickly got dressed and prepared himself for the invitation from Lord Carl

As he gathered his things, he couldn't shake the worrying thought: so far I know now Lord Carl is a different character that didn't do much in the novel, apart from the fact he hates the emperor and was killed the moment he carried out his plan so why is there a total change in the story, or Lysander is silently working for the Emperor and wants to take Carl down with the intel,

When he stepped out into the bright light of the capital, the lively sounds and sights of the busy city surrounded him. Focused on finding Lord Carl's estate, he navigated through the streets, noticing the different shops and people going about their daily lives.

As he walked, he approached a couple of soldiers stationed in front of a rather important-looking building. "Hey there," Raven said, trying to sound confident. "Can you point me to Lord Carl's estate? I've got an appointment."

One of the soldiers raised an eyebrow, sizing him up. "What business do you have with Lord Carl?"

"Like I said I have an appointment with him. He mentioned I should check in," Raven answered, trying to keep it cool despite feeling their scrutiny.

The soldier exchanged glances with his partner before reluctantly pointing down the street. "Go that way, take the second left, and it's the big estate at the end. Just don't cause any trouble."

"Thanks," Raven said, letting out a sigh of relief as he quickly headed down the path that was pointed out to him.

When Raven arrived at Lord Carl's estate, he stopped for a moment to collect himself.

Great when I was feeling that I was helping the Order they sent me right to my death

Just look at the soldiers here

He stood in front of the large building, filled with armed guards watching the entrance. Let's do this Raven, You have come this far

Stepping forward, he pulled out the card Lord Carl had given him. "I have an appointment with Lord Carl," he stated, attempting to sound in charge.

The guards check the card before nodding. "You can go in. Follow the path to the main hall."

As Raven stepped inside, he found himself in a beautifully decorated room. Lord Carl was talking to a striking woman who had a strong presence.

The woman looked at Raven and said, "Oh my, Carl, you didn't mention you had such a handsome young man here!" Her voice was soft and welcoming.

Raven felt surprised and confused by her compliment. Wow,so Raven is good-looking, I never care about looks, but why does she seem so familiar?

"Ah, yes, this is my new friend—Raven," Carl said with a smile.

Raven blinked, caught off guard. Wait, I didn't tell you my name, did I? he thought, looking between Carl and the woman.

Without thinking, Raven summoned a glowing red sword using Blood Manipulation. The blade sparkled with energy, showing his resolve to take charge of the situation.

"Impressive," the woman said with a wider smile. "Oh my, the boy has some attitude."

Raven struggled to understand what she meant. Just then, Carl interrupted, saying, "Well, it might not be obvious to you, but your stigma gave it away."

"Yeah and let me help with that," the woman offered as she lightly touched his palm. To Raven's surprise, the stigma disappeared before his eyes.

"That's a high-level illusion that no one can easily break," she said casually as she sat back down. Her calm attitude was a stark contrast to the power she had just displayed.

Raven realized they knew everything about him and what he could become.

As the conversation continued, Carl pulled out a file. "Here is the Intel Lysander needs, but you have to help me, Raven."

Raven was still shocked that his disguise had been so easily uncovered, Raven found it hard to concentrate.

The woman looked directly at him. "I am Queen Seraphina, the Queen of the Great Elves of Eldridge."

Raven froze. "Oh snap, this is the woman who wants to take over the empire from the novel."

"So what do you want? I know there's a Vanguard here and you're looking for a way to take over the empire, but Lucien won't agree to your request," he challenged.

With anger, Seraphina released her aura that brought Raven to his knees. "How do you know all this," she said in a low and dangerous voice.

"Enough," Carl said firmly.

"What is it? Can't you see this rat wants to sniff me out?"

But as she spoke, Raven felt a shift in the air. Queen Seraphina paused and her expression turned icy.

"No matter how skilled you are, you can never know I have an Imperial Vanguard here. But do you care to mention the name?"

Raven's heart raced as he felt the weight of her words and her powerful presence. He quickly glanced at Carl, who remained calm.

As the tension grew thicker, Raven felt pressured. "Cassius," he blurted out, his voice shaky under the gaze of these powerful figures.

Carl looked serious but then chuckled. "Oh, this boy is sharp."

Seraphina's expression softened slightly but the tension was still there. "Is that all you have to say?" she asked with curiosity.

Carl nodded and turned back to Raven. "Well, yes. Raven, I want you to work for me. All your secrets will be safe with me. I want you to be my knight—my sword."

Raven's heart sank. "So what do you want the Order to do with me?" he asked, feeling the weight of Carl's offer.

"Relax. I know Lysander well. He will believe it if you tell him I offered you a job," Carl explained earnestly.

"You will work for me as my knight and follow my orders unless I say otherwise," Carl added firmly.

"Here, take this badge." He handed Raven a badge that marked him as one of their own.

Raven took the badge and felt its weight symbolize his new identity within the Empire. "What if things go wrong?" he asked as he tried to grasp how quickly everything was happening.

"As long as no one dares question you in this empire—not even the Vanguards."

"Well, I have a deal with the Calonian Pirates. A pirate named Captain Varian took something from me—the Heart of the Abyss. You might need to kill them all if necessary," Carl instructed.

Raven nodded as he understood the seriousness of the task ahead. "Calonia is known for its seas and Hydor arts; it could be dangerous for your powers," he acknowledged while realizing the risks involved.

"I'll be careful," Raven promised as he prepared himself for what lay ahead. "Let me report back to Lysander."

As Raven left the estate he thought about the important tasks ahead of him.

Quest Notifications:

Previous Quest: "Endure your captivity and learn why Lysander Valtor has taken an interest in you. (Completed)

New Quest: "Retrieve the Stolen Item, the Heart of the Abyss, from Captain Varian."

Side Quest: "Improve Your Blood Summoning Skills."

Raven decided to check his current stats, feeling both nervous and excited.

Status Check:

Level: 3 | Class: Rogue | Title: Blood Monarch

Experience Points: 100/500

Health: 90

Mana: 70

Strength: 9

Agility: 11

Intelligence: 10

Skill Mastery:

Bloodcraft: Level 3

Blood Chain: Level 1

Blood Summoning: Level 1

Basic Combat: Level 2

Raven couldn't help but wonder what his new title meant. Blood Monarch? What does that even mean for me?

As he thought about this, Raven felt a rush of energy. The system upgraded and introduced a new feature:

New Feature: Bloodpool

Description: The more lifeforce you drain, the more blood mana you have for summoning and other uses.

Raven smirked, thinking about the potential of his new abilities. "More power means more problems; I feel like the main character," he said to himself, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.