Xavier was amazed. He had never seen blood with such extraordinary regenerative abilities. No wonder Rafael had hidden this young man's ability. If word got out, everyone would come after him.
“Rafael mustn't find out. I need to make a plan,” Xavier muttered.
Prince Yuasa was under tight security, making him difficult to abduct from the palace. However, if they could get him to leave the palace, his men would certainly be able to do it. A smirk formed on Xavier's lips.
Xavier was skilled at scheming. He deceived the ruler of Onyx City. Through that man's intermediary, an official invitation was sent directly to Prince Yuasa.
Prince Yuasa was accustomed to traveling and making visits on behalf of the palace. He was learning to prepare himself to take his father's place as king one day. Suspecting nothing about the invitation, he and his guards went to Onyx City.
“A private room for the prince.” Prince Yuasa's guard booked a room and inspected it carefully, making sure everything was safe.
“Isn't anyone staying here with me?” Prince Yuasa had a bad feeling and suddenly felt afraid.
“Prince, I'll be next door. If anything happens, just call me.” The guard left Prince Yuasa alone in the room at the inn.
The wind blew unnaturally. A strange, sweet scent filled the air. Within minutes, every guest at the inn had fallen asleep.
Prince Yuasa, who possessed healing abilities, was unaffected by the wind. His ability protected him. However, not a single guard remained awake.
The sound of horses' hooves rang out alongside hurried footsteps. The inn was silent, with no one awake. Prince Yuasa trembled.
He was only a yellow crystal, with no combat abilities.
“Guards!” Prince Yuasa's shout disappeared into the air. There was no answer.
Fear spread rapidly. Prince Yuasa opened the guards' rooms one by one. All he saw were lifeless bodies. His legs began to weaken. When he opened the last guard's room, he found the man injured but still alive.
“Run, Prince, run!” the man shouted. He held off a group of people alone. Clearly, he deserved to be called the head of the guard.
Prince Yuasa ran outside the inn, where an unusual sight awaited him. People were asleep in the streets. Every resident of the city had fallen asleep.
“Where do you think you're running, Prince?”
A hoarse voice was accompanied by the snickering of the man's followers. They were tall and muscular, and the scars and tattoos on their bodies made it clear they were not good people. They looked more like bandits.
Prince Yuasa retreated step by step as the tattooed men advanced.
“Do you want money? I'll give you some.” Prince Yuasa's voice trembled, even though he knew there was something more valuable than money.
“Money? We have plenty.”
Loud laughter erupted as they mocked the prince's offer.
Prince Yuasa could no longer take another step. His back touched the cold concrete wall. The muscular man in front of him grinned and drew a dagger.
The dagger's cold tip touched Prince Yuasa's neck, its pressure piercing the skin until a drop of red appeared.
The man raised his dagger and licked the blood clinging to it.
“Hmm, just like the rumors say.” The man deliberately cut his own hand, and within seconds, the wound closed perfectly.
Prince Yuasa could only swallow. He couldn't fight back. Today might be his last day in this world. They would finish him off and drain his blood dry. Those images spun through his mind.
“Tie him up! The master wants him alive.”
Yuasa's hands and feet were bound, and his mouth and eyes were covered as well. He could only rely on his ears.
Suddenly, Prince Yuasa felt his body defy gravity before he was abruptly pulled away at great speed. He was thrown into a horse-drawn carriage. In the dimness, a figure resembling the angel of death approached him.
“Take his blood!” The man's hoarse voice issued an absolute command, and it was carried out immediately.
Prince Yuasa felt his hand being tied down and pierced. Blood began to flow.
“Are you going to give me my share?” The voice sounded familiar, but with his eyes closed, Prince Yuasa couldn't identify it.
The air suddenly turned cold, raising the hair on the back of his neck. The voice was deep, with a smooth bass tone.
“Of course. You have your share, and so do I.”
Prince Yuasa began to lose consciousness. The loss of blood left him weak. They abandoned Prince Yuasa in critical condition.
Xavier returned to the laboratory and began experimenting. With Yuasa's blood, the Dark King's cells truly reacted.
It worked. All he had to do was increase the amount, and soon the Dark King would rise again, Xavier thought.
The commotion outside the laboratory cut short Xavier's euphoria over his success. Hearing his assistant calling Rafael's name, Xavier hurried to hide his research.
“What is going on?” Xavier asked as he came out.
“Xavier, thank goodness,” Rafael said when he saw him.
“What happened?” Xavier asked, looking at Rafael.
“I need a black rose. Do you have one?” Rafael asked, approaching Xavier with hope in his eyes.
“Who's sick? I think I still have one,” Xavier replied. He tried to appear casual, hiding what he had done.
“Yuasa. He was attacked and is in critical condition,” Rafael answered.
Xavier fell silent for a moment. Anxiety stirred in his heart at the thought of Rafael finding out that he was the attacker. Carefully, he asked, “Do you know who attacked him?”
“No clues,” Rafael replied briefly. “That doesn't matter. Do you have a black rose?” he added, asking about the black rose again.
“I do. Wait a moment,” Xavier replied, searching for the item Rafael had mentioned in the storage area. Before long, he returned with a rose placed inside a glass container.
“Here, take it. I hope he recovers soon,” Xavier said, handing over the black rose.
“Thank you. I'll be going,” Rafael replied.
The man hurried out of Xavier's laboratory with the black rose in his hand.
“Yes, go save him. One day, I'll be able to take his blood again,” Xavier muttered with an evil smile on his lips.