novelraw Chapter 1: Without Talent
Chapter 1: Without Talent
"La-Lady, it seems there’s something wrong with the talent detector." The young maid trembled in fear after conducting the talent test on the 13-year-old boy.
The result was... utterly miserable.
[Realm: Mortal]
[Spiritual Energy: 0/1000]
[Spiritual Energy Accumulation: 0]
[Body Realm: Mortal]
[Soul: Mortal]
[Physique: Mortal]
[Lifespan: 85 Years]
[Will Power: 0]
[Power Affinity:
(Fire: Earth Class)]
[Bloodline: None]
[Merit Law: None]
[Technique: None]
That was everything the detector displayed.
Mortal Soul. Mortal Physique.
There was only a single Power Affinity—and it was Earth Class, the lowest and most pitiful tier.
If this boy were just some random child, there would be nothing strange about it.
But his mother, Margaret Russell, was one of the strongest beings on the Ancient Blood Continent.
Being strong wasn’t even what she was most famous for—she was feared.
In fact, she had once been destined to become the World Monarch by accepting the World Crown, yet for some reason, she chose to step away.
As one of the most powerful World Monarch Candidates in history, she had only grown stronger after surviving an entire era.
Countless ancient beings had fled from her.
"No, it’s not wrong." The dark red-haired woman sitting on the sofa spoke.
She appeared to be around thirty—tall and slender, with a flawless figure and incomparable beauty. Her skin was whiter than untouched snow.
But her eyes were cold. There wasn’t the slightest ripple in her expression.
"Emma, is it true what they’re saying—that the Dragon Blood Sect has a disciple with a Diamond Skeleton?" she asked.
The maid nodded instinctively, still trembling.
"They announced it themselves. He’s already been made their core disciple."
"I see... a talent worthy of sacrificing my treasure..." the dark red-haired woman murmured.
Then she looked at the pale-skinned boy with black hair.
When he met his mother’s gaze, fear was clearly visible on his face.
"Emma, we’re going to the Dragon Blood Sect!"
She grabbed the boy’s hand and stepped forward.
From within the grand castle’s living hall, she appeared high in the sky together with the boy—Victor.
Emma appeared right behind her.
Just because she was a maid who always seemed afraid of her master didn’t mean she was weak.
In truth, she was extremely powerful—born with exceptional talent and personally taught by Margaret Russell.
Still, she couldn’t understand her lady’s intention.
Why mention sacrificing her treasure?
Was she planning to take that Diamond Skeleton for her son?
Emma didn’t even know if such a thing was possible.
The issue wasn’t taking it—removing something from someone’s body was possible.
But that didn’t mean it could be implanted into another person.
Talent was tied to its owner. It wouldn’t be compatible with others—unless it was something born directly from the world itself, meant to be contested.
Emma didn’t dare to ask. She could only follow.
They pierced through layer after layer of clouds, flying westward from the Ancient Blood Continent.
On this continent, there were many Bloodlines, but not everyone chose the Bloodline path.
The Russell Clan, for example, was one that didn’t.
They relied more on their innate talents and their ability to comprehend Merit Laws.
And they had always been blessed with extraordinary talent.
Margaret Russell was proof of that—and the Russell Clan had even produced two World Monarchs in previous eras.
It could be said that Victor was the first anomaly.
As Victor was carried by his mother, his eyes blinked several times in confusion.
He could feel memories that didn’t belong to him surfacing in his mind, yet that didn’t ease his confusion.
Reincarnation... another world... was that really possible?
He couldn’t help but be mesmerized by this dark red-haired woman—far too beautiful to be real. He had never seen anyone like her on Earth. Even the most beautiful celebrities were insignificant compared to her.
Was this woman really his mother in this world?
Who was his father?
Unfortunately, no memories of that appeared.
’Is there a System?’ Victor wondered inwardly.
DING!
(You have obtained the Villain Cultivation System, which will grant you improvements to any aspect of yourself whenever you perform evil acts or someone else do it to help you!)
DING!
(Free Reward: Your Fire Power Affinity has increased from Earth Class to Sky Class!)
[Realm: Mortal]
[Spiritual Energy: 0/1000]
[Spiritual Energy Accumulation: 0]
[Body Realm: Mortal]
[Soul: Mortal]
[Physique: Mortal]
[Lifespan: 85 Years]
[Will Power: 0]
[Power Affinity:
(Fire: Sky Class)]
[Bloodline: None]
[Merit Law: None]
[Technique: None]
Victor didn’t know how to react when the notification screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.
The problem was... why did it ask him to commit evil?
Was this System the reason he had reincarnated as the son of a notoriously cruel woman?
Of course, Victor still accepted it.
Without a System, things would be much harder for him.
After an unknown amount of time, his mother pulled him downward.
Below them lay a land filled with rivers colored red—so thick that he couldn’t tell whether it was blood or water.
Many hills stretched across the land, with houses built atop them, all protected by massive energy domes.
In Margaret’s right hand, a long sword suddenly appeared, radiating golden light.
When she raised it, the golden glow became like a blazing sun, illuminating an already bright world.
Slash!
The strike tore through the massive energy dome from end to end.
The land below trembled violently, and many hills collapsed.
Victor froze, completely stunned.
For the first time, he witnessed a human capable of destroying the world.
Golden light flooded the entire land from that single slash.
"Margaret Russell, what is the meaning of this?" A middle-aged man with a scar across his cheek appeared, both furious and shocked.
Someone had destroyed their sect’s protective formation with a single strike.
That was simply unbelievable—even their strongest ancestor had once said it would take a hundred attacks to break it.
Several old men appeared behind him, their expressions filled with vigilance.
Two women and a 13-year-old boy.
They had never imagined such a group could make them feel fear.
Yet... this dark red-haired woman did.
Margaret ignored them.
She gazed downward sharply, then extended her hand.
It looked like nothing more than a simple motion—
But in the next instant, a 15-year-old boy appeared.
Margaret’s hand clamped around his throat, choking him.
"Alex...!" The middle-aged man and the elders were stunned.
"What are you doing, Margaret Russell? Are you trying to kill a child?" the middle-aged man demanded.
In this world, there was an unspoken rule—one did not act against juniors or those far weaker in cultivation.
If a junior committed a fault, you dealt with their senior.
Margaret remained indifferent.
Suddenly, she stabbed her other hand into the boy’s abdomen.
Everyone’s eyes widened in horror.
From his body, she pulled out a complete skeleton that shimmered like diamond.
"Ahhhh...!" The boy screamed in agony.
Margaret casually tossed him aside.
"How dare you!" The middle-aged man roared in fury.
He charged forward, and the shadow of a massive dragon appeared behind him.
A claw shot toward Margaret.
She looked at it with disdain.
Another slash.
Boom!
The dragon’s shadow exploded, and the man was sent flying, his abdomen torn open.
"Sect Master!" the elders cried out in panic.
"Little girl, how dare you!"
A furious roar echoed from beneath the land.
The ground split open, revealing a dark underground chamber with five coffins.
One of them opened—
A wrinkled hand emerged.
When it fully opened, a withered old man was revealed, as if he were only half a step away from death.
Yet his eyes were crimson, brimming with power.
In an instant, he appeared before Margaret.
"Return it!" he demanded, reaching toward her.
His small hand transformed into a massive red dragon claw filled with terrifying power.
It tore through space, shattered time, and even dyed the sky red.
But Margaret remained dismissive.
Another slash.
Shua!
The enormous dragon claw was severed.
"Aghhh...!" the old man let out a hoarse scream.
He immediately retreated back into his coffin, and the land sealed itself in an instant.
This time, it was reinforced with even more defensive formations.
Margaret clearly had no interest in chasing him.
She looked at the Diamond Skeleton in her hand.
Then, another object appeared—a glass cube.
It shifted shape, becoming a skeleton before merging with the Diamond Skeleton.
"Array Cube..."
"Is that something that can adjust a talent so it can be used by someone else?"
"Seems so. I heard that item went extinct long ago... yet there’s still one left."
"Where did she even find it? Could there be more?"
"Ridiculous. If there were that many, she’d be roaming the world stealing everyone’s talent."
Whoosh!
To everyone’s shock—
Margaret inserted the skeleton into the young boy’s body.