In the dark alley, Astaroth froze when he heard the voice.

A chill ran down his spine.

From the shadows, a boy with jet-black hair and glowing red eyes stepped into view, each slow footstep echoing off the brick walls.

Arthur.

Astaroth immediately tried to gather whatever power he could still muster, demonic energy trembling around him as he attempted to stand.

"Blood Domain," Arthur said.

In the next second, something invisible snapped into place.

A small domain bloomed outward, filling the entire alley like a faint crimson haze. Unlike the massive domain he had used against Elizabeth, this one was compact, tightly controlled, and far less draining.

The air around Astaroth shifted.

He felt his own body rebel against him.

’What... is happening...?’

Arthur lifted a finger and pointed at him.

Astaroth’s knees buckled.

He crashed to the ground, legs refusing to obey his commands. No matter how much power he tried to circulate, his limbs wouldn’t move.

"Is it... my blood...?" Astaroth thought, shock widening his eyes. "He’s taken control of it... but how...?"

He looked around, feeling the boundaries of the domain pressing in.

’A smaller domain... and he can use it at his age...?’

A foot pressed down on his face, grinding his cheek into the filthy alley floor.

"What happened to you now?" Arthur asked, voice calm and mocking. "Got your ass kicked by a pathetic human, you perverted bastard... and now you want to run away?"

Astaroth’s body refused to move, but his eyes still burned with anger and humiliation.

First that pink-haired woman.

Now this boy, who was not even one one-hundredth of Astaroth’s age, stepping on his face like he was trash. In all his long life, this was the first time he had experienced such humiliation—twice in one day.

But Astaroth also knew this wasn’t the time to cling to pride.

Not when his life was literally under someone else’s foot.

He forced his voice to remain steady.

"Spare my life, human," he said. "And I will grant whatever wish you have."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"So you’re a genie now, huh."

"There is not a single thing in this world I don’t know about," Astaroth said quickly. "Whatever you want, I can provide, no matter what it is. Money, women, fame, power."

He grinned weakly.

"I can give you all of that."

Arthur looked down at him.

"I want power," he said.

Astaroth’s smile widened.

He knew humans. Greedy creatures, always waiting for the chance to unleash their desires, to reach something they would never achieve in their lifetimes.

As he thought the boy would be no different.

Astaroth smiled weakly.

"You will have it," he said. "Just relea—"

"The power of the Demon God you all worship," Arthur cut in calmly.

Astaroth’s eyes flew wide open.

Arthur’s lips curled into a small smile.

"You’re trying to release his seal, aren’t you?" he continued. "You’ve already infiltrated the temple to break it."

Astaroth’s gaze sharpened.

’This boy knows too much... I have to inform the others—’

He didn’t get the chance.

Arthur’s kick slammed into his side.

Astaroth’s body flew sideways and smashed into the alley wall, stone cracking around him before he dropped back down.

"What did you think?" Arthur asked, walking toward him again. "That you’d be able to save your life by using my greed against me?"

Astaroth gritted his teeth.

From a pool of black liquid, a dagger formed in his hand, its blade made of condensed demonic energy. His eyes flicked to Arthur’s leg.

He swung.

But Arthur was faster.

"It’s cute that you still think you’re the predator here," Arthur said.

The dagger sliced—not Arthur, but Astaroth.

Arthur’s control over the Blood Domain twisted Astaroth’s arm mid-swing.

Instead of stabbing the boy, the blade carved through Astaroth’s own wrist.

His severed hand fell to the ground with a wet thud.

Astaroth howled as black blood sprayed against the wall.

He stared at Arthur and, for the first time, saw not just cruelty but something else in the boy’s eyes.

Hunger.

Seeing the blood, a strange, feral desire surged up inside Arthur.

His throat felt dry.

His fangs itched.

’Fuck... it’s that deep hunger again...’ he thought. ’This isn’t the time...’

He forced down the urge.

"Use Blood Absorption," Arthur ordered in his mind.

In the next second, Astaroth’s blood surged.

The black liquid that had spilled across the alley floor turned and flowed toward Arthur’s feet, then climbed up his legs like living ink. Blood inside Astaroth’s body began to move as well, ripping free from his veins and muscles, pulling itself out through his wounds and pores.

The demon’s eyes bulged.

"No—"

The blood swirled around Arthur, forming a crimson vortex before sinking into his skin.

System notifications flashed across Arthur’s vision.

[ Target bloodline: Astaroth – Demon Lord class. ]

[ Blood purity: 70% identified. ]

[ Condition met: First step toward evolving into ’Daemon – Demon of the Beginning.’ ]

[ Requirement: To complete evolution, Host must absorb the blood of the remaining 9 Demon Lords. ]

More messages followed.

[ Additional reward: 800 Attribute Points obtained. ]

Arthur blinked.

"I can get attribute points that way too?" he said.

His system responded in a smug tone.

[ Host, it’s one of the benefits of my leveling up. Instead of directly increasing your stats, I’ve converted the gain into attribute points so you can distribute them as you see fit. ]

"Cool," Arthur said, genuinely pleased.

Meanwhile, Astaroth stared at him, astonished beyond words.

He could feel it now—a demonic presence emanating from Arthur’s body, faint but unmistakable. Familiar, yet twisted into something unknown.

"What the hell are you...?" Astaroth stammered. "How could this be... First a vampire... now a demon..."

His whole body began to tremble.

Then, one by one, bones started to crack from the inside. Blood leaked from his eyes, ears, and nose.

Arthur stepped closer, expression calm.

"It’s time for you to die," he said.

At that moment, another notification came.

[ Absolute Choice System – Activated ]

A translucent panel appeared in front of Arthur’s eyes.

A new quest popped up, surprising him in the middle of the alley flooded with demon blood.